Ever since the 1950s, when motorsport surged into the post-war cultural consciousness, racing chronographs have held an undisputed spot as icons of watchmaking. They became the ultimate symbols of speed, style, and mechanical utility, famously strapped to the wrists of racing legends and screen stars alike.
Fast forward to today, and British independent watchmaker Farer is still leading the pack when it comes to injecting vibrant, contemporary life into vintage-inspired designs. Their latest ultra-limited drop is an absolute masterclass in automotive nostalgia.
Meet the Farer Volante Chronograph, a heavy-hitting piece of horological kit that takes its name from the Italian word for steering wheel (derived from the verb volare, meaning “to fly”).
It’s an incredibly apt title for a watch that evokes the raw romance of vintage race cars tearing down the track. Retailing at £1,875, this stunner is strictly limited to just 100 units worldwide, making it an elite upgrade for any serious horological arsenal.
A High-Contrast Mediterranean Palette
If your current watch rotation is feeling a little too monochromatic, the Volante is the ultimate antidote. The dial takes its visual inspiration from Farer’s fan-favorite Cobb Monopusher GMT, weaponizing a radiant sky-blue sunburst finish that plays beautifully with the light.
This vibrant backdrop is punctuated by dual, engine-turned cream sub-dials that bring an immediate sense of mid-century racing heritage to the face.
* Dial: Sky-blue sunburst with cream engine-turned sub-dials
* Hands: Gloss navy blue with a bright orange chronograph seconds hand
* Lume: Swiss BGW9 Super-LumiNova on hands and indices
* Bezel: 24-click bidirectional ceramic insert with a 12-hour scale
Farer’s legendary eye for color coordination shines through the details. The applied, polished faceted hour markers taper elegantly toward the center and are generously filled with BGW9 Super-LumiNova for a brilliant blue glow in low-light conditions.
Glossy navy blue baton hands track the time, while a vibrant orange chronograph seconds hand bursts off the dial for crisp readability.
Framing this spectacular canvas is a navy-blue ceramic bidirectional bezel, complete with a lumed 12-hour scale that allows you to easily track a second time zone on the fly.
Dialed-In Vintage Geometry
On the wrist, the Volante boasts some of the most perfectly proportioned case geometry on the market today. Carved from premium 316L marine-grade stainless steel, the case measures a sweet-spot 38.5mm in diameter, with a compact 44mm lug-to-lug distance.
This ensures the watch sits incredibly flat and comfortable, avoiding the overly bulky stance that plagues many modern chronographs.
| Dimension | Specification |
| Case Diameter | 38.5mm |
| Lug-to-Lug | 44mm |
| Thickness | 13.4mm (including crystal) |
| Water Resistance | 100m (10 ATM) |
The case finishing features a refined mix of brushed lugs and flanks, highlighted by razor-sharp, highly polished chamfers. Protecting the face is a retro, domed sapphire crystal treated with seven layers of internal anti-reflective coating to maximize clarity.
Look closely at the flank, and you’ll find a signature Farer detail: a stainless steel crown capped with a solid bronze insert featuring an embossed ‘A’. With a robust 100 meters of water resistance, it’s a bulletproof daily driver built for real-world adventure.
Hand-Wound Precision Under the Hood
Flip the piece over, and a flat sapphire exhibition caseback reveals the mechanical powerhouse driving the watch. Farer has wisely chosen the Swiss-made Sellita SW510M b, an Elaboré-grade, hand-wound chronograph caliber treated to exquisite Top Grade finishing.
Opting for a manual-wind movement is a brilliant nod to automotive purists, offering an unhindered view of the intricate gear train, skeleton framework, perlage finishing, and heat-blued screws.
Operating at a smooth frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4Hz), this 23-jewel caliber serves up a massive 63-hour power reserve when fully wound. It features a traditional 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock and a 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock, creating a symmetrical layout that balances performance with clean design.
For £1,875, the Farer Volante delivers an uncompromised mix of independent design flair, high-end Swiss mechanics, and genuine rarity. If you want to secure one of the 100 units available, you’ll need to step on the gas before they disappear from the grid entirely.
The post Flying Colors: The Farer Volante Chronograph appeared first on The Coolector | Online Men's Lifestyle Magazine | Design, Gear & Fashion.
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