OLLECH & WAJS OW Rallychron

All about the OLLECH & WAJS OW Rallychron

The OLLECH & WAJS OW Rallychron is a love letter to the golden era of motorsports and the legendary racetracks that witnessed the most memorable moments in the history of the sport. One of the most important features of this era was the variety of circuits and the challenges they offered. From the fast and flowing circuits like Monza and Spa-Francorchamps to the narrow and winding roads of Monaco, each circuit required different skills from drivers and teams. The Rallychron's bezel depicts hypothetical historical "perfect lap times" for 11 of the world's most famous race tracks. It also has the characteristics of Ollech & Wajs' classic competition chronographs and rally timepieces from the 60s and 70s.

OLECH & WAJS OW Rallychron in detail

In collaboration with Hervé Charbonneaux - a classic car collector, rally driver, rally historian and author - Ollech & Wajs hypothesized perfect lap times for each circuit based on a number of criteria and variables. This included an in-depth analysis of the 1965-69 racing seasons, four years in which some of the most popular Ollech & Wajs racing chronographs were introduced.

Using Charbonneaux's extensive archives, the lap times and other data from selected Grand Prix cars of the period - including the Ferrari 312, Cooper Maserati, McLaren M4B - as well as the performance of various drivers were taken into account. This task was by no means easy as racing conditions varied greatly from competition to competition; even the track lengths, surfaces and configurations changed. The theoretical metrics engraved on the bezel will undoubtedly spark discussions among motorsport enthusiasts that will last well into the night.

The dial

The dial's grayscale scheme pays homage to the monochrome news photography that captured the racing action of the '60s and continues to inspire generations of racing fans. In contrast, the tips of the chronograph hand and 30-minute timer hand are finished with orange Super-LumiNova® to maximize legibility in dimly lit driving situations.

The housing

The Rallychron echoes the chronograph case heritage characteristic of OW's most iconic chronographs of the period, and its distinctive black and white checkered baton hands are a nod to the universally recognized racing flag. In addition to minute and hour timers, the watch features a tachymetric scale, a must for all racing chronographs, which is used at the trackside to measure speed and distance between competitors.

Under the hood of the Rallychron is a highly tuned and track-tested, custom-engraved automatic Valjoux 7753 – a descendant of the historic Valjoux 72 movement that powered the finest Swiss chronographs of the '60s and '70s, including several OWs. The movement is equipped with a rotor milled by OW. It is then regulated, adjusted and performance tested in five positions, qualifying it for the OW Precision Rating.

Specifications 

Dimensions

• 39.5 mm × 15.3 mm

Housing

• Brushed 316L stainless steel chronograph case
• screwed bottom
• Screw-down crown
• Double pusher with 4 seals
• Date setting with special diver pusher at 10 o'clock

Bezel

• Black PVD coated unidirectional rotating bezel
• 11 perfect lap times
• tachymetric scale

Glass

• Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment

Dial

• Checkered baton hands with white Super-LumiNova®
• Seconds display, 30 minute timer and 12 hour totalizer
• Chronograph main hand and 30-minute timer hand with orange Super-LumiNova® for optimal visibility

Waterproofness

• 300 m / 30 ATM

clockwork

• Automatic chronograph Valjoux 7753 OW PRECISION 5, position-adjusted, 27 jewels
• 28,800 rpm
• Power reserve of +/- 54 hours
• Main board with engraving "Ollech & Wajs Zurich 1956" and OW-milled rotor

bracelet

• 20mm black racing style leather strap, natural colored base
• Handcrafted in Italy, finished in Switzerland
• Brushed stainless steel pin buckle, signed 'OWZ 1956'

M-Heritage bracelet (optional)

• 20 mm medium-strength stainless steel mesh strap, hand-brushed
• Reinforced ends
• OW-engraved pin buckle

Origin

• Handcrafted in the Swiss Jura