Beautifully Simple: H. Moser & Cie.

There seems to be a trend within the growing network of watch companies and watch enthusiasts to pursue the route of minimalist designs. The percentage of watches I manage to come across are a mass of simple dials, simple textiles, and simple prices yet they seem to dominate the followers of the market. They are frustratingly inelegant, possessing the charm of a luke-warm cup of tea. Although the reach of these companies and customers might not be into the fantastic world and prices of haute horlogerie, there must exist within their price range some watch with genuine character and a moment of elegance. I must say they are not for me, and it has nothing to do with the complications (or lack thereof), the prices, or the brands aesthetic value: its the look. Devastatingly simple. The ability of companies today with the technology available to make a beautifully elegant design at next to no cost is widely available and should be capitalized.

Now I would like to introduce one of my favourite watch brands to introduce and maintain the essence of elegance, of simplicity, depth, and charm: H Moser & Cie.

The catalogue and design of their watches does not fall within the outliers of great extremes; shocking, almost grotesque cases and dials are nowhere to be found. They have led a pursuit to providing watch enthusiasts with something very special, a look that commands the most attention without drawing waste by shock value. It is a wealth of great complications set within exquisite chemical bases and garnished with a sweepingly timeless signature. I love these pieces. And at this point, a student, I have no capacity to afford one. The prices are great, wonderful, appreciative. But for me that bears no significance, merely appreciation. And that is what H Moser & Cie. is for me, simple timekeeping that recognizes the purity of the science and the marvel of its engineering. Love,

Stephen.

Baselworld 2016: My First Report

Every spring, watch companies and fine jewelry makers descend on the town of Basel in Switzerland. The companies have concentrated together to showcase their newest and most ingenious creations for that year. This collectivized meeting point can trace its roots back to the beginning of the 20^th century with Schweizer Mustermesse Basel, which was a trade show that in 1917 dedicated a section of their catalogue and showcase to watches. Now the trade show, Baselworld, attracts watch manufacturers from around the world generating an audience in the hundreds of thousands. It is universally known as the most important showcase for the industry.

Baselworld for 2016 will be held from the 17^th of March and carrying on until the 24^th. It is truly an exciting moment for watch aficionados and companies to not only share their creations but to also see what their competitors brought to the watch table. Over the past few weeks, watch companies have been revealing small details to what they will be showcasing and I am thoroughly excited. This is my first year reporting on Baselworld and I hope to share the highlights and most surprising debuts. Six days to go.

Stephen.

Czapek & Cie. Back to the Grand Stage

The revival of a historic brand can make for an exciting and profitable venture. What is key for a company’s revival is a complete understanding of the firm’s history as well as providing a well documented record of their history. In 1990, A. Lange & Söhne was brought back to life after nearly 42 years of being out of production. With the aid of Jaeger-LeCoultre and IWC, along with watch exec Günter Blümelin and the founder’s great-grandson Walter Lange, the company arose to great success and today commands fantastic prices and offers outstanding complications to impress the world’s timekeeping community. Now is the turn of Czapek & Cie., a name once synonymous for producing exceptional watches and in the past was a highlight at luxury auctions.

Franciszek Czapek (gallicised François) was a Polish watchmaker based in Geneva and established a firm with a local Swiss watchmaker Moreau in 1834. Then Czapek met and collaborated with Antoni Patek concluding in a six-year partnership under the firm Patek, Czapek & Cie. Patek, Czapek & Cie. would produce a number of great watches and would release nearly 200 pieces a year. After the company dissolved, Czapek founded Czapek & Cie. with a new partner Juliusz Gruzewski. The company would go on to become official watchmaker to the Court of the Emperor Napoleon III. In addition to such an astonishing position, Czapek & Cie. would maintain a number of boutiques throughout Europe. After the death of François Czapek (date unknown), the company was eventually retired.

In 2008, a team of enthusiasts (Xavier De Roquemaurel and Harry Guhl) came together and decided to start work into reviving the lost company. The first step was recovering and registering the name then on to raising capital, which they did by crowd funding (I missed the deadline). Half a million Swiss francs were raised to create the first movement and that was entrusted to Jean-François Mojon of Chronode SA. Chronode develops and constructs mechanical watch movements, modules, and complicated mechanisms (Chronode manufactures complicated watch mechanisms for the likes of De Bethune, Harry Winston, MB & F, and HYT, to name a few). The team from Czapek and Cie. took inspiration for their first piece from the Reference 3430 model that was released in 1850. Its design is definitively historical in nature and the design principles do not stray far from the original and authentic design characteristic of Czapek. The new model mechanism is a completely mechanical movement, developed by Chronode, hand-wound with 168 hours power reserve (7 days) reserved on two barrel springs, with 3 Hz frequency. The cases can be ordered with a number of variations and materials.

The first series of timepieces will be named in honour of the brand’s Geneva workshop Quai des Bergues. Czapek Genève is looking to produce initially 250 pieces per year and hoping to expand to roughly 1000 pieces a year, with prices competitively placed and market points will be limited but accessible.

 

For me, my favorite model from the Quai des Bergues is No. 31 – rose gold, enamel “Grand feu” dial; blue “arrow” steel hands. I love the uncomplicated dials, the small seconds and the power reserve / days of the week indicators. I admire great complications, extreme displays of what can be measured by mechanical marvels, but when it comes down to a watch, utter simplicity reign supreme! It is a classic as the sun setting over the pyramids of Giza. A legend has been reborn. Congratulations Czapek, they are beautiful.

