Okay, it looks like we will soon see yet another 7750-type chronograph. The watchmaker that was founded back in the 1930s in Switzerland, almost went bankrupt in the late 1990s, and then re-launched by a Belgian family, is going to present its new Rodania XSEBA Black Edition (ref. RS2505326) chronograph.
Powered by a well-known ETA Valjoux 7750 self-winding movement, the XSEBA Black Edition will offer you all the usual stuff that we have got used to during a recent couple of decades: a tri-compax dial layout, as well as an extended calendar function that displays not only current date but also the current day of the week.
Although the movement is not particularly large, the new timepiece will be delivered in a large body.
Whole 44 millimeters in diameter, the body is machined from stainless steel and features a nice satin finish. Its notched bezel, au contraire, is treated with black PVD treatment that nicely corresponds to the color of the dial and the setting crown.
To my taste, the pair of chronograph push-pieces are not exceptionally comfortable to operate, since they are attached too close to the crown and are just too short. The crown, on the other hand, is too long.
What hurts my eyes is the “day of week” window, which is placed near the date aperture at 3 o’clock (a standard layout for ETA 7750-based chronographs.) On the official photo, the window reads “LUN,” which probably means “Lundi” and is translated from French as “Monday”.
The problem is that the rest of the inscriptions on the dark grey dial are done in English, which somehow makes this timekeeper look ridiculous.
Well, at least the rest looks legit enough for a piece priced close to $2500.
I mean, the dial is easy to read, the hours and minutes hands, as well as the applied hour markers, are covered with Superluminova and will give you no problem reading the data in darkness. The smaller hands, chronograph sub-dials, as well as the central chronograph seconds hand are painted bright red that nicely corresponding to the contrasting red stitching on the black leather strap.
A thin red line on the crown would have made this piece look even classier, but, well, I can live without it.
The price of the new Rodania XSEBA Black Edition will probably be announced in a couple of months after the watch is presented at the upcoming Baselworld 2012 international trade fair, but it is more or less clear that the timekeeper will be priced below €2000 mark.
See also: Sporty and Aggressive: Chronoswiss Pacific Collection
Photos: Rodania
Rodania XSEBA Black Edition Chronograph RS2505326 specification
Price: $1890 (MSRP)
Movement: Automatic, Caliber ETA Valjoux 7750, Swiss Made
- Jewels: 30
- Frequency: 28,800 vph
- Decoration: Branded oscillating weight
- Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, day of the week, tachymeter
- Power reserve: 46 hours
Case and Bezel: Stainless steel
Bezel: Black coated steel
Shape: Round
Case size: 44.00 mm
Case height: 12.00 mm
Dial: Grey
Hour markers: Applied, luminous
Hands: Luminous
Water resistance: 100 meters
Strap: Black leather strap with contrasting red stitching and double-pusher safety clasp
Crystal: Sapphire, antireflective
Back: Sapphire