Albishorn TYPE 10 Sihlwald Pilot's Watch
Starting from 4.200 €The Albishorn TYPE 10 Sihlwald is a military pilot's chronograph built around a history that never happened: that of an ancestor to the famed French Army Type 20, which might have been commissioned in 1948 as the army's first official chronograph. True to the Swiss brand's Imaginary Vintage® concept, this piece from the Air collection pairs the spirit of a cockpit instrument with contemporary execution. Its smoked green dial, single red pusher and bronze crown give it the identity of a prototype. Driven by a proprietary, patented hand-wound calibre certified chronometer by COSC, it is limited to 99 pieces and is aimed at enthusiasts of military watches, pilot's chronographs and independent watchmaking.
Albishorn TYPE 10 Sihlwald pilot's watch
Albishorn is an independent Swiss watchmaker run by Time-it GmbH, based in Baar, in the canton of Zug. The brand has made a singular idea its signature: Imaginary Vintage®. The principle is to design period watches that never existed, true missing links in watchmaking history, drawn up as if they had been produced decades ago. Behind the project are Sébastien Chaulmontet, who also heads innovation and marketing at Sellita, and designer Fabien Collioud, known for having revived Angelus. Their first model, the Maxigraph, was a regatta chronograph made with Massena LAB.
With the TYPE 10, Albishorn takes on a landmark of French military watches. The Type 20, made for the French Army by houses such as Breguet, Vixa, Auricoste and Dodane, has become the archetype of the aviation chronograph. Yet it has no direct predecessor. The brand has therefore imagined what that ancestor might have been: a pilot's chronograph developed in the late 1940s, which could have been commissioned in 1948 as the army's first official chronograph. The scenario is carried through with fake blueprints dated 1947.
Unveiled in October 2024 and sold exclusively online, the TYPE 10 comes notably in a Sihlwald version, its name evoking a forest in the canton of Zurich. This interpretation, limited to 99 pieces, extends the story with a prototype look, that of a tool watch that might have equipped post-war cockpits.
Technical specifications Albishorn TYPE 10 Sihlwald
- Brand: Albishorn
- Model: TYPE 10 Sihlwald
- Indicative price: 4.200€
- Movement: Hand-wound mechanical chronograph
- Calibre: ALB02 M
- Diameter: 39 mm
- Thickness: 12 mm
- Water resistance: 100 m
- Materials: 316L stainless steel
- Crystal: Box sapphire with anti-reflective treatment
- Dial: Textured smoked green
- Strap: Green calfskin and black calfskin
- Warranty: 2 years
- Box contents: Two leather straps
The Albishorn TYPE 10 Sihlwald pilot's chronograph
The Albishorn TYPE 10 Sihlwald adopts a construction designed first and foremost for the pilot. Its display draws on an instrument panel: two counters placed at the bottom of the dial, the small seconds at 4:30 and the chronograph minutes at 7:30, leave the upper half clear for a patented running indicator at 12 o'clock. Inspired by onboard chronographs, this display reveals the chronograph's state through a simple colour code: black when reset, red when running, white when stopped. Control is handled in a single gesture. A red anodised aluminium pusher, placed at 9:30, is operated with the thumb to start, stop and then reset the chronograph.
The crown, positioned at 10:30, is made of bronze, a material that underlines the watch's prototype character and will patina over time. The 316L stainless steel case keeps measured proportions, with a 39 mm diameter and 12 mm thickness including the sapphire crystal. Around the dial, a bidirectional rotating bezel graduated over 60 units completes the pilot's equipment. The contrast between the steel case, the DLC-coated bezel and the smoked green dial gives the watch a confident presence without excess bulk. The whole forms a coherent pilot's watch, where every detail serves quick reading rather than decoration, squarely in line with post-war military instruments.
Proprietary calibre and limited series for pilots
The heart of the TYPE 10 Sihlwald is the ALB02 M calibre, a proprietary, patented hand-wound mechanical chronograph, designed and made in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Certified chronometer by COSC, it runs at a frequency of 4 Hz on 21 jewels. Once wound, it offers a typical 65-hour power reserve, a comfortable autonomy for a hand-wound movement, and a hacking seconds device makes precise time-setting easier. The case measures 47.7 mm lug to lug for a lug width of 20 mm and a bezel of 41.7 mm, dimensions that keep a reasonable footprint on the wrist.
