Get Your Groove On With The Grape-Dial Glashütte Original Sixties Chronograph

I always thought of Glashütte Original as a modest watch brand. However, the German watchmaker does indeed use its Vintage Collection to experiment with more than the usual black, silver, and blue dials. This is where the new Glashütte Original Sixties Chronograph Annual Edition comes in with its groovy purple dial. I even got to visit Glashütte Original’s impressive manufacture to see where it was made with the utmost precision.

In 2023, Glashütte Original introduced the previous Annual Edition of its Sixties Chronograph. That version featured a dégradé gray-to-black textured dial. Color-wise, the purple edition we’re looking at today is on a whole other level.

The Glashütte Original Sixties Chronograph Annual Edition in purple

Let me start with what you may already know. The Glashütte Original Sixties Chronograph Annual Edition has a 42mm case diameter and a 48.5mm lug-to-lug. The stainless steel case has double-domed sapphire crystals on both the front and the back, giving it a vintage pebble-like charm. However, with a 12.4mm profile, it’s still very wearable, especially for an automatic chronograph. The case is fully polished, so it doesn’t distract you from what’s happening on the dial.

Inside is Glashütte Original’s 39-34 automatic chronograph movement. Every part of this caliber comes from the brand’s manufacture. Interestingly, production of the Glashütte-specific three-quarter plates happens there only twice a year because this procedure makes the entire building shake. But even the tiniest screws are all made, and hand-finished, in the brand’s ateliers.

The 39-34 caliber runs at 28,800 vph, features 51 jewels, and has a 40-hour power reserve. Through the case back’s domed sapphire crystal, you can get a good view of its Glashütte striping, swan-neck regulator, and 21K gold rotor with a double-G logo.

The groovy grape dial

Next, we come to the star of the show. After the two sub-registers are chiseled into the flat brass base, the dial goes under a stamping press to receive its distinctive texture and domed shape. Then, it’s time to add the groovy grape lacquer and the dégradé effect, which is much more subtle than on the previous Annual Edition of the Sixties Chronograph. Finally, white printing is applied, and the hour markers are milled into the dial. The rose gold hands in the center feature lume for better readability in low-light conditions.

I’m not sure how to describe the texture on the Sixties Chronograph’s dial, but it reminds me a bit of a subtle bark finish. It originates from the dial’s center and feathers out like a classic sunburst. It’s very original, as I don’t think I’ve ever seen this kind of texture on any other dial before. It also works very well with the slightly metallic purple shade. Thanks to the domed shape and slight dégradé effect, you can discover many different shades of purple on this groovy Annual Edition.

One of the best woven straps on the market

To accentuate the Glashütte Original Sixties Chronograph’s sporty character, it comes on a textile strap woven from synthetic material. I know these straps aren’t new, but I forgot about them for a while. That’s a shame because they truly are some of the best woven watch straps on the market. They feel very sturdy without being overly stiff and dress the watch down just enough without making it feel cheap. I should ask whether I can get these straps for my other watches. As soon as I have any news, I’ll let you know. GO pairs each strap with a nice folding clasp, but I’d prefer a simple pin buckle to reduce some of the bulk.

Thanks to the comfortable strap, the Glashütte Original Sixties Chronograph wears well on my 17cm wrist, despite its fairly large 42mm size. The domed case back sinks nicely into my arm, and the lugs aren’t too long. Just as Mike mentioned in the article linked above, I’d love to see a 38mm version, but this 42mm one suited my wrist surprisingly well. The watch also feels very sturdy on the wrist, and operating the pushers and the push-pull crown reinforces that feeling.

Manufacturing watches and tools

What surprised me during the factory tour was that Glashütte Original had all its vast capabilities housed in one building. For example, the people there actually produce the tools they use. That’s why they can still make a lot of the parts found on vintage watches. But this also means that new watches are made with great care and precision. The raw materials on the building’s ground floor need to rest for six weeks to release internal tension. This also prevents splintering, meaning that different parts of the watch expand and contract uniformly as temperatures change.

Every part at Glashütte Original passes through many hands before it becomes a watch. And for final assembly, the experience of very knowledgeable watchmakers is crucial. That’s because assembling a watch isn’t simply a matter of putting all the right parts together. The assembler also needs to have a feel for why the movement runs as it does and what is necessary to make it run more accurately. It’s easy to forget about what goes into making a watch. Walking around a manufacture like this one, though, can remind you how amazing it is that the mechanical thing on your wrist can actually tell you the time.

Groovy Glashütte Original

As I said in my intro, to me, Glashütte Original has always been a somewhat modest watch brand. But after spending some time with the capable manufacturer, I found the attention to detail in these watches very impressive. In addition, the groovy grape color of this Sixties Chronograph’s dial shows that Glashütte Original can also come out of its shell and let itself go a bit.

If you’re into meticulously finished, very high-quality watches, funky colors, and automatic chronographs, the Glashütte Original Sixties Chronograph Annual Edition is one you should consider. It costs €10,000 / US$10,000 / £8,400 on the synthetic textile strap and will only be in production for a limited time. If you’d like to know more, check out the brand’s official website.