The origins of Montres Charmex go back as far as 1926. This significant date is when Max Bürgin initially started his watchmaking apprenticeship in the Swiss town of Liestal (just outside Basel). Today with the Bürgin family still at the helm the company pays homage to the exemplary traditional skills of the past. Montres Charmex comprises two brands: CHARMEX OF SWITZERLAND (classical/elegance) & CX SWISS MILITARY WATCH (sport/military). Both brands epitomize quality but my tastes definitely gravitate towards the latter. It’s clear from numerous conversations with Frank Bürgin (grandson of Max) that he’s an exceptionally passionate watchmaker. Ultimately his incredible drive culminated in a World Record (20,000 FEET) for water resistance in the category of automatic diving watches. On that basis I was really excited when Frank offered me the opportunity to review the superb new Typhoon.
My first impression of the Typhoon is very positive. It’s an absolutely beautiful looking watch that exudes class & charm. At 45mm x 14.5mm it’s a well-proportioned timepiece that certainly will appeal to a very broad spectrum of buyers. It also felt exceptionally comfortable & lightweight to wear. This is definitely down to the sophisticated styling & high performance materials used in production. Incredibly this fantastic timepiece incorporates titanium & carbon fiber; a combination rarely used. Realistically I feel this exquisite watch could be worn for any occasion casual or formal.
Aesthetically the attention to detail on Typhoon is pretty mind blowing. It’s clear the design has been well conceived & executed. Also the finishing is superlative giving the watch a luxurious aura. The ideology behind the creation of the dial is lighthearted & resembles a smiley face. Humorously the second counters form the eyes & the date wheel outlines the shape of the mouth. Fundamentally this is testament to a designer who doesn’t take himself too seriously. Frank is an enthusiastic yachtsman & was keen to explain the concept of the design: “whenever I go sailing and it’s a good day with a decent breeze I can’t help but smile” I love the unique styling & was totally seduced by the watch’s alluring good looks. Other successful elements are the use of carbon fiber on the dial, bezel & case side. This looks absolutely awesome & delicately balances with the understated open worked hour/minute hands.
The Typhoon is marketed as a Regatta watch, designed ultimately to be used in yachting contests. For this reason the company has equipped the timepiece with a Swiss Made ISA cal. 8270 quartz movement. Functionally this watch is exceedingly well endowed offering the following amazing features: Hour, minute, small second at 2pm, Regatta timing: adjustable countdown function with acoustic alarm, post-countdown chronograph with 96-hour counter, central minute counter and second counter. It’s also notable to mention the watch is Water-resistant up to 200 meters. In an ideal world I would love to see a mechanical version of this wonderful timepiece but realize that would significantly inflate the price.
The Typhoon is available in Silver, black, arctic blue or signal orange Priced at CHF 1’222.
http://www.swiss-military.info/swissmilitary.php
