Round-UpModern Time-Telling, Reinvented: Singer Reimagined And Their Top Timepieces
Inspired by watchmaking highlights that defined the 1960s and 70s, Singer Reimagined offer a unique perspective on telling time, and recording it. Repurposing the chronograph to fit practically into our day-to-day, the brand guarantee that their watches stay relevant with changing times and lifestyles
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The watchmaking world is one steeped in convention. Yet, brands like Urwerk, Ressence and Trilobe—polarising though they might be—have nudged their way into what is essentially a very traditional industry. Then, every once in a while, a brand like Singer Reimagined comes along. Hiding behind a gorgeous, vintage looking exterior is a completely modern take on how our time is perceived. At first glance, a Singer Reimagined timepiece looks like any other luxury mechanical watch. Spend a few extra seconds with it and time seems to acquire a whole new meaning in a contemporary context of packed schedules. The brand have repurposed a flyback function to measure how long it takes to brew a perfect cup of coffee. Yes, a chore as essential to our everyday as coffee. They’ve even calibrated a chronograph to track time spent under water during a dive, and the down time required afterwards, before one can fly back home. This practical approach to timekeeping is what makes Singer Reimagined an exciting brand to watch out for.
How Singer Started Reimagining Time, Reinventing Time-Telling
Geneva-based Singer Reimagined was established in 2017 by watch designer and former Panerai design head Marco Borraccino, and Rob Dickinson. The latter also founded Singer Vehicle Design, known for their bespoke customisation of Porsche 911 cars. The Singer brand starts with a successful model, and recreates it by adding modern techniques, and a unique perspective to said model. In fixing what isn’t broken, they, surprisingly, produce a much improved version of the original. And for designers at Singer Reimagined, reinventing the wheel seems to come naturally. A promising push for the Singer Reimagined brand was a GPHG in 2018 for their Track1 chronograph watch. Singer’s idea was to celebrate an achievement—in this case, the chronograph—and reinvent it to make it relevant. Instead of housing the chronograph functions in small sub-dials that are usually difficult to read, the brand turned the chronograph inside out. This central elapsed time is the essence of their watches. Their latest release, the Singer Reimagined Divetrack redefined the function of a dive watch, in water and out of it. Here are some of their coolest timepieces that you could come across.
The Bold And The Brave: Singer Reimagined Track 1 Bold Edition
Released in 2021, the Singer Reimagined Track 1 Bold edition is a fresh take on the brand’s award-winning reinvented chronograph. Chronograph hours, minutes and seconds are centrally and co-axially mounted, so elapsed time is read in the centre. Meanwhile, jumping hours and minutes on two rotating discs around the periphery are indicated via a small marker at six. An innovative clutch mechanism connects the timekeeping gear train to the chronograph function of the movement. In shifting the rotor to the dial side, components can be better displayed via the caseback, and the chronograph hands can be centrally mounted. Most of the movement’s 477 components are visible through sapphire crystal on the exhibition caseback. This is made possible by the AgenGraphe 6361 calibre, specifically designed by movement maker Agenhor for Singer Reimagined.
What makes this Bold edition that much more special are the innovative—and extra lightweight—materials used. Featuring a black DLC (diamond-like carbon) finish, the ceramic-aluminium case is crafted via a process called electro-plasma oxidation, where the outer surface of an aerospace-grade aluminium alloy is transformed into ceramic. Sized at 43mm and with a height of 15mm, the matt-black ceramic aluminium case is corrosion- and scratch-resistant. Crown and pushers on the case are crafted from titanium, combining different lightweight and strong new-age materials.
Singer Reimagined Track 1 Bold Edition In A Nutshell
- Case: 43mm, ceramic-aluminium
- Crystal and caseback: Sapphire crystal
- Dial: Hours and minutes on rotating rings around the periphery, indicator at six o’clock; central chronograph hours, minutes and seconds hands displaying elapsed time; tachymeter scale on a gold ring; gold numerals against black; orange hands
- Functions: Central chronograph hours, minutes, seconds; timekeeping hours and minutes; tachymeter scale
- Movement: AgenGraphe 6361 calibre; 55-hour power reserve
- Strap: Black textile strap with DLC-treated steel buckle
Singer Reimagined Track 1 Flamboyant Edition
Crafted from grade-5 titanium, the Track 1 Flamboyant edition is more than just its bold—and beautiful—aesthetic. Sized at 43mm, with a thickness of 15mm, the cushion case features brushed finishes that alternate with smooth polishing, enhancing the muted sheen of the robust metal. Hour and minute tracks are marked on matt black rings that frame a rich, red, sunray-finished backdrop for the chronograph. Bright orange hands stand out against the deep red, and a silver ring houses the tachymeter scale. Rings on the dial are arranged on varying levels, enhancing the depth and dimensionality of the watch.
