Modernity is back. But vintage design is still king in the world of accessible brands, where we envelop ourselves in daydreams of heroic exploits, often involving a flight suit or virtual racing helmet. Albishorn was created by owner Sébastien Chaulmontet and designer Fabien Collioud around a tantalising “what if?” concept. Their watches are about weaving a storyline that never was, just like our favourite books and movies. And fiction is a powerful tool.

Launching designs from faded history traces with discreet hints of existing grail watches is not new. In fact, some of the biggest retro-tinged success stories have been conjured up by a well-researched finger on the horological pulse. Albishorn is a member of this club but hits different.

The Albishorn duo enters a hotly contested arena but comes out swinging. Chaulmontet still holds a parallel role as Head of Innovation and Marketing at Sellita Watch Co SA, coming from a similar role at La Joux-Perret. Collioud is also a colleague of Chaulmontet’s at Sellita, and known for his part in reviving the Angelus brand. Collioud also serves as the lead designer at Atiles Design Studio, and judging by his Angelus designs, he’s a veritable font of creativity. 

The Type 10 has vintage vibes with modern muscle

You might recognise the main character energy of the Type 10 case from the Albishorn × Massena LAB Maxigraph, their debut release. And while that was a different proposition, I can vouch for its curvaceous comfort and the charm of the massive red pusher at 9 o’clock. The Type 10 bezel is 41.7mm, but comfort is key for the 39mm case with a Goldilocks 47.7mm lug-to-lug length. The strength of the Albishorn chronograph lies in its vintage-familiar vibe. But it feels decidedly mature for a debut, adding modern flair with the trick monopusher action.

The case is slim with sweeping lugs and has a big personality that leans on a quirky tool watch aesthetic, and I was sold on the odd dial layout alone. But there is a lot to unpack here. The sharp execution and COSC-rated movement make the Albishorn a modern, usable watch, but with a presence that begs you to wear a frayed denim shirt or a scuffed leather pilot’s jacket (leave the helmet at home, though). Its back story might be fictionalised, but it has a similar sense of functional intent as our own Sinn 155S Revolution releases with their smouldering dark looks. 

The Albishorn Type 10 has two versions with a distinct cockpit instrument vibe and textured charm. There is a fictional link to the legend of the Type 20 or XX, which I’ll return to, but what about that dial design? Seeing a vintage-inspired bicompax chronograph without horizontally opposed registers is unusual but has a raffish allure. The textured dial is framed by a dramatically dished bezel á la the Breitling Superocean ‘57, drawing the eye to the dial and partially obscuring the comfort-focused lugs from above. 

The cheeky move of shifting the running seconds and 30-minute counter to 4:30 and 7:30 creates balance and adds big legibility. This might have looked bottom-heavy on another watch but not on the Type 10. It simply balances out the drama between 9:30 and 10:30, where the red monopusher button and crown reside. They are perfectly placed for your thumb to control the stopwatch functionality and avoid scuffing the back of your hand. While possibly piloting your vintage biplane or at least daydreaming about it. The framed logo and a particular dot indicator also balance the lower-half position of the twin registers. This is a patented feature made possible by the proprietary cal. ALB02 M is based on a heavily modified 7750 architecture.

The discreet opening reveals an indicator for the chronograph states of reset, start and stop, rendered in black, red and white. The COSC-certified movement has 65 hours of reserve within a slim height of 5.7mm, allowing for a case thickness of only 12mm, including the box sapphire. 

Type 10 Classic and Sihlwald

Both versions of the Albishorn Type 10 have bidirectional rotating bezels in black DLC with beige lacquer-filled numerals and Super-LumiNova-filled indices. The dial’s big Arabic numerals match up for lumed legibility with an unmistakable pilot’s vibe, and the Classic black dial version comes on a soft tan leather strap. For the less wrist-shy, the Sihlwald rocks a vibrant green with a matching strap, and cheerful red accents on a fumé dial. The Classic has a mission-ready style, while I’m drawn to the saturated green of the Sihlwald, with its added charm of a bronze crown. 

Delving into the story behind the Albishorn Type 10 nomenclature reveals Chaulmontet and Collioud’s curated approach. The watch itself is inspired by the stone-cold legend of the Type 20 Pilot’s Chronograph, the French Ministry of Defense specification for standard equipment pilot’s wristwatches, of which Breguet was one of the first suppliers. Just like the Albishorn x Massena LAB project was meant to evoke a 1930s-invented Regatta Timer, the Type 10 represents a fictional 1940s ancestor to the Type 20. 

The concept might seem contrived, but it works. Right down to fictional 1947-dated blueprints of the Albishorn Type 10. These smile-inducing small details add value; fictional or not, it makes for a compelling story. The Albishorn Type will be available for CHF3,950, excluding taxes and shipping, exclusively online at www.albishorn-watches.ch. While not a limited edition, only 25 pieces of each version will be released initially, and sales will open on Monday, October 21, 2023, at 9:00 AM (EDT) / 3:00 PM (CET).

Tech Specs: Albishorn Type 10

Movement: Manual-winding proprietary caliber ALB02 M; 65-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes; 60-second totalizer; 30-minute totalizer; chronograph; stop seconds function
Case: 39mm × 12mm (13.08 mm thick); stainless steel; water-resistant to 100m
Dial: Black textured dial or green fumé dial
Strap: Black or beige leather strap (Classic); black or green leather strap (Sihlwald)
Price: CHF3,950
Availability: Not limited, 25 pieces of each version