The Singer Heritage Collection Chronograph with Restored Valjoux Movement

Singer (understand Singer Vehicle Design) first made a name for itself with its bespoke restorations of the Porsche 911, and in recent years, the California-based brand has also been turning heads in watchmaking with its Track 1 chronograph – known for its unconventional layouts and innovative AgenGraphe movements developed by Agenhor, without forgetting the Divetrack, a 24-hour central chronograph and another distinctive Singer creation, and the 1969 collection. This year, the brand surprises with a pair of Heritage Collection chronographs that, unlike the earlier Singer watches, adopt a more familiar two-register layout and are powered by restored new-old-stock Valjoux 236 calibres. It’s a clear nod to Singer’s restomod roots, only this time the canvas isn’t a 911, but an equally iconic mechanical movement.

The Singer Reimagined Heritage chronograph comes in a compact 38.8mm stainless steel case that’s just 11.75mm thick, making it wear as comfortably as it looks. True to Singer’s aesthetic, the case features a sunray satin finish with mirror-polished chamfers and polished pushers, lending a tactile richness to every angle. A glassbox-shaped sapphire crystal tops it off, while a display caseback lets you admire the reworked movement inside. The flat, fluted crown is another thoughtful detail, while 50m water resistance, though modest, is plenty for daily wear (even if a touch more would have better honoured the “mod” half of the resto-mod ethos).

The Heritage chronograph is offered with Empire Green or Piano Black lacquered dials painted all over, sub-dials included. A gold, toothed flange around the dial is borrowed from the 1969 series, and Singer’s signature circular-brushed cap atop the central hands is a visual callback to the brand’s distinct design language, as well as vintage Porsche 911 dashboard instruments.

Both versions feature short, faceted, gold-coloured hour markers, and the applied Singer logo sits at 12 o’clock. The openworked, rhodium-plated sword-style hour and minutes hands have luminous orange tips – legible and modern. The beige sub-dial markings contrast well, with a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock and running seconds at 9 o’clock. An orange chronograph seconds hand adds a pop of Singer´s distinctive character.

The soul of this project is a hand-wound Valjoux 236, a replacement to the legendary Valjoux 23, upgraded to 21,600 vibrations/hour. It is revealed in full glory through the transparent caseback. According to the brand, these movements are genuine, never-used vintage stock, disassembled, cleaned, lubricated, and finished to higher standards. The bridges are frosted for a contemporary matte effect, their edges hand-bevelled and polished for brilliance. Rhodium plating enhances appearance and durability. Singer also has upgraded/replaced some components, yet we still have to find out which, and each movement bears the mark Restored by Singer. And of course, it has that lovely classic layout with column wheel and horizontal clutch.

The watches are worn on grained black leather straps with brown stitching or khaki-green textile straps with khaki stitching, closed with a stainless steel pin buckle. The Singer Heritage chronograph is a nice mix of old and new, translating Singer’s automotive restomod approach into watchmaking. The Empire Green version, in particular, stands out with its rich colour and warmth. But beyond looks, the revived Valjoux movement and attention to detail truly elevate the experience. In contrast to the usually high-priced earlier Singer creations, the new Singer Heritage chronograph is offered for CHF 16,700 (ex. taxes), which seems reasonable, yet only 100 pieces will be made. 

For more, visit singerreimagined.com.