Aside from writing weekly doses of piffle with watch commentary attached, I do, in all actuality, go around interviewing "important" people in the watch industry. Last week, I met perhaps one of the most talented designers in the game. I won't say who it was, as I would likely have to expend precious words explaining a bit about her and her work. Bah! I've already used up too many words!

Anyway, this designer made the point that even though she loves designing chronographs, she's never used one and doesn't know anyone who has. Likewise, I've never actually used the chronograph function on the watches I have and, to be honest, I take it on faith that the function works. After all, why would you use it unless you were measuring split times and the like?
But don't assume this week's column will be dedicated to trashing chronographs. In fact, the opposite is true - we're going to celebrate them. For despite the fact no one ever uses them, aesthetically they add so much to a timepiece and, on that fact alone, they are to be praised.
We'll start with a watch that is clearly influenced by the chronographs of yore, the Blancpain Villeret Chronograph Pulsometre (above right). Immediately from the classic styling and the amount of white space on the grand feu enamel dial, you can tell the chronograph function is a mere garnish on the main meal that is the overall aesthetic of this watch. Mangled food metaphors aside, this is classic watch design at its finest, not a mere aping of historical motifs but a faithful yet still modern iteration of timeless style. The case is sized at a distinctly modern 43.6mm, made of red gold and matched with a brown leather strap.
