The reborn Favre Leuba continues to refine its most compelling modern chronograph, the Chief, introduced in 2024 and already distinguished by its cushion-shaped case and a dial architecture that recalls the bold wristwear of the 1970s. With two new colourways added in 2025 – the vigorous British Racing Green and the poised Dune – the line now broadens its character without straying from the spirit that defined its revival. These variants underscore just how deeply the brand has thought through surface texture, finishing, and colour, ensuring they are not mere new coats of paint but rather integral evolutions of the watch’s design language.
A Dial Built with Patience and Precision
From a distance, the Favre Leuba Chief Chronograph appears impactful, but it is only under closer inspection that its dial reveals its intricacy. The construction is not superficial decoration; it unfolds through a complex process involving a surprising number of production stages. The main surface plays in the light with a sunray finish, while the sub-dials bring a more technical dialogue, treated with circular brushing to create contrast in both texture and depth. A ribbed contour rings the dial, almost architectural in its presence, and this layered motif invites the eye to travel, framing the applied logo, the indexes and the tachymeter scale with an impressive sense of balance.
Colour selection is never cosmetic with such a dial. The dark, saturated British Racing Green has a kinetic quality, moving from bright, jewel-like tones in direct sun to more dramatic, brooding shades when the light is dimmed. It is dynamic without ever being garish. By contrast, the Dune version introduces a soothing warmth. The sandy tone sits delicately between beige and soft gold, offering a subtle foundation upon which rose-gold hands and markers stand proudly. Both interpretations carry an undeniable refinement, each made possible by the demanding finishing procedure that insists the chosen pigments retain character once layered over multiple textures.
Mechanical Core – Precision Framed in Detail
Behind the transparent sapphire crystal caseback beats the FLC02 automatic column-wheel chronograph caliber, developed with La Joux-Perret. It runs at a contemporary 4 Hz, offering a robust 68-hour power reserve, ensuring the watch is both visually captivating and mechanically uncompromising.
Favre Leuba places emphasis not merely on mechanics but on the artistry of finishing. The large bridges are decorated with Geneva stripes whose sweep lends classical refinement, while the baseplate receives perlage, offering a textured glow beneath the more prominent components. The screws are thermally blued, not simply coloured but carefully treated to achieve both a lustrous cobalt shade and enhanced hardness. The central showpiece, however, is the skeletonised rotor, which is not left sterile but enriched with a spiral-brushed colimaçonnage and a radiating soleillage that shifts with every movement of the wrist.
The column wheel itself, a mechanical organ usually hidden, becomes a marker of horological seriousness. Its bluing is both functional and aesthetic, as the process strengthens its surface while signalling meticulous attention to detail. Its engagement guarantees silky start-and-reset operations in marked contrast to cam-actuated systems that often compromise refinement for cost.
The Chief’s Body – A Cushion Framed in Steel
At 41 mm in diameter, the stainless-steel case embraces the cushion silhouette in a manner that feels thoroughly modern while anchored by vintage inspiration. The interplay of brushing and polishing ensures changing reflections across its angular planes, preventing the mass of steel from appearing monolithic. The profile rises to 14 mm, a thickness that grants presence without burden. The sapphire crystal curves subtly, treated with anti-reflective coating to ensure legibility, while the reverse reveals the movement through a sapphire window that integrates seamlessly with the overall architecture.
The case construction achieves a practical water-resistance of 100 metres, a reminder that the Chief was never conceived as a fragile dress piece but as a robust timing instrument for explorers and sportsmen alike. The bracelet, an integrated two-link affair in steel, continues the alternating finish of brushed surfaces and polished centre accents, resulting in a dynamic, slightly retro aesthetic. Ease of wear is improved by an easy-change mechanism that lets the watch move onto an FKM rubber strap, offered in colours aligned with the dial, lending adaptability for more casual or demanding settings.
Heritage Amplified for Today
The new Chief Chronograph colourways demonstrate that Favre Leuba’s design evolution is not an exercise in chasing fashion, but in carving identity. The British Racing Green connects the watch to a century-old legend of motorsport, evoking courage and mechanical drama, while the Dune whispers of deserts, warmth, and quiet elegance. Both are underpinned by remarkable dials whose complexity is matched by the solid heartbeat of the FLC02 calibre, beautifully finished and equipped with a column wheel mechanism refined beyond functional necessity.
The Chief remains a resilient chronograph with a bold cushion case and a wearability that balances presence with comfort. At CHF 4,375 / € 5,000 on the steel bracelet or CHF 4,300 / € 5,100 on the matched rubber strap, it positions itself not as a speculative luxury but as a serious companion for those who desire substance beneath aesthetics. In the Chief, Favre Leuba succeeds in reaffirming a dialogue between heritage and modern adventure, with dial colours that feel not added but discovered.
