We’ve been following Albishorn since the brand launched just shy of a year ago, and have enjoyed the themes the brand has chosen to explore with its ‘imaginary vintage’ concept. After applying this formula to aviation and mountaineering, the Marinagraph returns to the brand’s patented regatta countdown function for another take on the yachting chronograph.

Available in classic black or sunray brushed teal dial finishes, the Marinagraph adds an aluminium bezel insert to provide at-a-glance reading of the current state of the local tides. Each version is limited to 99 pieces, which will be produced in small batches over the next three years.

Initial thoughts

Albishorn made its debut with a regatta timer, and it’s nice to see another foray into this genre to mark the brand’s first anniversary. Though regatta timers are surely among the least useful complications, the Marinagraph adds a tide bezel that adds a simple way for coastal buyers to monitor their local tides. As a seaside resident myself, I find this feature quite charming and it seems on-brand for Albishorn.

Two dial colours are on offer, each limited to 99 (non-numbered) pieces. I prefer the classic black dial, which feels more in line with the imaginary vintage theme, but the sunburst teal dial, dubbed Paraíba Racing, is arguably more on trend with the prevailing tastes of the moment.

The Marinagraph retains the best elements of Albishorn’s previous chronographs, namely its distinctive bowl-shaped bezel and red anodised chronograph pusher at nine o’clock. Together with a ten o’clock crown, these features give the watch an instant visual identity; something not to be taken for granted in this crowded segment of the market. The case itself is a mere 39 mm at the case, but the bezel opens up to about 41 mm.

The brand is still trying to figure out a consistent strategy for embellishing its solid case backs, and each one has been a little different in concept. The back of the Marinagraph is engraved with a sailboat, which feels a bit obvious; a plain case back would be more historically correct, but an emphasis on a particular detail, like the Thundergraph’s appealing rope motif, would be welcome.

The Marinagraph is powered by the ALB01 A, an automatic chronograph movement first seen in the Maxigraph. The movement is a proprietary design from brand founder Sébastien Chaulmontet, and displays hours and minutes and a running indicator, plus a patented 10-minute regatta timer that stops when the countdown reaches zero. Though based in principle on the Valjoux cal. 7750, the ALB01 A was redesigned to be more compact, and at 6.6 mm thick is about 16% thinner than than an off-the-shelf equivalent.

Priced in line with prior models, the Marinagraph retails for CHF3,950 before taxes. Given its proprietary movement and thoughtful details, the Marinagraph is a lot of watch for the money. At a time when prices seem to only go up, it’s refreshing to see small independent brands like Albishorn, Louis Erard, Anoma, and others stick closely to a targeted price point.

Skipper’s delight

Functionally, the key difference between the new Marinagraph and its predecessor is its aluminium bezel insert calibrated for the tides. Unlike a traditional dive bezel that is meant to be read from the minute hand, the tide bezel is read off the the hour hand. To improve legibility, Albishorn fills the white markings with Super-LumiNova, which will give the watch a dynamic look in low light.

By referencing published tide tables, the user can rotate the bezel until the white triangle corresponds to the next high tide. Once high tide arrives, the white markings indicate the receding tide, while the red markers denote the subsequent rising tide, giving the user a rough picture of the current state of the local tide. This functionality is similar to other tide bezels like that of the Sinn 240 St GZ.

Beyond the bezel functionality, the Marinagraph introduces a new logo, ditching the badge-style Albishorn wordmark in favour of a cursive font that reminds me of brands like Riva. I expect this wordmark will be used selectively where it makes sense, and isn’t fully replacing the earlier version that, to my eye, is more charming and reminiscent of mid-century petrol branding.

Continuity is retained thanks to the hour markers, which look like snow-capped peaks and mirror the brand’s logo on the crown. This motif is repeated on the tips of the hour and minute hands.

The engine room

Inside the Marinagraph, you’ll find the ALB01 A, an automatic chronograph designed by Dr Chaulmontet. It’s not an in-house movement per se, but it’s made to his own design by manufacturing partners in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Dr Chaulmontet happens to be the head of marketing and innovation at Sellita, and has both the technical ability and commercial relationships to see his own designs brought to life in a cost-effective way. His presence at the helm, pun intended, is a significant competitive advantage for Albishorn.

