BA111OD Introduces The Chapter 8 Collection Inspired By Mid-20th-Century Watchmaking

BA111OD is a small brand that moves quickly. It released its Chapter 7 collection in February, which we extensively covered here on Fratello. The collection of sports watches with integrated bracelets presented a new direction for the brand. The smart thing that brand founder Thomas Baillod did was to create chapters for his releases. As a result, he can mix things up with every new one. Following the integrated-bracelet sports watch from Chapter 7, BA111OD presents a series of seven new watches that celebrate the style of the 1940s and ’50s. It’s time to find out more about the BA111OD Chapter 8.

Straight off the bat, seven new references sound like a lot, but they actually comprise just two new models. The first is the regular Chapter 8, which comes in four variations, and the second is the Chapter 8 Moonphase with three dial variations. Together, they comprise a stylish septet of great-looking watches. In particular, the white-dial Chapter 8 on a bracelet immediately caught my eye. But let’s slow down and start with some details.

The BA111OD Chapter 8

Let’s start with the four time-and-date BA111OD Chapter 8 references. They all have a 41mm stainless steel case with a 12.75mm thickness, a 48mm lug-to-lug, and a 50m water resistance rating. The classically shaped case features rounded lugs and a concave bezel, with a signed crown at 4 o’clock. Three of the four available variants come with a regular stainless steel case. The fourth model has a Carnation gold PVD-treated case for a slightly more colorful presence.

All four sector dials share the same basic design. They have a large sandblasted center that contains the brand name and hometown of Neuchâtel. The satin ring on the outside features curved, faceted, and polished hour markers at 6, 9, and 12, and a date window sits at the 3 o’clock position.

A chapter ring holds the nicely designed minute track, and on the rehaut, you will find a circle with luminous dots for every hour. Hovering over the dial is a sharp-looking handset. The lume-filled dagger-style hour and minute hands perfectly complement the dial design, and a thin seconds hand finishes the handset in style.

Four versions of the Chapter 8 with three dial colors

The first color option is a sand-colored dial, the second is a black dial, and the third and last is a crisp white dial that comes in two versions. The white dial features steel markers for the steel model and gold-colored markers for the gold PVD version.

All four versions are available on either leather straps or a matching Milanese mesh bracelet with a folding clasp. It goes without saying that the gold PVD model comes with a matching gold PVD Milanese bracelet. The bracelet looks really nice with its small, rounded links.

If you turn the watches around, you will find the Soprod P024 that powers the four time-and-date versions. The automatic caliber operates at 28,800vph, has 25 jewels, and offers 38 hours of power reserve. It is based on the ETA 2824-2, comes with a branded rotor, and features a basic finish. In terms of accuracy, it performs with a deviation of ±7 seconds per day. Overall, I like these four new BA111OD Chapter 8 models. They look good, especially on the bracelet.

BA111OD Chapter 8 Moonphase

However, the basic versions only tell part of the story in Chapter 8. The three other references are the Chapter 8 Moonphase models. They feature the same 41mm × 48mm × 12.75mm case as the four time-and-date versions. However, unlike for the standard models, there is no gold PVD version available. The Chapter 8 Moonphase also has a different dial design.

The dial features a full set of luminous markers accompanied by a date window at 4 o’clock, a small seconds sub-dial between 7 and 8 o’clock, and a moonphase indicator at 10 o’clock. On top of that, you will find a chapter ring on the dial’s periphery holding a minute track similar to the regular Chapter 8 models. There is also the ring with the luminous dots on the rehaut to finish the look.

In terms of dial colors, you can choose from white, sand, and gray. All three dials feature a predominantly sandblasted finish with a matte chapter ring. As you can see, the sand-colored and gray dials feature a black date disc with white printing, a recessed black small seconds sub-dial with circular graining, and a framed black moonphase indicator at 10 o’clock. The gray-dial version has a bright red hand for the small seconds, providing some nice contrast. The small seconds register on the white-dial version doesn’t feature a contrasting color, but the date and moonphase indicators are executed in black.

The Soprod C105 movement

Powering the three Chapter 8 Moonphase models is the Soprod C105 caliber. This automatic movement operates at 28,800vph, has 33 jewels, and offers 42 hours of power reserve. Regarding accuracy, the caliber operates with a standard deviation of 0/+14 seconds per day. Like the three-handers, the Chapter 8 Moonphase comes with the choice of a bracelet or a leather strap. The brand offers the classic aesthetic with the stainless steel Milanese bracelet or two different leather straps with a folding clasp.

Final thoughts on the BA111OD Chapter 8 series

All in all, it’s fun to see how BA111OD changes things up with every new Chapter. This Chapter 8 series stands out because it is completely different from the Series 7 that Mike wrote about. With these seven new references, the brand displays a keen eye for retro design that I like quite a bit. To me, the regular stainless steel Chapter 8 model with the white dial looks fantastic on the bracelet. It perfectly shows that the brand understands how to create a well-balanced design with some elegant details.

Additionally, the Chapter 8 Moonphase models offer a great option for people looking for an affordable, complicated watch. The four time-and-date Chapter 8 references are available now for pre-order for a special launch price of €650. After that, the regular price will be €725. The three Chapter 8 Moonphase models are available for a special launch price of €1,255. After the special launch offer, the watches will cost €1,395.

If you are interested in one of the seven available models, find out more on BA111OD’s official website. There, you can also place your pre-order, and deliveries will start this October. In the meantime, I will try to get my hands on one of the plain stainless steel versions on a bracelet for a review. After seeing the images, I want to learn more about the BA111OD Chapter 8 series.

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