Monday, September 14, 2026

Habring² x Define Watches – “Lucky 20” Monopusher Chronograph Edition

 

Habring² x Define WatchesChrono-FelixLucky 20” Monopusher Chronograph Edition  - 2026

Anniversary watches can be tricky things. There is always the temptation to make them louder, shinier and more obviously commemorative than the watches that came before them. Add an anniversary logo, engrave a number somewhere prominent, change the dial colour and the job is technically done. 

The Habring² x Define Watches “Lucky 20” feels different. Created to mark 20 years of Define Watches in Australia, this 20-piece limited edition has something that is difficult to manufacture: context. It comes from a relationship between Peter and Lydia at Define Watches and Maria and Richard Habring, along with the wider Habring² team. It also represents two decades spent introducing Australian enthusiasts to independent manufacturers, unusual complications and watches that often make far more sense once they are handled than when they are reduced to a specification sheet.

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That makes Habring² a particularly appropriate collaborator. There are brands whose appeal begins with prestige, scarcity or name recognition. Habring² has always appealed for almost the opposite reason. Its watches tend to be mechanically interesting without becoming theatrical about it. There is an engineering directness to them, balanced by enough traditional watchmaking character to keep things charming rather than clinical. The Lucky 20 fits naturally into that world.

A Monopusher Makes an Appropriate Starting Point

At its core, the Lucky 20 is a hand-wound monopusher chronograph, which immediately places it in an interesting corner of mechanical watchmaking. The modern chronograph is familiar enough. Two pushers, normally placed above and below the crown, have become such a standard part of the design language that their operation is rarely considered. One starts and stops the chronograph while the second resets it. A monopusher compresses those functions into a single control, with start, stop and reset performed sequentially through one pusher.

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Mechanically, that alone gives the watch a point of difference, but aesthetically it matters just as much. Removing the second chronograph pusher allows the case to retain a cleaner profile. On a watch such as the Lucky 20, where classical proportions and restraint are central to the design, that simplicity works particularly well. The movement responsible is Habring²’s A11C-H1, a hand-wound calibre measuring 30 mm across and 6.5 mm high. It runs at 28,800 alternations per hour, or 4 Hz, and provides approximately 48 hours of power reserve. Small seconds occupy the register at 9 o’clock, balanced by the chronograph’s 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock. It is a traditional layout and for good reason. The symmetry gives the dial structure without making the watch feel busy.

There is also something inherently satisfying about pairing a chronograph with manual winding. Neither function is necessary in an age of smartphones and quartz timing, of course, but that misses the attraction entirely. Winding the movement and activating a mechanical chronograph are tactile reminders that the object on the wrist is a machine, and that sense of interaction remains one of the enduring pleasures of mechanical watch ownership.

The A11C-H1 Is More Than a Specification

Habring²’s approach to movement construction is particularly relevant to a watch like this because the company does not rely on complexity simply for the sake of creating impressive numbers. The A11C-H1 contains 180 parts, of which Habring² identifies 76 as service-relevant components. It uses 25 jewels, a tangential screw fine-adjustment system, KIF shock protection and an anti-magnetic escapement fitted with a Carl Haas hairspring of chronometer quality.

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These may not be the details that initially attract someone to the Lucky 20, but they help explain why enthusiasts have developed such respect for Habring². Independent watchmaking sometimes becomes associated with extraordinary finishing, unusual displays and prices that place watches firmly in the realm of art objects. Habring² occupies another valuable part of the independent landscape. There is real horological interest here, but also an obvious concern for robustness, maintainability and long-term ownership. That philosophy is especially suitable for an anniversary piece intended to be worn rather than simply kept as a commemorative object.

The decoration has not been ignored either. The movement is finished by hand with polished edges, perlage and decorative engraving, all visible through the sapphire crystal case back. It is attractive without pretending to be something entirely different from what it is: a carefully engineered mechanical chronograph designed by people who understand how watches are actually used and serviced.

