The Lebois & Co Heritage Chronograph models recall the golden age of sports timers, while remaining true to the legacy portfolio of this great watchmaking marque.

The crises brought on by the arrival of quartz in the 1970s sounded the death knell for numerous distinguished Swiss watchmaking companies, and despite their distinguished reputation, Lebois & Co also found themselves unable to compete with these cheaper, soulless timekeepers. While many once-great marques have been consigned to horological history, a chance encounter ensured an incredible lifeline for the company. Having remained in dormancy for nearly 40 years, the company was reawakened by enthusiast Tom van Wijlick and his wife Eveline who had fallen for the charming aesthetics of a vintage Lebois & Co timepiece, and having instigated a refreshingly organic watch community-based funding initiative, this prestigious name took its place within the watchmaking landscape once again in 2014.

Incredibly stylish on the wrist, the Heritage Chronograph remains faithful to the original references from the 1940s, with a perfectly proportioned 39mm stainless steel casing with a height of only 10.5mm. The case is finished with polished and brushed techniques, and its pushers have satisfying curved profiles, while the crown is tucked in neatly and displays a grooved texture. The bezel tapers nicely, and the domed sapphire crystal lends marginal distortion to the dial when viewed from the side giving it a wonderful retro feel.

For enthusiasts of the beautiful equipoise that a bi-compax arrangement brings, the Heritage Chronograph will not disappoint, and the watch is available in four variations each of which has their own allurement. The resplendent Salmon dial edition is available with either a tachymeter/telemeter scale, or with the more unusual combination of telemeter/pulsometer, while the Silver or Silver/Cream editions, both with tachymeter/telemeter scales evoke crisp styling.

Paying particular attention to the minutiae, the blued hands are exquisite, with a slender example for the chronograph central seconds, while the hour and minutes hands have elegant forms. The applied or painted numerals err towards a thoroughly vintage vibe, being diminutive yet perfectly readable, and they stand out superbly against the sandblasted central sector of the dial. Finishing the façade, the counters have delicate snailed texturing, adding depth and interest to the layout.

For those with a penchant for racy detailing, an additional collaborative timepiece, the Lebois & Co X Indian Motorcycle brings a pop of colour to the wrist. Against a flat matte cream surface, the speedo-inspired numerals and block-style red scale on the dial perimeter promotes a striking combination, and prominently placed at the 6 o’clock location, the Indian Motorcycle logo brings these two authentic vintage names together splendidly.

Beating within these Heritage Chronograph models, the automatic Calibre LC-450 movement by Manufacture La Joux-Perret incorporates a column wheel and horizontal coupling clutch mechanism, the defining feature of a high-end chronograph complication. Visible through the sapphire caseback, the calibre displays beautiful Côtes de Genève decoration, and the column wheel of the chronograph is enhanced with blue. Equipped with a power reserve of 60 hours, it has a frequency of 28’800 vib/h.

The Lebois & Co Heritage Chronograph models are presented on suede or leather straps, secured with steel pin buckles.