Swiss brand Mondaine has been producing wristwatch versions of the famous clocks that hang inside Switzerland’s railway stations since 1986. However, it was not until the 2013 launch of the original Mondaine Stop2Go watch that one of the brand’s watches actually replicated the unique motion of the railway clocks’ hands. Now, a full 10 years after the original Stop2Go watch made its inaugural appearance, this flagship model is making a return, and the new generation of Mondaine Stop2Go watches features an updated crown-free design, along with the option of two different case sizes and the choice of either black or white dials.
Aside from their signature white, black, and red Bauhaus-inspired aesthetic, the defining feature of the Swiss railway station clocks is the unusual way that their hands move around the dial. The prominent red seconds hand will pause for two seconds each time it reaches the 12 o’clock marker, and during this brief pause, the minute hand advances to the next minute before the seconds hand continues running once again. The train station clocks operate this way because they are all synchronized to a master clock that governs their timekeeping, and the two-second pause allows the individual railway clocks to receive a signal and remain in perfect synchronization across the country.
The appearance of the Swiss railway clocks informs a significant portion of Mondaine’s contemporary catalog, and some of the brand’s models faithfully reproduce this familiar and highly legible design. However, mirroring the clocks’ appearance is a significantly easier task than replicating the unique motion of their hands, and when the original Mondaine Stop2Go watch debuted in 2013, it marked a major milestone for the brand. For this latest generation of the Stop2Go wristwatch, Mondaine is taking things one step further and omitting the crown entirely to more closely replicate the perfectly round profile of the railway clocks, and the new Mondaine Stop2Go models are some of the most true-to-clock watches that the brand has put forward yet.
The new Mondaine Stop2Go models are all crafted from brushed 316L stainless steel and feature flat anti-reflective sapphire crystals above their dials, along with solid screw-on casebacks and 30 meters of water resistance. Additionally, while the previous generation of Stop2Go models had an unusual flat-shaped crown at 3 o’clock that was used for adjusting the time, the new generation of Mondaine Stop2Go watches has no crown whatsoever and instead has a small push-piece that sits slightly recessed into the side of the case. The button acts as an electronic switch that allows users to set the time and adjust the alignment of the hands, and Mondaine includes a small pen-shaped tool that can be used to press the recessed button on the side of the case.
Powering the new Mondaine Stop2Go watches is the brand’s Stop2Go quartz movement, which is exclusive to Mondaine and features a special circuit that allows its hands to mirror the movement of the Swiss railway clocks. Rather than completing one full rotation of the dial each minute like a conventional watch, the bright red seconds hand on the Mondaine Stop2Go makes one full rotation in just 58 seconds so that the watch remains accurate even after it takes its two-second pause at the end of each minute. Additionally, rather than ticking once per second like a traditional quartz caliber, the Mondaine Stop2Go movement features a smoother sweeping motion, with its seconds hand advancing four times each second.
The full-size versions of the Mondaine Stop2Go watches have cases that measure 41mm in diameter by 12mm thick, while the smaller models are 34mm in diameter and are slightly thinner with an overall height of 11.5mm. Dial options for both sizes include white with black markings or black with white markings, and both versions are fitted with bright red seconds hands that have large circular tips. Additionally, while the black dial model has its white-finished hour hands completely covered in Super-LumiNova, the white dial version of the Mondaine Stop2Go showcases the brand’s BackLight illumination technique, where the black-finished hour and minute hands have luminous material applied to their reverse surfaces, which illuminates them from behind with a green-colored glow reflecting off the bright white surface of the dial.
Regardless of size, both white and black dial versions of the new Mondaine Stop2Go wristwatch are fitted with black two-piece straps that are made from a vegan-friendly grape leather material and completed by signed stainless steel tang-style buckles. Additionally, the white dial version of the 41mm model is also available with a rounded five-link stainless steel bracelet that offers a Jubilee-style design and a clasp with a double push-button release. The bracelet and straps all connect to the case with integrated quick-release spring bars to facilitate tool-free strap changes, and since the cases all have standard lugs, a virtually endless assortment of third-party straps will also be compatible with the new Stop2Go watches.
Although Mondaine produces a number of models that offer the classic train station clock aesthetic, it is the brand’s Stop2Go models that truly take the essence of the Swiss railway clock and turn it into a wristwatch. The smaller 34mm versions of the new Mondaine Stop2Go wristwatch are priced at $645 USD, while the larger 41mm models cost $685 USD when purchased on a strap, or $695 USD should buyers opt for the alternate white dial version that comes with a stainless steel bracelet. While this price point is roughly twice what Mondaine charges for its entry-level models, the new Stop2Go watches are still slightly less expensive than the brand’s standard automatic offerings, and for those who want a watch that provides the true Swiss railway clock experience, there is nothing quite like the Mondaine Stop2Go collection. For more information on Mondaine Stop2Go watches, please visit the brand’s website.
