HS Watches Chrono 60.30 Type-A Manila Black

Designed To Tell A Story

“The checkered flag is a symbol of reaching the ultimate goal. In the glory days of sports watches, racing has an unbreakable link to time keeping and vice versa. The fusion of the two ethos is the very essence of this collaboration between Horology Story and Design Atelier.”

The words above is the most overly-dramatic, needlessly convoluted way of introducing the partnership between two watch geeks. We really just wanted to make a watch that you would love to wear without looking pretentious or snobbish. And yes it’s still meticulously designed despite the lack of heritage or budding prestige. 

The Story

Horology Story offers the full watch-related experience. Led by Adrian, their influence has reached the international scene through a number of collaborations, and this latest one might just be the farthest they have reached, literally to the other side of the world – enter Design Atelier.

The Design

Jayson De Castro is watch enthusiast with two decades of experience in product design and digital arts. (It may sound credible, but in reality, he's more of a desk-pusher with plenty of time on his iPad.) Microbrands, high-end timepieces, and even G-Shocks did not escape his scrutiny and pseudo-redesigns. According to the story, Adrian and Jayson collaborated on numerous projects, culminating in this latest timepiece.

 The Racing Spirit

Generations of watch fans have admired the classic designs that have influenced today's watches. One of the most iconic designs in chronographs is the checkered dial scale. Not only does it visually represent the racing flag and course turns, but it also serves as a high-contrast backdrop to the chronograph hand. This design element has been incorporated into all four versions of the 60.30, imbuing the racing spirit no matter how it is worn.

The motorsports theme is strongly emphasized by using the 60-second/minute markers instead of the typical 12-hour markers. Much respect is given to the wearer who can instinctively read the hours and minutes on the wrist, freeing themselves to enjoy the race-themed chronograph.

 The hour markers are not completely removed; instead, they are represented by compact and polished indexes within all of the timing scales. This approach maintains spacious visuals while offering various types of surface treatments, all in full display on a highly legible dial. This quality takes on even more life as the light interacts with the watch.

Light and lume are two of the main attractions of the 60.30. The dial is impeccably designed to make the most of light play. The lume used is the same formula used by top Swiss brands, ensuring the highest quality with the crispiest of applications. With 5 applications of lume, timekeeping is as easy as it is mesmerizing. The visual spectacle is even more amazing with a thick AR-coated crystal that refracts light at all the right angles.

Visual balance is a big part of the 60.30. The 2 polarizing numerals ensure that there is a counter-weight to the imposing sub-dials. With the 2 founders living at the opposite ends of the world, these numerals embody their distant yet close collaboration. Much like a race track starts and ends at the same place, the dial’s perimeter symbolizes this circular nature. 

Landmarks

Each of the watches has a unique dial and lume configuration. It's not a simple change of color, but each variant is carefully designed to express its own unique personality. Type A, or Manila Black, is affectionately named after the famous city in the Philippines, one of the founder's home countries. Type B, Jakarta Red, represents the national colors of the other founder. Type C is the most colorful of the batch and is appropriately called Florida Blue. Lastly, the dressiest of them all is Type D, or Bangkok Bronze. This variant has the least lume, allowing it to focus more on its elegant dial and old-world charm.

The Engine

Timing and accuracy are two things that are hard to separate because each is dependent on the other. The meca-quartz chronograph chosen for this watch offers accuracy that is unmatched by most mechanical chronographs while retaining the crisp actuations that endear vintage watches to collectors. It's reliable, supremely accurate, and a joy to operate. This also makes it more affordable for many enthusiasts to own.

 The Finer Details

The 39mm case is polished to match the shiny interior of the watch. It attracts prints, scuffs, and scratches, much like the chronographs in its heyday. It will have your own personal touch as the years elapse. This glossy shine also flows much more elegantly on those thin, curvy lugs.

We also added many practical features, such as a threaded and enlarged crown, quick-release spring bars, and even a compact travel case. Designed by watch enthusiasts, the 60.30 chronograph was built with the watch fan in mind.