Introducing: The BA111OD Chapter 7 Certified Chronometer
Since 2019, BA111OD has offered edgy, affordable Swiss timepieces. The brand from Neuchatel offers a tourbillon, manufacture complications, and several avant-garde mechanical watches. The models even have chapter names, and today’s piece, the Chapter 7, is the first to receive a chronometer certification.
With rising prices from many traditional “high street” brands, smaller independent watch companies have carved out a permanent niche in the market. Years ago, these plucky microbrands offered loads of watches at a low price, but they often lacked refinement. Now, brands like BA111OD have stepped up and are producing high-quality, attractive watches that appeal to new and seasoned collectors. Today’s Chapter 7 exemplifies this and includes a chronometer certification, a mark of accuracy that buyers should appreciate.
The BA111OD Chapter 7
The new Chapter 7 is a sportier, albeit composed, take on an integrated-bracelet watch. For those familiar with the BA111OD lineup, this watch shares a familial resemblance to the prior 7. However, thanks to a 2mm decrease, the latest release represents current tastes with a 40mm diameter. It also has a comfortable 47mm lug-to-lug, meaning it should work on wrists of most sizes. Buyers can choose from a rubber strap or stainless steel bracelet. Both include a folding clasp.
BA111OD took great care to keep the Chapter 7 slim, resulting in a mere 10.5mm thickness. Thankfully, though, it has a healthy 100m water resistance rating. The case features well-defined edges and a blend of highly polished and vertically brushed surfaces to match the bezel. This 10-sided bezel with a scalloped profile exhibits polished and vertically brushed surfaces. It joins a flat sapphire crystal with a quadruple anti-reflective coating. The signed crown at 4 o’clock is a charmingly unusual touch that sets the Chapter 7 apart from most other integrated-bracelet watches on the market.
Cascading guilloché dials in four colors
BA111OD made major changes to the dial for the latest Chapter 7. Patterned and textured dials give way to asymmetric cascading guilloché dials with an underlying sunray finish. Indeed, the pattern is striking, with some lines only extending partially down the dial. Depending on the color, the look is reminiscent of icicles or stalactites. Regarding the colors, buyers can choose from ice blue, deep blue, forest green, or jet black. Applied indexes as well as the hour and minute hands contain white Super-LumiNova. Then, a printed minute track, brand name, and “Officially Certified Chronometer” adorn the dials. Finally, a black-on-white date wheel sits at 3 o’clock to the left of the index. Overall, the look is clean and less busy than the previous model.
The first BA111OD chronometer
The Chapter 7 Certified Chronometer is the BA111OD’s first watch to achieve an official certificate for accuracy. The Timelab Chronometry Observatory of Geneva completes the testing and certifies the Soprod P024 to +6/-4 seconds per day. While some prospective buyers may not prioritize this, we receive a lot of comments about the general accuracy of most affordable watches. The chronometer certification places the Chapter 7 in exclusive territory. Otherwise, the Soprod has well-known specs, including a 28,800vph frequency and a 38-hour power reserve.
The Chapter 7 Certified Chronometer is affordable
These days, I typically receive a press release, read about the watch, and then try to guess the price. I was dead wrong about the Chapter 7 and guessed high. On a rubber strap, the watch retails for CHF 760. Choosing the bracelet only brings the price up to CHF 820. That feels like great value for a Swiss-made chronometer-certified watch with competitive specifications. The Chapter 7 models are available for pre-order on the official BA111OD site and will start seeing delivery in May. While it will be a month early, I hope to see them in person at Time to Watches in April.
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