Switzerland is synonymous with the tradition and craft of watchmaking. For centuries, the mountainous country has dominated the industry with its craftsmanship and its constant pursuit to push the boundaries of horological engineering. Throughout history, there have been several famous brands that have helped establish Switzerland as the epicenter of luxury watchmaking with their expertise in crafting the most advanced and desirable timepieces. Carl F. Bucherer is one of them. It is one of the oldest luxury Swiss watchmakers continuously held by the founding family. The company is currently run by the original family’s third generation, with Jörg G. Bucherer serving as chairman of the board.
It was in 1888 when a merchant named Carl Friedrich Bucherer opened a boutique in the picturesque Swiss town of Lucerne that specialized in the distribution of watches and jewelry. It laid the foundation of a brand that has become a formidable name in the horological industry over the last 135 years. The company’s founder is widely recognized as a visionary. During an era when pocket watches were considered an essential accessory for men, Carl F. Bucherer correctly predicted that they will be replaced by wristwatches. The tradition was carried forward by his two sons, Carl-Eduard Ernst Bucherer, who led the business to even greater success. Notably, Ernst forged a successful partnership with Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex, in 1924, at a time when the iconic Swiss wasn’t as famous.
The legacy of Carl F. Bucherer has been carried forward to this day, winning accolades and setting new milestones on the way. The Manero AutoDate by Carl F. Bucherer is a great example that was awarded the best classical watch for 2013 – a year that marked the 125 anniversary of the brand. Bucherer has also established itself as the market leader in peripheral technology, having several patents to its name. The Swiss brand has continually evolved and refined its craft of watchmaking, without losing touch with its heritage. Let’s have a look at the interesting models launched by CBF over the last year, which perfectly showcase its expertise in crafting stunning watches.
Manero Flyback 40mm
Introduced by Carl F. Bucherer back in 2016, the Manero Flyback 43mm was an instant success in the global market thanks to the chronograph’s classic watch design blended with contemporary style. Last year, the Swiss brand expanded the collection by launching the model with a slimmed-down 40mm case, offered in five different colorful dials: blue, green, red, white, and black. They were created in partnership with nature photographer Hannes Becker, While the smaller Manero Flyback model retains the original’s elegant design, the addition of color sets it apart from the rest of the collection. The thickness of the case is also unchanged at 14.45mm. It gets long, curved lug that are mostly polished but features a brushed finish on top. The sapphire caseback gives the watch an unimpressive 30m water resistance but offers a view of the beautiful movement ticking inside.
The blue, red, and green versions offer a colorful variation of the panda dial, with the sunken, circular grooved sub-dials finished in their respective colors. The white and the black versions both have single-color dials contrasted by rose gold-plated markers and hands. Along with central hour, minute, and chronograph seconds hands, the dial features a date aperture at 6 o’clock. All the versions are equipped with color-matched quick-release textile straps made from recycled vegan materials, with pin-buckle folding clasps. Inside the case is the CFB 1973 caliber, an entirely new automatic mechanical movement that delivers 56 hours of power reserve, which is a massive improvement over the 43mm model’s 25-hour power reserve. The Carl F. Bucherer Manero Flyback 40mm is priced at $7,100.
Manero Tourbillon Double Peripheral Paradise
Earlier this year, Carl F. Bucherer launched a striking new iteration of its Manero Tourbillon Double Peripheral – a timepiece that features two of the brand’s signature peripherally mounted technologies. The limited-edition timepiece has an 18K rose gold case with a bezel encrusted with 40 baguette-cut rainbow-colored gemstones including tsavorites, sapphires, and rubies. The full-spectrum bezel looks absolutely stunning against the backdrop of the black sunray dial which is also with additional gemstones in the form of index marks. Furthermore, the elegant timepiece gets rose-gold-plated hands to complement the case, along with a black hybrid rubber strap that completes the dynamic look.
Powering the watch is the brand’s CFB T3000 caliber, a 33-jewel movement that features an automatic winding system and a “floating” tourbillon cage, neither of which is mounted on the movement’s main plate nor attached to an overlying bridge. The shock-proof tourbillon is supported peripherally by three ceramic ball bearings and seems to float in space. The newest iteration of the Manero Tourbillon Double Peripheral Paradise is limited to just 18 examples, each priced at $152,000.
Manero Minute Repeater Anniversary Trilogy
To celebrate its 135th anniversary, Carl F. Bucherer released a trio of unique watches that showcase the evolution of the brand’s watchmaking skills over more than a century. The bespoke watches, each of which is limited to one piece only, feature three equally impressive complications – an automatic winding system, a “floating” tourbillon, and a minute repeater regulator. Interestingly, all three watches sport a completely distinct look. First in the series is a masterpiece that features an 18K gold dial finished in a moss-green guilloche, which is hand-milled by experienced artisans using a 200-year-old lathe. Complementing the dial is a yellow gold case along with gold index markers and a matching moss green nubuck leather strap.
The second watch gets an 18K white gold dial overlaid with light blue mother-of-pearl that is exactly color-matched to the 40 ice-blue, baguette-cut sapphires arranged around the bezel. This version comes with an 18K white gold case along with a hybrid rubber strap. The third and final timepiece in the trilogy features a variation of the Manero Tourbillon Double Peripheral Paradise’s design. The bespoke piece gets an 18-karat rose gold case framed by a full-spectrum bezel containing 40 baguette-cut gemstones including tsavorites, sapphires, and rubies for a stunning rainbow effect. The black sunray dial gives the watch a very elegant look, which is complemented by a black hybrid rubber strap. All three watches are powered by the brand’s CFB MR3000 caliber movement that offers 65 hours of power reserve. The prices are available only upon request.
