Chronoswiss brings the warmth of the desert to its latest skeletonised chronograph with the Opus Dakar Sundown
Tom Austin- The latest Chronoswiss Opus Dakar Sundown pairs stainless steel with 18ct red gold in a new two-tone take on the brand’s skeletonised chronograph.
- A warm brown CVD-coated skeletonised dial is inspired by the colours of the desert at sunset, with the movement remaining fully on display.
- Powering the watch is the automatic Chronoswiss Calibre C.741S, complete with chronograph functions, an analogue date display and a 46-hour power reserve.
Chronoswiss has never shied away from putting its mechanics front and centre, and its latest release continues that approach with a warmer, more luxurious twist. The new Opus Dakar Sundown takes the existing Opus Dakar chronograph platform and reimagines it through a two-tone palette inspired by the final moments of daylight across the desert. Rather than introducing a new complication or case design, this latest version focuses on colour, material and contrast, pairing stainless steel with 18ct red gold to give one of the brand’s most recognisable chronographs a distinctly different character.
The familiar-shaped 41mm case combines stainless steel with 18ct red gold across the bezel, onion crown, and chronograph pushers, creating a noticeably contrasting appearance compared to previous Opus chronograph models. As with other Chronoswiss watches, familiar design signatures remain intact, including the partially coined bezel, screwed lugs with the brand’s patented Autobloc system, and a display caseback which takes the Opus to 14.8mm thick, making it a significant wear on the wrist. Clearly not an everyday watch, the Opus offers a modest 30 metres of water resistance, which is still enough to wear it without concern in most conditions.
The biggest visual change comes from the dial. Rather than the cooler or more vivid tones seen elsewhere in the Opus chronograph collection, the skeletonised display adopts a rich brown, brushed CVD finish intended to evoke the shifting colours of the desert at sunset. Its open-worked construction leaves the chronograph mechanism fully visible, while the layout remains fairly legible, which is no mean feat considering the number of functions on display. There’s a 30-minute counter at 12 o’clock, a 12-hour counter at 6, a running seconds counter at 9, and an analogue date at 3 o’clock, all framed by a 60-second chronograph scale around the dial’s circumference. Rhodium-plated Breguet-style Losange hands provide a bright contrast against the darker movement and brown dial plate beneath.
Driving everything is the automatic Chronoswiss Calibre C.741S, a skeletonised chronograph that is based on a heavily modified and skeletonised ETA/Valjoux 7750. The movement beats at 28,800 Vph, with a 46-hour power reserve. Visible through both the dial and sapphire caseback, it features skeletonised bridges, a gold-plated rotor with Côtes de Genève finishing, and a galvanic black baseplate.
Completing the package is a sand-coloured nubuck leather strap, tying together the warm gold accents and earthy tones that define the Sundown’s classic yet subtly modern aesthetic. Overall, for collectors who enjoy Chronoswiss’ mechanical-looking, classic approach, the Opus Dakar Sundown offers a fresh take on a well-established design that moves away from the typical blues, greens and silvers that we’ve seen before from the Opus, and delivers something more subtle and traditionally understated, until you look a little closer, that is.
Chronoswiss Opus Dakar Sundown pricing and availability
The Chronoswiss Opus Dakar Sundown is now available from the Chronoswiss Atelier in Lucerne or the Chronoswiss online boutique. Price: CHF 26,500/€29,000/US$33,000/£28,000
| Brand | Chronoswiss |
| Model | Opus Dakar Sundown |
| Reference | CH-7522.1S-BR |
| Case Dimensions | 41mm (D) x 14.8mm (T) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel, 18ct red gold |
| Water Resistance | 30 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Skeletonised, CVD-coated |
| Strap | Sand-coloured nubuck leather |
| Movement | Chronoswiss Caliber C.741S, automatic, skeletonized |
| Power Reserve | 46 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, running seconds, analogue date, 30-minute counter, 12-hour counter, chronograph |
| Availability | Available now |
| Price | CHF 26,500/€29,000/US$33,000/£28,000 |