Anyone who has used phrases like ‘austere’, ‘buttoned-up’ or (dare we say it) ‘boring’ when describing German watchmaking needs to be presented with two pieces of evidence from Glashütte Original; the Glashütte Original Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date in vibing orange and disco blue, a riot of colour that’s very much down to party.
The Low-down
Since it was introduced way back in 2011, Glashütte Original’s flowing, TV-shaped case has lent itself to a more playful type of watch design. The integrated, retro design is hardly a ‘safe’ watch design, and the watchmaker has periodically used it as a platform to release fun (not to mention funky) dial variations onto the market. While the vibrant orange and suspiciously familiar blue are what draw the eye here, the fundamentals are strong. The case is 40mm by 40mm, and offered on a steel bracelet or rubber strap — these fun options seem well suited to the rubber — and are powered by the Calibre 37-02, a twin register flyback with big date and power reserve indicator. Let’s be real though; it’s the dials that will be the make-it-or-break-it element of this watch.
IMHO
Bold dial colours are nothing new, and aside from keyboard warriors in Instagram’s comment section saying ‘x brand did it first’, everyone recognises they’re an established part of an industry that is, for all its focus on longevity, trend-driven. This is especially true of the blue dial, which is of a shade that has been riotously popular recently. The thing is, though, these watches look great. The colours are bright and happy and — more importantly — are a great fit with the flowing lines and overall vibe of the watch. Now, Glashütte Original released a vibing orange PanoMatic I might raise my eyebrows, but here it totally doesn’t harsh my vibe.
Tech Specs
Movement: Calibre 37-02 with silicon balance spring, finely finished automatic movement
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, big date, flyback chronograph, power reserve
Case: Stainless steel, 40 x 40mm
Strap: Black rubber strap or stainless steel bracelet
Availability: Each dial is limited to 100 pieces worldwide
