No Longer Made: Snyper One Chronograph Watch

In 2010, I first coated the Snyper watch model (see aBlogtoWatch protection right here). On the time, I mentioned the brand new sports activities watch model from Jean-Francois Ruchonnet, who was well-known for being the designer and “creator” (although Man Semon was the person who acquired it to work) of the TAG Heuer Monaco V4. Ruchonnet was a little bit of a wild character and, in a part of his life, he was a sniper within the French army. His profession later took him into design, which is what ultimately led him to work on timepieces. Snyper was imagined to be his way of life model that mixed his machismo aesthetic model and the period’s rising urge for food for enjoyable,  high-end sports activities watches. Snyper’s debut product was the Snyper One, and it got here in a really dizzying array of kinds at a great deal of value factors (sure, there have been valuable stone-decorated fashions), a lot of which might be seen in my debut hands-on article above.

Along with being visually impressed by a contemporary army sniper rifle, the Snyper One watch and model was a form of allegory for grownup male life, at the least some folks’s idealized variations of it. Rifle sniping was meant to function a metaphor for a extra honed model of “assault” on life’s issues. There are individuals who examine conditions, wait patiently, after which attempt to act solely on the proper second. If that sounds such as you, then Mr. Ruchonnet would possibly counsel that you simply, too, are a Snyper kinda individual.

Visually, the Snyper One watch could be very very similar to an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore from one other (cheaper however nonetheless dear) mom, with the core visible components being stuff you’d discover on a sniper rifle and its accent components. My favourite element is the crown, which is supposed to appear like one of many adjusting knobs on the scope. The daring, enjoyable, legible, tactical model of the Snyper One has aged a bit, but it surely nonetheless makes for a cool-looking design that has benefit as we speak.

Essentially the most novel a part of the Snyper One’s PVD-coated black metal case is the left flank, which has two polished metal bars. These make an attachment level for an adjunct to connect to the case, much like how a gun or rifle might need an adjunct attachment level. Permit me to get into that for a second. The second time that I met with the Snyper model after my preliminary 2010 assembly was six years later, in 2016. I then produced an aBlogtoWatch watch overview of the Snyper One watch right here (identical core piece because the black and yellow reference 10.260.00 I have a look at on this article, however with a distinct case and dial ending). On the time I used to be capable of mortgage a number of the attachments that had been obtainable for the One, which included a laser pointer/gentle and a butane lighter (so take a look at that article for footage). Snyper had extra attachments in thoughts to develop together with a telemeter (for folks sniping play)… and possibly some kind of substance container (for different sorts of play).

Now in 2021, as I write this aBlogtoWatch No Longer Made article, the Snyper watch model seems to be defunct. Possibly it would come again, most likely it gained’t. I feel a giant cause for that’s as a result of watch manufacturers as we speak are very personality-driven, and I don’t consider Jean-Francois Ruchonnet has been concerned within the watch trade for at the least a number of years. That mentioned, there are nonetheless Snyper watches on the market, so gathering these uncommon fashionable sports activities watches generally is a little bit of a thrill.

The watch case itself is heavy and strong-feeling. It’s constructed a bit like a wristwatch tank (and even seems that manner). I actually love all of the over-engineered design, from the advanced case form and pushers to the flowery graphics on the caseback and dial. The case is about 43mm-wide with out the flank and crown, and with them, the watch case is about 53mm-wide. The case can be about 14mm-thick and has a lug-to-lug distance of about 58mm. Meaning this watch wears giant, which I like. However I might even have most well-liked yet one more inside strap gap in order that the watch might match on my just below seven-inch circumference wrist.

The Snyper One case is waterproof to 100 meters and has an AR-coated sapphire crystal over the dial and caseback. Don’t miss the period-trendy carbon fiber dial. Talking of the dial, I’ve at all times favored the staggered look of the day and date indicator home windows that appear like an precise refinement. I additionally just like the sturdy legibility of the dial with the inventive backdrop of what seems like a closeup part of a Japanese Gundam robotic character.

Contained in the Snyper One watch is what the model known as its caliber F101 motion, which was primarily a Swiss Made ETA Valjoux 7750 computerized chronograph motion that I consider was embellished by watch motion maker Concepto. Motion presentation is nice, really. The 7750 has a properly perlage-polished floor, blued metal screws, and a customized computerized rotor that strikes very easily and might be mounted on ceramic ball bearings. What’s cool (and uncommon) is that the Snyper model emblem and “F101” label are engraved and coloured into the motion itself. That is about as good a 4Hz, 48-hour energy reserve 7750 motion you possibly can hope for (with out it basically turning into a distinct motion). So, the motion is fairly properly completed.

Snyper watches are likely to have a variety of what you wish to see in a high-end watch, together with issues similar to a variety of customized components and high-quality supplies. The model clearly didn’t discover sufficient success within the market between two homeowners, however I don’t assume the merchandise are in charge. Usually, cool watches miss out due to advertising and marketing deficiencies, adjustments in shopper developments, and relationships that manufacturers have with retailers and different distribution factors. If Snyper got here out once more as we speak, it will discover a difficult market as a result of its value level was too excessive, although I do assume there are customers on the market for one thing like this at a lower cost level. Personally, I’ve had some good experiences with the Synper One watch and really feel that in a variety of methods, it stands the take a look at of time. It’s a very polarizing watch with legit opinions on each side of the desk, however it’s laborious to disclaim that it’s enjoyable and distinctive. This specific reference 10.260.00 Snyper One watch was a restricted version of 100 items and had an unique retail value of $8,200 USD.