Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Stowa Verus GMT Chrono Black Forest Limited
A stripped down retro/modern GMT chronograph with a new blacked-out aesthetic
Following up on the 2021 Verus GMT Chrono, Stowa has updated its Red Dot Design Award winner with a matte black DLC-coated case. It’s still a fresh, contemporary design that’s stripped down to the essentials for a highly legible pilot’s watch that’s true to the brand’s overall Flieger design (like the Flieger Verus 36, for example). It’s a chronograph with just one register, a 30-minute counter, and an engraved 24-hour bezel for the GMT hand that blends away when not needed. This is about as minimalist as a GMT chrono can get, and the blacked-out aesthetic only enhances the effect.
The glass bead-blasted, black DLC-coated stainless steel case is 41mm in diameter and 14.7mm in height (50.2mm lug-to-lug), so it’s got some heft to it. The fixed bezel is already narrow, so the engraved 24-hour scale is very discreet. The oversized crown and twin pushers at 2 and 4 o’clock are also DLC-coated, and water-resistance is rated at 50 metres. A sapphire crystal protects the dial and the screw-down case back has a sapphire exhibition window. The watch comes fitted with a 22mm black leather strap with a black DLC-coated pin buckle.
The (Baumuster “A”) matte black dial is highly legible with oversized white Arabic numerals and a bold minute/seconds track, and large white hour and minute hands coated with Super-LumiNova BGW9. The red chrono seconds hand contrasts well with the white, and again, there’s only one counter at 12 o’clock for 30-minute timing (no small seconds or 12-hour counter). A black GMT hand with a red tip filled with white lume points to the bezel’s engraved 24-hour scale. A colour-matching date window sits at 6 o’clock.
Powering the watch is the cam-operated Valjoux 7754 with 25 jewels, a beat rate of 28,800vph (4Hz) and a 48-hour power reserve. Functions include central hours, minutes and chrono seconds, 30-minute counter, quick-set GMT and date. Do note that the GMT function works as a so-called Caller GMT and not a Flyer GMT. This means you can’t independently set the local hour hand forward or backward through the crown, but rather the GMT hand only.
The Verus GMT Chrono Black Forest Limited is (hence the name) limited to just 10 pieces from Stowa’s German headquarters in Pforzheim and retails for EUR 2,990. For more information, please visit Stowa’s website.
