The MONOCHROME “Montre de Souscription” by Angelus
For the fifth chapter in the Montre de Souscription series, MONOCHROME Watches has teamed up with Angelus to create its own version of the brand’s refined monopusher chronograph. Named the Chronographe Tachymètre, we have opted for a Tachymeter dial instead of the original Telemeter design, and found further inspiration in vintage Angelus chronographs.
Technical Specifications
Functions
Movement
- Calibre:
- A5000 (view calibre)
- Jewels:
- 23
- Diameter:
- 24.00 mm
- Thickness:
- 4.20 mm
- Power reserve:
- 42 hours
- Frequency:
- 3 Hz/21,600 vph
Dial
Case
- Material:
- Stainless Steel
- Diameter:
- 37 mm
- Thickness:
- 9.25 mm
- Crystal:
- domed sapphire with an anti-reflective coating on both sides
- Back:
- sapphire crystal, with an anti-reflecting coating
- Water resistance:
- 3 bar (30 metres/100 feet)
Strap
- Material:
- mid-grey nubuck leather strap
- Buckle:
- pin buckle, stainless steel
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Gallery
A TACHYMETER DIAL IN 2N GOLD
A tachymeter is designed to record average speeds. This feature is mostly used on racing and pilot chronographs. For example, when driving a car over a distance of exactly 1 kilometre or 1 mile, the tachymeter will enable you to calculate the average speed (in kph or mph) that you’re driving. The scale is indeed graduated from 500 to 30 units, with a double coil at the periphery of the dial. A rare feature, as snailed scales are often found in the middle of the dial. The addition of a tachymeter scale isn’t the only unique feature of this watch. While we initially wanted to opt for a salmon dial, a closer look at vintage Angelus chronograph watches resulted in the creation of a gold-coloured dial. The matte, lightly grained dial is here coated in a pale 2N gold tone and paired with black printing and polished applied markers and luminous hands.
Compact proportions
Our Angelus Chronographe comes in a 37mm stainless steel case that is only 9.25mm in thickness, a case designed by Angelus as a nod to its vintage 1950s chronographs. Due to relatively thin and long lugs, the watch wears slightly larger than you’d suspect based on the 37mm diameter. However, it really remains a relatively small wristwatch. Refined, elegant, thin, and with a beautifully finished case that combines brushed surfaces on the flanks and top, with a refined polished bevel on the side, adding an elegant touch to this watch.
The right side is where everything happens, since the Tachymètre is a monopusher chronograph. The pusher to start, stop and reset the stopwatch function is indeed integrated within the crown, resulting in a watch that’s balanced, restrained and elegant. Consistent with the retro inspiration of the watch, the dial is protected by a box-shaped sapphire crystal and the back, engraved with the name of the watch and its individual number, also features its own sapphire crystal to admire the movement.
A movement with great pedigree
The movement now known as the Calibre A5000 retains most of the elements of the classic architecture described above, with a compact timekeeping base running at 3Hz, 23 jewels in total and a 42h power reserve. Looking at the movement through the caseback, you’re first treated with a classic layout. In an era of automatic chronograph movements with a vertical clutch that leaves no space for imagination, it is simply delightful to look at this calibre. All gears, levers, springs and the column wheel are clearly visible. The finishing is also appealing, with bevelled bridges, Geneva stripes, chamfered levers with straightgrained surfaces, circular-grained golden wheels and polished screws. Traditional, not overly demonstrative, elegant. It uses a version of the A5000 with a 3N gold-finished main plate and bridges, contrasting with the stainless steel chronograph mechanism.
