A watchmaker established by Porsche 911 “restomod” specialist Singer Vehicle Design, Singer Reimagined got off the ground with the Track 1, a chronograph with 1970s vibes that’s powered by one of the most ingenious 21st century chronograph movements.

Now Singer has just taken the covers off its second model, the Flytrack Prime Edition. Essentially a condensed version of the Track 1 chronograph, the Flytrack is equipped with a constantly-running central seconds hand that can be instantaneously reset and restarted – a flyback in other words – allowing it to measure short elapsed times.

Making its debut as a 30-piece “Prime Edition” in titanium, the Flytrack is powered by the AGH 9634 AgenGraphe movement, a simplified version of the full-fledged chronograph movement in the Track 1.

The AGH 9634

Initial thoughts

A simpler and more affordable version of the Track 1 chronograph, the Flytrack is essentially a highly complicated time-only watch. Though simpler, the Flytrack movement is still made up of 314 parts, about three times a conventional time-only movement. And despite doing away with chronograph mechanism, the movement in the Flytrack is still complex enough to be attractive in its mechanics.

The Flytrack’s style and feel is very similar to the Track 1 – the case is identical in size – which means 1970s and speedometer-inspired. It’s an appealing retro look that’s executed well on the Track 1, and nearly as well on the Flytrack, save for one caveat: the combination of a minute hand and hour ring to tell the time is peculiar and probably affects legibility.

From left: tachymeter, pulsometer, and telemeter

Of the three versions, my pick is the one with a tachymeter dial. The dial has both the largest scale and the least text, which paradoxically makes it the most balanced and cleanest.

Because the scales for pulsometer and telemeter versions are only semi-circular, the dials look a bit sparse. At the same time, the resulting space is filled up with a description – “FIFTEEN PULSATION SCALE” – that’s large and throws off the balance.

All three versions are priced the same, at about half the Track 1. That’s good value relative to the Track 1, and also good value relative to the movement, although in terms of its simple function, a bit steep.

Launch edition

The three versions of the Prime Edition are each conceived to measure specific values, calculated over a short period of elapsed time.

The tachymeter measures the average speed of a moving object over a 1 km distance, which is why it is historically associated with auto-racing chronographs. The telemeter, on the other hand, was often found on military-issue stopwatches for artillery, because it measures the distance between the observer and an event at a distance, which in the case of the Flytrack, is 15 km.

And the pulsometer needs little explanation: it indicates the patient’s heart rate by extrapolating the time taken for 15 beats. Unlike the other two dials that are in black, the pulsometer dial is done in a matte tobacco and matched with a gold chapter ring for the seconds.

The tachymeter dial

The Flytrack has the same case as the Track 1, but finished substantially differently. Instead of retro-style radial brushing, the Flytrack case is sandblasted titanium with pronounced, polished bevels outlining its edges. Both the material and finish will be found only on the Prime Edition, and the subsequent versions will likely be in steel.

More obviously unique to the launch edition is a 18k gold medallion embedded into the case bearing the edition serial number in relief. Each dial style is a limited run of 10, and will carry medallions numbered sequentially from “1” to “10”.

AgenGraphe

Developed by Geneva complications specialist Agenhor, the AGH 6364 movement is visible through the case back. It’s recognisable as the original AgenGraphe calibre sans chronograph mechanism, with a large, heart-shaped cam in the centre of the movement being responsible for the reset of the seconds hand.

Though simpler, the AGH 6364 is finished to the same standard as the chronograph version of the movement. According to Agenhor founder Jean-Marc Wiederrecht (who has recently retired and succeeded by his two sons), the AgenGraphe movement is decorated to the standards demanded by the Poincon de Geneve (or Geneva Seal), though it has not undergone the certification process.

Key facts and price

Singer Reimagined Flytrack Prime Edition

Diameter: 43 mm
Height: 15 mm
Material: Titanium
Water resistance: 100m

Movement: Cal. 6364 AgenGraphe
Functions: Hours, minutes, and central seconds hand with instantaneous zero-reset function
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 55 hours

Strap: Leather or fabric with titanium pin buckle

Limited edition: 10 pieces in each dial type
Availability: Pre-orders now at Singer and authorised retailers, with deliveries in April 2021
Price: 26,500 Swiss francs before taxes

For more, visit Singerreimagined.com