Baltic’s Scalegraph takes to the high seas with the Transat Café L’Or Limited Edition
Tom AustinIf you’re into racing, it’s likely that you’re interested in chronographs as well. The pastime of pitting against the clock has long been associated with chronographs, many of which are specified to time specific races or events. Baltic’s Scalegraph is one of those chronographs with a design so classic that it can be subtly adjusted to whatever the focus is, whether it’s racing on land or at sea; a few subtle tweaks can change the look and its purpose.
Earlier this year, the vintage aesthetic of the Scalegraph was updated to celebrate Baltic’s status as the official timekeeper of the Transat Café L’Or offshore boat race, which took place across the Atlantic Ocean from October 26th to November 6th. The watch is a 200-piece limited-edition Scalegraph featuring a rarely seen regatta timing complication in one of the chronograph subdials, and we’re happy to announce we’ve managed to nab the last few examples to stock in the Time+Tide Shop!
Part of the charm of vintage-style chronographs is that they often use a style you rarely see in modern chronos: the big-eye sub-dial. It originated in early pilot’s watches, allowing wearers to read the minute counter more easily, but over time it developed into a quirk that most watch lovers enjoy seeing. What’s also charming about the Scalegraph is its dimensions, with its stainless steel case measuring up to 39.7mm in diameter, a lug-to-lug of 47mm, and a thickness of 14.1mm (2.8mm of which is taken up by the double-domed sapphire crystal); it’s a reasonable size for a chronograph, and sits well under the ‘oversized’ category.
Up front, the case is framed by a classically styled fixed blue bezel, containing a tachymeter scale graduated in knots over 1/10th nautical mile, which is a subtle touch, leaning into the watches intented purpose. On the side, there’s a screw-down crown and screw-down pushers, too, which is a rare sight these days. The back of the watch is closed with an engraved screw-down case back, which contributes to 100-meter water resistance, and features a Transat Café insignia, including an individual number out of 200.
The dial on the new Scalegraph takes its 1960s inspiration from the Tricompax from 2022, but adds more refinement with polished rings around the subdials, which sit above a metallic champagne-coloured dial plate. There’s, of course, no sub-dial at six on this model; instead, a date window, which may or may not please purists, but visually, I think this design actually looks more interesting, predominantly due to the big eye sub-dial at 3 o’clock.
Split into three segments, the sub-dial allows skippers to time the three 5-minute countdowns to the start of an event, and the blue tones of the segments against the bright orange of the hands give the dial a sporty, nautical look. Overall, the dial’s quality shines through; it’s an area the brand always pays close attention to, so it’s no surprise. The finish on things like the hands and the applied indices is superb, and the champagne dial paired with the pale blue chapter ring is an excellent example of colour use.
Keeping the vintage theme going inside the watch, too, Baltic has opted for the Sellita SW511 BH calibre to power it. It’s a manually-wound movement, which gives it a ton of character, since it’s more engaging than an automatic movement. It offers a decent 63 hours of power reserve, a cam-style chronograph complication, and an Incabloc shock resistance system. You can’t see it, as the caseback is closed; however, it has a beat rate of 28,800 Vph, so the smooth sweep of the seconds hand lets you know it’s there.
Another thing Baltic have got especially good at is bracelets, and the Scalegraph is no different. The watch arrives on a stainless steel beads of rice bracelet with a folding clasp, which is excellently comfortable and keeps that vintage style going. The brushed lugs of the case match the brushed outer links, while the inner rice-bead links are polished to a high sheen for contrast. Alongside this, the watch comes with an additional, classically styled FKM rubber strap, which is probably the best choice for navigating the oceans during a race, and it matches the dial colour beautifully.
Baltic Scalegraph Transat Café L’Or Limited Edition pricing and availability
The Baltic Scalegraph Transat Café L’Or Limited Edition is limited to 200 pieces and is available now in limited quantities in the Time+Tide Shop. Price: €1,750
| Brand | Baltic |
| Model | Scalegraph Transat Café L’Or Limited Edition |
| Case Dimensions | 39.7mm (D) x 14.1mm (T) x 47mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | 316L stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 100 meters (screw-down crown and pushers) |
| Crystal(s) | Domed sapphire crystal |
| Dial | Metallic champagne with regatta timer big-eye |
| Lug Width | 20mm |
| Bracelet | Stainless steel beads of rice bracelet, folding clasp Additional FKM rubber strap, pin buckle |
| Movement | Sellita SW511BH, manually wound |
| Power Reserve | 63 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, date, chronograph, regatta timer |
| Availability | Limited to 200 pieces |
| Price | €1,750 |