Reply With QuoteI have the 3 hander in blue. The bracelet mechanism is a joy, no need to take the watch off and perfect fit first time.
Nice review of a cool watch
Your final summary is very much in line with my feelings about the watch.
I’ve never felt compelled to write a review before, partly because there is often so much information online there is often not much left to be said. And partly because I’m a lazy git.
However, I’ve been thinking a lot about one of my latest acquisitions and specifically about how many of its features weren’t covered by the reviews I found while wringing my hands and trying to decide if I should spend my hardly-earned (sic) cash.
In fact, I’ve been thinking about the Glashutte Original Seventies Chrono so much I’ve even decided to finally write my first (quite lengthy) review. Here it is.
In 5 words:
German chronograph punches above weight
Pros:
Fantastic quality of finish
Outstanding movement design
Plenty of functionality such as flyback chronograph and micro adjustment
Cons:
Quickset date requires a pusher/cocktail stick/ biro
The GO brand logo is a little old fashioned
Case is on the thicker side
Vital statistics:
40mm case size
48mm lug to lug
14mm thickness
100m water resistance
RRP: £11,700
Pic credit: ablogtowatch
It is WIS law to spend a significant amount of time reading or watching reviews before finally buying a watch- it is, after all, a large part of the enjoyment. But despite that, the GO Seventies Chronograph is one of those watches that surprises you- I suspect you will need to decide if you love or hate it only when it is on the wrist but hopefully this review will at least get you that far!
This German Flyback chronograph is one of those watches that takes on a completely different character when you see it in person. Sometimes I go to view a watch I’ve been perving at online and when I see it I think "yeah, that's pretty much what I anticipated”, or (hardly ever) “hmm, that’s not for me after all”. And then there are the supremely rare occasions when a watch is just so much nicer in person than I had dare hope. This watch falls squarely (pun intended) into the latter category and provoked many unsolicited “oohs” and “ahhs” to escape from my lips when inspecting it for the first time. For context, this was when I had an AD watch tray in front of me that contained a VC Overseas chrono, a gold Daytona and an AP Royal Oak chrono... and it was the GO that stuck in my head.
The dial- my god, the DIAL!- is inky blue one minute and bursting with violet colours the next when the sun hits it. The bracelet is magnificently made and comfortable when the micro adjust is fully utilised, and it took me only a few seconds to remove a link and get a perfect fit with the rather ingenious (if not super intuitive) bracelet design with no pins or screws on the outside of the bracelet.
Flash forward several months when I had bought the watch and there was an odd moment when I first did the unboxing… When opening a watch box for the first time I tend to look forward to the ‘Pulp Fiction briefcase moment’ when the box slowly edges open and the light shines up into my face; angels start singing as the new precious hones into view… but what Glashütte Original do is slightly different. The watch itself is enclosed in a- actually really handy- travel case so when you open the box there is no shiny bauble to greet you but what appears to be an empty box with just the watch cushion and instructions inside! A quick second or two later and I mopped my brow, laughed at my mistake and appreciated the extra touch of including the travel case. Sure, one side of my hair went grey in that brief moment when I thought a watch worth multiple thousands had been lost, but the relief was palpable!
But let’s get this out of the way: it’s clear that the design of this watch may not necessarily be everyone’s cup of tea. Firstly, it’s square, and there is a history of watch buyers having a divisive attitude regarding the handful of other none-circular watch cases available. It’s also obviously influenced by 1970’s design, so that might not float your boat if you prefer other design cues. Finally, the polished centre links of the bracelet are beautifully made and look amazing but are perhaps a tiny bit ostentatious... so if you’re a ‘tool watch’ guy or gal and shiver at the prospect of anything looking at all ‘bling’ then perhaps consider buying this watch on one of the optional leather or rubber straps. I like nothing more than seventies design, unorthodox case shapes and a little bit of bling personally but, you know, ymmv
Whatever the subjective view, the sheer QUALITY of the components of the watch is unequivocal. This is a watch from a company with lineage and respect among watchmakers (GO were among the first independent saxon watchmakers who settled in Germany in 1845). The Seventies chrono boasts a beautiful, galvanised blue dial with hand applied white gold markers, an in-house movement with swan neck fine adjustment that can be viewed through the caseback.
