At this year’s Watches and Wonders, the world learned about Angelus’ incredible monopusher chronograph, the Instrument de Vitesse. Now, to be honest, I got a sneak peek at that watch last year. It was the first time I was able to handle it and it exceeded my expectations. Back then, you could choose between ebony and ivory dial versions (unfortunately, no pun intended). We only had to wait a few months for the latest updates on the Instrument de Vitesse in the Angelus La Fabrique collection. I tried out the new Instrument de Vitesse Indianapolis Blue.
In our first article on model lines, we briefly introduced the Instrument de Vitesse. A few months later, I received the Indianapolis Blue before its official release on WatchTime New York. I finally got to spend some time with this watch, and it’s safe to say it was a pain to send it back.
vitesse utensils
The Instrument de Vitesse chronograph is the first piece in the Angelus La Fabrique model line. Well, to be more precise, the first model was the Chronograph Medical x Massena Lab, but that was a one-off. What followed was the Instrument de Vitesse, which first featured the two dial colors mentioned above. These were the perfect release to represent the dial tones found in vintage watches. This is the whole idea behind this watch, a new model that is very vintage inspired. Although Angelus does not produce 1:1 reissues, these modern watches draw inspiration from the brand’s rich past. Chronographe Medical and Instrument de Vitesse went one step further. These watches look like reissues of vintage Angelus models. However, there is a catch. The vintage Instrument de Vitesse did not exist. Kudos to the Angelus design team.
Indianapolis Blue or Silverstone Gray?
Ivory white or ebony black is the dial color that makes you think of the vintage Instrument de Vitesse from the 50s. The two new additions to the line, Indianapolis Blue and Silverstone Gray (I don’t think the names need any explanation), may seem strange at first glance. A vintage-looking watch with a blue dial in this shade is odd. But therein lies the genius of this watch for me. It looks modern and 50’s at the same time, but I don’t mind that. As I handled both models during the show, I was intrigued by the blue version, so I asked for a press sample for review. Blue feels more elegant. If it was gray, it might have looked a little more sporty. However, on the wrist, both models work equally well.
Wearability
Thanks to its hand-wound movement, the Angelus Instrument de Vitesse Indianapolis Blue is just 9.2 mm thick and 39 mm wide, making it only slightly more noticeable than the legendary Angelus 215 Hungarian Air Force chronograph. But they came with long lugs. This model has a shorter dial and offers a more comfortable fit. It fits perfectly on your wrist, and the pushers integrated into the crown make it easy to operate the chronograph. This Instrument de Vitesse comes with a blue nubuck leather strap with a pin buckle signed by Angelus. It enhances the look and enhances modernity. The tachymeter scale on the dial is wide, with large numbers and a thick syringe needle for excellent visibility. These gold Super-LumiNova-filled numerals and hands provide a nice contrast against the blue dial. I also like the touch of blue on the tachymeter scale on the Silverstone Gray model.
What’s inside?
If the Angelus Instrument de Vitesse Indianapolis Blue caliber looks familiar, you know your watch. This model is powered by the Angelus caliber A5000, which is based on the La Joux Perret 5000-4 movement. That is, the caliber is not made in-house, but it is from within the group, as La Joux Perret and Angelus belong to the same company (Citizen). A similar caliber can be found in the Ming 37.04, among other products. It is a 23-jewel, 21,600-vph, mechanical hand-wound movement with a column wheel and a power reserve of approximately 42 hours. Since this is a 60 second chronograph, there is no subdial as the watch can only *measure* seconds. However, this is sufficient to calculate the velocity, which is the essence of the model. After all, the name Instrument de Vitesse means “speedometer”. The A5000 is not only a complex caliber, but also a caliber with beautiful decorations such as Geneva stripes, chamfered bridges and polished screws.
Further considerations
Please note that the Angelus Instrument de Vitesse Indianapolis Blue is limited to 25 pieces, as is the Silverstone Gray version. It is highly unlikely that another individual will be seen in the wild. Due to its complicated movement, limitations, and overall construction, this watch costs CHF 17,200 (excl. tax), which is too much for most people. I’m not trying to justify the price, but I think the watch speaks for itself. I had a great time with the Instrument de Vitesse Indianapolis Blue. As a vintage Angelus fan, I would buy one in a heartbeat if I could afford it. Ah, I can dream.
To conclude this article, I hope brands don’t mind me sharing this with you all. I’ve seen some of the new models in the works, and all I can say is that if you liked the Instrument de Vitesse Indianapolis Blue, you’ll love them too.
