A dormant name recently revived, Edouard Koehn was once famous for its high-quality pocket watches, usually signed “Ed. Koehn”, one of which inspired the Legacy Rattrapante Split-Seconds Chronograph. Powered by an automatic calibre made by Concepto, the Legacy Rattrapante has a fired enamel dial inside a stainless steel case.

Initial thoughts

Though it was resurrected only a short while ago, Edouard Koehn has put out a variety of watches, ranging from chunky sports watches to world-timers. The Legacy Rattrapante is its most classical design to date.

The styling essentially replicates a vintage pocket watch, so it’s not imaginative, but the functional simplicity is appealing. But because the watch employs a Concepto calibre, it is thick at 14.6 mm high, which is at odds with the vintage-inspired design.

And the Legacy Rattrapante is also pricey at almost CHF16,000, or about US$19,000. Though the fired enamel dial is an expensive bonus, it still costs double the Habring² Doppel, which has a more sophisticated movement for almost half the price.

Pocket watch style

Born in Germany, Edouard Koehn (1839-1908) was a watchmaker who worked at Patek Philippe before establishing his own brand in Geneva that produced watches signed “Ed. Koehn” as well as under the brand name, H.R. Ekegren, a Danish brand he acquired. Koehn’s son, also named Edouard, inherited the firm, which went bust during the Great Depression.

Several years ago, the Edouard Koehn trademark was acquired by Bernard Fleury, a Swiss entrepreneur better known for having revived Vulcain as a maker of alarm watches. The revived Edouard Koehn brand debuted with the Tempus sports watches and World Heritage world-timer, both contemporary designs. The Legacy Rattrapante, on the other hand, is its most traditional creation to date.

The pocket watch that inspired the Legacy

The Legacy Rattrapante has a clear, vintage-inspired style. The polished steel case has arched lugs with chamfered edges and rectangular pushers, along with an “onion” crown with a co-axial button for the split-seconds.

The diameter is a relatively compact 40 mm, but the case is thick at 14.6 mm including the crystal. The height of the case is inevitable given the tall base movement with a split-seconds mechanism added on top (more on that below).

Modelled on an early-20th century chronograph made by Ed. Koehn, the dial is classical but functional. The dial is traditional fired enamel, thought the vintage original that inspired it was a conventional metal dial.

It’s unusual for having two vertically-arranged registers, but the Breguet numerals and red accents are typical of vintage pocket watch chronographs. The elapsed seconds hand is red, while the split-seconds hand is blue.

The thickness of the watch can be explained by the movement, which is produced by Concepto Watch Factory, a supplier of both movements and complications – Concepto was responsible for the recent Jacob & Co. Bugatti Tourbillon.

The Legacy Rattrapante is powered by a variant of the Concepto 2000, a family of chronograph movements based on the Valjoux 7750 conceived to offer mix-and-match options for additional complications. Because it is based on the Valjoux 7750, the Concepto 2000 is thick, made even more so by the split-seconds module under the dial.

Though it’s based on the 7750, the Concepto 2000 has been reworked and upgraded to give it more appealing aesthetics. Amongst other things, the calibre is dressed up with blued screws, graining on the steel parts, and a Concepto-style regulator index.

Key facts and price

Edouard Koehn Legacy Rattrapante Split-Seconds Chronograph
Ref. EK-CHR11SS-SL-WEEL-ASBK

Diameter: 40 mm
Height: 14.6 mm
Material: Steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: Concepto
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and split-seconds chronograph
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 48 hours

Strap: Alligator with folding buckle

Availability: Now at retailers
Price: CHF15,800

For more, visit Edouardkoehn.com.