Besides the dazzling 2012 Geo.Graham, the high-tech Silverstone collection is the most elegant in Graham’s current product line-up.
While different iterations of the Chronofighter and a more sports-oriented Prodive collection are too exaggerated, too extravagant, the Silverstone series has always been an example in sporty elegance. With its open-worked dial and carefully designed case, the Graham Silverstone RS Skeleton (refs. 2STAC1.B01A in red, 2STAC2.B01A in green, and 2STAC3.B01A in blue) takes this elegance to a new level of sophistication.
So far, the collection is available in three versions that differ from each other only with the color accents on their dials and tire tread-styled rubber bands. Each limited to just 250 pieces, the watches are as deliberately massive as other “sporty” Grahams but look light thanks to their skeletonized, three-dimensional dials.
The watch still sports the same bi-compax layout with a 30-minute chronograph totalizer at 3 hours and a small seconds indicator at 9 o’clock, but also allows you a view of its well-finished balance wheel and some other parts of the gear train.
Still, the watch sports a different engine. The Swiss-made “Caliber G1790” offers nothing groundbreaking in terms of functionality but is nicely decorated with its shaded grey and rhodium-plated parts, open-worked plates, and hand-decorated oscillating weight.
Even considering its exaggerated sportiness, the Silverstone RS Skeleton Chronograph may be considered too large for many. The problem is not only in its thickness, which is, by the way, not that intimidating compared to some similarly sized timepieces by other manufacturers but rather in its impressive diameter that is only worsened by excessively long lugs.
Measuring 46 millimeters in diameter, the watch not only covers practically all the width of a normal wrist but also shows way too much rubber with the usual for the racing-inspired chronographs tire tread motif.
Yes, the straps with their thin strips of color accents look engaging matching the same visual emphasis on their dials; however, they also make the timekeepers way too sporty making them almost impossible to wear with a business suit unless you are an eccentric CEO of an especially hip software company.
On the other hand, I feel obliged to give Graham its due when it comes to the overall feeling of the watch. It makes an impression of a solid object with all of its main elements deeply thought over and engineered with a lot of attention to even the smallest details.
The black bezel features an inevitable tachymeter scale. It is engraved using a font face that matches those chosen for other “functional” elements, including the chapter ring and Arabic numerals on the black sub-dial rings.
The sword-shaped hour and minute hands are short but wide. That allowed the British brand to put just enough Superluminova for easy readability at night.
The way the machine-brushed surfaces are alternated with polished ones could be a bit boring if not for its high level of execution.
The crown, while large enough for a firm grip, is short enough not to be a source of discomfort.
By the way, as you can see in the picture below, the stainless steel body of the Graham Silverstone RS Skeleton has an additional “porthole” at 10 hours that not only gives you an additional viewing angle at the mechanism but also allows more light to come into the case thus making the caliber look even better when viewed either through the front or the rear sapphire crystal.
Alas, like many watches of this, um, caliber, the timekeeper is not particularly affordable. The watch commands an almost forbidding price of $14,580. Well, some things were meant to be expensive.
See also: Graham Silverstone Stowe USA Edition (2BLDC.W07C.K47S)
Photos: Graham
WWR verdict
Originality 5/5
Build quality: 5/5
Usability: 4/5
Legibility: 3.5/5
Value for money: 3.5/5
Graham Silverstone RS Skeleton Chronograph specification
Price: $14,580 (MSRP)
Movement: Automatic, Caliber G1790, Swiss Made
Number of jewels: 29
Movement frequency: 28,800 vph
Power reserve: 46 hours
Movement decoration: Rhodium-plated, open-worked balance bridge and plates, hand-decorated rotor
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph
Case and Crown: Stainless steel
Bezel: Black ceramic (ZrO2, Zirconium Dioxide)
Shape: Round
Size: 46.00 mm
Dial: Skeletonized
Versions: 2STAC1.B01A (red color inserts), 2STAC2.B01A (green elements), 2STAC3.B01A (blue)
Numerals: Arabic (minute track), luminous
Hour markers: Luminous
Hands: Luminous
Water resistance: 100 meters
Strap: Integrated black tire tread rubber band with blue / red / green insert, steel folding buckle
Crystal: Sapphire, antireflective, GRAHAM inscription at 12 hours
Back: Sapphire, engraved