The textured smoked green dial, protected by an anti-reflective box sapphire crystal, carries numerals in beige Super-LumiNova, while the chronograph hands stand out clearly for immediate reading of the elapsed time. With a water resistance of 100 metres, the watch is sufficient for daily use, without claiming diver status. Compared with the black-dialled Classic version, the Sihlwald stands apart through its green dial, red chronograph hands and bronze crown. It is aimed at collectors seeking a pilot's chronograph with an original story, rather than those looking for a pure tool watch. Its character lies as much in its story as in its construction: a sober, legible instrument meant to be worn rather than kept in a safe.
Albishorn TYPE 10 Sihlwald pilot's watch: the imaginary ancestor of the Type 20
The Albishorn TYPE 10 Sihlwald is priced at around 4,200 euros, a rate quoted tax-free for export: a buyer in France must still add VAT and customs duties. The watch carries no officially published reference, Albishorn preferring to identify it by its name alone within the Air collection, dedicated to the brand's aviation chronographs. It is covered by a two-year warranty covering manufacturing defects and hidden flaws, with leather straps and accessories excluded from this coverage. A proposition designed for everyday use rather than for display, with a clearly defined after-sales framework from the moment of purchase.
Movement
The TYPE 10 Sihlwald is powered by the ALB02 M calibre, a proprietary, patented single-pusher mechanical chronograph with hand winding, designed and made in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Certified chronometer by COSC, it runs at 4 Hz with 21 jewels and offers a typical 65-hour power reserve. It measures 5.70 mm in height for a 30.00 mm diameter. A hacking seconds device completes the movement, while the patented indicator at 12 o'clock displays the chronograph's state: reset, running or stopped.
Diameter and materials
The 39 mm 316L stainless steel case shows a thickness of 12 mm including the sapphire crystal, reduced to 11.1 mm without the glass. It measures 47.7 mm lug to lug for a lug width of 20 mm. The bidirectional rotating bezel in DLC-coated steel, graduated over 60 units, reaches 41.7 mm. The crown is bronze, the pusher red anodised aluminium. The textured smoked green dial, with beige Super-LumiNova numerals, is protected by an anti-reflective box sapphire crystal.
Water resistance
The TYPE 10 Sihlwald announces a water resistance of 100 metres, a comfortable figure for a hand-wound pilot's chronograph. It comfortably covers everyday constraints such as rain, splashes or handwashing. The watch does not, however, claim diver status: its bidirectional rotating bezel, graduated over 60 units, belongs to the pilot's instrument rather than to dive-time tracking. The dial is protected by an anti-reflective box sapphire crystal, and its beige Super-LumiNova numerals remain legible in low light.
Accessories
The TYPE 10 Sihlwald is delivered with two straps: a green calfskin strap, matching the dial, and a black calfskin strap, more understated. Both close with an Albishorn buckle, and the 20 mm lug width makes it easy to fit other straps. This dual setup allows switching from a distinctly military look to a more discreet one without changing watches. The packaging and COSC certificate are among the accessories supplied with the chronograph.
Warranty
The TYPE 10 Sihlwald comes with a two-year warranty. This covers manufacturing defects and hidden flaws, in other words issues related to the watch itself rather than to its use. Straps and accessories, however, are excluded from this coverage, a point worth noting since the watch ships with two leather straps, a material naturally prone to wear. For a COSC-certified hand-wound chronograph sold at this price point, this duration remains standard, with no particular extension.
Albishorn TYPE 10 Sihlwald The pros
and cons
- Proprietary patented COSC-certified calibre
- Typical 65-hour power reserve
- Simple single red thumb pusher
- Limited series of 99 pieces
- Original Imaginary Vintage® concept
- Hand winding needed regularly
- Relatively limited availability
- Strongly styled green dial
- Pusher placement takes getting used to
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Prices and technical specifications are subject to change. Content and photos are not contractual.
