Extending the Mission Chronograph to collectors with dressier taste. A smaller 38mm case and a new luxurious design make the Cockpit Chronograph an elegant accessory, as well as a handcrafted tool for lifetime use.
Named after the cockpit of a sailing vessel, where timekeeping matters most.
Originally inspired by our founder’s sailing tours around the United States, and their need for a chronometer-grade mechanical watch to navigate the seas. Old-school astronavigation on open waters requires an accurate timepiece and a sextant for precise position-fixing. As every Towson Watch is aimed to serve the respective lifestyle of a certain type of individual, the Cockpit Chronograph was made for those who enjoy sailing.
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Hartwig Balke and George Thomas had already developed a chronometer-grade instrument capable of precise timekeeping, whether in space or at sea. This was the Mission Chronograph, based after their original STS-99 Chronometer worn by NASA Commander Theile on the Endeavour spacecraft at the start of the new millennium. But this Mission "space-watch" called for some aesthetic modifications to suit the preppy lives of mariners. So Hartwig and George took the foundation of the Mission Chronograph, its movement and professional style, and the Cockpit Chronograph was born.
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The Cockpit Chronograph shares the same movement, materials and professional build-quality as the Mission Chronograph, but it is a dress watch featuring one of Towson Watch Company’s most intricate case designs (see details below).
“A smaller, more elegant case for both ladies and gentlemen.”
- Hartwig Balke (TWC Co-Founder and Designer)
Powered by the Mission Chronograph’s 7750 caliber that helped prove the efficacy of automatic watches in outer space. This legendary Swiss movement has been featured in the Towson Watch Collections since the company's founding. It has been remastered by Hartwig Balke, with in-house assembly, regulation and decoration taking place at the TWC Workshop in Maryland.
The first series of Cockpit Chronographs featured the initials of Towson Watch Company (TWC) stamped on the dial. The simple guilloche-cliche drew classical appeal with the standard chronograph layout of the dial. The detailing of the watch was of primary interest, not the brand name or logo.
For the second series of Cockpit Chronographs (see the comparison below), the signature carbon-guilloche style of the Mission Collection was introduced to the line, along with the TWC Shield Logo. The only changes made for the second series occur on the dial.
