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Anglo-Swiss firm pays homage to George Graham, father of the chronograph

Eric Loth, founder of the private Anglo-Swiss firm The British Masters, has such respect for two of England's greatest watchmakers that he has named his brands after them - Graham, after George Graham, and Arnold & Son.

George Graham (1674-1751) was probably best known as the 'father of the chronograph'.

But he also invented the anchor escapement, the dead-beat cylinder escapement, the first wall-mounted chronograph and the mercury pendulum.

He was commissioned by the Royal Greenwich Observatory to build the master clock used by astronomers.

The contemporary Graham watch bears the motto: 'Dedicated to enthusiasts of the mechanical arts'.

Eric Loth believes that George Graham would have approved of this modern Swiss initiative to revive the finest British horological traditions and build on his  lasting legacy.

The big, bold Graham timepieces are  impressive 'wrist machines',  technically and aesthetically playful objects that combine  avant-garde design and traditional know-how.

The Swordfish is one of the most distinctive and memorable models in the collection. This year it comes in two new versions.

One feature that is probably exclusive to Graham is the company's Drive Left concept.

When the crown and push-button are on the left of the case, the watch is known as Drive Left, and this is signified by an L just above 6 o'clock on the dial of one version, while an R indicates the more conventional arrangement with the controls on the right.

Given the size and prominence of these controls, the indication on the dial may be considered superfluous.

Another new model launched in Basel this year was the Chronofighter Oversize Overlord Mark II.

This watch lives up to its oversize name, with a 46mm case. It is driven by the new bicompax chronograph, Calibre G1732, and is water-resistant to a depth of 100 metres.

The timepiece comes in a limited edition of 250, and is likely to appeal to those who wish to stand out from the crowd.

The Arabic numerals at 12 and 6 o'clock are filled with superluminova and a cambered sapphire crystal protects the black and charcoal grey dial.

The other important new offering from  Graham in Basel is the Chronofighter R.A.C., with a slightly more modest 43mm case (R.A.C. stands not for Royal Automobile Club, as some people believe, but for 'roue a colonne', the French for column wheel).

The watch has an automatic chronograph movement that sports a column wheel chronograph mechanism, which collectors value.

The Chronofighter R.A.C. comes with a novel version of Graham's famous left-hand controls. It is available in several stainless steel versions, each with an evocative name, such as Black Shock, Black Speed, Silver Fighter and Silver Numerals.

There are also gold versions. A skeleton model offers a glimpse of the sophisticated movement inside through a sapphire crystal case-back.

Another model is the King George, with a grand complication featuring four hammers, three complications and two innovations - a chronograph start/stop striking mechanism and a split seconds lifting lever system that avoids any loss of amplitude when measuring split times.



A tribute to the masters