Vario Empire 10th-anniversary Art Deco chronograph — release discovery
Short overview, not a review. Pros and cons restate published facts only. No buying advice. Numbers not shown on a source we opened are omitted or marked unpublished.
Vario, a Singapore brand, marks ten years with a chronograph inspired by the Art Deco compass clock in the Empire State Building lobby (Vario journal, 28 September 2026). The journal lists a worldwide edition of 150 and a price of US$348, and states that the specs are the same as the Empire Tachymetre Chrono. The millimetre block below is that base model’s published specs, per Vario.
Vario’s limited-edition product page lists “$348.00 USD” and a “Limited Edition of 150 pieces”.
Verified specs
| Item | Published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Edition | 150 pieces worldwide | Vario journal |
| Spec relationship | Same as the Empire Tachymetre Chrono | Vario journal |
| Case diameter | 38 mm | Empire Tachymetre Chrono product page (base model) |
| Lug-to-lug | 46 mm | Empire Tachymetre Chrono product page (base model) |
| Thickness | 11.5 mm | Empire Tachymetre Chrono product page (base model) |
| Strap width | 20 mm, tapering to 16 mm; vintage-style Italian leather | Empire Tachymetre Chrono product page (base model) |
| Case / crown | Stainless steel case; onion crown | Vario journal |
| Crystal | Sapphire with anti-reflective coating on the inside | Empire Tachymetre Chrono product page (base model) |
| Water resistance | 5 ATM | Empire Tachymetre Chrono product page (base model) |
| Movement | Seiko VK64 meca-quartz | Empire Tachymetre Chrono product page (base model) |
| Dial | Art Deco compass-clock layout: guilloché centre, compass sub-dials, gold and silver accents. Journal note: numerals on the sub-dial will be shifted inwards slightly. | Vario journal |
| Price | US$348 | Vario journal |
| Base-model price | US$328.00 for the Empire Tachymetre Chrono, a different listing from the anniversary price | Empire Tachymetre Chrono product page |
| Singapore tax | Vario: “Shipping to US/UK/SG/DE/FR/ES/IT includes all duties and taxes.” | Empire Tachymetre Chrono product page |
| Limited-edition page | Lists “$348.00 USD” and a “Limited Edition of 150 pieces”. | Vario limited-edition product page |
| Delivery | Ivan Chua’s journal reply on 4 October 2026 estimated delivery for the end of 2026. | Ivan Chua, Vario journal reply, 4 October 2026 |
| Studio | Visits require a reservation. Orchard Plaza, 150 Orchard Road, #07-05, Singapore 238841. Tuesday–Friday, 12–5pm, except public holidays. | Vario journal and product page |
Fit on 6–7 in wrists (6.5 in reference)
Fit: Moderate risk on the 6.5 in reference wrist. Vario publishes 46 mm lug-to-lug on the Empire Tachymetre Chrono, and the anniversary journal says the limited edition uses the same specs. See the fit checker.
The flat top of the wrist (usable span) is the width a watch can sit on without its lugs hanging over the edge.
| Wrist (approx.) | Official lug to lug | Thickness | Fit note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0 in (152 mm) | 46 mm | 11.5 mm | High risk: 46 mm is longer than the flat top of a 6 in wrist (about 44.6 mm). |
| 6.5 in (165 mm) — reference | 46 mm | 11.5 mm | Moderate risk: 46 mm is close to the flat top of a 6.5 in wrist (about 48.3 mm). |
| 7.0 in (178 mm) | 46 mm | 11.5 mm | Low risk: 46 mm is under 90% of the flat top of a 7 in wrist (about 52.1 mm). |
Not published
- Singapore-dollar list price — the journal lists US$348.
- Power reserve — not on the anniversary journal or the Empire Tachymetre Chrono product page.
Short overview
Pros (from published facts)
- The Empire Tachymetre Chrono page publishes 38 mm, 46 mm lug-to-lug, and 11.5 mm, and the journal says the anniversary edition uses those specs.
- Seiko VK64 meca-quartz, sapphire with anti-reflective coating on the inside, and 5 ATM are on that product page.
- The journal lists US$348 and an edition of 150.
- Vario: “Shipping to US/UK/SG/DE/FR/ES/IT includes all duties and taxes.” The studio address is Orchard Plaza, by reservation.
Cons / gaps (from published facts)
- The anniversary journal does not reprint the millimetre block. Those figures are the base model’s published specs.
- The base-model page lists US$328.00. The anniversary price on the journal is US$348.
- No Singapore-dollar price is printed. Delivery is estimated for the end of 2026.
Singapore note
Vario is a Singapore brand. The journal lists US$348. About S$445 (estimate), converted at US$1 = S$1.28 (ExchangeRate-API open rates, 16 Oct 2026). Vario: “Shipping to US/UK/SG/DE/FR/ES/IT includes all duties and taxes.” Vario states that a studio visit requires a reservation. The office on Vario’s pages is Orchard Plaza, 150 Orchard Road, #07-05, Singapore 238841, Tuesday–Friday, 12–5pm, except public holidays.
Sources
- Vario journal — Celebrating 10 Years of Vario at Windup Watch Fair NYC (28 September 2026; reply 4 October 2026)
- Vario limited-edition product page — Vario Empire NY Tachymètre MecaQuartz Chronograph Watch (Limited Edition)
- Empire Black Tuxedo Tachymètre Chrono (base model)
- Exchange rate: ExchangeRate-API open rates, 16 Oct 2026. US$1 = S$1.28.