The New, More Compact Union Glashütte Belisar Chronograph 40mm

Union Glashütte, one of the two Swatch Group brands located in the Saxon town of German watchmaking fame, next to higher-end manufacture Glashütte Original, manages to compete with its heavyweight neighbours thanks to its solidly built watches – often with vintage motorsport accents – but always recognised for their good value. With its close ties to classic motorsports and rallying events, UG regularly releases thematic editions of its sporty Belisar Chronograph. The welcome news today for fans of the brand is the new, more compact 40mm case diameter of the Belisar Chronograph.

Introduced in 2004, the Belisar Chronograph is inspired by the world of classic cars and rallies and has been regularly updated over the years. A successful blend of retro charm and modern engineering, the Belisar Chronograph has been released with lively colour schemes and special editions dedicated to famous vintage car rallies, such as the Silveretta Classic and the Saschen Classic.

The common denominator of the Belisar Chronograph, until today, has been its substantial 44mm case size coupled with a thickness of 15.01mm. While many fans enjoy the presence and heft of a large chronograph, the new 40mm case is more versatile and caters to smaller wrist sizes that might be overwhelmed by a 44mm diameter case. However, and this has to be mentioned, the more compact diameter has not been accompanied by a corresponding reduction in height. Although it is slightly slimmer than the 44mm models, the new 40mm case has a thickness of 14.65mm, which is accentuated by its smaller diameter. For reference, the photographs were taken on Robin’s 18.5cm wrist.

Featuring retro-themed pump pushers and a large diamond-shaped fluted screw-down crown to ensure the 100m water-resistance, the lateral screwed flanks reinforce the case’s robustness. Unlike other Belisars, the pushers are smooth and do not feature the start/stop sign and reset button. Polished finishes along the case flanks, pushers and thin bezel framing the dial contrast with the satin-brushed finish on the lugs with its slim polished bevel.

Sharing a similar blue and black colour scheme to the limited-edition Belisar Chronograph Speedster released last year, the sunray-brushed ice blue dial we photographed features three snailed black sub-dials matching the sloping black peripheral tachymeter scale. To distinguish the counters, the 30-minute and 12-hour chronograph sub-dials at 3 and 6 o’clock, respectively, have black rings, blue centres, and white hands, while the running seconds at 9 o’clock is solid black with a nickel-coloured hand.

A second precision minutes/seconds track is printed on the blue dial, and the arrow-shaped tip of the central chronograph seconds hand is white, matching those inside the totalisers. The Arabic hour numerals are also printed in white, and the only trace of Super-LumiNova can be found in the spines of the hour and minute hands. The date window, with a black background, is tucked inside the 12-hour counter, and the numerals appear larger than the 44mm editions.

Enhancing the retro spirit of the Belisar, the dial is protected by a domed sapphire crystal. Although we photographed the handsome ice blue and black dial, two other models have been released: one with a white dial and black totalisers, and a second model with a black dial and white totalisers, both with red accents.

A sapphire crystal on the caseback allows a glimpse of the UNG.27.SI automatic movement with a 65-hour power reserve. The ‘SI’ in the calibre name refers to the silicon balance spring, making the movement less sensitive to magnetic fields and temperature fluctuations. Although the movement is based on a Valjoux 7750, it is not delivered as a finished movement but comes as individual parts that are decorated and assembled, with some components manufactured by Union, like the branded rotor.

The new Belisar Chronograph 40mm with an ice blue dial (as photographed) is paired with a black calfskin strap and retails for EUR 2,950 (the black and white dials come with stainless steel bracelets for EUR 3,100). More information at union-glashuette-com.