Like the Maxigraph, the Marinagraph eschews the traditional 30-minute totaliser for a 10-minute countdown timer that stops at zero. Operated by an aluminium monopusher ergonomically positioned at the nine o’clock position, the ALB01 A is nearly as slim as the Rolex cal. 4130, and manages to run for up to 64 hours when fully wound.

Key facts and price

Albishorn Marinagraph
Paraíba Racing (green)
Classic Racing (black)

Diameter: 41 mm
Height: 13 mm
Material: Steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: ALB01 A
Features: Hours, minutes, running indicator, and chronograph with 10-minute retrograde countdown function
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 64 hours

Strap: Rubber strap with pin buckle

Limited edition: 99 pieces in each colour
Availability: Available directly from Albishorn starting August 27, 2025
Price: CHF3,950 before taxes

For more, visit Albishorn-watches.ch.

Less than one year since its debut, Albishorn is back with its third chronograph. The Thundergraph continues the brand’s theme of “imaginary vintage,” this time taking inspiration from mountaineering, specifically the Swiss expeditions to Everest in 1952.

With a focus on legibility, the Thundergraph features an unusual “California ghost” dial in petrol blue. Available in a limited run of 99 pieces that will be produced over a period of three years, the Thundergraph features a new iteration of the brand’s proprietary manually wound chronograph movement, developed by founder Sébastien Chaulmontet.

Initial thoughts

I’ve been following Albishorn since its launch, and have become more impressed with each new release. The Thundergraph is my favourite to-date, retaining the best elements of its stablemates while introducing an appealingly bold take on the California dial.

The stainless steel case of the Thundergraph largely mirrors that of the earlier Type 10 and Maxigraph, and retains the appealing asymmetric form and red anodised aluminium chronograph monopusher. The case is actually just 39 mm at the case band, but wears larger due to its 42.7 mm bezel.

Where the Thundergraph differs most from its siblings is its dial, which offers a sunburst finish in petroleum blue, which pairs perfectly with the rose gold-plated hands and dial markers. The so-called “California ghost” dial features Roman numerals on the top half of the dial, but rather than Arabic numerals on the bottom half, the dial features two large sub-dials, for running seconds and elapsed minutes, respectively.

The movement inside the Thundergraph is a continuation of Albishorn’s ever-expanding lineup of proprietary movements. Ticking at 4 Hz for up to 65 hours, the ALB03 M is a COSC-certified manually wound chronograph movement just 5.70 mm thick.

At CHF3,650 before taxes, the Thundergraph offers an attractive value proposition, especially since retail prices for the more traditional, iconic chronographs from Omega, TAG Heuer, and Breitling have moved increasingly up-market in recent years. Considering its slim, proprietary caliber, thoughtful design and construction, and 99-piece limitation, the Thundergraph is a lot of watch for the money.

The signature case

The Thundergraph is close in concept and construction to the earlier Type 10, differing primarily in the dial design. The now-signature red anodized aluminum monopusher at 9:30 is retained, as is the rest of the case save the bezel, which is brushed rather than DLC-coated.

The watch also keeps the bronze crown from the Type 10 Sihlwald edition, but it actually works better with the mountaineering theme of the Thundergraph because the engraved Albishorn logo resembles a snow-capped peak.

The mountaineering theme continues on the case back, which features an engraving of a Swiss cross and a rope, a period-correct callback to the emblem of the Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research. I criticised the Maxigraph for its case back engraving, which looked too modern, and praised the Type 10’s more vintage-leaning sterile case back, but I think this engraving really works and adds meaningfully to the design.

California ghost

With so much in common with its predecessors, the unique character of the Thundergraph is found on its dial, which was inspired by the so-called “error-proof” dials of the 1940s. Now more commonly known as California dials, they feature Roman numerals on the top half of the dial and Arabic numerals on the lower half. The dial features a sunburst finish in petroleum blue, which contrasts nicely with the rose gold-plated hands and dial markers.

