Earlier this year, Glashütte Original launched a steel version of its Senator Chronograph Panorama Date watch. Originally found in 2014 with precious metal instances, this watch was praised thanks to its in-house designed, column-wheel flyback chronograph movement, a significant achievement for your brand. With this brand new steel version, the Original Senator Chronograph Panorama Date is half the cost as the golden model. Of course, the watch remains priced at about $15,000 (on a rubber strap!) So let us see what the offering here is.When I think of Glashütte Original, I consider major date windows and relatively modern sized (40mm and over), well-executed wrist watches. While most of the lineup has a formal, dress watch feel for this, they’re also not afraid to experiment with colour as the Glashütte Sixties Iconic Square series proved. Given that the complications of this watch in question now, I can’t help but believe that the Original Senator Chronograph Panorama Date is what you’d look to if you wanted a timepiece similar to A. Lange & Söhne’s Datograph with no sticker shock (and a sportier look, but more about that later). As I mentioned previously, among the highlights of the watch is the movement, Glashütte’s calibre 37-01. A flyback chronograph allows the user to reset the chronograph without stopping it first, a helpful feature to have if you had been time laps in a race or two events in close succession.
Initially available only in red gold or platinum, the Glashütte Original Senator Chronograph Panorama Date has just been introduced at Baselworld 2017 in stainless steel, for half of what it costs in gold.
The movement remains the same: the calibre 37-01. It’s an integrated, self-winding movement with a flyback function and a somewhat unusual dial. The 12-hour counter sits at 12 o’clock, while the large date display is at six o’clock, inverting the typical chronograph layout.
The calibre 37-01 was designed to be as compact as possible, with a streamlined construction. For instance, it uses a simplified horizontal coupling to transmit power from the base movement to the stopwatch, minimising the height of the chronograph mechanism.
The entire movement is just 8mm high, relatively slim given considering it’s automatic and has a big date mechanism. By comparison the manually wound calibre L951.1 in the Lange Datograph is 7.9mm high.
The steel case is 42mm in diameter, matched with a black dial featuring pale blue Super-Luminova for a look that leans towards sporty. It’s available with a leather or rubber strap, or a steel bracelet.
Price and availability
The Senator Chronograph Panorama Date (ref.1-37-01-03-02-07) in steel costs €13,500 or S$23,100. It will be available starting mid-2017.