lbishorn creates vintage watches that never existed. Designed to explore imagined, exciting, and parallel histories, the brans calls this concept “Imaginary Vintage^®.” Its timepieces can be seen as “missing links” in the history of watchmaking, fitting seamlessly into the heritage of horology while distinctly showcasing their own character.

With the Type X-Graph, Albishorn answers the question: What might a predecessor to the iconic Type 20 chronograph, hypothetically crafted in 1948, have looked like? Now, let’s delve into the backstory of the Type X-Graph—the missing link in the history of military chronographs.

Pilot chronograph wristwatches from the past hold a fascinating place in horological history. Born out of necessity during the early 20th century, these timepieces were developed specifically for aviators, who required accurate and reliable instruments to navigate the skies. These watches were not only tools but also symbols of the adventurous spirit and technological progress of the time.

The origins of pilot chronographs can be traced back to World War I, when aviation was rapidly evolving and pilots needed precise timekeeping devices to calculate flight durations, synchronize maneuvers, and plan navigation. Many iconic models emerged in the 1950s, which all became enduring symbols of aviation timekeeping.

From all these chronographs, the Type 20 is certainly the epitome of pilot chronographs. The Type 20 was manufactured for the French Army by various watchmakers such as Breguet, Vixa, Auricoste, and Dodane. It was designed as a tool watch for pilots, featuring a flyback function, a rotating bezel, and anti-magnetic properties. It gained popularity due to its robustness, functionality, and elegant design.

Unfortunately, the Type 20 does not have a direct predecessor. However, let’s imagine how an earlier model, an elusive ancestor of the Type 20, developed during the end of 1940s might have looked like.

The Type X-Graph is a monopusher military chronograph conceived in the spirit of the 1940s. Developed to meet the demands of pilots of that era, it combines a distinctive design with a movement engineered for precision, robustness, and reliability.

Within the Type 10 collection, the Type X-Graph holds a special place. It draws inspiration from the emergence of acrylic materials such as Plexiglas^® and Lucite^® in the 1930s. Appreciated for their lightness and durability, these materials quickly found their way into design objects — particularly clocks and experimental prototype watches — where transparency offered a captivating glimpse into the mechanics within.

This fascination with visibility led us to imagine a Type 10 that could have existed as a demonstration prototype of its time: a piece conceived not only to perform, but also to reveal the ingenuity of its construction and movement.

Its translucent dial is unique in that it faithfully reproduces the original metal dial in polycarbonate. Its fumé finish preserves excellent legibility while subtly revealing the skeletonized movement beneath. Depending on the light, the dial shifts from deep black to dark grey and lighter shades of grey, offering varying degrees of transparency and ever-changing reflections. Under certain lighting conditions, the architecture of the movement creates an almost camouflage-like effect beneath the dial, continuously altering the watch’s visual depth and character.

Yet regardless of the lighting conditions, the Type X-Graph remains fully legible and true to its purpose as a genuine instrument watch.

Robust, COSC-certified, and manually wound, the Type X-Graph embodies the discipline, functionality, and clarity expected of a true military tool watch.

Like all instrument chronographs, the dial of the X-Graph was developed with a constant focus on legibility and functionality. Its striking translucent fumé dial provides a dramatic backdrop for the contrasting luminous numerals, maintaining excellent readability despite its transparent construction.

What makes this dial particularly distinctive, and probably a world first, is the way it faithfully recreates the appearance of a traditional metal dial entirely in polycarbonate. The fumé treatment preserves clarity while subtly revealing the skeletonized movement beneath. Depending on the light and viewing angle, the dial transitions from deep black to dark anthracite and lighter shades of grey, offering constantly changing levels of transparency and reflection. In certain conditions, the movement’s architecture almost blends into the dial itself, creating a camouflage-like effect that continuously transforms the visual depth and character of the X-Graph.

To further ensure excellent legibility and unlike any other mechanical chronograph wristwatch (including the Type 20), the Type X-Graph boasts two sub-dials positioned at 4:30 and 7:30, showcasing the running seconds and the elapsed minutes respectively. The inclusion of two counters at the bottom of the dial contributes to a clear and well-organized “dash-board type” design. In addition, it features a unique and patented chronograph function indicator at 12 o’clock.

The hands are filled with luminous material (Super-LumiNova®) as well, allowing for easy reading in low-light conditions, critical for night flights.

With a sleek stainless steel case of only 12 mm height (sapphire box crystal included!), the Type X-Graph reflects a seamless blend of robustness and elegance. The alternance of brushed and polished surfaces provide a subtle contrast, accentuating the watch’s overall presence.

All edges of the case have been chamfered and polished, offering a sophisticated haute horlogerie aesthetic. One of the standout features of the Type X-Graph is its satin-finished gunmetal rotating bezel. Made from PVD-coated steel, the bezel was designed to rotate bidirectionally. Its gunmetal color not only adds a bold and distinctive touch to the watch’s appearance, but also perfectly matches the dial.

