Whenever I think of Eberhard & Co., it’s typically the brand’s sports and tool watches that first come to mind. Although function-packed chronographs and highly legible divers are certainly among the company’s core offerings, this is just one side of Eberhard’s catalog, and the Swiss-based brand is entirely capable of producing significantly more refined and formal designs. Arguably one of the most compelling offerings from the dressier side of Eberhard’s modern lineup is the 8 Jours Grande Taille collection, which combines a traditional elevated aesthetic with a whopping 8-day power reserve. Among the brand’s novelties for 2023 recently unveiled in Geneva is a pair of new Eberhard & Co. 8 Jours Grande Taille watches fitted with white and blue dials, and they might just be the best-looking versions of the brand’s 8-day dress watch that have been put forward thus far.
The stainless steel case of the new Eberhard & Co. 8 Jours Grande Taille (ref. 21027) is identical to what can be found within the existing range, and it offers a classic round form that measures 41mm in diameter by 10.85mm-thick, with 19mm lugs and a simple signed winding crown at the 3 o’clock location that offers access to the movement. Water resistance comes in at 30 meters to protect against daily incidental contact, while a gently domed sapphire crystal sits above the dial and is surrounded by a thin polished bezel. The high-polished stainless steel caseback is secured by six small screws around its perimeter, and it features a small circular display window that showcases the open-worked barrel and the two overlapping mainsprings that provide the Eberhard 8 Jours Grand Taille with its impressively long power reserve.
Realistically speaking, this latest duo of Eberhard & Co. 8 Jours Grande Taille watches is all about the dials, and the pair of new blue and white models offers a slightly more refined take on the collection’s signature appearance. Showcasing Roman numeral markers and a radial guilloché finish, the new blue and white dials retain the core layout of their siblings, with a pair of central leaf-shaped hands for displaying the time, a running seconds sub-dial at 6 o’clock, and a power reserve indicator positioned between the 9 and 10 o’clock indices, which tracks the model’s signature eight days of autonomy. While the blue dial model features white-finished hands and matching white rings to frame the hour markers and seconds track, the white dial version offers silvery contrasting elements paired with crisp blue hands and Roman numeral hour markers.
Despite their aesthetic differences, both new versions of the Eberhard & Co. 8 Jours Grande Taille embrace an entirely blue and white color profile, and this means that both new models ultimately receive the exact same strap. Crafted from blue alligator leather with white contrast stitching and an “E&C” signed stainless steel pin buckle, the strap for the new 8 Jours Grande Taille further leans into the blue and white color profile of these new models, and the dressy overall design works equally well on both watches, either complementing or contrasting with the colors of their respective dials.
Just like the existing models from the lineup, the new duo of blue and white Eberhard & Co. 8 Jours Grande Taille watches is powered by the brand’s Caliber 860 manual-wind movement. Based on the proven architecture of the Peseux 7001, the Eberhard Cal. 860 runs at a familiar frequency of 21,600vph (3 Hz); however, it has been re-worked by the brand to incorporate its patented barrel and mainspring system, which provides the 8 Jours collection with its signature 8-day power reserve. The single barrel with two overlapping mainsprings creates a total length of 1.55 meters, and it is this extra-long mainspring setup that enables the Eberhard & Co. Caliber 860 to run for more than an entire week after being fully wound.
Given that these new blue and white Eberhard & Co. 8 Jours Grande Taille watches are essentially novel dial variations added to the existing lineup, the two new models cost the same as their siblings, and both are accompanied by an official retail price of 4,380 CHF (or about $4,800 USD at the time of writing). Although it is certainly possible to get a good-looking dress watch for less money these days, the real selling point behind the brand’s 8 Jours models is the generous 8-day power reserve provided by their manual-wind movements. While I am objectively a fan of Eberhard’s various sports watches (particularly the Scafograf collection), I find these new 8 Jours Grande Taille models to be equally compelling options, as they express a lesser-known side of the brand’s design language, while simultaneously offering over a week’s worth of autonomy in a fairly compact and elegant overall package. For more information on the new Eberhard & Co. 8 Jours Grande Taille watches with blue and white dials, please visit the brand’s website.
