With the new Contodat collection, Eberhard & Co. brings one of its most significant models back to life, transforming it into a symbol of continuity and renewal. The La Chaux-de-Fonds-based Maison, founded in 1887 by Georges-Lucien Eberhard, has over time built a solid identity in the Swiss watchmaking scene, guarding precision, elegance and technical innovation.

Since its beginnings, Eberhard & Co. has distinguished itself by producing high-performance chronographs: from the “Chronographe rattrapante” of the early twentieth century, to the “Extra-Fort” launched in the 1940s, to more recent creations such as the “Scafograf 300” and the “Chrono 4,” the latter known for its in-line arrangement of the counters. Each model has helped define a history and approach to watchmaking.

A historical name

The name Contodat first appeared in Eberhard & Co.’s archives in 1955 and refers to a series of chronographs that integrated, for the first time in the history of the Maison, the date display in a single trapezoidal window arranged at 6 o’clock. But the model that inspired the contemporary collection dates back to the 1970s, when Palmiro Monti, who became president in 1969, guided the company through the turbulent “quartz crisis.”

At a time when many brands were neglecting mechanics, Eberhard & Co. responded with a watch that combined robustness with aesthetic audacity: a mechanical chronograph with eye-catching lines, bold colors and an orange sphere, a symbol of “lightness” and creative freedom. That act of courage now becomes the starting point for the rebirth of Contodat, reinterpreted as a “fil orange“-a thread connecting past and future, tradition and modernity.

Design and construction

The new Contodat collection consists of two references:

• Contodat Automatic, in the “time only” configuration;

• Contodat Chronographe, with bicompax chronograph function.

Both models share a 39 mm case in 316L steel, characterized by alternating polished and satin-finished surfaces and complemented by a specially developed integrated bracelet with an exclusive 2CLICK® clasp equipped with safety pushers. Water resistance is guaranteed up to 100 meters, which confirms the full sports vocation of the timepieces.

The design, with great attention to detail, plays on clean geometries and visual depth. The dials are offered in blue, green, silveré, gray or black tones, with “soleil” finishes and “azuré” counters, depending on the version. The trapezoidal date window – a distinctive element taken from the 1970s model – is placed at 3 o’clock in the Automatic version and at 6 o’clock in the Chronographe. The orange color, present on the seconds hand or the segments of the chronograph scale, acts as a visual signature and reminder of the past.

The three-dimensional hands, completely unprecedented for the Maison, feature a two-trim structure with a central luminescent section, incredibly improving readability.

The movement

On the technical side, Eberhard & Co. chose Sellita automatic mechanical movements, known for their reliability and ease of maintenance.

The Contodat Automatic mounts a Sellita SW290-1, 4 Hz (28,800 a/h), with a power reserve of about 41 hours and a rapid date display.

The Contodat Chronographe uses a Sellita SW510 BH, automatic cam chronograph, with a frequency of 4 Hz and a reserve of about 48 hours.

The chronograph adopts a tachymeter scale engraved on the outer flange and a minute counter up to 45 units, a further reference to the version conceived by Monti in the 1970s.

On the personalized caseback, the Latin engraving “UBI TU IBI EGO “-“wherever you will be, there I will be”-returns, a poetic declaration of fidelity and permanence, encapsulating the Maison’s philosophy: time as an unbreakable bond between the creator and the wearer.

The balance between heritage and contemporary

For Barbara Monti, CEO of Eberhard & Co., “the inspiration for Contodat stems from the desire to bring to life in the present the spirit of a watch that represented a crucial moment for the Brand.” General Manager Mario Peserico adds, “Contodat is not just a remake, but a new collection that blends sportiness and classicism. It is a genuine act of loyalty to mechanical watchmaking, in whose solidity and charm Eberhard has believed since its beginnings.”

And it is precisely this “fidelity to the mechanics” that is the most interesting feature of the project. In an era dominated by marketing strategies and limited editions, Eberhard & Co. chooses a different path: to offer an authentic, coherent and “livable” watch that speaks as much to enthusiasts as it does to collectors attentive to technical content.

The Contodat testifies to how a historic Maison can face the contemporary with awareness, without betraying its identity.

Price and conclusions

The Contodat Automatic is offered at a price of €2,860, while the Chronographe comes in at €3,980. Both versions are positioned in the “affordable premium” range of sports watches with integrated bracelets, a segment that is among the most dynamic on the market today.

With Contodat, Eberhard & Co. not only evokes a chapter in its past, but also reaffirms a vision of watchmaking founded on exquisitely tangible values: precision, functional design and stylistic continuity.

A “fil orange” ideally links the past and present of a Maison that continues to believe in the power of time.

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