Ophion Introduces the OPH 786 Vélos

Guilloche dials and Breguet numerals.

Ophion is a Spanish brand offering Swiss-made watches with a particular speciality: traditionally-styled movement and dial decoration done by machine, resulting in a modest price.

The new OPH 786 Vélos sticks to the same formula, but takes it to a new level by increasing the degree of machine-executed decoration on the dial to create an appealing style while retaining the accessible pricing. And the resulting look is also reminiscent of the work of far more expensive independent watchmakers like Thomas Prescher and Voutilainen.

Two dials are offered: the simpler, and less expensive, one being a metallic finish and concentric brushing matched with nickel-plated hands. And the fancier option is an elaborate basket-weave guilloche engraved by a CNC milling machine, combined with either nickel-plated or heat-blued hands.

Both dial finished have the same construction featuring an applied minute track and inner ring, and also large applied Breguet numerals. The inner ring has a wide inner bevel that is once again cut by machine.

The 39mm watch case features bulbous, teardrop lugs that are each produced individually, and then welded to the case – an unusually elaborate construction at this price point. And it’s worth pointing out the case is made by Voutilainen & Cattin, the case maker owned by Voutilainen.

Inside is the same calibre found in earlier Ophion models. Made by Soprod, it’s hand-wound with a five-day power reserve. The movement layout was customised for Ophion, with finger bridges for each barrel and a cut-away bridge for the gear train, giving it the look of a 19^thcentury pocket watch calibre.

Like the dial, the movement is finished by machine, but in a clean, precise and attractive manner. The style of decoration is meant to evoke classical movements; all bridges feature a hammer surface, while having wide, machine-cut bevelling.

Notably, the calibre was originally developed by TechnoTime, a movement maker that went bust but was fortunately acquired by rival Soprod in 2017, allowing Ophion’s movement supply to continue uninterrupted.