Angelus Chronographe Tachymètre: The Scale Fixes the Dial
Featured photograph: Angelus Chronographe Tachymètre in steel with grey-and-blue dial, reference 0CHCS.U01A.V1155S, photographed on the wrist. Photo: Angelus.
Angelus could have treated the Chronographe Tachymètre as a change of scale and stopped there. Instead, the new trio shows how a peripheral track can reorganise an entire chronograph dial. The base-1,000 tachymeter, contrasting flange and coloured subdials give the compact monopusher a clearer hierarchy than a simple vintage revival usually manages.
That matters because the underlying architecture is already familiar. The 37mm case, manually wound A5000 movement and two-register layout come from the Chronographe Télémètre platform. The collector’s decision is therefore not whether Angelus has invented a new chronograph. It is whether this version makes the established package more usable—and which of three sharply different executions best supports that argument.
The scale is doing real design work
A tachymeter converts elapsed time over a known distance into average speed. Here it is calibrated to a base of 1,000 and begins at 500, which gives the outer track a compressed, technical character. The marketing language naturally leans toward motoring, but the more persuasive effect is visual: the coloured flange pushes the scale outward, while the small seconds at nine and 30-minute register at three sit within a calmer central field.
On a 37mm watch, that separation is valuable. Bi-register chronographs can look crowded when the subdials sit close to the centre. The Chronographe Tachymètre does not move them; it gives them context. The single-track scale is also easier to parse than the earlier double-spiral treatment used on a related subscription edition. For collectors who prefer functional clarity to period-correct theatre, this is the stronger dial.
A compact case with an old-school mechanism
The dimensions are unusually restrained for a modern high-end chronograph: 37mm across and 9.25mm thick, including a box-shaped sapphire crystal. The lugs curve downward and twist along the case side, so the watch has more shape than its diameter suggests. Water resistance is only 30 metres. That is acceptable for a dress-leaning mechanical chronograph, but it should end any notion that the racing cues make this a carefree sports watch.
Inside is the A5000, a 24mm by 4.2mm manually wound calibre made for Angelus by La Joux-Perret. It runs at 3Hz, stores 42 hours of power and uses a column wheel with a horizontal clutch. The monopusher is integrated into the crown, controlling start, stop and reset. The architecture is traditional, visible and appropriately scaled to the case. The 42-hour reserve is modest, but winding is part of the appeal here; this is not a convenience-led chronograph.
Grey, pink or gold is the real choice
The steel-grey reference 0CHCS.U01A.V1155S is the most disciplined option. Its pearl-grey centre, petrol-blue flange and blue registers make the tachymeter’s structural role obvious without turning the watch into a costume. Limited to 50 pieces, it is also the broadest edition and, at CHF 18,500 including VAT, the rational place to start.
The steel-pink reference 0CHCS.P02A.V1156S uses a coral-pink dial with steel-grey accents and is limited to 30 pieces. It feels more expressive, yet the dark registers keep it from becoming soft or decorative. The same CHF 18,500 including-VAT price means the choice between the two steel watches is genuinely about contrast, not hierarchy.
The yellow-gold reference 0CHCQ.H01A.V1168Q pairs a gold-toned dial with green details and is limited to 15 pieces. Its CHF 34,600 including-VAT price is a substantial step up, but the metal and colour combination make it a different proposition rather than a simple premium finish. The green reads nearly charcoal in some light, which helps keep the case and dial from collapsing into one field.
Collector conclusion
The Chronographe Tachymètre succeeds because the new scale is not merely thematic. It resolves the dial’s proportions, clarifies the registers and gives the compact case a more purposeful face. The movement remains the reason to care; the colour treatment determines whether the watch feels sober, adventurous or overtly precious.
For most collectors, the grey-and-blue steel version is the best expression of the idea. It makes the design change easiest to read and avoids asking gold money for an otherwise identical mechanism. The pink steel model is the more characterful choice at the same list price. The gold edition is defensible for rarity and presence, but not for added mechanical content. Buy the dial that makes the tachymeter legible to you—not the edition number that sounds most exclusive.