New
Timekeepers Club / June 30, 2022

00RED by Ball Watch Co. for CronotempVs Collectors

When CronotempVs Collectors decided to collaborate in a piece by Ball Watch Co. it was clear that making a special piece would not be a easy task. Amongst all the possibilities, the Engineer III stood out as the most pragmatic choice to build upon. The goal was to stay within all unique qualities that the Engineer III is known for but focus on a feature that makes it unique in the industry. The tritium gas tubes.

Within this peculiarity there are some colours that are very difficult to replicate or underperform with traditional luminous material such as red and white. Since it is at night when Ball watches excel in readability we decided to change the traditional 12 at midnight for a "00" since this is how midnight is displayed in devices today. At the moment when all standard luminous materials fail and BALL's tritium gas tubes shine. This is how the 00RED by Ball Watch Co. came to be.

The impact of history

Nothing is more evident than the railroads' impact on the economic development of the United States. The backbone on which prosperity and growth was built upon. A tragic accident in 1891, Great Kipton Train Wreck, was caused by the inaccuracy of one of the railroad employees, and led to a head-on collision between two trains. After this disaster, Webb C. Ball is appointed Chief Time Inspector for the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway. Three years later, “Ball Watch Co.” was founded to ensure a standard of timing reliability and accuracy to avoid such a tragedy to repeat itself. By 1908, Webb C. Ball was inspecting approximately 180 railroads and regulating more than 1 million railroad watches. Under his direction, train travel was made significantly safer for both the public and railroad employees. It is in homage to that catharsis that CronotempVs Collectors has decided to create a limited series of 91 units.

33 Tritium gas tubes

The tritium gas tubes in the 00RED are completely self-powered and 100 times brighter than conventional lume in total darkness. This luminescent technology safely seals pure tritium gas in lightweight mineral glass tubes. The amount of tritium used is considerably low so that its radioactive levels cause no risk to the wearer. This chemical process ensures luminous performance in total prolonged darkness.

A 904L stainless steel case

904L grade stainless steel is not widely used in the industry due to its increased solidity and difficulty to machine. Due to its additional amounts of chromium, molybdenum, nickel and copper, 904L steel features improved resistance to elements like corrosion, rust and acids. Its unique hardness withstands extreme conditions, while it displays a beautifully high polish and ages exquisitely well.

1,000 Gauss anti-magnetic resistance

The mu-metal shield protects the movement from magnetic disturbances. Mu-metal is an alloy of nickel, iron, copper and molybdenum with very high magnetic permeability, enabling it to attract and deviate static or low-frequency magnetic field lines and ensuring anti-magnetic properties far superior to the ones of the soft iron usually employed in watchmaking. The use of mu-metal is a genuine industrial feat, capable of protecting a mechanical watch against magnetic fields up to an astonishing intensity of 1,000 Gauss.

Resisting up to 5.000 Gs

Every BALL watch undergoes rigorous testing for impact resistance up to 5,000Gs. The crown, crystal and 9 o’clock position of the case are hit with a pendulum impact-testing machine to ensure impeccable performance according to ISO 1413, but also BALL’s stringent standards.

COSC precision

The RR1102-C calibre that beats inside the 00RED is COSC certified to guarantee an average daily rate of -4/+6 seconds accuracy. The COSC certificate is a Swiss horological standard since 1973 and is still considered a reference for many watch brands all over the world.

Commissioned exclusively for CronotempVs Collectors the "00RED" is a limited edition timepiece conceived in collaboration with Ball Watch Co. Only 91 units of the “00 Red” will be made and delivered between 2022 and 2023.

About Ball Watch Co.

BALL Watch Company is a timekeeping pioneer and celebrated manufacturer of quality, precise and reliable timepieces since 1891. The company was literally founded by accident. Following a tragic 1891 Kipton, Ohio head-on train collision, American railroad companies appointed Webster Clay Ball "Chief Time Inspector" to supervise newly synchronized timing protocols. This standardized "railroad time" efficiency originated the popular "Be on the Ball" proverb and inspired the future Swiss Society of Chronometry (COSC) which governs the highest watch timing certification standards today.

About CronotempVs Collectors

CronotempVs Collectors is a watch collectors and enthusiast community portal. This portal has its origins in a private collectors club founded in the year 2009. To date CronotempVs has members in 18 different countries. Up until now 16 different projects and editions have been created, over 500 watches in total.

Technical specifications


00RED by Ball Watch Co. for CronotempVs Collectors

Limited edition of 91 pieces

Case

  • Material: 904L steel
  • Diameter: 43 mm
  • Water-resistant to 100 meters

Dial and hands

  • In anthracite with 33 tritium gas tubes

Movement

  • Mechanical automatic wind COSC certified

Functions/Indications

  • Hours, minutes and centre seconds

Strap and buckle

  • 904L steel bracelet

MSRP: EUR 2'200 (excl. taxes)

More at cronotempvscollectors.com

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