I have to admit that this new product had slipped under my radar and I discovered it completely by chance during a recent visit to the Bucherer boutique in Paris. It is the Carl F. Bucherer Heritage Worldtimer and it would have been a shame to miss it. In fact, it is my favorite new product from the brand in a long time.
I like it because it combines several assets. First of all, its proportions are reasonable (the diameter is 39mm for a thickness of 10.25mm) and consistent with its neo-retro spirit. This piece, introduced as part of a limited series of 150 pieces made with Hodinkee, is indeed inspired by a model from the 50s and this is felt in the execution. No date, no second hand, there was no temptation to “modernize” the functions and this is excellent news. The result is visually charming with a lot of finesse in the aesthetic approach. The Dauphine hands are delicate (the dial dedicated to displaying the time has a contained diameter), the hour ring is charming (I really like the little touches of color brought by the sun and the moon) and the ring of the reference cities completes the whole with elegance. There is a harmony of colours and the contrast between the peripheral ring and the central area allows the watch to play with the intensity of the shades of blue.
The reference city for our time zone is Lucerne:
The steel case is classic with a thin bezel. This is an important point because it was necessary to obtain the most available space given the amount of information to be displayed. The originality lies in the second crown, housed diametrically opposite the time-setting crown. The overall result is balanced and the presence of the second crown does not detract from the elegance.
But then, what is the purpose of this second crown? Quite simply to manipulate the city ring, the hour ring remaining fixed. As you can see, this is a simplified Worldtimer function (a sort of slide rule) and not a watch using the Louis Cottier system found at Patek Philippe. Let’s say it’s 10 p.m. in Paris. Using the crown, you position Lucerne (yes, it’s the reference city for our time zone, a logical choice for Carl F. Bucherer) opposite 10 p.m. and you can thus obtain a direct reading of the current time for the other 23 time zones. Of course, I would have preferred the watch to be a real Worldtimer, but the price of 7,800 euros including tax would not have been the same.
Finally, beyond the aesthetic success, it is the movement that seduced me the most. I found the A2000 manufacture caliber perfectly suited to this context. The fact that it has a peripheral oscillating weight highlights its architecture and decoration. The visual rendering is similar to a hand-wound movement, which is pleasant, especially in this neo-retro atmosphere. I appreciated the decoration (the bridges are gold-plated, which creates a contrast with the ratchet and the crown wheel) and the usual geometric shape of the bridge cutout. Thanks to the use of the peripheral weight, the caliber’s own height remains reasonable (5.57 mm), which explains the relative thinness of the case. The performance is correct (a power reserve of 55 hours for a frequency of 4 Hz) and in addition, the movement is chronometer-certified, which is a significant added value.
The A2000 movement is nicely decorated:
The Carl F. Bucherer Heritage Worldtimer is therefore a nice success and it demonstrates the know-how of the manufacturer when it explores its heritage. The Heritage collection is my favorite, and by far, being less convinced by the Manero and other Petravi that I find less subtle. This Heritage Worldtimer, which comes shortly after the Heritage Chronometer Celebration seems to confirm a direction of the brand towards smaller, more graceful watches and it is good news, especially for the French clientele. Finally, note that this model comes with two bracelets, one in steel mesh and the other in gray Saffiano leather. It is with the latter that I prefer this new product. Without being a fortune teller, I imagine that this limited series will prefigure a watch that will enter the permanent collection of Carl F. Bucherer (I take bets). It remains to be seen what the variations will be and when they will be available.
