In Praise of the Mondaine Stop2Go

I love my Mondaine Stop2Go.  I don't claim to know or understand what is currently motivating Mondaine's approach here in the US, but having spent enough time in Switzerland I can say that I find 

it a reassuring quantity there. The Stop2Go is based on the same motion as the Swiss Rail clocks and (if I am not mistaken) in the lobby of certain portions of Boston Logan airport. The second hand sweeps around the face of the clock, pausing or "stopping" at 12:00 o'clock before the minute hand advances.

With the purchase/acquisition of Luminox, Mondaine seemed to lose its luster to the owners. Apologies to one and all if that seems unfair, I can only go by what I saw at the last BaselWorld I attended (LOTs of Luminox, and about zero Mondaine). 

The other thing I've noticed is a decided de-emphasis on the Stop2Go. And in some ways I get it. Compared to the other pieces in the collection, they are not inexpensive. And as I have to remind myself, I am not the only consumer out there, Mondaine makes watches for A LOT of people, not just me ; )

Now again, for those of you unfamiliar, the Stop2Go gets its name form the pause of the second hand just prior to the minute advancing. In essence, it stops. The minute hand then advances and the second hand resumes its sweep around the dial.

My particular Stop2Go is the Gottardo 2016, with a green bezel derived from the door of a train, as they were painted green back in the day.

http://www.tempusfugit.watch/2016/06/the-sbb-gottardo2016-stop2go.html

I managed to pick mine up in 2018 - and it was NOT EASY!

COVID has changed a lot for all of us.  For the second year in a row, I find myself in my New England home rather than riding the rails across the cantons in to visit dear friends and search out new stories.  Let's hope that our collective "STOP" is nearly over, and we can all "GO" in the not too distant future. You will know me when you see me - I'll be the Northern Youth standing in the station, coffee in one hand, camera in the other. I hope to see you all there soon.

The One that Got Away - Until Now!

I am a Mondaine fan.  There, I've said it. 

This is the Gottardo 2016.  You might remember it from such blog posts as:

The SBB Gottardo2016 stop2go 

I was lucky enough to stumble onto one of these not too long ago and was very grateful for the opportunity to pick it up.  

This particular model was released a few years back, the bezel featuring a unique twist.  Here is part of what I wrote at the time of the release -

It is the stop2go series so you have the clever hesitation by the second hand when it reaches 12.  But what I find draws me beyond that (which admittedly might turn some people off) is the bezel.  It is  crafted from the driver’s cab door of an Ae6/6.  I realize that not everyone is into train spotting, so here is a breakdown of the Ae6/6 courtesy of the good folks at Wikipedia -

The Ae 6/6 is a heavy electric locomotive used by the SBB-CFF-FFS. It is sometimes also referred to as canton locomotive ("Kantonslokomotive"), because the first 25 locomotives were named after the cantons, and carried the canton's coat of arms on the side and chrome embellishments (a single raised stripe on each side and three raised stripes on each end), and the Swiss coat of arms on the front, between the chrome stripes. These adornments made them internationally famous. The other 95 locomotives received the names of capital cities of Swiss cantons, and other towns and cities, but without the chrome embellishments. The namings were held as ceremonies in the respective cities.

Originally designed for heavy services on the Gotthard route, as many Swiss locomotives were, the Ae 6/6 was one of the classic Gotthard locomotives.

All locomotives were originally painted in the SBB CFF FFS green livery, with the number, and either SBB CFF, or SBB FFS on each side, all raised numerals in chrome. Nowadays about half are painted red, and a proportion of the fleet have been repainted in SBB Cargo livery, with all raised chrome embellishments removed apart from the Swiss coat of arms on each end. These locomotives have been renumbered (as class 610) in line with the current Swiss numbering scheme

 

And Hence, the bezel is green.

