Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The New OP190 Steel Edition Of The Oskar Pascal Chronograph
A non-limited edition in stainless steel to accomany the inaugural OP Chronograph.
Founded by brothers Petter and Jakob Paulin, Oskar Pascal launched its very first watch just earlier this year. As an independent watchmaking company, it combines the best of both worlds perhaps; sleek Scandinavian design with Swiss-made mechanicals. Years of work went into the creation of the Oskar Pascal OP483, the brand’s break-out piece, which came with an ultra-hard ZR01 amorphous case, and something else up it sleeve. Or rather, up its straps if you will, with interchangeable GMT and compass pods to up its versatility. Now though, a couple of months down the line, a more conventional steel model joins the family, as Oskar Pascal presents the OP190 Chronograph.
Peter and Jakob Paulin are born in Sweden, which immediately explains the typically Scandinavian look and feel of their watches. Born from a passion for watches and an idea to create exchangeable pods to add more functionality to a watch, it took over 20,000 hours of development to come to a final product. Enlisting the help of Cyrano Devanthey, a Swiss technological manufacturing specialist, the OP483 used a material never seen before in watches, a high-tech amorphous metal alloy known as ZR01 (see below). This material is also used by NASA in high-precision satellite mirrors and has unique properties in terms of durability, corrosion resistance, bio-compatibility and anti-magnetism. And if that wasn’t enough space-age stuff for you, Oskar Pascal has now teamed up with Astronaut Christer Fuglesang, who has two missions and over 31 hours of spacewalks under his belt (see below). The idea of the collaboration is to develop future watch concepts together, with a keen eye on technology and the use of materials.
Where the Oskar Pascal OP483 came with a highly innovative and robust ZR01 amorphous metal case in a variety of finishes, the new OP190 comes in more conventional 316L steel. The name is actually taken from the 190-point rating on the Vickers scale for hardness. It features a typically clean and uncluttered Scandinavian design and measures 41mm in diameter and 11.9mm in height. The case itself is mirror-polished, with a brushed bezel on top. The crown and pushers are slightly recessed into the caseband which reduces the visual size of the case. The straight lug sections connect to either one of the pods available, or directly to the leather strap. Both the front and back are covered by a sapphire crystal, and the water resistance is 100 meters.
The dial for the new OP190 comes in the same matte black or silky white tones as before, fitted with a red central chronograph seconds hand to set it apart from the OP483, which had a blue now. The layout and finishing details are the same, with slender hands, recessed subdials, black or white printed indices and markers, the Oskar Pascal logo in white or black and a date window at 04:30. The additional pods you can install feature a working compass on one end, or a GMT display on the other.
From a mechanical perspective, nothing has changed. The OP190 still uses the Vaucher-sourced chronograph movement labelled as the OP-X. This high-end automatic calibre can be seen through the back and runs at a frequency of 28,800vph. Constructed of 189 components, 28 of which are jewels, the OP-X movement has a total running time of 45 to 50 hours. It comes with a balance wheel with variable inertia blocks in gold. The finishing looks very good, with circular graining, rhodium-plated elements, bevelled edges, polished screws and more. The Oskar Pascal signed central rotor is made of tungsten, to give it extra torque when spinning due to its higher weight compared to steel or brass. The movement indicates central hours and minutes, and small seconds at 3 o’clock, with the chronograph central seconds hand accompanied by a 30-minute counter at 9 o’clock and a 12-hour counter at noon. The final indication is the date.
Just as with the OP483 before it, the Oskar Pascal OP190 Chronograph Steel Edition comes on a calfskin leather strap in either brown or black. You can opt for a clean strap, or one with the GMT and Compass pods, which up the price from EUR 13,200 to EUR 16,400 before taxes. If selecting the pods, you’ll be provided with a shortened leather strap to attach them to the case with the integrated link system. There’s no word on limitation as of now, so it seems it is the first watch from the OP Chronograph collection that is permanently available.
For more information, please visit OskarPascal.com
