Victorinox has been making increasingly nice mechanical watches of late. The Dive Master 500 is an ETA 2892-based diver that has a lot of fans, and the Airboss Mach 6 Chrono, ref. 241447, is quite eye-catching. Based on the ETA/Valjoux 7750, it’s a 3-register, 12-hour chronograph with date, which is a challenge to keep legible. VSA did a good job here, with well-sized sword hands and upright Arabic numerals. The date is tucked away at 4:30 with a color-matched white on black wheel, and the subdials have the same white-inside-black theme as the main dial. Concentric black and white at several levels including the bezel. I like it. Materials are good as well. Lume on hands, numerals and (unusually) logo, stainless steel case, anti-reflective sapphire crystal and mineral crystal exhibition caseback. Water resistance is 100m, enough for most usage. Case is sized for modern tastes at 45mm. I dislike the tachymeter on the bezel, but it’s not too obnoxious and does add visual detail.

List price is $1800 USD, which is good for a Swiss chronograph. Overall a solid and attractive chronograph for a good price.

There’s also the Mach 8 special edition for a bit more, which goes to a destro (left-hand) crown, date at 9 o’clock and adds a compass in the packaging for an additional $100. I like the movable internal bezel on the Mach 8, makes for a bit dressier look:

The thing I like about VSA is that you get a well-made Swiss watch minus the brand associations. More of a watch lovers’ brand. VSA has been moving from basic quartz watches into better-made quartz and mechanicals, and the results are increasingly attractive. They’ve developed their own style now, and I like their continued emphasis on durability and utility.