This summer Watchuseek team visited the Ickler factory (who own the Archimede brand) and wrote about all the new watches including their flieger chronograph. While the current chronograph is designed perfectly with an Valjoux 7750 Elaboré movement, and has won several awards, it is missing the thermally steel blue hands and a higher grade movement.
Ickler has listened to our collective feedback and is now offering the flieger chronograph in a newly redesigned dial. The dial layout is now more balanced with the brand name under 12’o clock instead of 3’o clock. The date remains at 6’o clock but blends in perfectly in the chronograph hour sub-register.
At first glance what is striking is the heated blue hands made in the Ickler factory by the process of thermally heating the steel hands until they turn into perfect deep blue color. Then the hands are sent to another factory to fill in the Superluminova in the middle. This is the first serially produced watch under Archimede brand offered with steel blue hands. Now Archimede is also offering a “facelift” service, where you can send in your flieger to them for an upgrade to heated blue hands.
Ickler also decided to upgrade the Valjoux 7750 movement to TOP finish. ETA offers Valjoux in three finishes: Elaboré, TOP, and Chronomètre. TOP finish comes with adjustment in five positions, Glucydur balance, Nivarox hairspring, decorated movement with blue screws, and a customized Archimede rotor.
Ickler, known for its case manufacturing, houses this watch in a 42mm three-piece case with either brushed steel finish or a black PVD finish. For a Valjoux 7750 chronograph, the watch is noticeably slimmer with height of 13.6mm. The front has a domed sapphire crystal and the case back has a flat sapphire crystal. An optional solid case back be purchased at an additional cost (45 Euros). Both the large diamond-shaped crown, and large pushers are easy to operate even in the cold weather with the gloves.
Overall the design, steel blued hands, and the quality of case and movement make this a compelling modern flieger chronograph. The TriCompax starts at 2,460 Euros (incl. VAT), 2,067 Euros (without VAT), and can be ordered directly from Archimede website.
Photo Credit: Lisa Ickler