When you think of Glashütte Original watches, somber tones and classy renditions come to mind, however a little of vibrancy was reserved for the Annual Editions – focused on the Sixties collection. I’m talking colors like green and orange iterations, and this year, we are back to the classy basics with the new Glashütte Original Sixties and Sixties Chronograph Annual Edition 2020, in Glacier Blue.
Most brands craft commemorative watches as limited edition, however things work differently with the ‘Annual Editions’, at Glashütte Original. The watches under this lineup are made for that particular year, but there is no ceiling on how many timepieces will be produced. If you recollect, last year they came out with the Fiery Orange and the year before that it was the Textured and Green Sixties Annual Edition. In many ways, these previous watches make me appreciate the toned-down 2020 version a lot more.
Dial up the Annual Edition
The talking point of the Glashütte Original Sixties Annual Edition is its dial. It is definitely distinctive and for this year, we see the Alps inspiring the colors of the dial. I have seen glaciers, and although they are commonly known as moving mass of ice, they have their own charm and spectrum of colors radiating. The 2020 model reflects the clarity and the eloquence of the glacier blue color.
Keeping up with the traditions, Glashütte Original have crafted the dials in-house and they have been worked upon in the Pforzheim-based dial manufacturer unit. Getting into the details on how the dials have been made, the blank dials have been given the sunray finish, after which they are pressed into their domed shape look and finished off with a galvanic nickel coating.
The dégradé effect is achieved by spraying the dark blue lacquer, which gives the dial a dark edge. Subsequently, the dial receives a coat of glacier blue lacquer. The beauty about handcrafting the piece is that the color gradients stand out and are unique to each piece. Completing the whole process, we see the dials being baked to seal in the colors and this is done before the incised indexes are sculpted into the metal. Printed numerals and Super-LumiNova, follow through next.
Details and Pricing
For the Sixties Annual Edition 2020 edition, the makers have included the 42mm chronograph, along with the classic time-only 39mm watch. The case of both the timepieces are inspired by 1960s GUB watches, which means its domed at both the top and bottom.
Sporting an ultra-curved sapphire crystal, which complements the curvature of the dial and the hands, the caseback is equally domed. We get a chance to admire the movement thanks to the curved sapphire crystal on the back. The classic Sixties Annual Edition 2020 edition is relatively thin and compact. It measures 39mm and boasts of a stainless-steel case.
Teamed with a brown-grey nubuck calfskin strap, the watch is ultra-luxurious. This version is powered by the in-house calibre 39-52, gives us about 40 hours of power reserve.
The Sixties Chronograph Annual Edition 2020 Chronograph is based on a previous model – the Sixties Chronograph. Compared to the classic model, this watch measures a beefy 42mm and the case is crafted in stainless-steel. The vintage-inspired pump-pushers along with the brown-grey nubuck calfskin strap, gives it the extra allure. Thanks to the complication, the dial has two large-sized sub-counters: one for the small seconds and one for the minutes.
Under the dial is a modular chronograph movement, which is based on the Calibre 39 architecture, the calibre 39-47. The watch comes with 30m water-resistance, 40h power reserve and sapphire crystal on the front and the caseback. Available for just this year, pick the Sixties 39mm for $7100 and the Sixties Chronograph for $8700.