The rotating bezel features engraved graduations alternately filled with lacquer and luminous material, enabling aviators to perform various calculations related to flight planning and navigation. The conical shape of the bezel adds a dynamic element to the watch’s design, further enhancing its aesthetic appeal.

Positioned at 10:30 on the case, the crown allows for easy winding and time-setting while keeping it clear of any obstructions during crucial maneuvers. The crown is specifically crafted from bronze.

The choice of bronze emphasizes the prototype aspect of the watch and adds character and visual distinction to the timepiece. Over time, it will develop a patina, giving the watch a unique, aged appearance.

Adjacent to the crown, at 9:30 on the case side, is a red aluminum pusher, discreetly integrated into the case design. The location at 9:30 allows the pusher to be activated by the thumb, which is considered the best finger for operating a chronograph. The overall design and the large size of the pusher simplify the operation and add a touch of uniqueness to the watch. This innovation is a testament to the Type X-Graph’s commitment to practicality and usability, as its simplicity in operation perfectly aligns with the Type 10’s intended purpose as a reliable tool forprofessional pilots.

The concept of a single pusher chronograph is also reminiscent of early chronographs that featured a single button for starting, stopping, and resetting the chronograph function. This single pusher controls all the chronograph functions—start, stop and reset—allowing pilots to measure elapsed time with precision.

The Type 10 incorporates a robust and reliable proprietary mechanical chronograph movement, meticulously tested and certified by the COSC (Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute). This skeletonized manual-winding chronometer chronograph movement is expertly crafted in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, ensuring accurate timekeeping and flawless functionality.

All dial-side elements are skeletonized and decorated. The main plate and pallet bridge are skeletonized, offering a view of the barrel, gear train, escapement, and balance wheel. The barrel itself is openworked, as are the minute and hour wheels. The setting lever jumper is skeletonized and satin-finished. The bridges feature a snailed finish, while the dial side of the main plate is decorated with perlage, reminiscent of a true dashboard instrument.

Once fully wound, it offers an astounding 65 hours of power reserve. A further standout attribute of Albishorn’s movement is its remarkably low height of only 5.70 mm, enabling the production of particularly thin chronographs reminiscent of the 1940s and setting it apart from its competitors.

Albishorn specifically developed this movement to showcase the brand’s distinctive and unique dial layout, featuring a patented chronograph operating indicator at 12 o’clock and two sub-dials positioned at 4:30 and 7:30 respectively.

This very specific dial layout is a wristwatch take on a dashboard look. Especially the chronograph function indicator is inspired by aircraft clocks. It allows to check if the chronograph is functioning correctly. The indicator displays the three chronograph states: reset, start and stop in three different colors: black, red and white respectively. This display has been designed so that the chronograph seconds hand covers it when the chronograph is in reset mode, and reveals it when it is engaged. This small detail underlines the infinite care given to every detail of the watch and shows how the movement has been designed to perfectly fit the overall aesthetic of the watch.

The Type X-Graph comes with two straps, one black and one taupe, and can also be ordered with an additional steel bracelet.

The Type X-graph is priced at CHF 4,250, with two straps included, excluding taxes, tariffs and shipping. The version on the steel bracelet, also supplied with two additional leather straps, is priced at CHF 4,700, excluding taxes, tariffs and shipping.

Limited to 99 pieces (unnumbered), produced over a period of three years.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Case: 316 L stainless steel case with polished and satin finished surfaces and with chamfered and polished edges Case diameter: 39 mm Lug to lug: 47,7 mm Lug width: 20 mm

• Case thickness: 12 mm (with sapphire); 11.1 mm (without sapphire) Sapphire Box sapphire crystal with antireflexive coating

• Bezel: Bidirectional rotating bezel in gunmetal PVD coated stainless steel with engraved and lacquered figures and Super-LumiNova® indexes Scale: 60 units Bezel diameter: 41.7 mm

• Movement: Patented proprietary chronograph caliber ALB04 M Skeletonized dial side COSC certified chronometer (Contrôle Official Suisse des Chronomètres)
• Manual winding
• Monopusher
• Height: 5,70 mm
• Diameter: 30,00 mm
• Hours and minutes
• Running seconds at 4:30 o’clock
• 60-second counter in the center
• 30-minute counter at 7.30 o’clock
• Patented chronograph operating indicator at 12 o’clock
• Stop second device
• 28’800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz)
• 21 jewels
• Typical power reserve: 65 hours
• Winding crown and pusher
• Stainless steel winding crown with engraved Albishorn logo
• Pusher in red anodized aluminum
• Waterproofness
• Waterproof to 100 meters

• Dial: Textured translucent anthracite polycarbonate dial with Super-LumiNova® numerals

• Hands: White painted hour, minute and second hands filled with Super-LumiNova® White chronograph second and minute hands filled with Super-LumiNova®

• Straps: Black leather strap with Albishorn buckle Taupe Leather strap with Albishorn buckle

• Bracelet (optional): Steel bracelet with individually screwed links, a double-folding clasp featuring the Albishorn logo, two concealed extensions (one on each side), and a quick-releaease system.