Vario Empire White Tuxedo Gold Tachymètre Chronograph

A Jazz Bar, a Wedding, and Everything in Between

April 3, 2026

by Anna Kubasik

There is a particular kind of elegance that belongs to the 1920s - the whole atmosphere. Smoky bars, absinthe in short glasses, poetry written on napkins, jazz at midnight, and people dressed like they really meant it. Polish Bohemia had its version of this. Those circles of artists and intellectuals who gathered in Kraków and Warsaw cafés, living loudly and beautifully in the space between the wars. When I put the Vario Empire White Tuxedo Gold Tachymètre on my wrist for the first time, that is exactly what came to mind.

It sounds like a lot to ask of a $328 watch. But here we are.

The Dial That Started It All

I’ll just say it: the White Tuxedo Gold is my favorite in the whole Empire Tachymètre Chronograph lineup. The way the black outer ring, the layered guilloché center, and the warm gold accents come together makes it look authentically period-correct right away. It isn't a costume piece or a pastiche. It feels like a watch that has always existed, and someone simply found it and brought it back to life.

The guilloché is the heart of it. The dial is built in multiple rings at different heights, each with its own texture and its own relationship with light. When you tilt the watch something new appears - one ring catches the light while another goes quiet. The skeletonized hands float above all of it, and because you can see through them, the depth behind them seems even deeper. The whole surface has a complexity that I find genuinely fascinating, and absolutely stunning. I was even tempted to look at this dial under magnification. Yes, that level.

The gold indices shine at different angles like a little piece of jewelry on the dial. Not too shiny or distracting in any way, they compliment all of the other elements of the dial beautifully.

The polished bezel really takes things up a notch. It frames the dial beautifully, and I’m glad it’s silver rather than gold. It makes the whole design feel more interesting, and the high polish picks up those gold tones from the dial. The onion crown is the perfect finishing touch. It is shaped exactly right for the era and is easy to grip, even if you won't need to use it much. Next to it, the rectangular pushers at 2 and 4 o'clock offer a nice contrast. They are polished, have a very satisfying click, and are exactly the right shape for a watch that leans so heavily into its Art Deco roots.

The caseback features an engraving of the Empire State Building, completed in 1931, Art Deco's most famous monument. It is a nice touch and a self-aware one, linking the name of the model to the design language of the whole thing. In the case of a meca-quartz movement, there is no mechanical ballet to admire through an exhibition back, so this decoration feels in the right place.

The Case: Where Proportion Becomes Personal

The Empire Chronograph is 38mm across, 11.5mm thick, with a lug-to-lug of 46mm. On my 14cm wrist, it is exactly right (which I think is not a surprise to anyone). However, I want to say more than that because "exactly right" does not explain the specific pleasure of it.

The lugs curve down with a real purpose, pulling the watch close to your wrist rather than letting it just sit on top. This is a huge plus for anyone with a smaller wrist. The watch feels substantial and has a real presence without feeling bulky or out of place. It wears with the kind of confidence you usually find in well-proportioned dress watches that cost twice as much. It slips under a shirt cuff easily, but definitely makes an impression when it is out in the open. Elegant is the only way to describe it. It is specifically elegant, not just generically small.

On Meca-quartz, Honestly

I love chronographs, but I’m also pretty realistic about what it costs to actually service a mechanical one. At this price point, a fully mechanical movement usually means you’re compromising somewhere else, like the case finishing, the dial, or the strap.

The Seiko VK64A Meca-Quartz is a different way of looking at it. You keep the classic aesthetic, the sweeping chronograph hand, and those satisfying, clicky pushers, but you accept quartz accuracy and a battery swap every few years. In return, everything else about the watch stays high quality. To me, that’s a fair trade, and I think most people will feel the same way once they get it on their wrist.

There are just a few things to know before you buy. The subdials on the VK64 aren't fully functional in the traditional sense. The 24-hour display at 3 o'clock acts more like an AM/PM indicator than a practical tool. Also, there’s no running seconds hand for normal timekeeping. The big central hand only moves when you push the chronograph pusher, so the dial looks still most of the time. None of that really bothers me, none of these is specific to this watch (but to all VK64-based watches) but it is definitely worth keeping in mind.

The Strap: the Right Leather For the Right Watch

I already knew Vario made great straps, but I didn't expect the bronze leather to look this good with the Tuxedo Gold dial. It adds a warm, vintage character to the watch. Even the black edges on the strap catch the dark rings on the dial, which makes the whole setup feel very intentional.

On the practical side, it is soft right out of the box. It isn't the kind of strap that needs months to break in or just promises to get comfortable eventually. It is soft immediately and isn't too thick. That is a big deal for me because I have been burned by stiff leather straps in the past. This one hits a sweet spot you don't often find at this price. It feels great on the wrist without being distracting.

Who Is This For

This is the kind of watch that works just as well at a late night jazz club as it does at a wedding. I mean that as a huge compliment. Very few watches, regardless of the price, can pull off that kind of range without feeling out of place in one of those settings.

It is for someone who truly loves Art Deco because it is beautiful, not just because it is historically significant. It is for the person who wants a chronograph they can actually wear and enjoy without stressing over a service schedule. If you look at the big Swiss dress chronos and their massive price tags, long waiting lists, and high maintenance costs, and decide life is too short for all that, this watch is for you.

It isn't for someone who needs their subdials to be precision tools. It is absolutely for the person who understands that with a watch this elegant, the chronograph is largely a design choice, and they are perfectly happy with that.

Final Thoughts

Art Deco has always been one of my favorite design inspirations in watchmaking. Having handled quite a few watches inspired by this time period, I’ve developed a pretty clear sense of which brands actually get it and which ones are just scratching the surface. Vario definitely gets it. The Empire Tachymètre Chronograph doesn’t feel like a random collection of vintage references just thrown together. It is a cohesive design that comes from a very specific point of view.

I’ve been following Vario for a while now. I’ve met Ivan and Judy at a few watch events, and what always stands out is their genuine enthusiasm. It isn't that polished, corporate hype you get from a marketing presentation. It is the real thing, coming from people who clearly love what they’re building and are genuinely curious about what is next. Supporting a brand that offers this level of quality feels like an easy decision for me.

At $328, the White Tuxedo Gold is easily one of the most original looking watches I have reviewed this year. The guilloché dial alone is worth the price of admission. When you factor in the rest of the watch, the proportions, the strap, and those period-correct details, it only makes the case stronger.

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