Overall, when seeing the Seventies Chrono in person for the first time I found it utterly stunning and in my opinion looks every bit a haute horology timepiece, punching well above its weight even when considering the not inconsiderable rrp. The big boys in Glashutte (A Lange & Sohne) who I believe are actually next door to GO would have been proud to release this watch, and it certainly would have filled the ‘dressy sports watch’ gap they intended to fill with the Odysseus which was met with a lukewarm reception.
The watch case:
The softly rounded tv-style case is well proportioned and very nicely finished with a mix of polished and satin surfaces that catch the light and contribute to the ongoing ‘upmarket’ feel. On the right hand side of the case flank you find the screw down crown that is easy to grasp and is embossed with the GO logo, and the polished (non screw down) chronograph pushers offer a crisp, deliberate action. The fact that the chronograph pushers do not screw down is slightly interesting when considering the 100 metre water resistance of this watch, which is certainly a welcome bonus. The left hand side of the case houses the date pusher at 10 o’clock - a handy biro or toothpick is all you need to set the date but in all honesty I would have preferred a quickset date adjustable via the crown. Incidentally, my watch did not come with a dedicated tool for changing the date and I’m not clear whether this is usually supplied or not. I will check with GO and update the review when I know.
There is a sapphire crystal on the reverse of the watch that allows the owner to see the movement, and as you will hear later in this review this is a movement worthy of such a case back- no unfinished work horse movements here. The 21ct gold GO oscillating weight is a matter of taste (I’m somewhat indifferent of the aesthetic) but once again there is no debating the quality.
At 40mm across the cushion case and 48mm lug to lug the GO is a good size for most wrists. The height of the seventies chronograph is 14mm which is not excessively tall for a sports watch but is a little higher than some chronographs I have owned. This is probably due to the automatic movement, the number of complications and the see through case back and I wouldn’t swap a thinner case for any of these things- so no quibbles there really. The height certainly gives the illusion of a bigger watch, so although it is notionally 40mm it ‘wears’ a little larger- it has presence, should I say. The upshot of this is that anyone worried it would be too big is likely going to get a nice surprise, and anyone worried it will wear like a 40mm pre ceramic sub (and find them too small) are also going to be fine.
In some ways, this watch is undoubtedly a sports watch. The size of the case, for one, is the main reason for this- surely no dress watch would ever be as sporty as this with the big, square case and the multiple functions. But then, on the other hand, the sunburst blue dial, the copperplate GO emblem and the many polished surfaces point towards a more elegant and dressy watch. It seems GO are treading a fine line between sport and dress, but it is safe to say they have produced a ‘dressy’ sports watch rather then a ‘sporty’ dress watch. This means that some of the versatility is compromised insofar as I wouldn’t want to wear this particular watch to a black tie event... and I also wouldn’t be happy wearing it while doing the gardening! Everything in between those events, though- fine.
The weight is reassuring rather than overbearing, although admittedly this is mitigated by the bracelet and its terrific micro adjust functionality. Without this functionality I wonder if the watch would feel slightly ‘top heavy’. It’s obviously not as heavy as a Rolex Sea Dweller but the GO does have a similar dependency on getting a perfect fit for it to ’sit’ nicely on the wrist.
Dial:
One of the first things you notice when handling the watch is the depth of the dial finish through the AR coated, domed sapphire crystal. I also own a Vacheron Constantin Overseas with a blue dial and the GO is of a similar very very high quality that is typically not picked up by photographs (certainly not my own which is why the images are generally from the web). This can be put down to the meticulous process the dial makers follow that includes applying the sunray finish by hand before galvanising the dial and adding multiple layers of lacquer- all a manual process and all very much a labour of love.
The sub dials and big date at 6 o’clock are pleasingly integrated into the dial colour, which gives a harmonious and textured appearance as well as helping to increase the (already outstanding) overall legibility. Talking of legibility, the big date is one of those complications you don’t realise you need until you have it and the watch hands and indices are coated in super luminova meaning that this watch can be easily read in darker environments.
