I have a soft spot for watch brands that lean into doing things a bit differently, and the Graham Chronofighter Superlight Carbon is up there as a divisive design signature that has defined the brand. The chronograph trigger on the left side of the case was inspired by a countdown timer watch which Universal Geneve developed for the Italian Air Force back in the 1930s and has been a staple of the Chronofighter for about 20 years now. But does the unconventional military-inspired style translate when we’re talking about a complication like a tourbillon chronograph rather than a casual sports watch?
Limited to 100 pieces, the Graham Chronofighter Superlight Carbon Skeleton Tourbillograph is all about being big. At 47mm-wide in a very lightweight black carbon case, it’s also got one of the biggest tourbillons around that I’ve seen. Vintage military design and style, modern case construction, and legit horological chops all make for what is overall a pretty compelling package for an admittedly niche person - that is, if your wrist and wallet are large enough. While the case size is 47mm-wide, that’s without the wathe trigger. My calipers have it at 57mm-wide with the trigger, 17. 5mm-thick, and with a lug-to-lug height of 55mm. What’s also big is the tourbillon, which I don’t have a precise measurement for, but the ends of the bridges are about 21mm apart. I think a more conventionally sized smaller tourbillon would look funny in a watch this big as well as aggressive, but Graham pulled it off.
The watch is really light, though I felt a little silly being surprised when I first picked it up considering “Superlight” is right there in the name. Still, the large situation size and also aggressive layout don’t betray the 100g weight (which is just about what a Tudor Black Bay on strap weighs). This is, of course , due to the black co2 composite circumstance, though the tourbillon cage itself comes in at 0. 485g, which is a feather more than the 0. 403g weight of Audemars Piguet’s tourbillon cage used in its current production models. Watch media can get a little overexcited in covering the newest record-breaking thinnest or lightest watches, but the reality is that while the Graham isn’t any particular record holder, it’s regarding as light as I could perceive a watch this size on my hand to be. While it’s certainly big for me, if your arm circumference is > 8 inches, the Chronofighter Tourbillograph really is pretty practical when you consider the unobtrusive weight and 100M of water resistance. The timepiece trigger on the left of the case is a quirky style and design signature, for sure, but at least it’s not going to be confused with anything else out there, which is more than I can say for a lot of watches. The G1780 is an automatic column-wheel chronograph along with tourbillon that will Graham first introduced concerning 10 years ago when it had been outfitted within a watch from the brand’s Silverstone collection. This movement was made exclusively with regard to Graham by La Joux-Perret and, while it’s not new, it is actually got some interesting stuff going for it. First off, it’s rare to see a tourbillon that is integrated into a column-wheel chronograph, the actual wheels of which you can see at work through the tourbillon cage. Operating at 28, 800 vph with a 48-hour power reserve, the particular G1780 is actually hand-finished with Geneva stripes, perlage, chamfering, and polished edges. The actual column wheel has parts of the base cog wheel refined in order to reduce friction, as well. The tourbillon cage will be comprised of 48 parts, several of which are done in 18k gold, like the upper tourbillon bridge and oscillating rotor. The particular movement is usually Chronofiable-certified, which isn’t a household name like COSC or even other tests, but it may be noteworthy, nonetheless. Carried out at Laboratoire Dubois in La Chaux-de-Fonds, typically the Chronofiable certification has to do with often the durability in addition to toughness of the watch plus movement. This process simulates shocks, acceleration, and even temperature changes over 21 days, that is equivalent to six months of wear. This is the same certification you’ll find on some Richard Mille timepieces such as the RM 035 Rafael Nadal, although I believe they now have an in-house test. Los angeles Joux-Perret has two patents having to do with protection of the tourbillon, which they call a “shockproof” tourbillon. In addition to Incabloc shock absorbers, they reduced the tourbillon down to as few components as possible together with constructed the double-bridge regarding rigidity and stability.
Given how delicate tourbillons can be, I think the exact reassurance from the Chronofiable accreditation is pretty important if you want to actually wear this particular watch about as its meant to be without worrying. The time counter is activated and paused via the very trigger pusher, while the gripped pusher in 10 o’clock resets it. With the 30-minute chronograph counter sub-dial from 9 o’clock and that huge tourbillon stretching between 3 and 6 o’clock, there really is not any room left on the dial intended for much else. I’m pretty agnostic about the matching black carbon dial that matches the case, and I do think a bit more could be done with the Graham logo and indices that are inside a white varnish finish. It’s just a bit flat, for me. Nevertheless, the large lumed red precious metal hands match the red gold seconds hand which is set inside the tourbillon aperture very nicely and contrast with the dark carbon in a way that’s refined but still appropriate for the military-watch vibe in the Graham Chronofighter Superlight Carbon.
