2CVDS.B29F – Chronofighter Graffiti (FSU) – £5750
I don’t like to swear. I don’t like to hear other people swear. You can call me a prude but that’s the way I was brought up. Don’t get me wrong, my upbringing wasn’t like an episode of Ronnie Corbett’s “Sorry”, we just didn’t swear. I did once get detention for setting alight to a textbook in a maths lesson. Mum and Dad said no swearing, but never mentioned anything about a bit of Arson. Oh, darn it, I just said arse.
Therefore, the FSU (which is an acronym for F*ck Sh*t Up – look at the skull a little more closely) wasn’t love at first sight. I’m sorry, did I hear you right there? Did you actually say what I thought you said, on the front of a wrist watch? I thought only diamond encrusted watches were meant to be vulgar.
However, I soon came to adore the FSU, despite its outrageous sketch on the glass. It quickly dawned on me. The Graffiti is a great looking watch in its own right, but the etching on the glass elevates it to a work of art. It’s as if the glass has been tattooed. Now, I do love tattoos. I’ll conduct a conversation with complete strangers if they have a full sleeve, etc. Why not? They wouldn’t have dramatically changed their appearance in this permanent way if they didn’t want the attention. Tattoos are not finite. And neither should a good watch be. I also think that I love the FSU because the expletives are hidden. Very well hidden it seems because I had to say the words (followed by two Hail Marys) for my wife to see them. I like this because my brain often swears, even though I don’t allow my mouth to. F*ck Sh*t Up isn’t something we’ll readily admit to others but subconsciously we sometimes have to concede this to ourselves. Out loud, I’m more of a “Whoopsee!” kind of a guy. This hidden rant, created from the outer extremes of the Queen’s English, is a rebellious extravagance. The discretionary FSU logo doesn’t require Alan Turing to decipher but it is as cool as being the backstop in a MLB team where you have tens of millions of people watching you display various finger codes that only you and the pitcher understand.
Please understand, this doesn’t signify some kind of epiphany. I won’t be suddenly littering my sentences with F-bombs and C-words. If the four-letter words on the FSU were in bold, clear to read typeface I wouldn’t be interested at all. It’s the hidden naughtiness that intrigues. My word, I love this watch.
Watches, to me, can be likened to mood balls. Sometimes you’re feeling energetic and want to wear a utilitarian sports watch, other times you’re wanting to relax so you decide to wear a discrete and classy dress watch. And sometimes, you feel like it’s you against the world and you just want to rant and stick two fingers up at it. The FSU is for that very moment.
Anyway, less about the potty mouth sapphire glass and more about the watch. Actually, just one last thing; The time on the FSU is often hidden behind the skull of swearing. This makes for an even further dissident demeaner because you’re effectively saying, “I don’t give a f*ck what the time is”. Sorry Mum.
What is the time? Any one?
There are also four other Graffiti watches in the family (see below). Graffitiing itself is a rebellious past-time. It is often that rare amalgamation of illegal beauty. Some people choose to have their properties, vehicles or, even, bodies grafitti’d, so why not a watch?
All the Graham Graffiti timepieces are limited editions and are offered on a variety of straps, including leather, textile, rubber or NATO. These alternative five will definitely appeal to a larger audience, for example, those who are around children, the Vicar and my Parents.
Only 5 of the “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” will be made
I love this. Only 25 pieces will be made
Only 50 pieces will be produced of the standard Skull
The Chinese Symbol for Win. Limited to just 388 pieces.
Sugar Skull. Limited to 50 pieces.
The LASER engravings are performed on the top side of the sapphire glass but are reflected perfectly on the underside. This gives the logo an almost holographic appearance.
I’m not a fan of the limited edition number being placed on the glass alongside the logo. This is misguided to me because it draws focus away from the main event. It would have been more suitable on the caseback, in my humble opinion. However, the domed sapphire is a triumph. It gives the entire Chronofighter Grand Vintage range an industrial aesthetic similar to the domed roof of a planetarium or the frontage of a helicopter.
The jury’s still out on the date magnifier though. I’ve never been a fan. These only ever work when looking directly down on the watch face. Most of the time it creates a frustrating illegibility for the date aperture. I, personally, think it should have been eradicated for the Graffiti watches. The rest of the visuals are an absolute joy.
What is the date? Any one?
Tattoos, for that is effectively what the engravings are, are incredibly personal. People’s opinions and ideologies change. Or you may get to the point where you want to tell the time on your watch in an efficient manner. Graham recognises this by including a blank domed sapphire crystal with each of the Graffiti models.
The Graffiti FSU is part of the Chronofighter Grand Vintage range. The entire range are identical in specification. Only the dial and hands vary:
The 2CVDS.B29A is the FSU with a plain sapphire glass, the 2CVDS.B25A is the same with rose gold hands and markers, the 2CVDS.S02A receives a sunburst anthracite dial and rose gold accents, the 2CVDS.C02A has a sunburst olive green dial with silver subdials and rose gold hands and the 2CVDS.U09A wears an all blue sunburst dial with rose gold hands and hour markers.
The cyclops date magnifier makes more sense here because it adds an element of symmetry to the dial’s appearance, when combined with the running seconds subdial at the 3 O’clock position. I also like the way the subdials interlock on those that have baton hour markers. For an oversized utilitarian style timepiece, with that proprietary trigger mechanism bolted to the side of the case, the coloured dials are distinguished with their sunburst presentation and applied markers. They are the very antithesis of the FSU and its brethren.
2CVDS.S02A – Chronofighter Grand Vintage – £4750
2CVDS.B29A – Chronofighter Grand Vintage – £4750
2CVDS.U09A – Chronofighter Grand Vintage – £4750
2CVDS.C02A – Chronofighter Grand Vintage – £4750
Each of the Chronofigher Grand Vintage models have a 47mm surgical grade stainless steel case with the famous thumb operated trigger for the chronograph (crikey, we’ve hardly mentioned this unique and revolutionary element), 100m water resistance and a sapphire crystal caseback.
The infamous Graham trigger mechanism. Easy on the eye and easy on the digits.
The movement is a Graham G1747 with Incabloc shock absorber, 48 hours power reserve and 25 jewels. It is Certified Chronofiable®. This brutal test submits the watch to 20000 shocks ranging from 250 to 5500 m/s² (25.5 to 560.7g), to angular acceleration, to moisture and to temperatures ranging from 0°C (32°F) to 57°C (134.6°F) and puts the chronograph functions through 3000 operation cycles of start-stop-reset.
The hands are Rhodium plated, which is more expensive than platinum, but is used to give a mirror finish, and have Superluminova® applied. Paradoxically, the Chronofighter FSU is easier to read the time on at night than during the day.
Honestly, this is the best view you’re going to get of the hands.
Buying any watch over the price of a six pack of beer is an indulgence. So, why not make it a truly luxurious, almost inappropriate purchase. Let’s face it, although the Graham Chronofighter Grand Vintage Graffiti range come with an accurate, reliable and robust movement, telling the time is secondary to simply wearing this objet d’art that is intended to reflect the wearer’s personality and attitude. As I have proven with my declaration of admiration, that attitude doesn’t necessarily have to be that of a sweary Mary. It can simply be someone who wants to buck the trend and furrow their own path in this life.
The Graham Graffiti FSU is bold, brave, brash, beautiful and bloody brilliant (bloody is allowed, isn’t it?).
All words by Richard Atkins. All images by the author or Graham Watches, unless otherwise stated. This article may not be reproduced in part or in full without the permission of the author.
