When Vario released its 38mm Empire mechanical dress watch, we at The Time Bum thought it was marvelous. Mike Razak sang its praises in his review. I purchased a black and white Tuxedo version for myself. It faithfully executed the Art Deco style in tidy proportions and for an excellent price. Now, 3 years later, Vario has returned to the Empire well to draw forth a new model, the Empire Chronograph, and once again, they have created a winner.
To make the transition from three-hander to chronograph the Empire was fitted with a Seiko VK64 MechaQuartz. This was an excellent move as these hybrid movements are accurate, reliable, relatively inexpensive, and retain a bit of horological soul by virtue of the mechanical chronograph module that is mated to the quartz timekeeper. The Empire’s onion crown is now flanked by two shiny rectangular buttons and, of course, the dial now sports 60-minute and 24-hour registers at 9 and 3 o’clock.
Still, much of what we loved in the original Empire remains in the Chronograph. The brushed and polished case is outwardly identical, retaining such features as the stepped bezel and the clear break where the lugs meet the midcase. Measuring 38mm wide, 46mm long, and 11mm thick, it’s no surprise that the watch sits so well on my 6.75″ wrist.
As chronographs go, the Empire is rather dapper. Vario offers the watch in several Tuxedo variants including black, gray, salmon, gunmetal, and the white and gold you see here. Like the three-hand Empire, its dial has three distinct sections: an outer index, an hour track, and a gorgeous guilloché center. The only deviations for the chronograph function are brushed subdials, and an outer index delineated in 1/5 second increments as opposed to the original’s simpler minute-marking dots. Neither seems like an afterthought. Even though the subdials eliminate two numbers, they don’t carve into any that remain. You might think the asymmetrical 10 is trying to duck out of the way, but I assure you, it was like that on the non-chronograph too. It is just serendipitous that it worked out that way.
One does not usually look for practical features on a dressy watch, but it is always nice when a watchmaker adds them anyway. In addition to the obligatory sapphire crystal, the Empire Chronograph has drilled lugs and 50m of water resistance. You won’t want to swim with it, but that is more than sufficient for daily wear. What you won’t find is lume. Those hands are fully skeletonized.
Frankly, that’s fine. Like the first Empire, the Chronograph wasn’t designed for scuba diving or slogging through mud. It is better suited to more genteel pursuits like, say, a pleasant Sunday brunch. In fact, that sounds like the perfect parallel for this watch. It is civilized but not stuffy. It can be casual but smartly so. It also goes nicely with a Bloody Mary, but then again, doesn’t everything?
In addition to the watch, Vario provided an assortment of 20mm Vintage Italian Leather straps that can be ordered with the watch or a la carte for $48 each. I have featured these straps before, and I think they are one of the best bargains out there. These expertly tailored pieces are full-grain leather, displaying rich texture and deep color. They are 3mm thick and taper to 2mm at the buckle for a classic look.
The Black and Sand straps were Epsom leather with a pebbled surface and linen stitching. The Vintage Green and Pecan Brown were vegetable-tanned and smooth with a semi-gloss finish. While they all looked great, the green turned out to be a surprise favorite as it really brought the gold elements to life.
The Vario Empire Chronograph is selling for $298. That is an excellent price for a watch, and you can knock 8% off with the code Empirechono8. If you liked the three-hand Empire — and there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t, then head over to Vairo.sg and place your order. Vario is making only 50 of each, so you should pick your favorite before it’s too late.
