The Funky Glashütte Original Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date Golden Bay and Ocean Breeze

There are only so many square-shaped timepieces that we dare call contemporary classics. Yet, the watches in the Seventies collection from Glashütte Original, first presented by the Swatch-group-owned brand in 2011, are worthy of the title and the praise. Unfortunately, the current Seventies line-up is limited to only 11 variations of the Chronograph Panorama Date, with the amazingly hip Panorama Date and its nifty applied arrowhead-style hour indices no longer part of the offer. Still, the four listed Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date watches from this summer are very alluring, and the Golden Bay and Ocean Breeze models left quite an impression when we had a chance to experience them first-hand; here’s why.

The case

The Glashütte Original Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date’s retro TV screen-inspired stainless steel case with rounded corners is an actual square, 40mm x 40mm, and it is 14.1mm thick, with a water resistance of 100m. The proportions are correct; the watch wears well and looks good and classy, especially if you like square-shaped timepieces – something only the 1970s made possible. The steel case has excellent finishing, something to be expected from high-quality German watches. The polished chronograph pushers match the polished bezel. The middle of the case is brushed, the angles are shiny, and the combination of techniques adds some sporty feel and reduces visual weight. The screw-down crown is ribbed and decorated with the double-G logo.

The dials

Protected by a sapphire crystal, the matte lacquered brass dials of the Golden Bay and Ocean Breeze offer excellent readability in most lighting conditions, with all the elements in perfect contrast thanks to the underlying ochre and grey-blue colours. The applied black baton-style hour indices are filled with Super-LumiNova, and the dauphine-shaped hour and minute hands with black coating and Super-LumiNova in the middle are perfectly sized. The minute track and dial text, including the Glashütte Original logo, is printed in black; black is the background for the date above the 6 o’clock position, balanced by the ever-so-cool chronograph hours counter window above the centre, also with white numerals on the black disc.

The snailed grey sub-dials for the 30-minute chronograph counter at 3 o’clock and small seconds at 9 o’clock offer a harmonious contrast, deviating from the earlier models’ design perhaps for a sportier character. The dial features subtle details, such as the small lume dots around the periphery and the integration of the power reserve scale aperture into the small seconds sub-dial – a welcome solution for the series.

Under the caseback

Turn the watch over, and the exhibition caseback, secured with eight safety screws, proudly displays the Glashütte Original manufacture calibre 37-02, with the traditional Saxon 3/4 plate construction. It’s a functional, capable and elegant flyback chronograph movement with a 70-hour power reserve and a stop-seconds feature – pull the crown out, and the seconds hand will stop so that you can set the time with more precision. Technical features of the calibre 37-02, like the swan neck fine-adjustment system and the gold screws in the balance wheel, and the chronograph column wheel, can be appreciated. The rotor for the automatic winding is skeletonised and bears the Glashütte Original gold-coloured logo, weighted with a strip of gold, properly marked 21ct. The movement has a customary level of decor, which includes polished surfaces, bevelled edges, and blued steel screws, with the bridges, balance cock and a rotor decorated with the Glashütte stripe finish.

The bracelet

Glashütte Original offers two variants per each of the new Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date dial colours, meaning you can have your watch on a matte black rubber strap or a stainless steel bracelet. Since its introduction, the bracelet has been my favourite option as it seems to complement the 1970s aura and is very well designed, which we know is a complicated task. Made to integrate with the case, this simple-looking three-link bracelet with polished and brushed parts creates a comfortable fit on the wrist. The sizing of the bracelet is reasonably straightforward; small pushers are inside to release the links. The bracelet’s fold-over locking deployant clasp features a discreet and well-engineered micro-adjustment system, which allows you to adjust the bracelet size in approximately single-millimetre increments – meaning you can change the bracelet size even while it is on your wrist.

Final Thoughts

To sell well, watches have to have an attractive dial. Since the previous colourful 1970s vibe of the Disco Blue and Vibing Orange or the Sunny Yellow and Bright Turquoise Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date limited editions were sold out long ago, you can be sure they got the Golden Bay and Ocean Breeze just right. Packing the same life and adventure-inspiring emotions, their intense hues make you think, if not of the sandy beaches and pristine clear ocean waves, then of the freedom and colours of the Make Love Not War decades. And we are talking about timepieces made in the best German manufacturing tradition, and whatever emotions they are built to produce, these watches are also very well executed. Priced EUR 15,800 for the strap variant and EUR 17,000 with a bracelet, the Glashütte Original Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date is far from being a budget-friendly watch. Still, those who love the case design and the fine details and appreciate the in-house-made integrated chronograph movement will surely dig it. So, are you digging it?

For additional information, please visit glashuette-original.com.