JToddH's review of the Carl F. Bucherer Manero Flyback in blue offers a compelling look at how a watch can transcend mere specifications to evoke a profound emotional response. His detailed observations on the dial's chameleon-like qualities and the watch's versatile aesthetic challenge conventional categorizations, making a strong case for experiencing a timepiece firsthand. This article delves into why this particular Manero Flyback resonates so deeply with collectors.
Several months ago, Carl F. Bucherer debuted its blue Manero Flyback chronograph, the latest addition to the Manero Flyback family of classically inspired chronographs.
Initially, I thought it was just a new color added to the lineup. Not a big deal – until I got my hands on one and realized what a sensual powerhouse the brand had created.
Having worn a red gold Manero Flyback “Retro” for the past couple of years, I felt confident that I was impervious to the allure of a steel model, in any color. Damn. Wrong again. This piece is just plain sexy; it provokes a kind of reaction that makes you a little weak in the knees.
"Go ahead and play the blues if it'll make you happy."
-- Dan Castellaneta
To dismiss the dial as simply “blue” is to deprive the senses of this veritable chameleon that transforms its personality with a romantic complexity. Under natural light, shade, or fluorescent, the dial adapts to its own mood. Sometimes it feels like a dark matte blue; other times, an almost electric bright blue explodes from the face.
"The blues is a feeling, you can't get it out of no book. You can't write the blues on a piece of paper, you just feel the blues."
--John Lee Hooker
In contrast to the sunburst blue radiating from the dial are the details of polished stainless and white markings that create a blissful legibility that is simply sublime. This is, without a doubt, the “classiest” stainless steel watch I have ever reviewed.
I could sit here and recite all the specifications, size, movement, etc., but that’s not what this watch is all about. (Though I’ll list some details at the end).
The Blue Manero Flyback (to me) is about an immediate, visceral response. A feeling. An emotion. A reaction that ticks every box. As the owner of several Carl F. Bucherer timepieces, things like fit and finish are a foregone conclusion. Quality isn’t expected, it’s assumed.
"When I'm singing the blues, I'm singing life."
-- Etta James
Is it a dress watch? A sports watch? Again, the chameleon effect of the Blue Manero Flyback allows it to float gracefully above the stereotypes. The chronograph layout is clean and intelligent, worthy of the most profound academic, yet its vintage cues capture an elegance of decades past. The chronograph function by its very nature denotes an air of sportiness that completes the profile.
The hands of the dial are a mix of white and polished stainless steel, delicately balanced to separate time and chronograph functions. These subtleties provide great clarity to the information being delivered. While black and white are certainly more common and provide solid contrast, there is something more sublime about the softness of the blue dial, contrasted by the other elements of this particular Manero.
While I’ll be the first to admit that photos, including mine, don’t do this watch justice, I found the Blue Manero Flyback to be an absolute dream albeit a challenge to photograph. Staring directly at a perfectly posed watch, the camera often surprised me with a totally different look. It reminds me of classic Billy Joel lyrics, “She only reveals what she wants you to see, she hides like a child but she’s always a woman to me.” This watch has so many beautiful personalities that you can’t look away. It is absolutely mesmerizing.
"Blues is affirmation with absolute elegance."
-- Wynton Marsalis
Contrast in the Manero Flayback goes well beyond color, however. Take for instance the sharp, contemporary lines of the markers. These details are clean and bold, with facets that project light with laser precision.
Now contrast those details with the sculpted, seemingly organic curves of the case.
Carl F. Bucherer even goes one step further by finishing off the Manero Flyback with a sapphire “top hat” crystal with beautifully rounded edges. Combined with the contrasting finishes of the lugs, brushed sides with polished edges, the Manero Flyback presents a kaleidoscope of details that tantalize the senses.
The blue theme is even echoed in the blued screws of the 25-jewel, CFB Calibre 1970, clearly presented through a sapphire exhibition case back.
This Manero embodies the quintessence of elegance, combined with the practicality of a sports watch. Whether formal dining or Formula 1, the Blue Manero Flyback adapts gracefully to any environment.
As a collector, first and foremost, I inevitably get the question, “Would you buy one?”
My heart sinks in utter resignation as I ponder this question because my heart has already decided.
Absolutely.
I simply wanted to take photos and write a review. Little did I expect to be so overwhelmed, so captivated by the Blue Manero Flyback that it is now an ABSOLUTE must buy for me, short in the cue for 2021 purchases as my budget allows.
"You have to make a decided effort to not get seduced by the Blues."
--Al Jarreau
