Today known for their incredibly unique timepieces that border on the fantastical, Bovet is a watchmaker that offers some of the finest craftsmanship that money can buy in the world of horology, with their incredibly complex pocket watch-inspired creations. However, Bovet’s craftsmanship can trace its origins all the way back to 1822 when Edouard Bovet sold four decorative pocket watches in Canton Asia for what would today equal $1 million. Known for their highly decorative pocket watches designed and produced exclusively for the Chinese market, Bovet’s success came from the East, which is rather unique given how Euro-centric the watchmaking industry has been historically. However, these watches weren’t all Bovet made in their history, indeed, they also made chronographs in the middle of the 20th century like the example we have here. Made of stainless steel and powered by the manual-wind column wheel-wielding Valjoux cal. 22, this oversized 37mm timepiece is a bi-compax chronograph that features the rich aesthetic that mid-century chronographs so charmingly boast. Featuring a black dial with golden script and a white telemeter scale, this timepiece is decided charming and full of vintage character, making it a joy to wear.

Full of character and hailing from a brand who have gone on to become known for a completely different type of watch, this chronograph showcases that brands can produce watches that are outside of their comfort zone from time to time and succeed in making them appealing and worthy of being collected.