The Cyma Grand Maestro “The Chess” Chronograph Triple Calendar

Cyma‘s history in Swiss watchmaking dates to the establishment of Tavannes Watch Company in the 1860s, and it had its ups and downs like the rest of the industry. Recently, we reviewed the Grand Maestro Steel Cross Chronograph, a modern sports series with a layered dial, powered by a familiar Swiss automatic movement. The new Grand Maestro “The Chess” Moonphase builds on this collection, adding calendar and lunar indications to the chronograph while introducing a design inspired by the world’s most cerebral board game, with three dial colours and a slightly more elegant vibe.

The Grand Maestro The Chess Moonphase is presented in a 43.5mm stainless steel case measuring 14.55mm thick. Made from 316L stainless steel, it features a dual-layered curved bezel intended to “evoke the sculptural form of a chess piece”. The case features rounded chronograph pushers at 2 and 4 o’clock and a screw-down crown with double sealing zones. A sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating protects the dial. The screw-in stainless steel caseback features a K1 glass (heat-treated mineral glass, with improved scratch resistance) window that reveals the movement. Water resistance is 100m.

Cyma offers three dial colour combinations: champagne and black, midnight blue, and silver-white. Each features a sandblasted main surface, with three-dimensional hands and hour markers coated in Swiss Super-LumiNova. As expected, the dial layout is busy, given the functions on display. At 12 o’clock, a 30-minute chronograph counter shares space with the day and month indications. At 9 o’clock, a small-seconds display is paired with a 24-hour indication. The 6 o’clock subdial combines the 12-hour chronograph counter with a moonphase display. A red-tipped hand indicates the date around the dial’s periphery.

The watch is powered by the ETA 7751 (Valjoux 7750 base, first introduced in the 1980s), an automatic movement with a long-established architecture that combines chronograph and calendar functions. It operates at 28,800 vibrations/hour frequency and provides a 48-hour power reserve. The calibre is visible through the exhibition caseback, with a Cyma-branded rotor and clean finishes.

The Grand Maestro “The Chess” Moonphase is worn on a 3-row stainless steel bracelet, brushed and polished, closed with a clasp with safety push buttons. The price is USD 4,515, and the three new references are now offered alongside a 40-piece limited edition with a silver-white dial, dark blue subdials, and gold-coloured hands and indices, a more luxurious version (ref. W02-00818-005, USD 4,950).

For more details, visit cyma.ch.