This dial contains a host of components besides the three hands that you use to tell the time: chronograph hand, scrolling twelve hour counter, 30 minute chrono minutes counter, big date, three lines of text and a power reserve. Glashütte Original have neatly sidestepped the risk of cluttering the dial and managed to execute a design with no wasted space and a pleasing symmetry that looks anything but busy (dare I speculate that this is the result of stereotypical German efficiency in design?). The power reserve indicator is tucked away into the running seconds sub dial and I’m not ashamed to admit that winding the watch and seeing the power reserve refill as I wind it provides enormous satisfaction.
The sophisticated design of the dial and its components really makes the watch - it would have been very easy to ruin the design, so kudos to GO for avoiding this pitfall.
Photo credit: Chisholm hunter
Bracelet:
Another area where the GO Seventies Chronograph excels is the bracelet. While the polished centre links are a matter of conjecture, the care taken in the design and execution of the bracelet is objectively superb. The tapered design itself is not dissimilar to classic designs from the likes of Rolex and Omega but does have some interesting features such as the variation between large and small links that provide a subtle uplift to the look of the watch when on the wrist. The bracelet links are removed by pushing two small buttons on the reverse of the bracelet which unlocks the pin and makes for easy resizing. For me, it was not obvious how to do this and I resorted to the user manual to remove a link (which, in fairness, was really clear). It’s a good design, 100 times better than pins and sleeves (*cough* Patek *cough*) and also an improvement on bracelet screws, but I wouldn’t regard this process being as intuitive and satisfying as it is on a Cartier Santos, for example.
One of the things that surprises me about some modern watches is when they have a lack of micro adjustment. Not even having a few spring bar holes on the clasp is an absolute travesty in my opinion- my Omega Railmaster did not last long for this reason. I’m pleased to say that the GO benefits from a very good glidelock-esque micro adjust function, and adding or reducing the length of the bracelet is as simple as pushing the GO logo on the clasp. This feels solid and provides plenty of scope for adjusting the watch, and the clasp is slim unlike the bulky clasps of the aforementioned glidelocks. There is a little room for improvement, however, as you do ideally need to fully remove the watch from your wrist (and use two hands) to adjust the bracelet- and because it is off your wrist you might need two or three attempts of taking it off and putting it on again to get the fit right, but I’m splitting hairs at this point. Curiously, when considering my comment about my 2020 Railmaster, Omega produce fantastic bracelet fine adjustment on watches like the Seamster 300 which is marginally easier to use than the GOs.
Pic credit: watchhunter
Movement
The movement for this watch is the in-house chronograph 3702. While I don’t claim to be much of a movement snob, it is certainly clear that this engine is one of supreme quality and is the work of maybe a handful of supremely talented human beings. The design consists of a three quarter plate, swan neck and 4 heat blued adjustment screws and a skeletonised 21ct rotor. All of this adds up to a beautifully intricate design with outstanding finishing AND many real world advantages. For example, the power reserve is claimed to be 70 hours which for a flyback chronograph is good, but my experience has seen the watch consistently run for closer to 4 days. Either way, what this meant to me (back when I was working in the office Monday- Friday) was that I could take the watch off on Friday and know for sure it would be ticking when I came back to it on Monday or Tuesday.
The watch does have a quickset date that is not part of the crown system as mentioned earlier on. There is a recessed button on the side of the case which is easy enough to use, however.
I see about 1 second deviation per day, which is another obvious advantage borne from the high quality design, and the fact it beats at 28,800 VPH means that the hands sweep with the smoothness and veracity of movements like the fabled Zenith el primero or Grand Seiko Calibre 9S65.
Pricing and relative value for money:
Throughout this review I’ve mentioned or implied that this watch offers decent value for money. Of course, this is relative as you’re theoretically paying £11.5k+ for a watch, and this rrp is higher than similar offerings from the likes of Omega and Rolex. That said, the finishing, functionality and movement of the GO chrono are arguably a notch above the speedmasters and Daytonas of the world. Perhaps a closer match would be GOs stablemate Blancpain?
