Hands-On Baltic Brings Back A Classic Combo With The Tour Auto Chronograph And Dash Timer Set

That's right. Out of everything there, I spent a few extra minutes standing around the TAG Heuer booth, looking at the old rally timers on display and the new dash timer/clock pair in the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Panamericana unveiled in the booth. I thought to myself, "Why aren't people making these anymore?" And as with any time I see something good and nostalgic, I immediately pulled out my phone and start looking for deals on old Heuer dash timers.

If you want a dash timer now, you've basically one great option on the market: Hanhart. But now, thanks to Baltic, you've got another. Really, that was the biggest surprise about the set I got to spend some time with a few weeks before the release. Baltic makes great watches, and when they tell you they've got a new chronograph, you generally know what to expect in the best possible way. Believe me, I own one. But when they told me they were taking their next limited edition release a step further with a dash timer, it was both a surprise and some dream come true for that nostalgia-driven part of my brain that tempts me to buy things I probably don't need but desperately want. First, there's a watch to talk about.

The idea for the new set from Baltic came in support of the brand's role as the official timekeeper for the Tour Auto 2024, a French road rally running April 21 to 27. The rally actually dates back to the Tour de France Automobile which started back in 1899, making it the oldest rally still in existence. This time, the route starts in Paris and ends in Biarritz, with stops to compete on the Le Mans, Val de Vienne, Nogaro, and Pau Arnos circuits. In a way, it's kind of funny to see such a young brand associated with such an old race, but through our chats, I've learned the team at Baltic are massive lovers of auto sport and automotive history. 

The crew is not only sponsoring the event but partaking in it. They have a BMW M1 with Baltic livery. Finish rally car legend and four-time Paris Dakar Rally-winner Ari Vatanen will be driving with the team. And while both cars and watches can be expensive hobbies, they don't have to be, as this commemorative chronograph shows.

Having handled a few of Baltic's three-register chronographs before, the first thing that struck me was the very nicely done, relatively subtle tricolore French theme. You've got a mix of red, white, and blue, all in slightly different hues around the watch. The colors they've chosen are harmonious enough that they don't clash, but soft enough that it doesn't smack you in the face of French nationalism the way a pair of "stars-and-stripes" shorts does. 

The case measures 39.5mm by 13.5mm (with a large double-domed crystal making up 2.5mm of that height) and has a 47mm lug-to-lug with 20mm lug width. It's a pretty normal measurement range for a modern recreation of a classic design. Inside, there's a Sellita SW510-M manually-wound cam-style chronograph movement with a hacking running seconds at 9 o'clock, 30 30-minute counter at 3 o'clock, and a 12-hour counter at 6 o'clock. The watch runs at 28,800 vph with a 63-hour power reserve.

Commemorative watches like this are a great souvenir – you get one from Chopard for competing in the Mille Miglia if you're a paid participant. But the ways that brands choose to "theme" the watches or differentiate them between standard releases vary. Baltic has gone all-in not just on the tricolore accents but highlighting "Tour Auto" at the bottom of the dial. They've also put the rally logo on the caseback, which will also be where you'll find the numbered edition of the watch (out of a total of 500 pieces). 

The rest continues the standard things I liked about the Chronograph I already have. Drilled lugs, solid pump pushers, decent winding action of the crown. The brushed aluminum bezel also has a bit of a nice faded quality to it already, with gold lettering giving another pop of color.

Even if you have drilled lugs that make changing straps a breeze, Baltic has also included a quick-change system on their stainless steel flat-link bracelets. For a bit of extra automotive styling, they've included a navy blue Alcantarra strap, which I thought was a nice touch. Even if I like wearing bracelets, I've started to dip my toes more into straps lately and the right strap makes all the difference.

Now, let's go back to the thing that really surprised me with this new limited edition set. Each box also comes with the aforementioned dash timer. The designs and layouts pair well with the chronograph I just showed you. The left module is a flyback chronograph with 30 30-minute counter and that French-flag-inspired design language. On the right is a super-legibile clock with a nice font selection that gives it a good retro appeal.

Baltic didn't do these alone, however. Remember how I mentioned that one brand has nearly cornered the market on the anachronistic mechanical dash timer? Well, the stopwatch with Flyback function is powered by a Hanhart mechanical movement. The action of the reset is a bit squishy – I found that I would occasionally not depress it all the way and it would only partially go back to zero. But in the heat of a race, I'd probably be gripping onto that sucker for dear life and clicking like my life depended on it.

The clock, on the other hand, is powered by a Seagull ST3600 Type 6497 movement. I don't have much to say about that, really. I set the clock, let it run, and it seemed to work just fine. You'll also note that the prototypes say "2023" on the bottom. Obviously, that will be updated for the release models. But the best fact for me is that the pair not only goes well together, but exists at all these days, let alone from a relatively young and affordable brand.

Let's talk price and release date. The sets will be available for sale on the Baltic website starting April 22 and 10 AM Eastern time for €2,100, which feels like a great deal for the set. The last Tri-compax I bought cost more than that and didn't come with a rally timer. So am I going to get one? Well, remember how I said this stuff falls into the category of things I want but don't necessarily need? I don't have a car right now, so the only dash it would be timing is my run from my desk and back to get coffee in the morning. Does it make me want it any less? Not really.

The Baltic "Tour Auto" Tricompax and Dash Timer Limited Edition Set: Chronograph with 39.5mm x 13.5mm 316L stainless steel case with 47mm lug-to-lug and 20mm lug with. Watch comes on a flat-link steel bracelet with navy blue Alcantarra strap; French "tricolore" dial with light beige matte finish, white guilloche subdials, and Super-LumiNova; aluminum tachymeter bezel; movement: Sellita SW510-M manually-wound chronograph; water resistant to 50m; Dash timer set with stopwatch with Flyback function powered by a Hanhart mechanical movement and dashclock powered by a Seagull ST3600 Type 6497 mechanical movement; Comes with steel mounting structure; Set limited to 500 numbered pieces; Price: €2,100.