Singer Reimagined Track 1 Flamboyant Edition In A Nutshell
- Case: 43mm, grade-5 titanium
- Crystal and caseback: Sapphire crystal
- Dial: Hours and minutes on black rings; central chronograph hours, minutes and seconds hands against deep red; tachymeter scale on a silver ring; orange hands
- Functions: Central chronograph hours, minutes, seconds; timekeeping hours and minutes; tachymeter scale
- Movement: AgenGraphe 6361 calibre; 55-hour power reserve
- Strap: Black textile strap
Time For A Cuppa: Singer Reimagined Flytrack Barista
A clever take on the brand’s minimal Flytrack collection, which was launched in 2020, is the 2022 Singer Reimagined Flytrack Barista watch. A central sweeping seconds hand—controlled via the pusher at two o’clock—can be used to precisely keep tracck of the time required to make coffee. Starting with the highly concentrated ristretto, to the watered-down Americano, the Flytrack Barista is marked with a scale that aids in the coffee making process. As a matter of fact, the first seven seconds on the scale are marked in orange to indicate the infusion process before the first drops of the aromatic black liquid begin to fall through the filter. This strength scale is marked against a rich matt brown dial, with a seconds/minutes track in gilded relief around it. Hours are marked on a rotating ring in matt black ceramic around the periphery of the watch.
Interestingly, resetting the seconds hand has no impact on the time. By holding down the two o’clock push piece, the seconds hand can be ‘paused’ so as to adjust the time with an accurate time source. The watch is powered by the manual-winding calibre AG6364, developed in collaboration with movement maker Agenhor. The Flytrack Barista edition is housed in a 43mm steel case featuring circular brushing and polished edges. At four o’clock on the tonneau case is a crown with the Singer Reimagined logo, while at two is the pusher that controls the cool one-minute coffee timer. This timepiece is a great example of how to make mechanical watches cool enough to serve an important everyday function.
Singer Reimagined Flytrack Barista In A Nutshell
- Case: 43mm, steel
- Crystal and caseback: Sapphire crystal
- Dial: Black peripheral hour ring, golden rehaut with seconds scale; brown dial with coffee timer scale; orange hands
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds; one-minute coffee timer
- Movement: AG6364; manual-winding; 60-hour power reserve
- Strap: Coffee brown calfskin strap
A Golden Time In Watchmaking History, Revisited: The Singer Reimagined 1969 Collection
After their homage to one of watchmaking’s most iconic movements, the brand decided to celebrate the year the chronograph was born. The Singer Reimagined 1969 line was released to commemorate the year of Zenith’s El Primero; Heuer, Breitling and Hamilton’s Chronomatic; and calibre 6139 by Seiko (the first ever automatic chronograph movements). For the Singer Reimagined 1969 Chronograph and Timer watches, the brand have modified the Agengraphe and Flytrack engines, respectively. Polished and brushed finishes on the 40mm steel case match the new steel bracelet with a vintage appeal. Its facetted H-shaped links display a brushed, matt effect that is complemented by mirror polished edges.
Singer Reimagined 1969 Black/Sunray Grey Timers
What looks like an innocuous three-handed wristwatch actually hides a really cool function. Controlled by the pusher at two, the central seconds hand doubles up as a timer with a zero reset function. On the 40mm steel case, a gently curved sapphire crystal glass sits over the black lacquered dial. Complementing this is a gold-plated fluted flange ring, which is also visible at an angle through the curved box glass. On the Sunray Grey Timer, a sunray-brushed silver dial displays numerals, the minute track, text and the brand logo in black. Dual-digit numerals bring a sense of symmetry to the dial. Partially skeletonised hour and minute hands are filled with orange Super-LumiNova.