Another consideration is that the reality is that very few of these watches from Glashutte Original are likely to sell at the retail price, and there are discounts readily available. Sadly, it’s also unlikely that I’ll break even if I sell it on even though I bought it second hand... but then my personal philosophy is that this goes with the territory and that watch collecting should be about much more than finances. I also think that I’ll be hanging onto this one for a long while, so hopefully the value is not as important as the pleasure I get from owning it!
Compare the second hand price of this watch with the Rolex Daytona and you start to see where I’m coming from. If the name is important to you then maybe a Daytona is a good option, but the GO is (to my mind) more of a considered choice and it is also superior in terms of functionality.
A brief summing up:
As I own this watch I clearly have a soft spot for it, and may even be slightly biased, but I’d recommend it above anything else similar you can get for the same money. As long as a quick flip isn’t on the cards and the name on the dial is of no consequence then treat yourself to a high horology timepiece that punches well above its weight and puts a smile on your face whenever you wear it.
Photo credit: luxois
Last edited by Thom4711; 29th May 2020 at 13:05.
I have the 3 hander in blue. The bracelet mechanism is a joy, no need to take the watch off and perfect fit first time.
Nice review of a cool watch
Your final summary is very much in line with my feelings about the watch.
I have a soft sport for GO, and would love to add a second to my Panomatic Lunar XL in the future. This is certainly a contender with a very nice movement and a slightly novel way of reading the chronograph. Dial symmetry and layout is also well balanced. I believe GO also lacquer the dials many times like the Overseas has for instance, hence why such a nice lush tone. In some ways I prefer this one as it's less 'electric'.
Thanks for the superb review!
Lovely review Thom.
Never owned a GO but they certainly look the business!
Cheers,
Neil.
Great review and a lovely watch.
I remember Gladders having a non chrono version for sale a few years back, came up at the wrong time for me but has remained in the wish list since. I think the build quality is outstanding but the chrono at £11k plus whilst in comparison to peers in that price range it may stack up in terms of workmanship, its still a lot of money, that aside it is a stunning bit of kit. love it
Great review Thom. I've always admired those models, they look very solid and I much prefer the shape of the TV screen dial to totally square watches.
Fantastic review of a fantastic watch, slightly left field and all the better for it. As for the date pusher my cheapo Hamilton Pan Europ comes with a top quality plastic one so I’m sure GO will have provided one originally! Enjoyable read, thanks.
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Thanks all. I know it's a long review but I did enjoy writing it and hope it helps convince more people to look into GO as a brand at least :)
I also had the non-Chrono in blue and I think your review is spot on with the pros and cons (not many). Really well written, thanks for taking the time and enjoy the watch - it’s awesome
Beautiful and rather unusual watch, good to see something beyond the Usual Suspects. As for the review - as you rightly observe, we tend to read a lot of them, whether buying or merely browsing. I've even purchased watch magazines, cos, you know, I'm old, and us nodders like something to read during the long hours spend athwart the porcelain throne...
Thing is, your review is better written and more informative than pretty much all of them. I admit that is somewhat an indictment of how poor journalistic standards have become - since I assume you're not a professional writer. Yet you have easily surpassed them, and by some margin. Thanks for sharing, that's a hell of a wristwatch!
Doubtful that I'd ever buy a GO (a bit too dear for me), but they do make some lovely watches and I'm partial to chronos, blue dials and TV dials, so this one is an absolute stunner for me.
I've not read all your review yet, but I will come back and do so, and oggle the photos afresh.
Thanks for taking the time to write and photograph it.
M
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
An excellent well written review of a rather tasty watch.👍
I came close to buying the 3 hander a few years ago. Decided not to proceed as I thought that for me the starkness of the dial would have made what is already a large dial, due to the square case shape, look too dominating. With the extra detail on the dial of the Chronograph, I don’t think that would be the case.
I think I need to try one on. I really like the execution of the PR and the 12 hour counter.
You have mentioned that the lug to lug is 48mm. How much more would the measurement be from tip of centre link to tip of centre link please?
Well, that is extraordinarily kind, thank you. I'm definitely not a writer, but was eager to pull a review together that I would have enjoyed had I read it before buying the watch, if that makes sense.Originally Posted by earlofsodbury
I think the three hander is a fantastic option, but I had a yearning for a flyback chronograph and already have a blue dialled three hand watch.
