COSC

Those chronometer testing competitions were held in observatories because the precise time was calculated through observations of our universe.

Today, chronometer rating is tested most famously by the official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute or COSC.

This organization is an amalgamation of all of the Swiss observatories that were once testing watches.

Today, to achieve COSC certification, a mechanical watch must meet or exceed an average of minus four to plus six seconds a day.

Watches are measured in different positions at different temperatures for 15 days.

There are parameters for mean and maximum variations as well.

Not all watch brands still use COSC certification.

Some, like Omega and Tudor, use METAS.

It's the accuracy.

You have four options up to the COSC certified one.

And then decoration.

You have five different grades, and then you can even customize with black color, laser 3D engraving, hand chamfering.

You now are up to 65 hours of power reserve because of some revisions done to the movement.

It's COSC certified.

And, well, not just a ceramic case, you've got a full ceramic bracelet.

You've also got the same combination of finishes on that as you do on the case, that sandblasting and the polished bevels.

They made it smaller a couple of years ago because they're now getting into that style of things where collectors actually know what it is from afar instead of up close.

And they just keep moving things forward, but keeping the price point the same.

The most recent watch we talked about from them was a variation of the field, which is a titanium number, COSC certified, Swiss made, Salita inside for less than a grand.

this one being ceramic at the price point dave just told you that is amazing you don't find ceramic watches like that you perhaps see ceramic encased we've seen some stuff from fossil in the past but that was a normal watch with a kind of ceramic shroud plopped on the top so again can't fault them they're doing some amazing things this one would i buy it myself no i've got a black watch in ceramic with red that i don't give enough wrist time to at the moment but if someone was to ask me to recommend them a ceramic watch at a good price point that has all the bells and whistles that you're looking for this is where i would point them to and let's not forget the big r command a massive massive premium to have a sliver of meteorite on the brass dial these guys haven't so again win win win Which does remind me, Ricky

And, a- and probably, I'm gonna just say probably a longer lifespan.

Now, um, w- when you slow a movement down, you theoretically lose a little bit of accuracy, but these are COSC, so-

But they're not COSC Plus.

They're not COSC Plus, but they're still COSC.

So, uh, so a- and, and look, they are beautiful.

They are beautiful.

Like, they're not fucking around.

And so it's fully COSC rated.

I mean, it's 300 meters water resistant.

I mean, it's just a beautiful watch.

There you go.

So now you're into COSC, right? Like it's-

So i- we're-- Well, we're, we're past COSC.

Um-

Yeah.

Yeah, you're closer to METAS now.

So COSC is plus or minus five, so we'll take the extra 10.

You know, we give you the extra-

And I'm going to attach this to the back of the hardware.

on this Christopher Ward, to make it slightly longer, to give it a little bit of micro-adjust, so this doesn't cut off the blood supply to my wrist, it's not my favourite wrist, that was the other one, but I mean I still need this one, but this watch, and look how perfectly timed it was for the wrist check, almost the 10 past 10 position, love it, love the numerals, love the fact that it is infilled with lume, it's got that... faded historic loom you know the faux patina stuff on there matches the bezel matches into the case head and then the strap itself the kind of sailcloth mixed with rubber underneath it is an absolute win I believe it's around about the £1500 mark if I'm wrong in that you'll have to check the show notes I can't see anything wrong with it for the money chronometer 200m comes with the COSC certificate in the box so And it's backed up, obviously, by all the Christopher Ward goodness, the 60-60 yada yada.

So yeah, full details in the show notes on this.

And hopefully I will be able to pop this little adapter onto the strap, do this after we record the show, incorporate it into the video so you can see what we're talking about.

Um, I think they're, I think they're beautiful executions of a flawed watch.

Um, of course, we've got COSC, the, you know, the full meal deal, uh, coaxial, right? Which is probably why this watch is so cumbersome.

Um, obviously a fantastic, mechanically fantastic watch.

The, the platinum versions, I'll just say, the platinum versions of these have, like, a guilloche dial.

I mean, it is nice.

It's even COSC certified, right? And so it's a good watch.

Porsche design, I must say.

Yeah, it's a good watch.

... um, or superlative chro- chronometer-rated, I should say, uh, by Rolex, is meaningful to me, because obviously it's that much more accurate.

Which is why I'll be calling Steph early next week and asking him, um, to get his watchmaker to have a look at this, 'cause it's not currently running COSC at all.

Uh, but who knows? Maybe this is one of those examples of a vintage watch that just needs a few days running to-

Just needs warming up

And there's a, and there is a floating Zenith Daytona.

Mm.

As I'm sure everyone knows, because the word Cosmograph floats underneath the COSC text.

Uh, which is very nice.