Carl F. Bucherer is one of a few remaining Swiss watch manufacturers still owned by its founding family. For Baselworld 2017, the Lucerne-based manufacturer launches new variants of the Manero Flyback, first unveiled in 2016. The Manero collection houses the some of the brand’s most classic and sophisticated offerings and as such, the Manero Flyback fits right in. The new variants released this year come in three different case metal/dial combinations: stainless steel/bluish-grey, red gold/black, and red gold/champagne.
Baselworld 2017: Carl F. Bucherer Manero Flyback
The case of the Manero Flyback measures a contemporary 43 mm in diameter and 14.45 mm in thickness. The chronograph and flyback functions of the watch are activated via two traditional pump pushers at 2 and 4 o’clock on the case flank. To match the traditional pushers, the dial of the Manero Flyback utilises a classic bi-compax layout; the sub-dial at 9 o’clock is for the small seconds while the sub-dial at 3 o’clock indicates the minutes for the chronograph function. Hollowed dauphine hands are used for the hours and minutes, small seconds and the chronograph minutes while a central lancet-style hand is used to indicate the chronograph seconds. The company marquee is printed at the 12 o’clock position while at the opposite end at 6 o’clock, a small aperture on the dial displays the date. While the date is irrefutably one of the most useful complications any watch can have, the purists among us will lament its presence as it undermines the purity of the dial.
Each of the new variants have distinct characteristics and thus offer clients more options to suit their requirements. The stainless steel model with the bluish-grey dial is undoubtedly the most casual and contemporary of the lot and will surely appeal to a younger demographic or those young at heart. The red gold model with the black dial is the most elegant of the trio; it is also the most versatile – appropriate for the boardroom or the bar. The final variant which comes in a red gold case with a champagne dial has an unmistakable vintage-inspired flair to it and is the author’s pick of the bunch.
The Manero Flyback is powered by the in-house manufactured CFB 1970 caliber – a 25-jewelled automatic movement with a 42-hour power reserve. Indeed, as the name of the timepiece would suggest, the CFB 1970 caliber has a flyback function. The flyback function allows the user to measure multiple time intervals in rapid succession. This is performed by actuating the reset button at 4 o’clock when the chronograph is running – upon release of the reset button, the chronograph seconds (and minutes) hand ‘flies back’ to zero and starts a new measurement immediately. In the case of a conventional chronograph (a non-flyback one), this would require 3 actions instead of 1: stopping the chronograph, resetting and restarting. The lack of a flyback function would therefore make it impossible to time events that occur in rapid succession.
The Manero Flyback comes with matching Louisiana alligator leather strap and stainless steel/red gold buckles.
