Much as we hate to admit it, credit where credit is due: the French know style. As does SevenFriday, that idiosyncratic brand that treads the line between pure accessible watchmaking and collectors darling. So it’s no surprise that, released for Bastille Day last week, their latest off-kilter release embraced all things French.
The T1/01 Cocorico is the latest in SevenFriday’s Off Series of cool limited editions and is Française to a fault. The most obvious nod to the watch’s origin is the Le Coq, the country’s unofficial mascot – but not quite a la world cup football shirts. Here the oversized drumstick-in-the-making is in sunglasses, all but screaming across the dial in cross-hatched tricolore. It’s… a statement, for sure, and makes the watch’s signature skeletonization seem subtle.
Said skeletonization is itself another nod to French heritage, taking design cues from Art Nouveau and it’s lovely. It’s a little different from the distinctly contemporary openworking SevenFriday normally opt for and it’s great, showing just enough of the movement through the dial to show it’s there, not enough to make it unreadable.
The red-white-and-blue of the cock is mirrored across the rest of the watch, with tiny red and blue numerals and white markers around the chapter ring. The 45mm stainless steel case is alternately blue and steel, while the crown is in red. Even without recalling the French flag, it’s a good-looking, primary-hued look.
The denim strap – yet another patriotic allusion given the material’s French origins – is particularly cool, especially with the chicken footprints in the red leather backing. The final touch is a caseback that mirrors the dial with its oversized, sunglass-sporting poultry and the limited edition number: the Off-Series Cocorico is limited to 450 pieces.
Inside is a skeletonised version of a Seiko NH70 automatic movement, reliable and typical of SevenFriday. It’s nothing cutting-edge but it’s solid, with a 40-hour power reserve. There’s not much to see, so the solid caseback doesn’t mean you miss anything.
Like every SevenFriday watch, the T1/01 Cocorico’s not going to be for everyone. It’s bold to the point of ostentation, but if you’re already a fan of SevenFriday (and I am) it’s just what we’ve come to expect and embrace from them. If only I wasn’t just a bit too British to wear a French flag on my wrist…
Price & Specs:
Model Name: SevenFriday T1/01 Cocorico
Case/Dial: 45mm diameter x 12.95mm thickness, stainless steel
Water Resistance: 30m (3 bar)
Movement: Calibre TMI (Seiko) NH70, automatic, skeleton
Frequency: 21,600 vph (3 Hz)
Power Reserve: 40h
Functions: Hours, minutes
Strap: Dark “bleu” denim with special rooster footstep stamped pattern “rouge” lining
Price: CHF 998, limited to 450 pieces
More details at SevenFriday.
