There was a time when Italy left its mark on the world of watchmaking thanks to a chronograph that was revolutionary at the time. Today that watch comes back to life with line Chronographe , the chronograph from the house of Wyler Vetta that is a clear tribute to one of the watches that pioneered the fight against atmospheric agents such as dust and moisture; in 1940 it was called precisely Ermetico because of its excellent waterproof qualities.
Riding the wave of success of the“Tribute to Ermetico” chronograph launched in 2024, a year later, the Maison has launched a new “Chronographe 38” edition with a dial that definitively picks up the legacy of its great-great-grandfather.
A nod to the Ermetico’s past
The Hermetic of the 1940s was a watch with a strong visual and technical identity. Its main innovation was its case closure system, which provided exceptional protection against water and dust. The name itself, “Ermetico” recalled this ability to perfectly seal the inner movement from external agents with its innovative “strong pressure” case back with special gaskets, e.g., lead. An absolute novelty for the time.
This timepiece was also distinguished by its understated and functional design. The case, often made of stainless steel, had a rather small diameter by modern standards, typical of watches of the time, but perfect for those who preferred less bulky watches. The simple but elegant dial was designed to offer an immediate time reading, with clearly visible hour markers and luminous hands for visibility even in low light.
The Ermetico’s hand-wound mechanical movement was the well-known Valjoux 22. Robustness and reliability were key features for a watch designed to accompany the wearer through daily activities and the “challenges” of the outside world.
The Chronographe 38 “Gilt Dial”
Alongside the vintage appeal of the Tribute to Ermetico, the house has also chosen to revive the more refined aesthetic of gilt dials. This is a technique typical of the 1940s, where hour markers, numerals and lettering were done in gold on a black background, creating an elegant and visually striking contrast.
The new Chronographe 38 GILT echoes this historic workmanship: black dial with gold details, 38mm satin-finished steel case, domed sapphire crystal, and water resistance to 100 meters.
The superb black and gold-colored dial of this model captures the essence of the historic design, giving it a vintage look thanks in part to the large and easily readable Arabic numerals.
It takes shape through careful and refined workmanship, requiring days of meticulous finishing to achieve impeccable color rendition. The result is a deep, velvety black, a faithful evocation of 1950s models, an emblem of elegance and prestige. The central element is galvanic finishing: a delicate phase in which the dial is immersed in an electrolytic bath through which current flows. Through a controlled sequence of immersions, precisely calibrated according to electrical intensity, temperature and humidity, the shade we see is achieved.
The three scales (tachymeter, telemeter, and chapter ring) are depicted concentrically until they intersect the two chrono counters, giving the timepiece an elaborate and fine appearance. The spheres are leaf-shaped, in the same style in which they were represented on its predecessor, while the sapphire crystal is domed.
Inside beats a hand-wound Sellita SW510 BHM caliber with a vintage soul. It is a model that ideally complements the Tribute, but looks to another soul of the brand: the aesthetic, refined and typographic one, capable of catching the eye of collectors and enthusiasts.
Conclusions
If the Wyler Vetta “Tribute to Ermetico” was the highest callback to the 1940s, perhaps this new version is even more so. With the launch of the Chronographe 38 GILT, the Maison has revived the historic gilt dial finish, one of the most fascinating of the 1940s.
It clearly meets the need of many vintage watch enthusiasts who wanted to see one of the brand’s most iconic models, and one that certainly made watchmaking history, back on the market. The new version retains many of the original features, but with an aesthetic update that makes it a modern timepiece suited to today’s standards.
For those who want to own the tribute to a great watch of the past, the Chronographe 38 GILT is available in authorized boutiques for €3,300.
All that remains is to await the next developments in this Wyler Vetta revival, which seems to be determined to bring back its historical legacy.
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