Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 3SPC.4-1 Is Precision Dressed In Black!

The award-winning chronometer adopts a darker and sportier identity through its black ceramised titanium construction.

For those who may not be familiar with Ferdinand Berthoud’s story, the modern watchmaker was established in 2015 by Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, Co-President of Chopard. Scheufele revived the name to follow in the footsteps of Ferdinand Berthoud, an acclaimed 18th-century watchmaker renowned for producing highly precise marine chronometers.

Ferdinand Berthoud’s manufacture lies in Switzerland’s Val-de-Travers, a scenic valley in the Jura Mountains and one of the cradles of Swiss watchmaking. The manufacture focuses on creating precise chronometric timepieces that remain true to Ferdinand Berthoud’s vision. Its watches combine traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design, beautifully bringing the past and future together.

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Ferdinand Berthoud introduced the FB 3SPC as its third collection, featuring a more compact and comparatively accessible design than the previous two collections. Unlike the brand’s highly complicated timepieces, the FB 3SPC collection doesn’t feature a tourbillon or fusée-and-chain mechanism, but instead takes a simpler approach to its design. The highlight of this collection lies in its chronometric focus through the cylindrical balance spring, which helped it win the Chronometry Prize at the 2023 GPHG.

Now, during Geneva Watch Days 2026, Ferdinand Berthoud introduced the latest iteration, the FB 3SPC.4-1. This is the first time the model has been interpreted in black ceramised titanium, giving the architecture of the FB 3SPC collection a darker and sportier personality.

A Darker, More Industrial Identity

This latest FB 3SPC.4-1 retains the familiar silhouette of the FB 3SPC collection, featuring a case measuring 42.3mm in diameter and 9.43mm thick. Previous versions of the model were offered in either 18-carat white gold or 18-carat pink gold, giving them a more luxurious aesthetic while also being more in line with Ferdinand Berthoud’s historic pocket-watch designs. This latest iteration, however, takes a more contemporary route through its black ceramised titanium construction.

Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 3SPC.4-1

We get the lightweight properties of titanium, which makes this timepiece more comfortable to wear for extended periods than its precious-metal counterparts, while the ceramised surface provides improved scratch resistance. The matte, sandblasted appearance of the case gives this model a much darker personality, especially when combined with the dial’s similarly dark colour palette.

The entirety of the case has received the ceramised treatment, including the screw-in crown and its guards. The four individual lugs, which are also screwed into the case, receive the same ceramised and sandblasted treatments, creating a uniform, industrial-like aesthetic.

What makes this case design even more interesting is that it features a rectangular sapphire porthole positioned at 9 o’clock. This gives a direct side view into the three main escapement organs: the balance-wheel, pallet-lever, and escape-wheel, along with the cylindrical balance spring beating throughout its 3-day power reserve.

When you look at Ferdinand Berthoud’s current collections, one thing immediately stands out, and it’s their love for skeletonised dials (and I love them for that!). These aren’t traditional designs housing high complications, but rather timepieces that display all the intricate workings that go on behind the scenes. The FB 3SPC collection integrates this brand DNA while still featuring beautiful dial finishing.

The black-treated nickel silver mainplate serves as the backdrop to this beautiful display of intricate mechanisms, with its sandblasted appearance creating a uniform finish that complements the case aesthetic. The outer minute track is finished in black-varnished brass, a finish also echoed on the skeletonised constant-seconds counter at 6 o’clock. The skeletonised design is continued through the white-gold hour and minute hands as well.

What immediately draws the eye, however, is the regulating organ that is completely exposed at 9 o’clock. The balance wheel, pallet lever, and escape wheel are all visually separated, and when they are in full operation, it is certainly a beautiful thing to admire! You can also see the cylindrical balance spring beating, although, as mentioned earlier, the opening in the case at 9 o’clock gives a much clearer view of it in action.

Cylindrical Precision on Full Display

The mechanical heart of the FB 3SPC.4-1 is the in-house, manually wound Calibre FB-SPC. Measuring just 6.84mm in thickness, it is made up of 230 components, including a large barrel that delivers an impressive 72-hour power reserve. The movement operates at a frequency of 3Hz (21,600 VpH), providing a stable rate of oscillation while contributing to its three-day autonomy.

The Calibre FB-SPC comes equipped with a slipping mechanism that prevents overwinding of the movement, as well as a stop-seconds mechanism that allows precise time-setting. The architecture of the movement has been created specifically to resemble that of Louis Berthoud’s historic No. 26 decimal pocket watch from 1793, especially through the cylindrical balance spring, which expands and contracts concentrically around its central axis. This was designed to improve isochronism and rate stability, providing a different approach to managing positional errors without using a tourbillon.

Initial Thoughts

This latest FB 3SPC.4-1 is a contemporary version of the FB 3SPC design, with the core movement and architecture of the dial and case remaining unchanged. What has differed, though, is its visual identity, which now appears more in line with an industrial aesthetic while also looking sportier through the choice of fabric strap and the lightweight nature of titanium.

This ceramised titanium transforms the watch’s personality entirely for me. The previous precious-metal versions offered a much more luxurious and dressy appearance, while the black colourway and sandblasted surfaces give this watch a darker personality. The blued screws and jewels visible directly from the dial further add to the industrial character while also enlivening the monochromatic look with touches of colour.

This will certainly appeal to collectors and enthusiasts looking beyond traditional precious-metal timepieces while still wanting the exceptional craftsmanship and distinctive watchmaking DNA that make Ferdinand Berthoud’s creations so captivating!