Cleaner and More Compact, The new Glashütte Original Senator Chronograph

Glashütte Original has a long history with chronographs, going back more than 80 years to the development of wristwatches for short-time measurement in the Saxon watchmaking town. Among the important chapters in that history was the UROFA calibre 59, developed in the early 1940s as one of the first modern Glashütte wristwatch chronographs. The contemporary story has been in development since 2014 with the introduction of the Calibre 37, the manufacture’s first integrated automatic column-wheel chronograph, to power the Senator Chronograph Panorama Date. Now, Glashütte Original revisits the Senator Chronograph with two substantially evolved models for 2026.

The new Senator Chronograph and Senator Chronograph Navigator share the same technical base but take different design approaches. One is a more classical interpretation of the Senator style, while the other draws on the functional design of historic pilot’s watches. Both are more compact than their predecessors, with a smaller diameter, reduced thickness and a considerably cleaner dial layout.

A smaller, slimmer case

The case of both editions of the Senator Chronograph now measures 41mm in diameter and 12.9mm thick, down from the 42mm diameter and approximately 14.6mm thickness of earlier Senator Chronograph models. With its relatively short, curved lugs, the new case sits more naturally on the wrist, and the reduced thickness gives the chronograph a more refined profile.

The stainless-steel case combines polished and satin-brushed surfaces and is topped by a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides. A sapphire caseback reveals the movement. The new models use mushroom-shaped pushers at 2 and 4 o’clock, giving the case a more traditional chronograph appearance and replacing the rounded rectangular pushers of the earlier models. The crown, different depending on the version, features Glashütte Original’s mirrored “G” logo. Water resistance is now 50m, down from 100m before, which is regrettable, but not critical. The two watches then separate visually.

The Senator Chronograph, the classic one

The Senator Chronograph is the more classical of the pair. Its silver-white galvanic dial has a fine grainé finish that provides a subtly textured background for applied solid-gold Roman numerals with blue coating, marking all hours except for 3 and 9 o’clock. Blued-steel hands continue the traditional aesthetic. The small seconds and 30-minute chronograph counters are positioned symmetrically at 9 and 3 o’clock, both recessed and with what the brand calls a vinyl-record-inspired finish.

The Panorama Date, framed in white gold, is at 6 o’clock; its position is quite effective here because the rest of the dial has been simplified. Compared with previous Senator Chronograph models, the 2026 edition does away with the 12-hour counter at 12 o’clock, and the power-reserve indication previously integrated into the small-seconds register. The GO signature now takes the position of the 12-hour counter below noon, making space for a 6 o’clock index. The display is noticeably quieter now, with fewer competing indications and more open space around the central time display, with a tachymeter scale printed on the flange.

The Sportier Navigator

The Senator Chronograph Navigator takes the same case and movement but introduces a sportier, pilot-watch character through its distinctive crown and matte black lacquered dial. Large Arabic numerals made of solid luminous material dominate the dial, with luminous hour and minute hands. The central chronograph seconds hand, 30-minute counter and small seconds are finished in white lacquer. The recessed counters also feature a vinyl-record-inspired finish, and the layout repeats that of the Senator Chronograph, with the tachymeter scale engraved on the flange and the Panorama Date positioned at 6 o’clock.

The result is an interesting split within the new series. The Senator Chronograph is the natural evolution of the classical model, while the Navigator leaves the formality in favour of a more functional, aviation-inspired design. Neither is a simple colour variation of the other; Glashütte Original has used the same technical platform to create two genuinely different personalities.

The New Calibre 37-24

Both variants of the Senator Chronograph are powered by the new Calibre 37-24, an evolution of the Calibre 37 introduced in 2014. The movement has been adapted to a slimmer case while retaining the technical characteristics that made Calibre 37 an important part of Glashütte Original’s modern chronograph portfolio. The fundamental concept remains an integrated automatic chronograph with a column wheel. Measuring 34.20mm in diameter and 8mm in thickness, the movement incorporates hours, minutes, small seconds, a 30-minute counter, Panorama Date and a flyback chronograph. The latter allows the chronograph to be stopped, reset and restarted with a single press, making repeated timing operations easy – a function particularly relevant on the Navigator version.

The movement operates at 28,800 vibrations/hour and provides a comfortable 70-hour power reserve. It has 47 jewels and uses a silicon balance spring, offering increased resistance to magnetic fields and temperature fluctuations. Regulation is handled by solid-gold screws positioned on the rim of the balance, with Glashütte Original’s characteristic swan-neck fine adjustment.

Through the sapphire caseback, one can see the three-quarter plate with Glashütte stripe finishing, bevelled edges, polished steel components and blued screws that provide the characteristic mixture of textures and colours. The newly developed skeletonised rotor carries a 21-carat gold oscillation weight and the mirrored “G” logo.

Availability & price

The 2026 Senator Chronograph and Senator Chronograph Navigator can be ordered on Louisiana alligator leather, a sand-coloured synthetic strap or a stainless steel bracelet. Each uses a quick-change system, allowing straps to be exchanged without tools. For the first time, the folding clasp also has a quick-change mechanism, allowing it to be transferred between straps just as easily.

Both versions will be available through Glashütte Original boutiques and authorised retailers this month, and will be part of the permanent collection. Prices are EUR 15,900 or USD 16,100 on a strap and EUR 16,800 or USD 17,100 on a stainless steel bracelet, for both the Senator Chronograph and Senator Chronograph Navigator. More details on glashuette-original.com.