An excellent question regarding centre link measurement- I think I see where you are coming from. A very rough measurement seems to be 50mm or so. The bracelet end links pull right down and don't add to much to the lug to lug in my view. I'll sort a picture below. I will add this to any future reviews as this is the sort of info missing from the reviews I read.
The size illusion does come from the square shape and the weight I think... it's not necessarily an everyday kind of watch but I actually like that as often this makes for a more interesting design (and means I can justify buying more watches?!).
Nice write-up of what looks like a truly lovely watch. That dial design is so well executed, plenty of information and a total lack of clutter.
Dave E
Skating away on the thin ice of a new day
Very enjoyable read! I’ve seen it on leather strap and completely changed the look, would you be interchanging? Thanks for posting btw and wear it in good health!
Beautiful watch! And a great review too.
A super review and a super watch. Have admired the 70s models for many years. Both the blue and grey are stunners.
Thank you for the time and effort.
May you have many years of enjoyment.
Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk
I think it looks absolutely glorious
Thanks, that was a great read and what a fantastic looking watch.
Thanks for doing this review.
I've become a bit obsessed with this GO and the more I read up and see pictures the more I'm telling myself that this is the next one for me.
Great write up, thanks.
Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk
Great review and stunning watch.
Sent from my iPad using TZ-UK mobile app
Don't know how I missed this until now, absolutely love this watch on both three hand and chronic versions. Probably would be up there in my top 5 new (as in non-vintage) watches.
Not sure which is my favourite variant, probably this one...
Great review OP, always love to read more about these fantastic watches.
Thom. What an excellent and enjoyable review. Many thanks and a great introduction to a brand not seen so much around here. Can you keep us updated on how you get on keeping it?
Martyn
Thanks all!
I still have the watch and it gets its fair share of action still. Put it this way, I sold my blue dial VC Overseas recently and kept this one.
I meant to update the thread with regards the crown pusher. I felt like an idiot, because I contacted GO asking if I could buy a new pusher and they politely replied with an explanation and pictures showing that the pusher is stored James Bond style and ever-so-neatly in a compartment in the travel case- a bit like Bond’s shoe heel in Goldfinger! An example where the thinking behind the design is so refined and contemplative it falls into the ‘easy if you know how’ category rather than being just ‘easy’.
Great review and read. I keep looking at this brand. Having revisited them again off the back of this post I see that the RRP’s have moved on from the last time I looked.
Looking on Chrono24 a company called Watch World based in Berkeley Square appears have the whole range well under Uk RRP. Anyone have any experience of them because their prices are almost to good to be true.
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Stunning watch, fantastic review!
Just found this review Thom as I am looking at this watch. Fantastic write up-convinced me to pursue further....
Do you still have it?
I'm struggling to find anywhere to try one on (other than an overseas boutique)-did you get hold of yours easily??
I did get hold of mine very easily- it was from watchfinder. I have since sold it back to put the money elsewhere (knowing I could buy another one day). It must have sold as I can't see it on the site.
I'd recommend trying one on if you can. There's a lot of mass and weight in a 40mm case so it does feel a tad bulky if you wear it for long periods.
I had the a blue dial Seventies but not the Chronograph. I find the chronograph busies the dial and as it is more of a dress watch I don’t really see the need for it.
The dial, case and movement were amazing. However, it did wear extremely large due to the shape, height and lack of bezel. It was comfy and the bracelet was superb.
I haven’t looked at prices recently but it used to be excellent value for money if bought used.
Thank you Thom.
Thanks-are you saying that even the 3 hander felt large? I though the height was OK for that model?
this very watch remains in my possession. I don’t find it wears large, but a 40mm square occupies a little more real estate than a round case of the same diameter. Integrated bracelet are wider too which increases the size a little.
Even after a service, the used market offers a great price given the current RRP of £8.7K
I really want the 3 hander. I think they're lovely.
It was at least 4 years ago, but, it really wore large. I initially thought it would have a cool, ‘Mad Men’ vibe but it didn’t have the subtlety to pull that off. A lovely watch, an amazing dial, and beautiful movement but certainly not under the radar given the shape, height, blue dial and polished case and centre links. But naturally these could appeal to others.
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