Graham Chronofighter Superlight Carbon

The way our eyes make sense of the world can sometimes throw us off. In fact, wasn’t it Aristotle who said that “our senses can be trusted, but they can easily be fooled”? When we look at a large object, particularly one that is powerful and sporty like the Graham Chronofighter, our minds subconsciously predict that it will feel substantial on the wrist – all that heft must be made of something, right? In most cases, we wouldn’t be wrong, unless we’re looking at the Chronofighter Superlight Carbon Skeleton.

Its colossal frame measures a whopping 47mm across, and that does not include the added measurements brought on by the Graham signature fast-action start-stop trigger and reset pusher, which is unique to the Chronofighter collection. Taken altogether, it would dwarf a good majority of today’s sports watches, but aficionados need not feel parried by its menacing presence, because the Graham Chronofighter Superlight Carbon Skeleton is oversized, not overweight.

Made of superlight black carbon composite, the watch only looks big; it actually weighs less than 100g all in. The trigger had been fashioned out of 3K carbon, as was the bezel, but also crucial in keeping this timepiece within the featherweight class is the black skeletonised dial, which trims the nett weight down even further. Exposing the chronograph gear wheels and part of the going train, including the balance, this openworked construct melds perfectly with the technical appeal of the watch, and continues on the back where a smoked sapphire crystal exposes the movement completely.

Predominantly black, this timepiece, however, isn’t one to blend into the shadows. The trigger and bezel interact with light to showcase the textured nuances of 3K carbon while the reset pusher and strap feature a clous de Paris pattern that, while invigorating to behold, is not purely aesthetic, as it offers better traction when handling the watch. Its dial is a cornucopia of layers and apertures, wheels and hands, all combined in one smexy package.

Graham Chronofighter Superlight Carbon

Ihave a soft spot for watch brands that lean into doing things a bit differently, and the Graham Chronofighter Superlight Carbon is up there as a divisive design signature that has defined the brand. The chronograph trigger on the left side of the case was inspired by a countdown timer watch that Universal Geneve developed for the Italian Air Force back in the 1930s and has been a staple of the Chronofighter for about 20 years now. But does the unconventional military-inspired design translate when we’re talking about a complication like a tourbillon chronograph rather than a casual sports watch?

Limited to 100 pieces, the Graham Chronofighter Superlight Carbon Skeleton Tourbillograph is all about being big. At 47mm-wide in a very lightweight black carbon case, it’s also got one of the biggest tourbillons around that I’ve seen. Vintage military design, modern case construction, and legit horological chops all make for what is overall a pretty compelling package for an admittedly niche person — that is, if your wrist and wallet are big enough. While the case size is 47mm-wide, that’s without the chronograph trigger. My calipers have it at 57mm-wide with the trigger, 17.5mm-thick, and with a lug-to-lug height of 55mm. What’s also big is the tourbillon, which I don’t have a precise measurement for, but the ends of the bridges are about 21mm apart. I think a more conventionally sized smaller tourbillon would look funny in a watch this big and aggressive, but Graham pulled it off.
The watch is really light, though I felt a little silly being surprised when I first picked it up considering “Superlight” is right there in the name. Still, the large case size and aggressive design don’t betray the 100g weight (which is just about what a Tudor Black Bay on strap weighs). This is, of course, due to the black carbon composite case, though the tourbillon cage itself comes in at 0.485g, which is a feather more than the 0.403g weight of Audemars Piguet’s tourbillon cage used in its current production models. Watch media can get a little overexcited in covering the newest record-breaking thinnest or lightest watches, but the reality is that while the Graham isn’t any particular record holder, it’s about as light as I could perceive a watch this size on my wrist to be. While it’s certainly big for me, if your wrist circumference is > 8 inches, the Chronofighter Tourbillograph really is pretty practical when you consider its unobtrusive weight and 100M of water resistance. The chronograph trigger on the left side of the case is a quirky design signature, for sure, but at least it’s not going to be confused with anything else out there, which is more than I can say for a lot of watches. The G1780 is an automatic column-wheel chronograph and tourbillon that Graham first introduced about 10 years ago when it was outfitted in a watch from the brand’s Silverstone collection. This movement was made exclusively for Graham by La Joux-Perret and, while it’s not new, it’s actually got some interesting stuff going for it. First off, it’s rare to see a tourbillon that is integrated into a column-wheel chronograph, the wheels of which you can see at work through the tourbillon cage. Operating at 28,800 vph with a 48-hour power reserve, the G1780 is hand-finished with Geneva stripes, perlage, chamfering, and polished edges. The column wheel has parts of the base cog wheel polished in order to reduce friction, as well. The tourbillon cage is comprised of 48 parts, several of which are done in 18k gold, like the upper tourbillon bridge and oscillating rotor. The movement is Chronofiable-certified, which isn’t a household name like COSC or other tests, but it’s noteworthy, nonetheless. Carried out at Laboratoire Dubois in La Chaux-de-Fonds, the Chronofiable certification has to do with the durability and toughness of the watch and movement. This process simulates shocks, acceleration, and temperature changes over 21 days, which is equivalent to six months of wear. This is the same certification you’ll find on some Richard Mille watches such as the RM 035 Rafael Nadal, though I believe they now have an in-house test. La Joux-Perret has two patents having to do with protection of the tourbillon, which they call a “shockproof” tourbillon. In addition to Incabloc shock absorbers, they reduced the tourbillon down to as few components as possible and constructed a double-bridge for rigidity and stability.

Given how delicate tourbillons can be, I think the reassurance of the Chronofiable certification is pretty important if you want to actually wear this watch around as its meant to be without worrying. The chronograph is activated and paused via the trigger pusher, while the gripped pusher at 10 o’clock resets it. With the 30-minute chronograph counter sub-dial at 9 o’clock and that big tourbillon stretching between 3 and 6 o’clock, there really isn’t any room left on the dial for much else. I’m pretty agnostic about the matching black carbon dial that matches the case, and I do think a bit more could be done with the Graham logo and indices that are in a white varnish finish. It’s just a bit flat, for me. Still, the large lumed red gold hands match the red gold seconds hand that is set inside the tourbillon aperture very nicely and contrast with the black carbon in a way that’s refined but still appropriate for the military-watch vibe of the Graham Chronofighter Superlight Carbon .