Originally released a couple of years ago, 2011-2012 sees new color variations for the Perrelet Skeleton Chronograph. It took a while for me to warm up to this unique style of timepiece but I am liking it now especially thanks to the refreshed dial and prices that don’t shock the heart. The biggest question I have is whether it is a sport watch or not.
Really, I don’t actually know whether this is a sport watch, a formal watch, or something in between. The case design falls somewhere in the middle. The dial is also a mixture of classic elegance and aggressive ideals. It has a steel case with some or all of it DLC black coated, and a rubber strap. How many skeletonized sport watches do you know? I am just so confused. Does it matter what it is? Maybe not. I think a watch can survive “category-less” in this day and age.
The watch case is 43.55mm wide and uses lugs that Perrelet seems to have made their trademark – sort of. All of the models have DLC (diamond like carbon) black coated bezels which are very wear resistant. Some models also have DLC coated cases for an all black look. I pretty much dig the style, but wouldn’t want to wear the piece daily. While the dials are complex I do appreciate how the Perrelet style hands are rather bold and stick out for legibility purposes.
Inside the watches are Perrelet caliber P-291 automatic movements. They have 12 hour chronographs and the date. The date, like the chronograph registers are done via discs that are read at arrows located at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock. It might looks strange at first but reading the information is not that tough. The dial skeletonization applies not only to the movement, but also the dial elements themselves. Perrelet created a very attractive symmetrical design for the skeletonization that I quite like. The visible movement underneath it is even cooler.
Through the back of the watch is a sapphire exhibition window showing the other side of the movement. The dial is covered with an AR coated sapphire crystal and the watch itself is water resistant to 100 meters. While there are blue and orange toned dialed available (certainly sporty), I think that most people will opt for one of the black and white versions as they entertain a bit more universal appeal.
The Perrelet Skeleton Chronograph collection is certainly cool. The mixture of aggressive style elements and slick skeletonization make for a very desirable men’s watch. It might not be for everyone’s tastes but I think most people can appreciate what Perrelet is going for. Price for the steel models ranges from $7,000 – $7,300. Look for them now.