Depancel Serie-R Ice Blue Channels A Coachbuilt Talbot-Lago

Depancel has built its identity around the point where French motoring history meets accessible mechanical watchmaking.

Its latest Serie-R chronograph leans into that idea with a colour story drawn from a 1947 Talbot-Lago T26, translating ice-blue coachwork and dark-blue accents into a compact rectangular racing watch.

Limited to 100 numbered pieces, the Serie-R Ice Blue is also notable for the movement inside, a Peacock SL-4801 automatic chronograph with a column wheel and vertical clutch at a relatively approachable price.

At a glance

A French racing watch with coachbuilt cues

Depancel’s name is itself a nod to three French automotive houses, Delage, Panhard and Facel Vega, so the marque’s car-led approach isn’t an afterthought.

The brand was founded in 2018 by engineer and motorsport enthusiast Clément Meynier, and its watches have consistently sat in the space between dashboard instrument, race timer and modern mechanical chronograph.

The Serie-R collection evolved from the brand’s first model, the (Re)Naissance, which took shape from the radiator grille of the Delage D8-120.

For this Ice Blue edition, the visual trigger is a Talbot-Lago T26 finished by Figoni & Falaschi, the French coachbuilder known for curvaceous, aerodynamic bodies and dramatic two-tone paintwork.

That context matters because the watch doesn’t simply use a pale blue dial and call it automotive.

Its design language is more specific, pulling together grille-like dial textures, a shaped case profile and a dark-blue counter that echoes the sweep of the Talbot-Lago’s pontoon-style wings.

The rectangular Serie-R case keeps the automotive line taut

The Serie-R Ice Blue uses a stainless steel case measuring 36mm across, 40mm in length and 13.3mm thick with the sapphire crystal.

The lug-to-lug span is 48.5mm, giving the watch presence without pushing it into oversized territory.

Viewed from the side, the case has more going on than a simple rectangular shell.

A vertically brushed middle case is paired with polished rectangular pushers, while an octagonal crown adds another mechanical detail to the silhouette.

The upper surface curves and slopes at the edges, a small but effective gesture that softens the blocky footprint and brings it closer to the streamlined forms that inspired it.

On the left flank, a polished screwed plaque carries the individual limited edition number, marked No. XXX/100.

Ice blue, midnight blue and dashboard-style legibility

The dial is where the watch’s Talbot-Lago connection is most visible.

An ice-blue base is contrasted by a darker midnight-blue 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, with the central chronograph seconds hand and sub-dial hands finished to match.

The outer section of the dial is deeply etched with vertical lines, a clear link to vintage radiator grilles, and carries eight applied indices.

The central section is recessed and sunray-brushed, housing the three sub-dials while adding depth to an otherwise tightly organised chronograph layout.

Depancel has also layered in a second run of five-minute markers and a 60-second/minute track to keep chronograph readings practical.

The dashboard-style hour and minute hands, applied indices and shield logo are treated with white Super-LumiNova, giving the watch a functional night-time character rather than relying only on period styling.

A column-wheel chronograph at the centre

Inside the Serie-R Ice Blue is the Peacock SL-4801, an automatic integrated chronograph calibre made in China.

The movement uses a column wheel and vertical clutch, a pairing valued in chronographs for its more refined actuation and smoother engagement of the chronograph mechanism.

It also features a transversal balance bridge, beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour and offers a 55-hour power reserve.

A sapphire display back leaves the calibre visible, which suits the watch’s mechanically minded personality.

The functions include central hours and minutes, small seconds, plus 30-minute and 12-hour chronograph counters.

Details & Specifications

The Serie-R Ice Blue should appeal to collectors who like their automotive watches to feel more considered than a logo exercise.

Between the coachbuilt colour palette, compact rectangular case and column-wheel chronograph movement, Depancel has given this limited edition a clear identity without losing the practical appeal of a modern racing chronograph.