Cyrus Klepsys Dice Saffron Double Chronograph: Colorful and More Useful than a Rattrapante Chrono
by Martin Green
I am not in the habit of reviewing watches just because they come in a new color. But there are, as always, exceptions, and one of them is the Klepsys Dice Saffron Double Chronograph from Cyrus because the complication is so unique.
Cyrus Klepsys Dice Saffron Double Chronograph
And it now comes on a titanium bracelet that adds to the appeal of the watch.
Two chronographs in one
The concept behind the Klepsys Dice Saffron Double Chronograph is that in many sports, you like to compare times. While these days everything is done electronically, in the past, this was solved by mechanical devices. A regular chronograph can measure the time of a single horse, dog, or race car, but to compare the two, they created the rattrapante or split-second chronograph.
Cyrus Klepsys Dice Saffron Double Chronograph on titanium bracelet
It is a great device and one of my favorite complications of all time, but it is also often quite useless. The problem is not being able to compare the times of competitors e.g., horses or cars, that start at the same time. Cyrus solved this problem by incorporating two independent chronographs in a single movement.
The ‘dice’ in the name of this watch doesn’t refer to gambling but is the acronym for ‘Double Independent Chronograph Evolution.’ Cyrus developed the movement in collaboration with Jean-François Mojon, who is not only the technical director of the brand but is the founder of Chronode, to which many of the greatest independents turn to have their mechanical movement dreams turned into reality.
Cyrus Klepsys Dice Saffron Double Chronograph on strap
On an automatic movement, they created two column-wheel chronographs placed on the dial side. Each occupies one side of the watch, creating a mesmerizing effect of gears and levers that are not covered by a traditional dial.
Each chronograph can be operated independently from the pusher on the side. Cyrus and Mojon cleverly opted to make the chronographs monopushers. This not only keeps the design relatively clean, but a two-button operating system doesn’t offer any advantages with two independent chronographs already under your fingertips.
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Two can play that game
The complications play an essential role in the design, and despite being very complex, it also looks very symmetrical. The biggest challenge was to make the two chronographs easy to read, and for that, they worked with color codes and different starting points for the chronograph seconds and minute counters.
Cyrus Klepsys Dice Saffron Double Chronograph
Your mind makes a natural connection, as Cyrus also used the color to identify the right pusher and match it up with the column wheel of the chronograph that has the same hue. It makes the Klepsys Dice Saffron Double Chronograph pleasantly simple to operate.
Back of the Cyrus Klepsys Dice Saffron Double Chronograph
Credit also goes to the cushion-shaped case. Not that it helps in any way with enhancing the legibility, but it does add character. Cyrus put a lot of effort into making the shape of the case just right, especially the middle case section, which is very interesting. It has curved lugs that surround the pushers, adding to the wearing comfort of the watch as well. They are slightly hollowed out, allowing Cyrus to showcase more of their qualities in the finishing department and add a dash of sportiness as well as make the side view even more enjoyable.
Cyrus Klepsys Dice Saffron Double Chronograph on the wrist
At 42mm, it is also a well-proportioned watch, as it is neither too large nor too small.
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Strap or bracelet?
I advise collectors to always purchase a watch with a bracelet if available. The reason for this is simple: when you have the bracelet, you can much more easily get a strap and buckle for it than the other way around. With the Klepcys, the titanium bracelet is very well constructed, with a fine finish that makes it comfortable to wear.
There is no reason to choose for the strap, but yet there is. The titanium bracelet tones down the watch’s overall look, as the case and the bracelet seem to be one. With the strap, you can play with color, as Cyrus does with a bright orange one made from Cordura fabric. This makes the colored elements on the dial and inside the movement look more prominent and, dare I say, even a tad more sportive.
So even when you opt for the titanium bracelet, I would still get the strap as well. While this one looks great in orange, I feel that the Klepcys will look equally well with a strap in the same color green as used on the dial and in the movement, and I am sure that Cyrus can accommodate you.
Cyrus Klepsys Dice Lime Double Chronograph
If you want something a bit more understated, I think that a black strap of carbon imprinted calfskin with double stitching of orange and green would also look very nice.
While exotic, the Klepsys Dice Saffron Double Chronograph is, most of all, very wearable, and its complication is a lot of fun. You will simply go look for excuses to use it. It was also designed to be an everyday watch, as it is easy to live with, as it wears comfortable, and blends in as much as it stands out. It has a character but not one that overpowers, more one that intrigues.
It is even water resistant up to 100 meters, so it can pretty much handle anything you throw at it.
Cyrus Klepsys Dice Saffron Double Chronograph
It is also a watch that comes with very little competition. MB&F’s Legacy Sequential EVO Chronograph comes the closest, although more complex, hence a more crowded dial side, much more pushers, and a much higher price. You can roughly buy four Klepsys Dice Saffron Double Chronographs for one of the MB&Fs. While customers at this end of the market might not think like that, it highlights Cyrus’s unique proposition more.
For more information, please visit https://cyrus-watches.ch/collections/klepcys-Dice-Saffron
Quick Facts Cyrus Dice Saffron Double Chronograph
Case: 42 x 16.5 mm, Grade 5 titanium,
Movement: Automatic caliber CYR718 with two independent chronographs with column wheel, 4 Hz/28,800 vph frequency, 60-hour power reserve
Functions: hours, minutes, double independent monopusher chronographs
Price: €42,500 on a titanium bracelet, €40,850 on Cordura strap
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