Going to the field – the Charlie GR Chronograph

One of the most interesting aspects of writing about watches is that you get to understand the past of a brand. I consider myself lucky as I usually write about watches I handle and when Charlie Paris offered to send me their newest chronograph from GR collection I immediately said yes, not only because the watch looks very handsome, but because it would help me to discover the 10-year evolution of the Parisian brand.

Founded in 2014, Charlie is product of a passion project between 2 friends, and with core values such as quality and sobriety in design, the brand has made waves not only locally but also overseas.

It would be fair to say that the brand is going through a re-styling phase, some of their core models are receiving updates, and there are new lines such as the Concordia and Alliance which have been added. These last ones when compared to the initial editions (in my opinion), seem more purpose driven with a new design language, perhaps we could say less fashion oriented, they really got people talking.

The Grande Randonnée (Great hike) or GR field line is inspired by military watches from the early 20th century, and I know what you might be thinking: ‘’ another vintage inspired look...’’ but no, it is a modern design. The line brings home several vintage elements such as texture dials for legibility with soft beige markers but, there is no riveted bracelets nor round pushers, it is all original and fresh.

From the new line there are 2 main varieties, a sweeping hand quartz and a mecaquartz chronograph, we go hands on with the later and the impressions are very good, join me to discover a rare bird in the woods: an in-house design with a modern twist.

The specifications

The GR is a field watch at heart, so legibility is one of the key elements offered. Legibility can be achieved by being minimal on the design or with bold lines pointing out features, the later can make the everything feel crowded and although the GR has a busy dial, it also feels clean and balanced.

Sticking with the dial, our version came with a beige palette with a slight textured, the monochromatic scheme also aids with that legibility, I was particularly fond of the black raised markers, they look fantastic together with the well framed date at 6. Once you start appreciating the small details of the GR chronograph, you begin to understand that nothing was left to chance.

As a layout, one subdial indicates the military 24 hours while the other marks the minute counter, there is no second’s hands ticking which to me it’s the best way to do it, not because I am a quartz snob, but because to me even mechanical chronographs should avoid seconds hands, leaving only a bi-compax layout. The VK64 movement from Seiko, makes a good job keeping things tidy in feel and price, more on that later.

The case is sharp and defines how this watch is perceived. With angular lugs and brushed surfaces immediately, you understand that this is a tool watch at heart which also it gives you the feeling of a contemporary object and not a re-issue of sorts. The 39mm in diameter feels appropriate for this style, giving the dial enough space to breathe but also stays compact on a variety of wrists.

The pushers are another part that deserves praises, from the rectangular design to the texture on the top (also helped by the mechanical feeling of the movement) everything feels a delight to operate, not only looks good but also provides that luxury like experience.

On the wrist

The GR chronograph wears well on my 6.25-inch wrist, it feels planted and mainly because is 10.6mm thick, a great achievement for an everyday watch. The short lug to lug of 45mm also gives the watch versatility, Charlie understands that there is no need to have a 45mm watch to feel that is rugged, the GR feels as compact and as indestructible as any other chronograph I’ve reviewed, in fact because of the quartz movement, it feels that it can take a beating better than a mechanical one.

I wore the GR field mostly on the gym and long walks, it felt at home, and although the supplied brown leather strap was not the most active companion, the watch is offered with several textile options. That said, there is a bracelet that looks like nothing else, I would be keen to try it on but I feel that this watch could easily live on a nato the nylon strap offered, it would feel more at home.

The legibility was a big part of this watch and indeed it delivers, the large bold black numerals contrast well against the light dial and the superluminova gives the watch a good orientation when the dark is present.

The watch is also suited to aquatic adventures as it has 100 meters of water resistance, I did not have the time to test it but the security of having a watch with those capabilities is appreciated, its is a bullet proof product.

Conclusions

There are many attributes that I enjoyed about the GR Chronograph from Charlie, the design elements are unique, and the proposition is strong in terms of value with prices for the chronograph and non- chrono version are well under 400 EUR, an unheard price for this level of finishing and original design.

There are not many complaints on my side on the GR Chronograph, perhaps I would add lume to the numerals and will offer a nylon strap as complementary, but these are micro things that definitely won’t be a deal breaker.

I also appreciated the attention to detail not only on the looks but also on the ergonomics, this is a very comfortable watch to wear, and it really delivers hen it comes to a one watch collection. At the moment the line is offered in blue, green and our beige variant and I would love to see a black version or even a grey one, Charlie is known for making specials editions, so who know?

For more information visit.https://charlie-paris.com/en-gb/collections/gr

Technical Specifications

Case:316L steel, diameter 39 mm, length 45 mm, thickness 10.6 mm, polished and brushed.

Bottom: Screwed in steel, with the "GR" logo

Glass quality: Domed, anti-reflective sapphire

Crown: Crown marked "GR"

Waterproofing:10ATM, 100 meters

VK64 mecaquartz chronograph movement

Hour, minute, date, 24-hour counter and mechanical minute and second chronograph functions.