Welcome to Chronodeco
This site features my own custom built vintage-style mechanical
chronographs - I also do repair and restoration of vintage
chronographs and watches.
CONTRAIL Pilots Chronograph!
As a child I was always around airplanes because my father,
who was a fight instructor during WWII, had a charter float
plane service to the San Juan Islands in Northwest Washington
in the late 40s through the early 60s. I flew with him numerous
times until a graduated from high school in 1962.
The following year I joined the Air Force and became a mechanic
on C-130s so I was around even more airplanes. In those 4
years I flew all over the world and saw more places than most
people see in a lifetime including several trips to Danang,
Vietnam and the famous China Beach. However, it was some 35
years later that I finally decided to get my own private pilots
license. I have been flying a Piper Warrior for about 15 years
now and still enjoy every trip I make in that plane - it's
so much nicer than being on the freeway!
As a pilot, watchmaker and watch collector I have a more
that casual interest in pilot's watches and have always wanted
to design one of my own. So, with a nod to pilots everywhere
and in keeping with the classic tradition of a black dial
and white hands, I have designed what I think is a great looking
pilots chronograph called "Contrail" and it will
be limited to 25 copies. The movement is an automatic mechanical
modified Valjoux 7750 with only the upper (minutes) &
lower (hours) registers used on an original deco style dial
reminiscent of the classic pilot chronographs of the 1930s
and 1940s.
The Contrail has a beautiful precision all stainless polished
case of approximately 38.5mm excluding the crown, flat rounded
pushers, screw on bezel and a screw down display back with
scratch proof crystals (watches ordered after 2006 may have
a slightly different case back and numbering without the logo
and name printed on the inside of the back). The dial is black
with a gray insert and white markers including a tachymeter
(or tachymetre) ''snail'' scale in the center. It comes standard
with white hands and a red sweep but other hands including
Super LumiNova are also available. The winding rotor has the
option of a black (dark slate gray in color) rhodium plating.
Customer selected bands include the crocodile 20mm band in
gray, brown or black.
My goal was to make a watch that has the "look"
of the 30s or 40s pilot watches but has all of the advantages
of a modern mechanical chronograph. This design was strongly
influenced by the 500+ vintage chronographs and watches that
I have restored over the past several years. I have contracted
with RGM of Lancaster, Pa. to produce the Contrail with assembly
being done by Chronodeco in Oregon. Every watch will be custom
assembled per each customer's hands and strap preference so
please allow 2 to 3 weeks for delivery. The Era is offered
at $1395.00. A $250.00 deposit will start construction of
your new chronograph. For more information or to order,
please contact
chronodeco@embarqmail.com
Click HERE to view additional Chronodeco
chronographs on page 2
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