Hands-On With The Albishorn Marinagraph Paraíba Racing

By now, many of you should know what Albishorn is. It’s a unique approach in the indie watch scene, the love child of industry veteran Sébastien Chaulmontet, with a clever concept. Albishorn timepieces ask, “What if?” The brand’s models are modern “reinterpretations” of vintage watches that never existed. Their Marinagraph Paraíba Racing is the latest in the line. And it’s just as awesome as, if not better than, the rest of them.

To date, Albishorn has released three collections (Air, Water, and Earth) and four models in various iterations. The Marinagraph comes in two versions; this is the more fun-looking one, at least to me.

Marinagraph Paraíba Racing

“Imagined as the ultimate nautical chronograph,” states the Albishorn website. It’s a bold statement and shoes that many have tried to fill in the past. Yet, the Albishorn Marinagraph Paraíba Racing has something other models don’t — a drive born out of sheer passion to pay tribute to the spirit of yachting. The model’s name isn’t just a denomination but also a carefully crafted title that, if the brand had existed in 1958, would have proudly announced the watch’s connection to the oldest international trophy, the America’s Cup. The Marinagraph Paraíba Racing is imagined as a mix of a skin diver and a regatta timer, both of which came to market around the end of the 1950s, exactly when the America’s Cup returned after the disruption caused by World War II. And to me, that’s the genius of this atelier — the story that connects everything and puts the watch into place.

Hard facts

Before we go any further, let’s look at the facts. The Marinagraph Paraíba Racing has a 39mm case, not including the bezel, which brings it up to a 42.7mm diameter. While the 47.7mm lug-to-lug is not the shortest, it’s also not long enough to bother you even if you have a smaller wrist. Lastly, the 13mm thickness is, again, nothing crazy, especially considering the automatic movement inside the case.

The 316L steel exterior positions the crown at 10 o’clock and a red anodized aluminum monopusher for the timer at 9. These elements have been signature features of all Albishorn watches to date. Flip the watch over to see a steel case back with an engraved sailing yacht (though my watch was a prototype without any markings on the back yet). Along with the watch comes a 20mm Tropic-style rubber strap in the standard 115/75mm length and with a steel Albishorn pin buckle.

Tourmaline on the dial

While many would call the dial color turquoise, it’s sunburst Paraíba tourmaline green. First discovered in the state of Paraíba, in northeast Brazil, it has a distinctive neon-blue-green color due to an unusually high copper concentration. On top of the dial, we see black-framed raised indexes with white Super-LumiNova, the same design as the hands, with one exception. The chronograph hand is bright red with a lollipop. Aside from the distinct dial colors, the layout is also special, albeit typical of other Albishorn watches. At 3 o’clock, you see a round aperture. This would be the running indicator, while above the 6 o’clock position (more like between 6 and 7), you can find the patented 10-minute retrograde regatta countdown, a must for every sailing watch.

A bidirectional rotating stainless steel bezel with an aluminum insert frames the dial. It is green and black with white and red markings, plus another feature — a tide indicator with a 24-hour tidal cycle. Due to the Marinagraph Paraíba Racing’s size, the dial is easily legible, and using it is as simple as it gets. Getting used to the crown at 10 may take a little while, but in this day and age, when we not only have “destro” watches but pieces with all kinds of quirky designs and crowns, it’s not an issue at all. The same goes for the pusher at 9. Overall, the watch feels and looks good on the wrist. The other model, the Marinagraph Classic Racing, comes with a black dial, though, in case you like more conventional colors.

What’s inside?

The Albishorn Marinagraph Paraiba Racing suits every interest. If you value storytelling, there’s a compelling narrative. If you favor design, the Paraíba dial delivers. For movement enthusiasts, surprises abound. Inside beats Albishorn’s patented proprietary chronograph caliber ALB01 A, boasting a 64-hour power reserve, 25 jewels, and a 28,800vph frequency. At just 6.6mm thick, it’s remarkably slim for an automatic chronograph caliber, giving it a vintage-slim profile. The highlight is a patented 10-minute retrograde regatta countdown at 7 o’clock. Unlike most regatta timers, it stops at zero and holds the hand until reset. A color-coded aperture at 3 o’clock instantly shows that the watch is running.

Closing words

The Albishorn Marinagraph Paraiba Racing is limited to only 99 pieces. It comes with two Tropic-style rubber straps, one black and one white. For a steel 100m-water-resistant regatta timer with such features, I find it to be a lot of watch for the price. Speaking of which, Albishorn charges CHF 3,950 (ex. taxes/VAT) for this watch, which is not necessarily in the affordable category for most, I know. Still, for your money, you are getting a timepiece that not only looks like no other but also offers a technically advanced caliber and a low production number. Thanks to Albishorn’s unique angle when it entered the watch scene, I have been a fan of the brand from the beginning. For all of us enthusiasts out there, it is something we all appreciate. And if you don’t fancy this model, don’t worry; Albishorn has more coming.