Singer Reimagined Watches

Singer ReImagined Review

Singer Reimagined was born from the encounter between Rob Dickson, Founder and Creative Director of singer vehicle design, and Italian watch designer Marco Borraccino. The company was created to reimagine high- watchmaking, combining obsessive attention to detail, unique perspectives, and a love for the iconic sports watches of the 1960s and 1970s. The two were joined by master watchmaker Jean-Marc Weiderrecht who would provide a groundbreaking chronograph movement to power their first opus, Track 1.

The Singer ReImagined Track 1 is an unlikely product the likes of which the current watch industry needs. It is a new timepiece with the brand name of a well- known and very exclusive Porsche car modifier based in Los Angeles, California. At a glance on the wrist, the watch is bold and impressive, though not flashy or pretentious. The tonneau-style case shape quickly pegs the design as a retro-sport watch as we have seen this look on diving, flying, and racing watches from the 1960s and 1970s. The launch Edition if Track 1 comes with orange and green accents to complete the vintage look. Though the team does promise new variety in the future models.

The Singer ReImagined Track 1 case gives a modern spin on the 60’s chrono style. It has a distinctive barrel-shaped a thin, round bezel, and it is softly curved for enhanced ergonomics.

The whole point of the Singer ReImagined Track 1 watch design is to make an analog chronograph more legible. Most mechanical chronograph watches rely on subdials to indicate most of the chronograph information. These subdials are underneath the other hands, and for many watch lovers, the process of reading the majority of analog chronograph watches is not quick or straightforward. Thus, what Marco wanted to do is dedicate the entire center of the watch dial to the chronograph, while placing the time elsewhere.

The Singer ReImagined Track 1's time is indicated via two moving rings placed on the periphery of the dial. Time is read in a manner that is virtually identical to that of MB&F HM7 Aquapod. If you look at the spot around 6 o'clock, there is a red line on the bezel, where you read the time. You see what markers on the ring intersect with the red wire to understand the current time.

Placing the time on the outside of the watch face allows for the center of the dial to be dedicated to something else - which here is a chronograph- so, in addition to a fresh design, there is the value of having a timepiece which did something first. The chronograph dial has three hands of which are centrally placed, are used to indicate the chronograph seconds, minutes, and hours.

The first versions of the Singer ReImagined Track 1 watch come in carefully polished titanium cases, which are 43mm wide and 15mm thick (water resistance to 100 meters). The titanium is polished to look like steel, so it has that case contrast-polish look, but in a lightweight package. Its movement is of much interest. The sheer volume of small, polished parts is impressive as you get an unadulterated view of the 477 component mechanical movement, which they call Caliber Singer ReImagined 6331 automatic.

The movement is further designed for pushers and crowns to be on both sides of the case, for both practical and style purposes. The movement operates at 3Hz with 60 hours of power reserve.

A radical new movement and a revolutionary new focus on legibility through the display of all chronograph functions in the center of the dial. The aim? To elevate and showcase elapsed time-your time- asking. The time of day orbits the periphery of the central chronograph, cast in fascinating relief on two rotating discs that evoke the bezels of sporting timepieces throughout the ages. A revolution in how time and elapsed time are presented. The first chronograph with its priorities in the right place.

The Singer ReImagined Track 1 launch edition sports a luxurious black calf leather band, specially crafted by professional craft workers from unique animal hides and various other materials. The perfection of the leather strap is reflective of the pristine details shown in both the watch itself and the Singer car that the watch pays homage to. It’s perforated with brushed titanium screw-down rivets- a Singer Vehicle design signature echoing the early Porsche 911's. The pin buckle is in brushed titanium with polished edges. A wide choice of custom-made straps is available upon request.

The Singer ReImagined Track 1 price is $44,200 (before VAT and local taxes)

The Singer ReImagined Track 1 is the first and foremost a chronograph that additionally displays the time. Centre stage is occupied by the chronograph, and time is relegated to the periphery of the dial, almost as if it was the complication - in watchmaking, a difficulty is every function in addition to hours, minutes, and seconds. For Singer ReImagined, the main focus was to have the chronograph as the cornerstone of this watch and not the opposite.

The rest of the dial- its periphery to be precise- is devoted to the indication of the time. Two rings, which rotate clockwise, indicate the hours and the minutes' thanks to the marker placed at 6 o'clock. As always, with such an original display of the time, the brain needs to adapt to understand this unnatural way to read the hours and minutes - yet they believe us, the adaptation period is, in fact, concise and time- learning quickly becomes intuitive.

On the other hand, the chronograph display is more natural than most of the watches we've experienced, as indications are not split into 2 or 3 different sub-dials but grouped on one single axis in a natural way

This revolutionary movement is based on a set of snail cams storing energy for an entire minute(or hour) before releasing it precisely when a feeler- spindle drops to generate an instant jump. The chronograph heart also allows for the smooth resetting of the chronograph(avoiding the violent shocks of the traditional chronograph).

The second main renovation of the Singer ReImagined Track 1 concerns the clutch. It combines the best of a vertical and horizontal grip. The coupling is made horizontally, which requires less space. Yet the connection is made by friction between teeth less wheels, just like vertical clutches, thus avoiding the chronograph. The two motors are coated with Dianip to optimize friction coefficient and a system of security wheels preventing them from deindexing. Lastly, a tulip-shaped spring provides active flexibility, maintaining the contact between the two wheels while ensuring that, in case of a shock, the security wheels are still useful.

Finally, the movement is automatic, something that you cannot imagine at first due to the absence of a visible rotor on the movement side. The movement is classically wound by a central rotor, which is positioned dial-side.

For this edition, they chose a specific gold alloy named 1N. This particular color of 1N combined with the brushed finishing applied to the case results in a unique and fresh color with no ostentation.

It isn't easy to bring something genuinely new and different to the table, especially when you claim that you're on the way to reimagine the chronograph. Yet, Singer ReImagined did it, with a watch that transpires passion- passion for mechanics, passion for design, passion for beauty. It is one of those rare occasions where you can feel that the people behind the concept are passionate about their "baby."

The Singer ReImagined Track 1 has a price of USD 77,200(before taxes) but it has a soul and some pure ingenuity. Its movement is ultra-modern and impressive in its conception. At the same time, the design is full of nostalgia and vintage references- something that is even more present on this desirable Geneva Edition. Altogether, it is a magnificent cocktail, and truly enticing one.