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Then there is the clover. A four-leaf clover has been specially engraved into the movement as a Glücksbringer, literally a bringer of good luck. It could easily have become a novelty detail. Instead, being incorporated into the movement keeps it personal and relatively discreet. The significance is broader than simple superstition. “Lucky 20” refers to the sense of good fortune surrounding the relationships, friendships and opportunities that have developed over Define Watches’ two decades. In that setting, the little clover feels less like branding and more like a private signature.

The Dial Gives the Watch Its Personality

Mechanically, the Habring² chronograph provides the foundation. Visually, however, the dial is what makes this particular edition immediately recognisable. The beige-golden finish is an unusual choice. It is warmer than silver, quieter than yellow gold and considerably less predictable than the blue, black or white surfaces commonly chosen for limited editions.

Texture prevents the colour from becoming flat. Light plays across the surface rather than simply reflecting from it, creating small changes in tone as the wrist moves. It is the kind of dial that should look noticeably different under strong daylight, subdued indoor lighting and the warmer light of an evening. Applied polished steel Breguet-style numerals introduce a distinctly traditional influence. Breguet numerals can sometimes make a dial feel overtly vintage, particularly when combined with highly ornate hands or a period-style case. Here they are balanced against the relatively straightforward architecture of the Habring² chronograph.

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That balance is important. Lucky 20 does not look like an attempt to recreate a chronograph from 1940 or 1950. The references to classical watchmaking are obvious, but the result remains contemporary enough to avoid becoming costume. The two registers further break up the dial surface, providing the visual distinction expected of a chronograph while maintaining symmetry. Polished silver hour and minute hands sit comfortably against the warmer backdrop, with polished steel hands used for the chronograph indications.

Above everything is a spherical sapphire crystal. That gently domed profile matters more than it might appear from the specifications. Flat crystals can give a watch a sharper and more modern presentation. A curved crystal softens the transition between dial and case, particularly when viewed from an angle, and suits the Lucky 20’s restrained aesthetic.

38.5 Millimetres Is Exactly the Sort of Number Enthusiasts Notice

The case measures 38.5 mm in diameter, approximately 11.5 mm thick and around 46 mm from lug to lug. Those numbers are worth pausing on. Mechanical chronographs have a habit of growing. The movement needs space, the pushers add visual bulk and manufacturers often compensate by producing cases comfortably above 40 mm. There is nothing inherently wrong with a larger chronograph, but smaller examples have a particular charm because the information and mechanical complexity are compressed into a more traditional footprint.

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At 38.5 mm, the Lucky 20 should have presence without allowing the case to overwhelm the dial. The approximately 46 mm lug-to-lug measurement is equally significant. Combined with gently curved lugs, it should make the watch accessible to a surprisingly wide range of wrists. This is also where the monopusher configuration pays another aesthetic dividend. The case flank remains comparatively clean, reinforcing the sense that this is an elegant watch that happens to contain a chronograph rather than a sports chronograph that has been dressed up for formal occasions.

Water resistance is rated to 30 metres, so nobody will confuse the Lucky 20 with a dive watch. That is entirely consistent with its purpose. The three-part stainless steel case, double-sealed crown, sapphire front crystal and sapphire exhibition back create a watch designed for normal daily wear while retaining its relatively delicate visual character.

Two Straps, Rather Than One Compromise

Each Lucky 20 is delivered with two handmade leather straps produced exclusively for the edition. That may sound like a small inclusion, but it makes sense with a dial such as this. Beige-golden tones can change character quite dramatically depending on what surrounds them. A strap can push the watch towards the formal end of the spectrum or make it feel much more casual without altering anything fundamental about the watch itself.

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Supplying two straps also reinforces the idea that these pieces are meant to be worn. Limited editions can occasionally become trapped by their own rarity. Owners become reluctant to mark them, scratch them or even change straps because preservation overtakes enjoyment. Habring² watches have never seemed especially suited to that mentality. The Lucky 20 may be one of only 20 examples, but its proportions, hand-wound movement and strap versatility encourage interaction.

