The Linde Werdelin SpidoSpeed Chronograph breaks cover - in full 3-D!
I know, I know, I haven't been prolific this month, but I have been working tirelessly (as we do) on bringing our humble netzine on a few steps, but tonight amid much joy and celebration, I take to the keys once more as we bring you news, nay, confirmation of what you already knew by visiting TheWatchPress.
Yes friends, it's official. The wraps have officially been swept off the latest incarnation of Linde Werdelin's sensational Spido collection, in the guise of the awesome 3-Dimensional SpidoSpeed Chronograph which, and although we don't like to make much fuss about ourselves here in TheWatchPress Towers, we guessed right first when we initially reviewed the two jigsaw puzzle-like 'snipshot' teasers of the watch which had been sent out by Linde Werdelin last month.
- Linde Werdelin SpidoSpeed Chronograph
The intriguingly titled Series 'A' SpidoSpeed Chronograph is an exercise in the art of tasteful and modern skeletonisation with virtually every element of the watch, from the 32-piece microbille (or sandblasted) steel case through to the ten-layer (!) dial reduced back to the bare minimum of material while yet retaining the aura of 'presence', of being a substantial thing indeed. I mean, it doesn't have the fragile, delicate characteristics of many skeletonised pieces - it's anything but delicate or fragile, in fact not even close!
- Delicate? Dainty? No.
Cues obviously abound from it's forerunner the SpidoLite such as the 'vented' bezel and it's amazing ability for the watch to act as a carriage for the Linde Werdelin Reef and Rock activity instruments which can quickly be attached to the body of the watch, extending the functionality beyond the realms of what seems possible. Groundbreaking.
But being a chronograph, the company's main men Morten Linde and Jorn Werdelin looked back to the roots of such a complication, for it's natural application was after all to measure elapsed time, and nowhere was such a function more suited than to the men and women whose holy grail it was to knock a few tenths of seconds off the existing lap record as they flung their tuned machines on the limits of adhesion around a racing circuit.
So the new Linde Werdelin SpidoSpeed Chronograph possesses many motor racing inspired features such as the black galvanic base dial with perlage (an effect much loved in racing wherever there was a spare inch of exposed stainless steel to be found) which underlies the opalin upper dial, containing the three subdials, which are themselves reminiscent of drilled ventillated brake discs, atop the outer minutes ring (opalin being the finish used for many years in dashboard dials). To cap off the racing theme, the strap features little round perforations à la the ubiquitous driver's glove.
- 32-piece case construction
I digress. First impressions of the SpidoLite Chronograph are of a typically Linde Werdelin twist on ultra-modern watch design. Hailed by it's creators as 3-Dimensional experience, it must truly effuse just such a sensation for as to consider the multi-layered construction, with the cutaway chassis which accomodate the chrono pushers and into which drops the central case element housing the Concepto 2251 automatic movement, all sitting 15mm high on the wrist.
Turned over, and through the sapphire crystal caseback, the signed Spider Web skeletonised oscillating weight delivers drive to the movement with every pivotal swing.
The use of the term Series 'A' leaves us to imagine that the Linde Werdelin SpidoSpeed Chronograph will be the first of goodness knows how many subsequent editions, but with this one being released in a production of only 100 pieces and the famous LW marketing machine ratcheting up it's gears, demand will surely far outstrip availability.
There's so much to look at, and I've just seen the freshly-released first images. I know that in the days to come, new aspects of this amazing machine will reveal themselves and I'll find myself scurrying back to my keyboard to edit or update something I've written here. Mind you, it wouldn't be before time that I did....
