Regatta Yachtimer

Launched in the 1970s, at the height of the golden age of mechanical chronographs, the Regatta Yachtimer is BWC's answer to the fashion for regatta chronographs, instruments designed to time the countdown to the start of a sailing race. Its most recognizable trait is the large minute counter placed at the center of the dial, so conspicuous that it earned the model the informal nickname "Big Eye" among today's enthusiasts.

At the heart of the chronograph is the manual Valjoux 7733 calibre, among the most appreciated movements of the era, housed in a steel case with a cushion shape, with the squared lines typical of 1970s design. The black dial, with the large central counter in shades of red, white and green and a smaller secondary counter, explicitly evokes the imagery of sailing regattas, in a period when several Swiss brands — not only BWC — offered chronographs dedicated to this discipline.

The Regatta Yachtimer is no longer in production, but it is today one of the most sought-after BWC models on the vintage watch market, thanks both to the rarity of its oversized central counter and to the widespread appreciation for the Valjoux 7733 calibre, fitted at the time also by far more celebrated brands.