PRESS RELEASE -- PATRAVI Line by Carl F. Bucherer with a new look. Five masterpieces by Carl F. Bucherer reconceived, all in brown, from strap to dial.To be presented for the first time at Baselworld 2008.
Masculine, fashionable and mechanically ingenious, the new models give a different color slant to this year's Baselworld. All coordinated in a warm, noble, brown tone from the dial framed within its gold case to the artistically embellished leather strap, offering an aura of timeless, classical sovereignty as an integrated stylistic unity. A sovereignty to which these watches are perfectly entitled with their ingenious complications and functions.
A brown dial is unusual. And this is exactly why it suits the Patravi watches so well, as they are just as unusual from the point of view of their mechanics, functionality and the expression of their masculine profile. The brown dial provides the stage, on which it is demonstrated in a most eye-catching way that time is not merely a question of counting the hours. Functions such as chronograph, large date, power reserve, yes, and also retrograde hour display receive the optical significance that they deserve, in line with their complexity.
The Patravi ChronoGrade comprises six highly practical functions, among which the retrograde hour display is particularly noticeable. After each rotation of the central chronograph hand, the minute totalizer at 9 o'clock moves along one more graduation mark. Once the hand has completed one full rotation, this information is in turn transferred via an imposing gearing mechanism to the hours counter between 7 and 8 o'clock, where the corresponding counter moves downwards through a semi-circular scale. When the hours counter reaches the end of its scale, it shoots instantly back to its starting position, in order to start its journey again from this position. This retrograde display distinguishes the Patravi Chronograde from its run-of-the- mill peers and also accounts partly for its name.
Just as unusual as the retrograde display is the fly-back function, which enables the chronograph to restart, without an intermediate stopping operation, with one simple press on the push-piece. The exemplary functionality of this exclusive timekeeper is finally completed with a power reserve mechanism and date display in two windows.
Naturally, the Patravi T-Graph distinguishes itself from the first model primarily at the visual level, with its original barrel-shaped case. However, there are also considerable differences in the implementation of the individual complications. For example with the power reserve: at 6 o'clock there is an arc-shaped scale with high/low scale in the shape of a disc, which rotates in a clockwise direction, when the watch is wound up. Superimposed on this disc is a hand, which also turns in the natural direction of rotation (clockwise), so that the hand does not behave in a retrograde way. This technical refinement was first introduced by Carl F. Bucherer in the unique combination with chronograph, large date and barrel-shaped case in the Patravi T-Graph. At this point, it is worth mentioning the special location of the minute circle of the chronograph function. The timer scale has been deliberately situated along the inner edges of the indexes, making the stop-second quickly and completely legible to the nearest quarter of a second.
The Patravi TravelTec, the Patravi ChronoDate Annual and the Patravi T24 are also available with the exceptional and exclusive brown dial. A group of five unmistakable watches, which together embody the philosophy of watchmaker Carl F. Bucherer, accumulated over the past 90 years.