Second, the open dial itself with a view of parts of the movement does look neat, but such design styles tend to get in the way of being able to identify keys things like the hand and hour markers. I will say that Cvstos, thankfully, include large areas of white-colored luminant on the hands and hour markers. Moreover, the chronograph hands are outlined in red and given additional small areas of luminant. This offers some welcome contrast against the mostly black and dark colors of the rest of the face. So legibility isn’t that bad, but it does have to make some sacrifices for style. I think that Cvstos would greatly benefit from seeing about improving the application of antireflective coating on their crystals.
It is no secret that Cvstos is heavily inspired by the world of motorsports and racing in a design such as this. The real appeal of this type of watch is keying into the same appreciation people have for modern high-performance machines. Cvstos and brands like it want people to be as impressed looking at their watches as people might be when looking at the engine of a supercar. It doesn’t always work out that way, but that is the idea. Looking at the Cvstos Challenge Chrono II, you’ll see a lot of automotive-inspired elements from the pushers to how the power reserve indicator is designed. I think Cvstos found a good balance between traditionally horological design elements and those inspired by the world of cars. They stopped short of making the design too kitschy – which can happen all too often.
In addition to the carbon material blend, the case of the Cvstos Challenge Chrono II is produced from black-coated steel. Other versions of the watch incorporate other materials such a titanium and gold. Steel is used for the caseback as well as the pushers. The screws in the carbon case and its overall shape are interesting and well-architected, but given the texture of the material, you’ll need to examine the case closely to appreciate the details. I don’t think that is so much the case in versions rendered in more traditional materials.
Inside the Cvstos Challenge Chrono II is a modified Swiss ETA Valjoux 7750 automatic chronograph movement that Cvstos refers to as their caliber 577. The main modification to the 7750 is the inclusion of a power reserve indicator, which is located near the date at about 3 o’clock. With the addition of a power reserve indicator, the layout of the 7750 is pretty packed on the dial, but I wouldn’t call it crowded. Cvstos does an admirable job offering a complete dial that is more or less symmetrically well-balanced and simple to understand. You’ll either love or hate the discreet application of the date window.
Through the back of the Cvstos Challenge Chrono II, you’ll find a sapphire crystal exhibition window with a view to the lightly decorated movement. Decoration here is in dark finishing on some of the movement parts, as well as the customized automatic rotor. Oddly enough, neither the watch case nor Cvstos’ website has any information about the water resistance rating of the timepiece. I’ll infer that to mean it shouldn’t see water beyond a rainy day or a sink for hand-washing purposes.
Attached for the Cvstos Challenge Chrono II watch is a bright red-colored rubber strap that is the final element of its very bold design. I suppose you could opt for something black in color, but that would take away from some of the fun. Watches like this are explicitly meant to be shown off and displayed. By wearing them in a more discreet manner you sort of miss the point. Also, these are not budget-priced, and when you combine luxury pricing, with visually assertive looks, it makes for a timepiece that begs to be shown off. That is why I said earlier that courage, in addition to appreciation for timepieces, is needed to wear a watch like this. Further, from a cost perspective, this is more for someone who likes the theme of, say, an Hublot Big Bang, but is looking for a more discreet brand personality. Price for the Cvstos Challenge Chrono II watch in this forged carbon case configuration is 18,000 Swiss francs. cvstos.com
Necessary Data
>Brand: Cvstos
>Model: Challenge Chrono II Forged Carbon
>Price: 18,000 Swiss francs
>Size: 41mm wide, 53.7mm long
>Would reviewer personally wear it: Sometimes.
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: Lover of modern “high-performance-machine-inspired” luxury watches who wants something from a smaller brand that is a bit more under the radar. In other words, for people primarily interested in wearing a watch versus a brand.
>Best characteristic of watch: Cool, comfortable design on the wrist. Manages to be edgy but also traditional in wearing and operation experience. Base 7750 movement is probably a good thing given its easy ability to be serviced.
>Worst characteristic of watch: Glare on sapphire crystal is relatively heavy in some lighting. In carbon, certain case details are difficult to see. In today’s watch economy, it will be a challenge for brands like Cvstos to explain pricing.