A Limited Edition Where the Number Actually Means Something

The watch industry has stretched the term “limited edition” considerably over the years. Runs of hundreds or thousands are not unusual, and sometimes the limitation feels more like a marketing structure than an integral part of the watch. Twenty pieces is different. More importantly, the number 20 is not arbitrary. There are 20 watches because there are 20 years being commemorated.

Each piece carries a consecutive serial number engraved between the lugs at 6 o’clock. Positioning it there keeps the numbering understated. It remains part of the watch’s identity without needing to dominate the case back or dial. This restraint is a recurring theme throughout the Lucky 20. The clover is within the movement. The edition number is between the lugs. The anniversary is expressed through the choices made in creating the watch rather than through oversized commemorative text.

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For collectors, that may ultimately be one of its strongest qualities. The most convincing collaborative watches tend to reveal something about both parties involved. Lucky 20 unmistakably carries Habring² DNA. The manual-wind monopusher chronograph, practical movement architecture, straightforward case construction and approachable dimensions all feel consistent with the maker.

At the same time, it makes sense as a Define Watches anniversary piece. Define Watches has spent 20 years concentrating on independent manufacturers and introducing enthusiasts to watches that sit outside the obvious mainstream choices. Producing an anniversary watch with a small independent maker therefore feels far more appropriate than commissioning a generic commemorative model bearing an anniversary logo.

Why the Lucky 20 Works

Perhaps most importantly, the watch has enough personality to stand on its own after the anniversary has passed. Twenty years from now, its owner will not need to know the entire backstory to appreciate the textured beige-golden dial, applied numerals, compact case or monopusher mechanism. Those qualities are intrinsic to the watch. Knowing the story simply adds another layer.

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That is ultimately what makes the Habring² x Define Watches Lucky 20 interesting. It is a genuinely small-run chronograph with strong mechanical foundations, restrained proportions and enough unusual detail to reward someone who pays attention. The four-leaf clover might be there for luck, but the rest of the watch has very little to do with chance.

It is the product of twenty years of relationships, a shared enthusiasm for independent watchmaking and a collaboration between people who understand why the little details matter. For an anniversary watch, that feels like exactly the right thing to celebrate.

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TECHNICAL DATA

COLLABORATIONS

Model name: Habring² x Define Watches – Chrono-Felix Lucky 20 Monopusher Chronograph Edition

 Click, to see the large size. BIG FOTO 


Movement

Caliber Habring²  A11C-H1:
    Diameter: 30 mm; height: 6.5 mm
    Hour and minute hands; small seconds at 9h
    Mono pusher chronograph with 30-minute counter at 3h
    28,800 alternations per hour (4Hz)
    Hand-wound with a 48-hour power reserve
    Tangential screw fine adjustment
    Anti-magnetic escapement with Carl Haas hairspring (chronometer quality)
    KIF shock protection, compliant with DIN and NIHS
    25 rubies
    Elaborately refined by hand with polished edges, decorative engravings, and perlage
    76 service-relevant components (180 parts in total)
Case:
    Stainless steel, three-part construction
    Diameter: 38.5 mm, height approx. 11.5mm
    Lug to Lug: approx. 46mm
    Waterproof to 30 metres
    Spherical sapphire crystal
    Double-sealed crown, sapphire crystal case back
    Consecutive engraved serial number between the lugs at 6 o’clock
Dial:
Textured beige/golden finish
Polished steel, applied Breguet-style numerals
Minute track, small second track, and 30-minute sub-dials printed in white
Polished silver hour and minute hands
Chronograph hands in polished steel
Strap:
Comes with two bands: two leather bands, hand-made, exclusively for this edition.

🔰Edition Only ❱❱❱ 20 pieces
🔴PRICE  CHF 81'944 (excl. taxes)💰
 
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