Once in a rare while, a timepiece pops up on the horological radar that challenges preconceptions and disrupts the status quo. While contemporary models are often celebrated for aesthetically avant-garde colorways or one-off case shapes, truly novel watches are few and far between. Cyrus, a Switzerland-based luxury watch brand, has embraced the mission to create a chronograph that is functionally and aesthetically unparalleled. With the introduction of the Klepcys DICE, consider this mission accomplished.
Cyrus is a family-owned and -operated watch brand located in Geneva. Founded by a tight-knit team of entrepreneurs over a decade ago, Cyrus partnered with watchmaker extraordinaire Jean-Francois Mojon. The employ of this deftly skilled and experienced artist allows horological boundaries to be pushed and makes even the most ambitious concepts attainable. The decision to maintain financial independence allows for a level of agility and abstract thinking that is truly at the core of the organization. So serious is Cyrus about its ingenuity that the driving vision behind everything it does is the “Conquest of Innovation.” Each timepiece is as much a testament to the finesse of technical manufacturing as it is a love letter to the storied legacy of watchmaking itself.
The Klepcys DICE is a timepiece born of necessity in the sporting arena. From rally-car racing to grueling footraces such as marathons and biathlons, there is a need to track two competitors with different starting times, simultaneously. In these events, a run-of-the-mill chronograph just cannot keep up. Technically, a rattrapante can measure two contemporaneous times — but only if they have identical start times. This is where the Klepcys DICEstands out and that aforementioned Cyrus innovation comes in. The “DICE” moniker is actually an acronym for “Double Independent Chronograph Evolution,” meaning the watch has the ability to essentially function as two chronographs in one.
Given the technical prowess required to manufacture the Klepcys DICE, as well as the intricacy and sheer number of components, it will be limited to two different versions of 50 pieces each. The cushion case measures 42mm in diameter and stands proudly at 16.5mm-tall. It is available in polished or DLC configurations. Each case is comprised of 26 individual parts and is machined out of grade 5 titanium. This space-age material makes for a deceptively light timepiece, despite its generous wrist presence.
Alternating finishes, from sandblasting to polishing, have been utilized on the case in order to enhance visual contrast and accentuate the dimensionality of the design. Perhaps not surprisingly, the “double chronograph” feature results in prominent crowns at 3 and 9 o’clock. In order to maximize functionality, each crown has a color-coordinated anodized aluminum ring (red and blue) which corresponds to its respective chapter-ring numerals and chronograph hands. These twin crowns are each equipped with a pusher that seamlessly handles all three standard chronograph functions: start, stop, and reset. The crimson crown at 3 o’clock pulls double-duty and is used for time-setting and hand-winding, as well.
In order to continue to prominently display the artistry and complexity of the calibre CYR718 movement, which is meticulously crafted in Le Locle, Switzerland, the skeletonized dial components consist mostly of transparent sapphire crystal. The numerals are printed directly onto this material in Super-LumiNova, which makes them appear to levitate magically above the labyrinth of gears and components that sit just beneath. Needless to say, when viewed head-on, there is A LOT going on with this particular timepiece. At 9 o’clock is a small-seconds counter, while 3 o’clock is reserved for the pièce de résistance of the Klepcys DICE — a 30-minute counter with dual hands and dual indicators at 15/30 minutes. Looking closely, this mirrors the central chronograph hands and markers. The red chronograph hand resets to 12 o’clock while the blue sits opposite at 6 o’clock. Throughout the entirety of the timepiece, there is an underlying theme of duality and symmetry that ties each and every component together harmoniously. For those interested in the mechanical sorcery involved in creating this watch, aside from the totally visible internals, Cyrus has color-coded each of the column wheels for an unfettered view of the “hearts” of the machine.
The display caseback of this twin-function timepiece is made of sapphire crystal — a looking glass into the highly decorated movement. The winding rotor features an embossed version of the Cyrus vision, “The Conquest of Innovation,” while the logo motif is carried on from the bilateral crowns and small-seconds register to the winding rotor itself. These subtle touches continue to details as discrete as the four screws that secure the caseback in place – they are also shaped in the signature helix logo. Each of the Klepcys DICE chronographs is numbered, denoted as a limited edition, and water-resistant to 100m. Regardless of your preferred case finishing, each model comes with a gray Cordura fabric strap with matching titanium buckle, as well as a black rubber strap.
Maybe you are an avid rally-racing enthusiast in need of an unparalleled timing tool. Maybe you appreciate the minutiae of horology and find yourself drawn to the minuscule, mechanical city that exists inside each and every timepiece. If the internals of a standard chronograph are a bustling borough, the powerhouse inside the Klepcys DICE is a booming metropolis with a seemingly infinite supply of streets and canals to explore. So, now that you have the map, head on over to the Cyrus website and delve into the details of the Klepcys DICE chronograph.
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