Albishorn has termed the Thundergraph dial a “California ghost” dial because the Arabic numerals that would normally be found on the lower half of the dial have been replaced by the running seconds and chronograph minutes counters (though it must be said these sub-dials do feature Arabic numerals).

The mountaineering theme is expressed through the emphasis on legibility, which is enhanced by a great deal of Super-Luminova, including on all five hands. Speaking of the hands, they are colour-matched to their associated functions. For example, the hours, minutes, and running seconds hands are rose-gold plated, while the elapsed seconds and minutes hands are painted red.

Slim and trim

Albishorn’s ace up its sleeve, and the reason it’s been able to launch a distinct caliber in each of its first three models, is Dr Chaulmontet, the brand’s founder who happens to be a prolific and well-connected movement designer.

At the heart of the Thundergraph is the ALB03 M, which is essentially a variant of the Type 10’s ALB02 M that omits the chronograph operating indicator.

The movement shares its DNA with the Valjoux 7750, but the architecture has been redeveloped by Dr Chaulmontet to be 16% slimmer. This enables Albishorn to get cal. 7750-level performance from a smaller package, but requires more careful hand-assembly than a typical, off-the-shelf industrial chronograph movement would normally need.

Overall, the ALB03 M is just 5.7 mm thick, but retains the characteristics of precision and durability that made the cal. 7750 so dominant. The movement is also chronometer certified by COSC, which is uncommon for unusual calibers from startup brands.

Key facts and price

Albishorn Thundergraph

Diameter: 42.7 mm
Height: 12 mm
Material: Steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: ALB03 M
Features: Hours, minutes, seconds, and chronograph
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Manual
Power reserve: 65 hours

Strap: Leather strap with pin buckle

Limited edition: 99
Availability: Available directly from Albishorn
Price: CHF3,650 before taxes

For more, visit Albishorn-watches.ch.

Many of the year’s most notable watches were expensive, especially complications and independent watchmaking, but there were still a few standouts at the affordable end of the price spectrum. Some relied on familiar formulas, like the Grand Seiko SLGW005 or Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT, while others like the Louis Erard Vianney Halter collaboration were unexpected.

Here’s our team’s take on the year’s best watches under US$10,000.

Albishorn Type 10 Chronograph — David Ichim

A great debut from the recently-established micro brand is the Type 10 Chronograph. Albishorn’s tagline is “imaginary vintage” — drawing inspiration from actual vintage watches, but reimagined with an entirely novel composition, resulting in watches that are highly suggestive of an era without actually being remakes.

The Type 10 Chronograph exemplifies this philosophy. The hands, typeface, bezel, and slim lugs pay homage to mid-century aviator chronographs from the likes of Airain, Breguet, and Heuer. The unusual arrangement of the chronograph display however makes it entirely unique. 

Inside is a heavily reworked 7750-derived movement, that is positioned unconventionally, leading to the unusual crown and pusher arrangement along with the unorthodox chronograph layout. The manually-wound movement is also C.O.S.C certified and incorporates a chronograph-function indicator.

In fact, the calibre is arguably more than just heavily reworked, amongst other things, it has shorter pinions than a 7750, allowing it to be thinner while requiring assembly by hand. This reflects the technical talent of Albishorn founder Sébastien Chaulmontet, who was head of innovation at La Joux-Perret and then Sellita.

At a bit over US$4,000, the Type 10 is an appealing proposition. 

Grand Seiko 45GS Re-creation SLGW005 – Brandon Moore

The launch of the manually wound, high-beat cal. 9SA4 was one of the highlights of Watches & Wonders for me, and I immediately liked the watch in which it debuted, the “Birch Bark” SLGW003. And I still like that watch, just not as much as I like the vintage-inspired SLGW005 that debuted a few months later, which in my view is one of the most compelling vintage remakes on the market from any brand. And it’s priced a little under US$10,000, which is good value considering the movement.

The SLGW005 is appealing because it delivers on the promise of the original 45GS from 1968, which also contained a manually wound, high-beat movement that ticked at 5 Hz. While Grand Seiko has made 5 Hz movements for years, the cal. 9SA4 is a step up sophistication and performance, featuring an overcoil hairspring, a free-sprung balance, and a proprietary escapement that helps boost the power reserve to 80 hours, in conjunction with twin mainspring barrels.

