In my article today, I will talk about the chronograph models of Airain and Lebois & Co, two brands belonging to the CDMLEC (i.e., Compagnie des Montres Lebois & Cie B.V.) venture group. Hang tight, you're about to meet the most successful remakes of recent years.
We love old things. We even go beyond loving, we remember them with great longing. In the world of watches, the number of enthusiasts who yearn for the old is not to be underestimated. It would not be a mistake to say that brands also benefit from this situation abundantly. It is possible to come across special models that almost every brand introduces under the names of heritage, tradition, history, and similar categories and re-issue their old designs exactly or partially. Two brands, Airain and Lebois & Co, that continue their lives within the body of CDMLEC, which was founded with exactly this thought, are coming for us who miss the old times with their magnificent watches.
Beautiful watches of meaningful brands. Lots of history, fine craftsmanship, and breathtaking designs. CDMLEC defines the watches of its brands with these sentences. We are talking about two brands that bring high-quality and superior Swiss watchmaking to their enthusiasts at reasonable prices. Here are two chronographs belonging to these two brands, which, with their design and technical details, bring an extraordinary, perhaps an old breath to modern watchmaking.
Airain Type 20
The Bi-compax chronograph model of the Airain brand, which gained a unique reputation in the watchmaking world as the watches used by the ALAT aviation service, where light type aircraft of the French Air Force was flown in the 1950s, is reinterpreted with up-to-date design elements and modern technologies.
The case of the watch is made of stainless steel and measures 39.5mm x 10.85mm, but it is necessary to add the thickness of the 3.92mm hesalite crystal to this thickness. The length between the lugs of the watch is 47.7mm. In other words, we are talking about a model that can be easily worn on many wrists, regardless of big or small. The water resistance value of the watch is determined as 50 meters. The model, which is completed with a countdown-type bezel that can rotate in two directions, is presented with a Super-LumiNOVA-filled dial that can be easily read in all conditions.
We are deprived of the beauty of the hand-wound(!) chronograph movement in the Airain Type 20 due to its closed case back design, but the technical features of the movement are at least as striking as its visuals. The hand-wound, flyback chronograph movement, signed by La Joux-Perret, has 28 jewels and a 60-hour power reserve. Equipped with small seconds at 9 o'clock and a 30-minute counter of the chronograph at 3 o'clock, the movement is in perfect harmony with the character of the model.
The list price of the model, which has a 20mm strap width and two different suede strap alternatives, brown/black, is 2149 Euros. Undoubtedly, one of the most important reasons why the watch can be delivered to enthusiasts with a price tag that can be said to be reasonable compared to its features is the mechanism used. Operating under Citizen, La Joux-Perret is known for offering watch companies at affordable prices with mechanisms that can cope with Swiss giants such as ETA and Sellita. For more detailed information and order, you can visit https://www.airain.com/airain-type-20-re-edition/.
Lebois & Co. Heritage Chronograph
For those who want to travel to the romance of the 40s instead of the military spirit of the 50s, we continue on our way with the Heritage Chronograph produced by the sister company Lebois & Co.
The total thickness of the model, which has a 39mm x 10.5mm stainless steel case, increases to 13.9mm with the effect of a 3.4mm thick sapphire crystal with AR coating on the inside. The distance between the lugs of the watch is 47.35mm. The model, which has two different bezel options, beveled and stepped, has a sapphire crystal glass on the back cover. The water resistance value of the watch, where the movement can be watched, is stated as 50 meters.
The Heritage Chronograph, which has four different dial alternatives, conquered my heart, especially with its salmon-colored version with tachymeter and range finder. Apart from this, other dial alternatives in white and silver tones are just as eye-catching as the salmon options. At the heart of the watches with a bi-compax chronograph, placement is La Joux-Perret production, hand-wound chronograph calibers with a flyback feature. Equipped with the LC-450 with 24 jewels and a 60-hour power reserve, the watches have a magnetic field resistance of up to 4800 A/m and a daily deviation of +/- 30 seconds. The 30mm x 7.3mm caliber works at 28800 vibrations per hour.
The watches, which are still in the pre-order stage, will be launched at a retail price of just over 2000 Euros in the first place. For more detailed information and pre-order, you can visit https://www.leboisandco.com/colab-hc-3/ .
