It is hard these days to find room within a brand-saturated market that is dominated by companies with an historical past nurtured by tradition and by virtuoso horological craftsmen. To have a chance of successfully rising to this challenge, newcomers must do everything in their power to unite a broad range of skills, to distinguish themselves from the competition through the innovation and the quality of their products, and to build a powerful identity that then needs to be effectively communicated. DeWitt has successfully accomplished this within just two years, finding its place at the peak of the watchmaking pyramid with such persuasive panache that it gives the impression of having occupied this slot forever. The Sequential Academia chronograph which is the object of this test clearly carries the DeWitt hallmark through its powerful character which it mainly owes to the daring originality of its case.

The watch exterior
The brand’s great asset is definitely the quality of the parts it uses. The most fantastic of all is undoubtedly the case of this chronograph model. Taken individually, the materials used for its construction already testify to impressive technological mastery. Combining rubber, titanium and pink gold, as is the case here, while displaying such a high quality of adjustment between these three materials with such widely differing characteristics, must have been an extremely complex task for the design-engineers. The fluted titanium bezel stands out against the rubber base, the whole being framed by a pink gold ring. The sides of the case-middle alternate large vertical strips of titanium and rubber. The pink gold back is fitted with a sapphire crystal that completes the vertical symmetry. It is secured by screws, the heads of which are milled in such a way that they can only be removed using a dedicated tool, which guarantees they will be handled by an authorised watchmaker. The chronograph push-buttons appear to emerge mysteriously from the rubber inserts, while the crown singlehandedly embodies this technical sophistication, since it is composed of the three materials. The rubber strap is both comfortable and attractive. It is perfectly integrated with the case to which it is held by a solid titanium tube and pink gold screws. The titanium butterfly clasp reflects the sturdy effectiveness of the watch as a whole. There is no need of a magnifying clasp to admire the qualities of the finely crafted dial. The engineturned motif is finely worked, the “Romanised” pink Arabic numerals are applied with meticulous care, and the oversized minute counter at 30-minute creates a remarkably balanced asymmetrical effect! Meanwhile, the small seconds subdial at 9 o’clock provides a fascinating vision by its mode of operation which is characteristic of this sequential chronograph. Instead of the traditional applied counter, the dial features painted segments in alternating black and white. The usual hand is replaced by a black disc divided into segments of dimensions matching those painted on the dial. It carries a red index that enables precise read-off. The constant rotation of this disc is simply mesmerising.

The movement
Thanks to the sapphire crystal caseback of the sequential chronograph, DeWitt makes no secret of the movement chosen. It is a base calibre 7750, which needs no introduction, nor a reminder of its many virtues. It is the ultimate in powerful and reliable chronographs and undoubtedly one of the mechanical movements featuring the best adjustment. Appearing here in a version without the hour counter, its qualities are even more clearly apparent. The galvanic surface treatment is rhodium plating with “côtes de Genève” decorative motif, and the brand name is chemically engraved on the oscillating weight plate. Efficiency and reliability have been given priority over decoration, which appears a little sparing for a watch of this rank. But I have heard it said that an openworked oscillating weight plate and blued screws should soon enhance the appearance.

The tests
There were no unpleasant surprises in the tests performed on the vibrograph, on the cyclo-test or when checking the power reserve, since the success of the Valjoux movement lies as much in its reliability as in its performances. The amplitudes measured at maximum state of wind were 308° in horizontal position and ranged between 287° and 293° in vertical positions. The variations in rate were between 5 and 11 seconds’ gain per day. After 24 hours, the amplitudes were 293° in horizontal position and between 268° to 276° in vertical positions. The variations in rate were between 3 and 10 seconds’ gain per day. These results show that it would need no major modification in order to earn the official chronometer certification. The automatic unidirectional winding owes its impressive efficiency to the enormous inertia of the oscillating weight. The power reserve consistently topped the 24 hours announced by the manufacturer. On the wrist, the sequential chronograph is comfortable despite its generous dimensions. Manual winding and time-setting which are sometimes tricky on certain watches equipped with Calibre 7750 are extremely simple and smooth on this model. The diameter of the crown, its quality and the way in which it is closely adjusted to the stem are the keys to this user-friendliness. Reading off the time and the chronograph counters is quick despite the deliberate absence of any luminescent substance.

By way of conclusion
The Sequential Chronograph by DeWitt is a distinguished watch and it would be stating the obvious to say it radiates an assertive character. This is definitely a product that lives up to its specifications and will be equally at home on sports fields as in glamorous evenings. The level of quality of its components is a new milestone on the path towards technological mastery, while offering an extremely pleasing definition of aesthetic elegance.