Among the many mechanical movements produced by Grand Seiko today, the cal. 9SA4 is, in my view, the one that best embodies the spirit of innovation that led Grand Seiko to success in the 1960s and 1970s.

The cal. 9SA4, seen here in the SLGW003

In the SLGW005, that excellent, modern movement is combined with a faithful vintage remake. The vintage elements are nicely done, particularly the font choice for “HI-BEAT” and “36000”, which look a lot better than the painfully plain font choice used for the equivalent markings on the SLGW003. Even the Daini Seikosha lightning bolt symbol is present, lending the watch an extra bit of historical flair.

Louis Erard Le Régulateur Vianney Halter II – SJX

Louis Erard has been rolling out collaborations with independent watchmakers for a long time now, so there are many of them on the market. The second edition of the Vianney Halter regulator, however, stands out as the best collaboration to date.

Not only does it capture the look and feel of the Antiqua perpetual calendar at a modest price, but it is also unique amongst Louis Erard’s collaborations. While most of its past collabs employed the stock case and movement, with only a dial swap, the Vianney Halter II has a case, bezel, back, crown, and dial that are unique – all for a little under US$5,000, or about 10% more than past collaborations.

The detail on the bezel, crown, and dial are impressive for the price, especially in how they manage to replicate the look of the Antiqua. The bezel has gold-plated rivets, while the applied chapter rings on the dial have mirrored edges.

Like all Louis Erard regulator models, this suffers from a large and thick case due to the movement, but it is forgivable given the price.

Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT – Brandon Moore

It’s easy to understand the appeal of the Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT. The design is popular, the compact case fits most wrists well, and the movement is among the best in its class in terms of both its performance and its functionality, offering an independently adjustable hour hand for easy adjustments when crossing time zones.

Furthermore, it benefits from Tudor’s relationship to its parent company, Rolex, enabling it to lean in to the vintage GMT-Master aesthetic without coming off as a copy. It’s a difficult balancing act to pull off, but it works. And if that weren’t enough, the price is right, with the version on the bracelet priced at US$4,600, which arguably makes the BB58 GMT the best value amongst dual-time watches in this price segment.

Omega Speedmaster “First Omega in Space” – Jason Lee

The Speedmaster “First Omega in Space” (FOiS) offers a range of features that will appeal to enthusiasts, including a vintage-inspired “soleil” dial and the latest-generation Moonwatch cal. 3861.

While it does share the design of the original FOiS, and of course it’s a remake of the vintage CK 2998, the latest FOiS is an entirely distinct watch that’s arguably the ideal fusion of classic and contemporary.

Unfortunately, the FOiS also features prominently pronounced faux-vintage lume, which is inevitably controversial. However, it harmonises well with the dial’s blue-grey colour.

Lume aside, the FOiS excels in most tangible aspects, which makes its US$7,900 retail price on a bracelet (and a bit less on a strap) a good value proportion.

Less than two months have elapsed since Albishorn made its debut, but the brainchild of Sébastien Chaulmontet is back with the Type 10, an “imaginary vintage” prequel to the Type 20 pilot’s watch made famous by Breguet.

Available with black or green textured dials, the Type 10 features a proprietary manually wound monopusher chronograph movement with an unusual layout that differentiates it from other Type 20-inspired watches. Though not a limited edition, the Type 10 will be produced in small batches of just 25 watches in each livery.

Initial thoughts

Conceptually, I like the idea of “imaginary vintage” – the brand’s tagline – because it liberates the design from the constraints of the past and avoids coming off as a copy or homage. While I don’t like every detail of the Type 10, there’s a lot to be excited about, especially as a preview of what might be coming next from the fledgling brand.

The Type 10 is powered by the proprietary ALB02 M, a manually wound chronograph movement that, like the Maxigraph, shares some of the architecture of the ubiquitous Valjoux 7750.

But to call this a cal. 7750 would be to miss the numerous refinements implemented by Dr Chaulmontet that result in a slimmer movement with, reportedly, a more pleasant pusher action.