Singer Reimagined 1969 Black And Sunray Grey Timers In A Nutshell
- Case: 40mm, steel
- Crystal and caseback: Sapphire crystal
- Dial: Black lacquered/silver sunray-brushed; gold-plated fluted flange ring; minute/seconds track; orange hands
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds; one-minute flyback timer with zero reset function
- Movement: 6363 calibre; manual-winding; 72-hour power reserve
- Strap: Steel bracelet
Singer Reimagined 1969 Bronze Timer
With the same engine as the Black and Sunray Grey Timers, the 1969 Bronze Timer features a new hood. The 40mm case is crafted from bronze, a robust corrosion-resistant metal known to develop a unique patina over time. A matt green dial offsets the bronze of the case and gold of the fluted flange, while also offering stunning contrast against orange hands. Accents in gold and the bronze of the case fit right in with the vintage theme of the collection. The khaki of the dial is paired with a matching textile strap, which gives the watch an adventure-ready aesthetic.
Singer Reimagined 1969 Bronze Timer In A Nutshell
- Case: 40mm, bronze
- Crystal and caseback: Sapphire crystal
- Dial: Matt olive gree; minute/seconds track in gold; orange hands
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds; one-minute flyback timer with zero-reset function
- Movement: 6363 calibre; manual-winding; 72-hour power reserve
- Strap: Khaki fabric strap
Singer Reimagined 1969 Sunray/Bronze Chronographs
Powered by a modified Agengraphe movement, the 1969 Chronograph has the ability to record the time of a 60-hour event effortlessly. Putting the watch’s primary function first, the chronograph hands are centrally mounted. And current time is displayed in a window on the lower half of the dial. Two discs rotate just beneath the dial’s surface, with the lower and larger numerals for the hours and the smaller disc for minutes. Against black, in a curved opening between five and seven o’clock is the current time display. Super-LumiNova filled arrows on the dial indicate the current time.
The 40mm case is crafted in steel for the 1969 Sunray Chronograph or bronze for the 1969 Bronze Chronograph. The former features a sunray-brushed silver dial, while the latter’s dial is in matt green. A fluted, gold-plated flange surrounds a tachymeter scale in black (for the silver dial), or white (khaki). An exhibition caseback displays the 6365 calibre, a modification of the Agengraphe movement that offers a 72-hour power reserve.
Singer Reimagined 1969 Sunray/Bronze Chronographs In A Nutshell
- Case: 40mm, steel (Sunray) or bronze
- Crystal and caseback: Sapphire crystal
- Dial: Sunray-brushed silver/matt olive green; tachymeter scale in black/white; central chronograph hands in orange; window at six o’clock displays current time
- Functions: Hours, minutes; central chronograph with jumping hours, minutes; up to 60 hours recording
- Movement: 6365 calibre; automatic winding; 72-hour power reserve
- Strap: Steel bracelet (1969 Sunray Chrono)/Khaki fabric strap (1969 Bronze Chrono)
With great attention to even the smallest detail, Singer Reimagined have been making waves since their award in 2018. Perhaps, these movements will be widely recognised as groundbreaking, a decade from now. In the meantime, one can look forward to the next cool reinvented complication by Singer Reimagined. What do you think it will be? Let us know in the comments.
FAQs
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How does the chronograph function work without sub-counters?
Unlike traditional chronographs with multiple sub-dials, a central chronograph features a centrally mounted seconds hand for measuring intervals up to 60 seconds. This unique setup offers a cleaner dial while still retaining full chronograph functionality and uses a tachymeter scale for speed measurements.
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How do you use a chronograph?
To use a chronograph, one needs to press the top pusher to start and stop the timing function. On the other hand, the bottom pusher often resets the chronograph hands to zero. Some models may also have additional features such as a tachymeter scale for measuring speed or distance.
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What is a chronograph?
A chronograph in a watch is a complication—or a feature beyond standard timekeeping—that performs stopwatch functions. Chronographs in analogue watches usually have a central seconds counting hand, along with sub-dials for the 30-minute and 12-hour counters.
Shop The Story
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Singer Reimagined Flytrack
SR106
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Singer Reimagined Track1
SR006
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Singer Reimagined Track1
SR007
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Singer Reimagined 1969
SR301
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Singer Reimagined 1969
SR301-S
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Singer Reimagined 1969
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Singer Reimagined 1969
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