Introducing The Singer Reimagined Heritage V72

Cars and watches often share the same corner of an enthusiast’s mind, and if you’re a restomod fan, the Singer logo will make you think of reimagined (pun intended) razor-sharp Porsche 911s. That is because the first watch from Singer Reimagined, back in 2017, came about when Singer Vehicle Design’s Rob Dickinson met designer Marco Borraccino, an Italian with watchmaking in his blood, sparking the birth of this parallel watch brand. Singer's practice of blending modern details with retro cues in its cars informed the design of its inaugural watch, the Track1 central chronograph with its calibre 6361 movement. The watch brand has since broadened its scope with the wild Divetrack diver and last year’s dip into more dressy waters with the Caballero.

Borraccino has pulled off a strong brand identity that is resoundingly modern, with vintage cues that appear more spiritual than literal, a trait that makes the brand impervious to the fickle nature of trends. The Singer Reimagined Heritage V72 released today features restored timekeeping royalty as its oscillating heart. There is a short list of movements that made the twentieth-century chronograph what it is, and at the top of it sits the Valjoux 72.

"The Valjoux 72 symbolises a sort of Holy Grail, as it is perhaps the most emblematic chronograph found in the most revered and desired vintage watches," Marco Borraccino told me in a chat on the new release. "What makes the Valjoux 72 so revered is not simply its history, but its continuing emotional force."

This hand-wound, column-wheel calibre powered the manual Rolex Daytona from 1963 onward, the Heuer Carrera 2447 and Autavia, Universal Genève’s Compax and Tri-Compax, the Breitling Navitimer and even Patek Philippe’s reference 1518, one of the holiest of Holy Grails. It is thought that around 750,000 Valjoux 72 movements were made across a 60-year production run, finished and regulated by each brand in its own way, with the same crisp, tactile character collectors chase today. It is, in short, the soul of the golden-era chronograph. And it is exactly what Singer Reimagined has chosen to build its new Heritage V72 around, not as a tribute or a reissue, but featuring genuine, restored movements.

"The Valjoux 72 didn't come from our decision; it selected us!” says Borraccino. “It's not about selecting the movement you desire; it's about what destiny has in store for you. While pursuing vintage movements, you can never predict what you might discover or whether you'll uncover anything at all. We have a committed individual who consistently reaches out to people and actively seeks to uncover any hidden treasures in someone's attic.”

This is not the first time Singer has featured a restored Valjoux in its Heritage series. The calibre 236 features in their regular SR series, but with the V72 under its rear engine cover (again, Porsche pun intended), this chronograph plays in a different league.

The two references offered here are limited by the sourced movements, offered in a 50-piece edition of the steel SR621, and 20 examples of its 18K yellow gold brother, the SR620-1. Measuring a vintage-pure 38.8mm diameter x 13.25 in thickness, the cases are clean-cut with brushed top planes and discreet beveling, framing a recognisable Singer Reimagined dial. This includes a signature fluted bezel-associated ring framing the dial under a sapphire crystal.

The two versions in steel and gold feature a silky matte stone grey dial and black dial, respectively, both boasting a wide white outer track for minutes and applied hour markers with small central lume plots. Vintage-minimal recessed panda registers come in champagne for the black dial/gold case (Editor's Note: very John Player Special) and oyster grey for the grey dial/steel case. The evocative script of the Singer logo at 12 moves it up to a more modern vibe, as does the trademark big golden metal cabochon, speedometer-like, covering the central drive of the orange-filled hour and minute hands and a crisp needle chrono seconds.

As mentioned, all movements have a 44-hour power reserve and are hand-wound new-old-stock examples. The movements have been disassembled, refinished and rebuilt to a standard the ebauche never received in period. Let’s call it a philosophy of respect over nostalgia, and for Porsche nerds wanting me to bring back yet another connection, call it the equivalent of a fully restored early Mezger flat-six balanced down to the last valve spring and nut. Each movement comes with frosted bridge finishing for a refined matte effect, hand-polished chamfers and rhodium plating, plus a cheeky blue ALD treatment to the horizontal clutch at 12. The Valjoux 72 is set behind a glass-box sapphire back, showing a panoramic view of the movement, a calibre worthy of the rarely-used-by-me term iconic.

Don’t get me wrong, vintage-inspired watches are not new, but the Singer Reimagined collection seems to exist on a different plane. At once modern and classic, with a case and dial that scream vintage, the bold touches of hands and logo move the game up a contemporary notch, and the finishing is superb. Viewing this as a respectful move from Marco Borraccino is easy, and while the retail price of CHF 23,000 and CHF 45,000 for steel and 18K gold, respectively, might seem steep, there is a lot of work behind the two versions, and both are strong in their own right.

The defining architectural move of Heritage V72 is the newly developed glassbox construction for the caseback, and it makes for a full immersion into the mechanical complexities of the last century’s top stopwatch standards. Singer Reimagined has kept the design taut and contemporary, even if only through the small details on the dial and speedometer-like central hand cap, but it works. The Valjoux 72 carries a powerful story in itself, and this is a worthy frame, just like the unusual but now natural placement of what looks like a fluted bezel, but as the rehaut, the golden tone enlivening the monochrome steel version.

Most brands would fit a thoroughly restored Valjoux 72 in a watch that has every detail aligned to its 60s roots; mixing in modern touches and signature moves can be a minefield. But Singer Reimagined does it so well, and makes it all feel natural. The water resistance rating of 50 metres might not be the toughest, but its dressy proposition will surely make it at home with a few Singer fans already owning the zero-compromise 300-metre Divetrack for sportier activities.

Brand: Singer Reimagined
Model: Heritage V72
Reference Numbers: SR620-1 (gold), SR621 (steel)
Diameter: 38.8mm
Height: 13.25mm
Strap Width: 20mm at lugs, tapering to 16mm at buckle
Case Material: Stainless steel or 18-carat yellow solid gold (1N)
Caseback: Screwed, sapphire glass-box with internal anti-reflective coating (double glass-box construction, front and rear)
Crystal: Glass-box sapphire with double anti-reflective coating
Dial: Matte intense black (gold) or matte stone-grey (steel) with fluted golden flange, applied faceted markers and Singer logo
Hands: Rhodium-plated hour and minute hands, Singer Orange central seconds capped with golden cabochon
Lume: Orange Super-LumiNova (hour and minute hands)
Water Resistance: 50 metres (5 ATM)
Strap/Bracelet: Black-grained natural leather (gold), grey textile or black-grained leather (steel), pin buckle matched to case metal

Calibre: Singer SG7201, vintage NOS Valjoux 72 base restored and finished by Singer
Functions: Central hours and minutes; small seconds at 9 o’clock; chronograph with central seconds, 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock
Power Reserve: 44 hours
Winding: Hand-wound
Frequency: 18,000 vph (2.5Hz)
Jewels: 17
Components: 166
Movement Dimensions: 29.5 x 6.5mm
Finishing: NOS movements fully restored; frosted/sandblasted bridges and plates with hand-polished chamfers; rhodium-plated steel components horizontally brushed for 3-9 alignment; hand-polished screws; “Restored by Singer” engraving; blue ALD treatment on switch component

Price: CHF 23,000 excl. taxes (steel), CHF 45,000 excl. taxes (gold)
Availability: From early November 2026, via Singer Reimagined and select retail partners
Limited Edition: 50 pieces in stainless steel, 20 pieces in solid gold (70 total)
Warranty: 36-month international warranty
Packaging: Custom leather-wrapped Intrecciato presentation case

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