The Type 10 retains many of the best features of the Maxigraph, including its case. Interestingly, the case is not quite identical; the Type 10’s case is slightly thinner on account of its manually wound movement. The result is a case that is just 12 mm in height, including the sapphire crystal.

At launch, I criticised the Maxigraph’s case back for its unnecessary engravings, which detracted from the vintage theme. So it was nice to see a simpler case back with subtle engravings that look far more period-correct.

Priced at just CHF3,950 before taxes, the Type 10 is around 15% cheaper than its predecessor, which was already an interesting value. While the Maxigraph’s regatta timer was more interesting, the Type 10 nonetheless offers an atypical layout for the chronograph registers, giving it a differentiated aesthetic among its peers.

Imaginary past, real future

While it’s difficult to establish a trend from just two data points, a product strategy for Albishorn appears to be emerging. The brand’s website currently lists the Maxigraph under the heading “Water Collection” and it seems safe to assume that the Type 10 is the start of an “Air Collection.” I’ll leave it with the reader to guess what form a third collection might take.

Setting aside what the future might hold, the Type 10 is available now in two liveries – classic black and Sihlwald, a green named after a forest in the canton of Zürich. The Sihlwald variant is further distinguished by red chronograph hands and a bronze crown.

Both dials feature a heavily textured finish that reminds me of asphalt. This is probably my least favourite element of the watch, since it detracts from the instrument-like aesthetic of the rest of the watch. The hands and dial markers are coated in Super-LumiNova in a shade that mimics patinated radium.

Inside the Type 10 is the ALB02 M, a manually wound chronograph with a monopusher conveniently located at the 9:30 position on the case. While a flyback function would have more closely related the watch to the Type 20, the red monopusher is nonetheless visually distinctive and ergonomic.

Another interesting element of the movement is the chronograph operating indicator at 12 o’clock that is inspired by similar functional indicators on aircraft clocks. The Maxigraph offered a similar indicator, so we might see this on other Albishorn watches in the future.

Key facts and price

Albishorn Type 10

Diameter: 41.7 mm
Height: 12 mm
Material: Steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: ALB02 M
Features: Hours, minutes, chronograph, and chronograph operating indicator
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Manual
Power reserve: 65 hours

Strap: Leather strap with pin buckle

Limited edition: No
Availability: Available directly from Albishorn beginning October 21 at 9:00 am EDT
Price: CHF3,950 before taxes

For more, visit Albishorn-watches.ch.

The Maxigraph is powered by a proprietary automatic, monopusher chronograph caliber that features a 10-minute regatta countdown timer, as well as a running indicator.

In general, regatta timers represent a fun, quirky alternative to ordinary chronographs, and the Maxigraph takes this a step further. While most regatta timers continue to run until stopped by the user, endlessly counting down over and over, the Maxigraph stops promptly at the 10-minute mark to avoid any ambiguity in reading the elapsed time.

Despite the founder’s day job as Head of Innovation and Marketing at Sellita, the movement is not sourced from the Sellita catalog. Instead, it’s a proprietary caliber designed by Dr Chaulmontet that utilizes components from both Sellita and third-party suppliers.

The movement shares some of the basic architecture of the classic Valjoux 7750, but features several refinements. For example, the tolerances have been reduced and the pinions have been shortened, resulting in a movement that is 16% slimmer than a stock cal. 7750 (while offering a 33% longer power reserve). These refinements mean that the Maxigraph movement cannot be produced in the same industrial manner as a typical cal. 7750 or Sellita SW500.

The architecture of the chronograph pusher has also been revised for smoother operation, but this has yet to be confirmed with a hands-on review. Overall, the Maxigraph offers an usual degree of technical differentiation for this price range.

Key facts and price

Albishorn x Massena LAB Maxigraph

Diameter: 41 mm
Height: 13 mm
Material: Steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Maxigraph
Features: Hours, minutes, regatta timer, and chronograph running indicator
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 64 hours

Strap: Rubber strap

Limited edition: No
Availability:Available at Massenalab.com beginning September 12 at 10:00 am EDT
Price: US$4,995

For more, visit Albishorn-watches.ch.