Hands-On: The Glashütte Original Sixties Chronograph Annual Edition

Aside from making complicated wonders, Glashütte Original has a Vintage Collection that takes inspiration from former models. The Sixties references have consistently been some of my favorites since launching in 2015. During this lengthy production period, the German watchmaker has produced several limited-series models with gorgeous dials. The Sixties Chronograph Annual Edition we’ll review today is from late 2023, but it’s so pretty that it’s worth revisiting.

Indeed, the Sixties Chronograph Annual Edition with its gray-black dial debuted in September 2023. However, some examples are still available, and in this environment of non-stop new releases, sometimes it’s nice to take a step back and view a watch that may have been overlooked. As you’ll soon see, this watch, like all of its counterparts, has an eye-pleasing case design. It’s the dial, though, that deserves extra attention.

The Glashütte Original Sixties Chronograph Annual Edition

The 2023 Sixties Chronograph is a stainless steel watch with familiar dimensions. It has a 42mm by 48.5mm case with a 12.4mm thickness. The last measurement includes heavily domed front and rear sapphire crystals. In a nod to its vintage styling, the watch makes do with a 30m depth rating. Pump pushers, a large crown, and polished surfaces round out the case design. While there’s no blue on the watch’s dial, a dark blue nylon strap with a stainless steel pin buckle accompanies the case.

The dial is the watch’s calling card

I remember the original Sixties Chronograph and feeling entranced by the liquidy domed crystal and equally domed dial. This watch has always impressed me as one of the most attractive modern chronographs. The Sixties Chronograph Annual Edition turns it up a notch with a special dial construction. Glashütte Original’s Pforzheim, Germany-based manufactory creates the dials via a multistep process. First, heavy presses emboss the brass blanks, and a second process creates the domed shape. Then, the dials are galvanized, coated with gray lacquer, and receive hand-applied black paint at the edges to create a dégradé effect. Finally, the linear hour indices are milled into the dial, while white paint is used for details. Super-LumiNova can be found on the lume pips and red gold hands.

The result is a noticeably beautiful watch that still looks fresh and classy even if the general design has been in production for nearly a decade. The sheer simplicity of the design stands out against the sea of sportier, busy chronographs with tachymeter bezels and date windows.

The automatic caliber 39-34

The Sixties Chronograph uses the brand’s in-house 39-34 automatic movement with roughly 40 hours of power reserve. This 51-jewel powerplant has a frequency of 28,800vph and offers manual winding and hacking seconds. Functionally, it powers a traditional chronograph with central seconds and a 30-minute counter. From a finishing perspective, a 21K gold rotor contains Glashütte stripes and a double-G logo. The underlying movement has a Glashütte-specific three-quarter plate and a swan-neck regulator.

On the wrist

The Sixties Chronograph Annual Edition isn’t the smallest watch, and I’d love to see one in a 39mm case. Still, it compares favorably to competition from the likes of Omega and Breitling. The 20mm Perlon-like strap is attractive, but if it’s not to your liking, Glashütte Original offers an assortment of alternatives.

In closing

The 2023 Sixties Chronograph Annual Edition costs €9,700 and is available in limited quantities at authorized dealers. It’s a beautiful timepiece from Glashütte Original, and I’m glad the model is still in production. Sometimes, only subtle tweaks are necessary when a watch is this attractive.

For more information on the Sixties Chronograph Annual Edition, visit the official Glashütte Original site.

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