Introducing: The Glashtte Original Senator Chronograph Capital Edition

February 16, 2018

Glashtte Original has been a longtime sponsor of the Berlin Film Festival, which started this week. To mark the occasion, the German watchmaker has released a new version of its Senator Chronograph, available in steel, rose gold, and platinum variations. Technically, the watch is identical to the original launched in 2013, while the aesthetics are much closer to the striking stainless steel version we got at last year's Baselworld. The steel and rose gold versions feature a dark "Bourbon grey" sunburst dial with dark blue accents around the sub-dials, while the platinum edition has a "Dry silver" dial and lighter blue accents. All three are limited editions. Why This Watch Matters The most important thing about this watch is the movement inside. The caliber 37 is a truly in-house chronograph movement that first debuted in this very watch five years ago. Making an in-house chronograph movement is no small feat, and this one feels very much Glashtte Original through and through. It has the three-quarter plate construction, albeit with the full winding rotor on top, and the balance has that long swan neck adjustor that GO is known for. The lume on these models is still bright and glows green. Initial Thoughts Ultimately, what we have here is really an existing watch in three new color/metal combinations. I was a big fan of last year's all black steel edition (especially with the bright blue lume), but these three just don't seem quite as captivating to me. They definitely offer a softer look, so if you thought last year's watch was a little stark, these could be better options. I'm going to withhold final judgement until I see these in person, however, as it's clear the dials are the stars, and those are exceedingly hard to judge from the standard images provided. The Basics Brand: Glashtte OriginalModel: Senator Chronograph Capital EditionReference Number: 1-37-01-04-02 (stainless steel), 1-37-01-04-025 (rose gold), 1-37-01-06-03 (platinum)Diameter: 42mmThickness: 14mmCase Material: Stainless steel, rose gold, or platinumDial Color: Bourbon grey (stainless steel and rose gold), Dry silver (platinum)Indexes: Roman numerals and batonsLume: Yes, on hands and markersWater Resistance: 50 metersStrap/Bracelet: Calfskin leather strap, alligator strap, stainless steel bracelet The caliber 37 powering this watch is a true in-house chronograph movement. The Movement Caliber: In-House Caliber 37-01Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, big date, power reserve, chronographDiameter: 31.6mmThickness: 8mmPower Reserve: 70 hoursWinding: AutomaticFrequency: 4 Hz (28,800 vph)Jewels: 65Additional Details: Utilizes a three-quarter plate construction, a column wheel for the chronograph mechanism, and a swan neck adjustor for the balance Pricing & Availability Price: $14,900 (stainless steel), $31,500 (red gold), $55,600 (platinum)Availability: March 2018Limited Edition: 100 pieces (stainless steel), 25 pieces (red gold), 5 pieces (platinum)For more click here. The Capital Edition uses last year's Senator Chronograph as its base. The platinum edition with "Dry silver" dial. The rose gold edition with "Bourbon grey" dial. The stainless steel edition with "Bourbon grey" dial and optional stainless steel bracelet.