Ferdinand Berthoud’s Chronomètre FB 3SPC returns with a warmer complexion, and the change is more than a simple case-metal update.
The new Chronomètre FB 3SPC.2-1 places the award-winning model in rose gold, paired with a considered mix of beige, nickel silver and blue accents.
For a watch already defined by chronometric seriousness, the appeal here is how subtly a new material palette can alter its entire presence on the wrist.
At a glance
- Ferdinand Berthoud has introduced the Chronomètre FB 3SPC.2-1 as a rose gold interpretation of its GPHG-recognised chronometer.
- The watch keeps the hand-wound FB-SPC calibre, with a cylindrical balance spring, variable-inertia balance wheel and 72-hour power reserve.
- Unveiled to coincide with the opening of Art in Time Tokyo, it joins the existing white gold version.
Rose gold softens the FB 3SPC’s precision-led personality
The Chronomètre FB 3SPC.2-1 is built around a 42.30mm rose gold case, a choice that gives the model a notably warmer mood than the existing white gold version.
That warmth is reinforced by the sandblasted nickel silver movement, along with beige tones used for the flange and small seconds display.
The effect is deliberately restrained rather than decorative, with the watch leaning into tonal harmony instead of sharp contrast.
Blue details provide the necessary structure across the display.
The central hour and minute hands, the power reserve indicator at 2 o’clock, the small seconds at 6 o’clock and selected screws use the colour to sharpen legibility without breaking the softer composition.
The movement remains the heart of the watch
Ferdinand Berthoud has not changed the manufacture movement for this new reference.
The hand-wound FB-SPC calibre retains the technical features associated with the model, including a hand-crafted cylindrical balance spring and a variable-inertia balance wheel.
Each movement is individually certified by the COSC as a chronometer, underlining the watch’s focus on measured performance rather than visual drama alone.
The 72-hour power reserve also remains, supported by a power reserve display positioned at 2 o’clock.
That unchanged architecture matters because the Chronomètre FB 3SPC was awarded the Chronometry Prize at the 2023 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.
In this rose gold version, Ferdinand Berthoud is not trying to reinvent the watch so much as reveal another side of it.
A Tokyo-timed addition to the collection
The Chronomètre FB 3SPC.2-1 was unveiled to coincide with the opening of Art in Time Tokyo.
It now sits alongside the white gold version, giving collectors a warmer alternative while preserving the same mechanical foundation.
For those drawn to Ferdinand Berthoud’s blend of historical watchmaking language and contemporary chronometer engineering, this reference is likely to appeal less as a novelty and more as a nuanced variation.
Details & Specifications
| Brand | Ferdinand Berthoud |
|---|---|
| Model | Chronomètre FB 3SPC.2-1 |
| Case size | 42.30mm |
| Case material | Rose gold |
| Movement | Hand-wound FB-SPC calibre |
| Key regulating components | Hand-crafted cylindrical balance spring and variable-inertia balance wheel |
| Certification | Individual COSC chronometer certification |
| Power reserve | 72 hours |
| Displays | Hours, minutes, small seconds at 6 o’clock and power reserve at 2 o’clock |
| Collection context | Joins the existing white gold version |
The Chronomètre FB 3SPC.2-1 shows how a carefully judged change in colour, metal and surface can shift the character of a serious chronometer without diluting what made it compelling in the first place.