  
I go to Switzerland a fair bit.  I ride the rails and I see the Mondaine clocks.  But interesting to relate, if you go to Boston's Logan airport, you will find (at least one) Mondaine clock there too!  So for me it's a bit of "bringing it all back home".

The deeper you dive into any interest or hobby, it is inevitable that eventually you will stop going by what your friends (both real and virtual) tell you to like, and start listening to yourself, and following your own lead.  The Stop2Go collection is something that I really, really enjoy.  They are fun to look at, yet still sorta' serious.  And I find myself hoping to be glancing down at the dial just at the right moment to watch the second hand gently slide upwards before pausing just before 12 o'clock so that the minute hand can jump forward.  Is it a highly complex, prohibitively costly mechanical mechanism?  Nope!  And thank goodness!  This is a fun, everyday watch that you can (and should) wear and enjoy.  

Here are the pertinents -

Function	stop2go
Movement (type)	Swiss quartz Movement Mondaine cal 58-02 stop2go
Case size / diameter (mm)	41 mm stainless steel case
Crystal/Glass material	Scratch resistant sapphire crystal
Strap	Genuine leather strap
Water resistance	Water resistant tested to 3ATM
Origin	Swiss made

The Backlight

From Mondaine -



Available in:

SBB stop2go -

Courtesy of Mondaine

Courtesy of Mondaine

Courtesy of Mondaine

The SBB Giant and SBB Mini Giant -

Courtesy of Mondaine

Courtesy of Mondaine

The SBB Gottardo2016 stop2go

From Mondaine -

Courtesy of Mondaine

I have a weird sort of soft spot for Mondaine's railway watches.  Traveling around Switzerland by train, I clap eyes on the Mondaine clocks at nearly every stop.  The watch itself is also quite cool and in fairness, it has become for many synonymous with Switzerland.  While this latest iteration might not be for everyone, I have to say that it is a pretty cool twist on the original.

Courtesy of Mondaine

It is the stop2go series so you have the clever hesitation by the second hand when it reaches 12.  But what I find draws me beyond that (which admittedly might turn some people off) is the bezel.  It is  crafted from the driver’s cab door of an Ae6/6.  I realize that not everyone is into train spotting, so here is a breakdown of the Ae6/6 courtesy of the good folks at Wikipedia -

The Ae 6/6 is a heavy electric locomotive used by the SBB-CFF-FFS. It is sometimes also referred to as canton locomotive ("Kantonslokomotive"), because the first 25 locomotives were named after the cantons, and carried the canton's coat of arms on the side and chrome embellishments (a single raised stripe on each side and three raised stripes on each end), and the Swiss coat of arms on the front, between the chrome stripes. These adornments made them internationally famous. The other 95 locomotives received the names of capital cities of Swiss cantons, and other towns and cities, but without the chrome embellishments. The namings were held as ceremonies in the respective cities.

Originally designed for heavy services on the Gotthard route, as many Swiss locomotives were, the Ae 6/6 was one of the classic Gotthard locomotives.

All locomotives were originally painted in the SBB CFF FFS green livery, with the number, and either SBB CFF, or SBB FFS on each side, all raised numerals in chrome. Nowadays about half are painted red, and a proportion of the fleet have been repainted in SBB Cargo livery, with all raised chrome embellishments removed apart from the Swiss coat of arms on each end. These locomotives have been renumbered (as class 610) in line with the current Swiss numbering scheme

Hence, the bezel is green.

Courtesy of Mondaine

The case back bears the official Gottardo2016 logo celebrating the Gottardo tunnel.  

It is due in the US later this summer, but available in Switzerland now.  I might need to lean on a Swiss friend to pick one up for me ; )

Here are the pertinents -

Function	stop2go
Movement (type)	Swiss quartz Movement Mondaine cal 58-02 stop2go
Case size / diameter (mm)	41 mm stainless steel case
Crystal/Glass material	Scratch resistant sapphire crystal
Strap	Genuine leather strap
Water resistance	Water resistant tested to 3ATM
Origin	Swiss made