The Chronoswiss Small Second Stone collection brings natural stone dials to the Modern Mechanical era for the first time. The Small Second Jasper uses a German stone, the Small Second Serpentine a Swiss one, and each is limited to 50 pieces in the 40mm Small Second case with the manufacture caliber C.6000.
The following post is based on information from Chronoswiss’ official press release and fact sheet. Editorial commentary appears in italics.
New: Chronoswiss Small Second Stone Collection – Jasper and Serpentine
The Chronoswiss Small Second Jasper (ref. CH-8023.2-STLS) retails at CHF 11,500 / EUR 12,700 and Small Second Serpentine (ref. CH-8022R.2-STSE) retails at CHF 16,900 / EUR 18,500. Each limited to 50 pieces.
Commentary
Stone dials are having a moment, and most of the time the stone is chosen for colour alone. What makes the Chronoswiss Small Second Stone pair more interesting is that the geology is doing narrative work. Jasper from Germany points back to Munich and Gerd Rüdiger Lang; Serpentine from the Zermatt region points at Lucerne and the Atelier where the brand builds watches today. That is a tidier idea than most brands manage with a two-piece release, and it survives the marketing copy because the stones genuinely come from those places.
The two watches in the Chronoswiss Small Second Stone collection are not treated identically, and the choices are considered. The Jasper dial is left matte, with a black galvanic finish on the hand-guilloché subdial, and sits in a plain stainless steel case — the quieter of the two by some margin. The Serpentine is polished, paired with a 5N-finished subdial and a two-tone steel and 18ct red gold case. Green stone against red gold is a bold call and it will not be for everyone, but it is at least a decision rather than a default. Buyers should also expect real variation between individual pieces: with a limited run of 50, the dial you see in press images is not the dial you will receive.
Underneath is the C.6000, the automatic manufacture calibre Chronoswiss has been building out its collection around, with 55 hours of reserve, a skeletonised tungsten rotor and Geneva-striped, ruthenium-plated bridges. Placing the small seconds off-centre at 9 o’clock is the right move here: it keeps the dial visually balanced without carving a hole in the middle of the stone, which is where the pattern is most legible. At 40mm by 11.5mm with a 50mm lug-to-lug, the case is also one of the more wearable in the Chronoswiss range.
Pricing wise, the stone dials adds a premium to the watches. For example, the standard steel Small Second sits at around EUR 8.8k compared to EUR 12.7k for this novelty.
Release Details
Founded in 1983 by master watchmaker Gerd Rüdiger Lang, Chronoswiss was born from the conviction that mechanical watchmaking deserved a future in an increasingly electronic world. More than four decades later, the artisans and watchmakers of the Atelier Lucerne continue that work in Switzerland. For this release, Chronoswiss turned to a material shaped not by human hands but by time itself.
The Serpentine stone used for the Small Second Serpentine originates from the region surrounding Zermatt and the Matterhorn. What appears today as a rich green stone was once part of an ancient ocean floor; during the collision of continents these rocks were pushed upward and eventually became part of the Alps. The name comes from the Latin serpens, for serpent, after the intricate patterns that resemble snakeskin — a characteristic that has fascinated stone cutters and collectors for centuries.
The Jasper selected for the Small Second Jasper tells a different story. Often called the “painted stone of the Earth”, Jasper is celebrated for its diversity of colours and patterns, and no two pieces are alike. Germany has long been home to some of Europe’s most renowned stone-cutting traditions, particularly in the historic region of Idar-Oberstein, where generations of artisans transformed raw minerals into objects of beauty and permanence.
Every dial in the Chronoswiss Small Second Stone collection begins as a carefully selected slice of natural stone, revealing patterns, structures and colours that can never be replicated. Depending on where the stone is cut, veins, textures and shades emerge differently, ensuring that every watch becomes a unique creation.
The Small Second Jasper presents a landscape of warm beige, brown and ivory tones, its natural formations evoking desert landscapes and ancient rock layers. It is housed in a stainless steel case. The Small Second Serpentine presents a vivid green dial with hidden structures that reveal themselves as light moves across the surface, and is paired with a two-tone case in stainless steel and 18ct red gold.
The Chronoswiss Small Second Stone uses the standard Small Second case. With its 40mm diameter and 11.5mm profile, it focuses on the essentials. The polished fluted bezel, streamlined onion crown and domed, double anti-reflective sapphire crystal create a silhouette that is unmistakably Chronoswiss. The solid 17-part case is ground and polished, with a screwed and satin-finished case back, screwed strap links and water resistance to 3 bar.
Beneath the dial of each Chronoswiss Small Second Stone is the Chronoswiss manufacture caliber C.6000, an automatic movement with a power reserve of approximately 55 hours, a skeletonised tungsten rotor on ball bearings, Geneva-striped ruthenium-plated bridges, and polished armature, escape wheel and screws, all visible through the sapphire crystal case back.
The decentralised, hand-guilloché small seconds display at 9 o’clock provides visual balance while allowing the stone to take centre stage. Hands are the “Feuille” shape with Super-LumiNova. The Jasper is worn on brown calfskin, the Serpentine on green calfskin, both with a 20mm lug width. The Chronoswiss Small Second Stone collection is limited to 50 pieces per reference; more information is available at chronoswiss.com. Readers may also want to revisit our earlier look at the Chronoswiss Delphis Firestarter.
Chronoswiss Small Second Stone Specifications
References: CH-8023.2-STLS (Small Second Jasper) / CH-8022R.2-STSE (Small Second Serpentine)
Limited edition: 50 pieces per model
Movement: Chronoswiss manufacture caliber C.6000, automatic. Ø33mm, 25 jewels, 4 Hz (28,800 A/h). Glucydur triangular balance, Nivarox 1 balance spring, fine regulation via excenter, Incabloc shock protection. Skeletonised tungsten rotor on ball bearings; polished armature, escape wheel and screws; Geneva-striped, ruthenium-plated bridges.
Functions: Central hours and minutes, small seconds at 9 o’clock
Power reserve: 55 hours
Case: Solid 17-part case, ground and polished, with polished fluted decorative ring on the bezel, domed double anti-reflective sapphire crystal, onion crown, screwed and satin-finished case back with sapphire crystal, screwed strap links. Jasper: stainless steel. Serpentine: two-tone stainless steel and 18ct red gold.
Measurements: Ø40mm, 11.5mm thick, 50mm lug-to-lug, 20mm lug width
Dial: Jasper – matte natural Jasper stone with hand-guilloché small seconds subdial in fine sandblasted galvanic black. Serpentine – polished natural Serpentine stone with hand-guilloché small seconds subdial in fine sandblasted galvanic 5N.
Hands: “Feuille” with Super-LumiNova
Strap: Brown calfskin (Jasper) / green calfskin (Serpentine)
Water resistance: 3 bar
Price: To be confirmed
