Sponsored post presented on aBlogtoWatch for advertiser
Sometimes, all it takes for a design to move from prosaic to iconic is one simple change. Case in point: the Swiss railway clock. Originally designed by Swiss engineer and railway employee Hans Hilfiker in 1944, the white-dialed clock with prominent black hands and markers became a mainstay in Swiss rail stations. Bold and legible, the Swiss railway clock was synonymous with Swiss precision and reliability. However, it wasn’t until Hilfiker added a bright red seconds hand — modeled after the baton used by train dispatch staff — that the clock moved from a utilitarian piece of timekeeping to an iconic design. In 1986, Mondaine licensed the design, bringing it to wrists across the world. With its new Cushion Collection, Mondaine takes the Official Swiss Railways Watch in a new direction with a cushion case and two different sizes, 31mm and 41mm.
Mondaine has never been afraid to riff on the classic design of the Railways Watch. Within its catalog you’ll find both quartz and automatic movements, large and small designs, lugless and PVD-coated cases, and colorways that move well beyond the traditional white dial with black indices. Yet, one thing that unites all watches in Mondaine’s catalog is the use of a circular case shape. With the new Cushion Collection, Mondaine brings the comfort and casual elegance of a cushion case to two new watches, the 31mm Petite Cushion and the 41mm Grand Cushion.
The Petite Cushion was designed with women in mind, utilizing a high-polish 31mm diameter stainless steel case and the brand’s timeless white dial. Meant to wear comfortably and easily on smaller wrists, the Petite Cushion doesn’t sacrifice legibility or personality, thanks to Hilfiker’s iconic design that can be read in an instant. The anti-reflective, double-domed sapphire crystal that sits atop the case matches the elegant curves and rounded corners of the case. To keep things as practical and reliable as possible, Mondaine has equipped the Petite Cushion with a Swiss Ronda quartz movement.
The Petite Cushion is available on your choice of three straps: black vegan grape leather, red vegan grape leather, or a Milanese mesh stainless steel strap. In line with the brand’s commitment to sustainability, the vegan grape leather is created from organic waste (stems, seeds, and skins) typically discarded during wine production.
The 41mm stainless steel cushion case on the Grand Cushion is the perfect backdrop for a sporty new chronograph. In creating the Grand Cushion, the key was to produce a chronograph that didn’t impede the legibility and instant readability for which Mondaine’s watches are best known. The chronograph and date functions are smoothly integrated into the dial, while ensuring that the broad hands and markers (along with that iconic red seconds hand) remain the focal point of the watch.
In addition to daytime legibility, the Grand Cushion makes timekeeping at night easy with the use of white Super-LumiNova on its oversized hands. The Grand Cushion runs on an ever-reliable Ronda quartz chronograph movement that includes running seconds at 3 o’clock, a 30-minute register at 9 o’clock, 12-hour register at 6 o’clock, along with a date function at 4 o’clock.
The Grand Cushion is available in three colorways: white, deep ocean blue, and forest green. Each colorway has a look and feel all its own, yet each is instantly recognizable as a Mondaine. The white dial version comes mounted on a black vegan grape leather strap, while the forest green and deep ocean blue dials come mounted on color-matched textile straps crafted from recycled plastic bottles. All Grand Cushion models also come with a Milanese mesh strap to make the watch that much more versatile. Because all straps feature a tool-free quick release system, switching between strap options is quick and easy.
Mondaine’s use of sustainable materials such as vegan leather and recycled textiles should come as no surprise, as the brand has implemented major updates to its manufacturing process that have resulted in it becoming one of the world’s first comprehensively carbon-neutral brands. In addition to pushing the triumvirate of sustainability — reduce, reuse, recycle — up to 80% of the Biberist, Switzerland factory’s energy comes from its own photovoltaic solar power system. Together, these changes have allowed Mondaine to become a leader in sustainability within the watch industry.
Like all Mondaine watches, the new Cushion Collection comes with a two-year international warranty. Prices for the 31mm Petite Cushion start at $375 USD, the 41mm Grand Cushion is priced at $595 USD. For more information, please visit the brand’s website.
