Unlike a famous brand whose name rhymes with “Cholex,” I consciously avoided having too much text on the dial – especially with a skeleton dial. So the branding is there but it’s subtle.

This new movement has the same form factor as the 60+ year old ETA/Unitas 6497. The BL-109 has been in development for a couple of years and is just now being produced in volume and no, it is not a reworked ETA movement. It is a newly engineered and manufactured item and less than 10% of the parts are interchangeable with a 6497. However, winding stems are interchangeable (which is a good thing). Unlike a 6497, this movement hacks and also runs at a higher frequency (3Hz) than most 6497s. Plus it looks great and has a swan neck regulator.

Rpaige Skyscraper with prototype BL-109 movement

In case you are wondering about the reliability, due to my long standing relationship with the movement producer, I was able to purchase a prototype movement in December 2016 and it went into my personal Skyscraper watch. It has been my daily wear watch for the past 10 months and it has been utterly reliable. I recently timed the actual power reserve – it is 46 hours and 50 minutes.

Photo Credit: Landn Wiggs

The Crash of ’29, Skyscraper and Speakeasy cases I designed were for the even larger “12 size” vintage pocket watch movements (a nearly 40 mm movement) which made for bold sized watches. So I really tried to keep the case size down on this watch while accommodating what is still a large diameter movement. All things considered, the case is quite modest at 42mm wide and 9.80mm thick.

The water resistance is 50m. I explored having 100m but my case maker maintained that for this watch, they would have to increase both the width and thickness from my original design. Being a non-dive watch, the larger dimensions did not seem to be worth the additional water resistance. This was not a cost based decision.

Swiss BL-109 Movement

Movement: BL-109

• Newly designed and produced in Switzerland
• Classic hand wound mechanical movement
• 37.20 mm by 4.50 mm
• 46 hour power reserve
• 3Hz (21,600bph) frequency
• Small seconds hand at 6 o’clock (with the crown at 12)
• Stop seconds time setting (hacking)
• Precision swan neck escapement regulator
• Offset circular Côtes de Genève decoration
• Perlage decoration on the top side of the movement
• Blue Screws
• Skeleton ratchet wheel
• Brass ebauche available in 5 finish colors: Rose Gold, Anthracite, Rhodium, Black, and Yellow Gold

BL-109 Movement Color Choices

Dimensions: The case is 42mm wide by approximately 56mm long and 9.8mm thick. The angled lugs and flat bottom make the watch sit snugly on even average to smaller wrists.

Dial & Hands: The skeleton dial has a sun ray metallic blue finish with white printing. The applied hour markers have Swiss C3 Super-LumiNova. The beveled dauphine style hands are metallic blue and also feature C3 Super-LumiNova for easy reading in low light conditions.

Case: The case is 316L surgical stainless steel. The top sapphire crystal has anti-reflective coating on both sides and the exhibition back is also a sapphire crystal. The oversized 9mm crown at 12 o’clock makes winding a pleasure and complements the bold look of the high polished case. Water resistance is 50m (165 feet).

Warranty: The warranty is 2 years and covers the watch’s movement, case, crystals, crown, dial, and hands.

Straps: Each watch will be paired with a 20mm leather strap and will be sent in a travel case. The high quality padded strap with stainless steel buckle comes in your choice of black or brown leather.

Obligatory Pleading for Funding: It should go without saying, but Kickstarter backers are needed in order to produce this watch. The dials and hands are already being produced, but funds are needed to produce the watch cases and to order the oh so cool Swiss BL-109 movements.

Retail price: $2,000 USD – but the earliest Kickstarter backers can pick up one of these beauties for just $1,400 (a 30% discount). The first backers should receive their watches in February 2018.

How the production watches will differ from the prototypes:

The prototype cases are very close to what the production items will be with the following exceptions:

• The top lugs will be 2 mm shorter. This will bring the upper strap closer to the crown. This will help the appearance and it will also reduce the overall length of the case, which will result in a better fit on average to smaller sized wrists.
• The lugs will be drilled through so that strap changes can be accomplished without damaging the straps.
• The prototype cases do not have anti-reflective coating on the top crystal (which the production watches will have on both sides). This means that there will be fewer reflections than shown here.
• The casebacks will feature engraving (serial number, materials, water resistance, etc.)
• The production dials will feature 5x Super-LumiNova (the prototype dials have a single application of luminant).

Prototype dial with a single application of luminant

I have reserved movements with my Swiss supplier and they are available in 5 color finishes but the quantity of each color is limited, so backers will indicate a preference but it is possible that not every backer will be able to receive a watch with their first choice of movement color. Production dials and hands have already been ordered and are currently being manufactured.

Photo Credit: Landon Wiggs

You all know the drill – become a backer over on Kickstarter in order to become a proud owner of one of these beauties. Without your support, well, I will have a couple of piece unique watches. But I’d rather share this design with my fellow watch collectors, so order early and often! markcarson.com

And I’d like to thank Landon Wiggs of wiggsphoto.com for his support and great photos.