Instrument de Vitesse, a new opus in the La Fabrique collection, revives the golden age of timed races. This mono-pusher chronograph seems to have been plucked from the dashboard of a vintage GT car. It is equipped with a single timing hand – the centre seconds hand – and can time a maximum of one minute. With its sleek and refined retro sports look, Instrument de Vitesse is intended for enthusiasts of watchmaking history and culture. Housed in a 39-mm steel case, its 4.20 mm manually wound Manufacture calibre ensures that the finished timepiece is less than 10 mm thick. Instrument de Vitesse is available with an ivory-white or ebony-black dial in two limited series of 25 timepieces each.
Appearances can sometimes be deceptive. At first glance, Instrument de Vitesse does not appear to be a classic chronograph. With its three central hands, it looks like a watch… with three hands, but the tachymeter scale running around the outer edge of the dial reveals its chronometric function. For this is a chronograph presented in its purest expression, dedicated to timing short bursts – a measuring instrument designed to take average speed readings over a maximum of 60 seconds. This, in turn, casts new light on the crown, which also acts as the chronograph’s single push-piece to set the slender centre seconds hand in motion.
Historical
Dedicated to the renaissance and reinterpretation of classic timepieces from Angelus’ past, the La Fabrique collection unveils its second model, following in the footsteps of the Chronographe Médical. Once again, the house draws on its aesthetic heritage and showcases historical design elements and affinities. As a result, Angelus has designed a chronograph that seems to belong on the dashboard of a beautiful English or Italian vintage car, with the roar of a V12 engine as its soundscape.
Graphic
Released in two series of 25 timepieces, Instrument de Vitesse is available with a steel case measuring 39 mm in diameter and just 9.27 mm thick. It features a domed dial divided into two functional zones. The peripheral indications are dedicated to the tachymeter scale, graduated from 60 to 500 with a base metric of 1,000 (typically one kilometre). The more central indications, meanwhile, are designed to display the time, with a finely graduated minutes circle. In both cases, the typography – specially chosen for the La Fabrique collection – is clear, contrasting and elegant.
Contrasting
Instrument de Vitesse is available in two versions. The first, on a caramel calfskin strap, features an ebony-black dial with rhodium-plated applied Arabic numerals that stand out with their striking white hue. The second version is presented on a midnight-blue nubuck strap. Its ivory-white dial is punctuated with applied Arabic numerals outlined in black to create an incredible three-dimensional effect. The hour and minute hands, together with the applied numerals, are coated with luminescent material.
Mechanics
Inside, Angelus operates its own A5000 chronograph movement. With this new variant, this calibre – the technical stalwart of La Fabrique – once again demonstrates its adaptability. Presented in this manually wound version without totalisers, it offers a reduced thickness of just 4.20 mm. Set to a frequency of 3 Hz, it functions by way of a column wheel and horizontal clutch in the pure chronograph tradition.
