August 24, 2025
A Legacy Reimagined
Revitalizing a brand with a history spanning nearly three centuries is a formidable challenge, yet Favre Leuba has navigated it with remarkable skill since its 2024 relaunch. The brand has successfully curated a collection that honors its past through both faithful recreations and modern reinterpretations. A standout in this new lineup is the Chief Chronograph, which serves as the most contemporary piece within the broader Chief collection. Inspired by a model from the 1970s, this timepiece masterfully demonstrates the brand’s capacity to occupy both historical and modern spaces, creating a truly desirable watch. Founded in 1737, Favre Leuba is the world’s second-oldest watch brand, though it faced immense pressure during the quartz crisis. Now, under new leadership, it has returned with a compelling vision.
Masterful Case and Dial Artistry
The Chief Chronograph’s design is centered around its distinctive 41mm tonneau case. Its deceptively simple shape features elegantly bowed flanks and subtle faceting, with a sophisticated interplay of brushed and polished stainless steel surfaces that exude refinement. Despite housing an automatic chronograph movement, the case maintains an approachable 14mm thickness, ensuring a balanced presence on the wrist. The dial is an equally impressive feat, requiring 100 production steps to achieve its aesthetic harmony. Available in striking colors like Ice Blue, the display combines a central sunray finish with an azurage hour track and a contrasting minute track. The bicompax layout is highly legible, with Super-LumiNova X1 applied to the hands and markers for visibility in all conditions.
The Heart of the Timepiece
Powering the Chief Chronograph is the Swiss automatic FLC02 caliber, an expertly modified movement based on the La Joux-Perret L113. Visible through a sapphire caseback, this top-grade engine is a showcase of fine watchmaking, adorned with perlage, blued screws, and Côtes de Genève finishing. A particularly captivating feature is the brushed and engraved skeletonized 4N rose gold rotor. The movement delivers exceptional performance, boasting a substantial 60-hour power reserve and an impressive accuracy regulated in five positions to -4/+4 seconds per day. The blued column wheel ensures the chronograph functions with a crisp, satisfying tactility, adding to the overall premium experience of the watch.
A Compelling Modern Chronograph
Favre Leuba completes this attractive package by offering versatility and excellent value. The Chief Chronograph is available with either a color-matched rubber strap or a finely crafted H-link stainless steel bracelet, both equipped with quick-release tabs for easy changes. This timepiece represents the successful renaissance of a storied brand, presenting a perfect fusion of heritage-inspired design, modern aesthetics, and superior mechanical engineering. With its clean lines and exceptional finishing, it is a versatile watch suited for any occasion. Priced at $4,975 USD on rubber and $5,075 USD on the bracelet, the Favre Leuba Chief Chronograph stands as an impressive contender in the contemporary luxury watch market.
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