Stephen.

BOVET 1822: Amadeo Fleurier Tourbillon Braveheart

I am completely infatuated with BOVET timepieces. They are astonishing testaments to what can be done when care and passion are unified.

Louis Vuitton & Poinçon de Genève

Louis Vuitton has a name synonymous with prestige, exclusivity, and an expected level of respect only afforded to companies that have been in continuous succession for over a hundred years. The brand is often seen throughout the media adorned by the world’s celebrities, creating a marketing guise perpetuated within the nations youth and aficionados to be. Among the lines of leather goods and ready to wear, Louis Vuitton entered a new category in the luxury market with a select line of timepieces. From 2002 and on, a significant number of sport and luxury themed watches have been released. This year, before the 2016 SIHH, Louis Vuitton was awarded a seal of quality that only a select few watch manufactures are allowed to bear: the Poinçon de Genève. The seal was awarded to their Flying Tourbillon Poinçon de Genève on the 13^th of January 2016.

The watch is a hand-wound skeletonized tourbillon movement (LV104) set in a platinum case and bound by an alligator strap. Louis Vuitton premiered the watch among a select set of members, some of which have placed orders. The list price for the watch is going to be set roughly at 200,000 Euros, with maybe future materials and models commanding higher prices. It is an astonishing achievement, especially among companies that have only been making watches for a short period of time. Has Louis Vuitton attained the be-all and end-all when it comes to existing in the watch industry? I don’t think so. But it is still an exceptional signatory for a company to achieve. But why has this appointment brought excitement throughout the worlds watch enthusiasts and media agents? What is the Poinçon de Genève and why is it the ultimate accolade to be adorned by a watch?

I’m going to find out.

The Poinçon de Genève is a certification label for fine watchmaking based off of a strict adherence of control during the manufacturing of a watch. The organizations that are responsible for overseeing the application of the rules of the legislation is comprised by an operated legislative body, executive body, and a judicial body. The supreme entity recognized by the Geneva Council of State is the Foundation Council of the Geneva Laboratory of Horology and Microengineering; it is the legal body and the only guarantor of the seal. In 1886, the Grand Council of the Republic and Canton of Geneva passed Law I 1.25 on the voluntary testing of watches in response to the need for a high-quality certification in watchmaking. In 2008, the law was updated to refine the manufacturing processes that included even higher standers to be followed.

In order for the Poinçon de Genève to be applied to a watch, the governing body must evaluate the criteria attained throughout every stage in the manufacture of a timepiece. Some of the criteria that must be followed in regards to the manufacturing process involve some of the most elemental parts within the watch mechanism. The baseplates and bridges, adjustment systems, wheel train and jewels, and the shaped parts must be made and decorated with expected quality. The baseplates and bridges must not have any evident marks made during manufacturing. The adjustment systems, like the balance-wheel and balance-spring, must be finished with great attention to detail and the mechanism must not use synthetics in their construction. Wheel train and jewels must be impeccable in appearance and design. The shaped parts, like the baseplates and bridges, must not bear any marks left over from the manufacturing processes.

Apart from the limitations set about for individual pieces, the timepiece must also adhere to very fine levels of precision and overall quality. It’s accuracy in keeping time, resistance to shocks and water, and the correct operations of its multiple functions must operate with absolute precision. A watch that receives the stamp of approval has to be found to have “all the qualities of craftsmanship to ensure regular and long-lasting operation” as defined by law.

Only the likes of Vacheron Constantin and Roger Dubuis are known to have the seal of approval, and now Louis Vuitton has entered the exclusive group. It is important for manufacturers to continuously dedicate themselves to preserving the centuries old art of mechanical time keeping and when one achieves a level of precision and beauty it is truly a great accomplishment to be respected by all of us watch fanatics.

ARCHIVE: Constant Girard

Constant Girard was a Swiss watchmaker born 1825 in La Chaux-de Fonds. Girard had solidified his career within the watchmaking industry initially by partnerships among a number of collective names. In 1854, he married Marie Perregaux and together they began a manufacture of timepieces that bears their names today. Girard became a significant name within the watchmaking industry for his three-bridge tourbillon (which was awarded a gold metal at the World’s Far in Paris, 1867-1889) and is still being manufactured today by Girard-Perregaux.

Girard continued being an innovator in escapement systems development and was awarded throughout his career with a number of national and international awards celebrating his innovation and creativity.

ARCHIVE: the Invention of the Self-Winding Movement

In 1780, Abraham-Louis Breguet set out to create a watch that did not require continuous winding to maintain accurate time measurements. What he had created would be the beginning of all Automatic watches to come. The watch contained a weighted piece of metal that would oscillate within the watch mechanism by the simple arm and walking motions of the wearer. The oscillating weight, sprung so that it would return to its original position after each movement, pushed up two going-barrels, stopping when the springs were fully depressed.

The perfection of this system would be one of Breguet’s greatest successes in his career. It became one of the most sough after constructs for a watch to have, and numerous of Breguet’s contemporaries were attempting to do the same but were not immediately successful. The first customer of this revolutionary technology was Duc d’Orléans in 1780.

 

ARCHIVE: Breguet at the Louvre

An apogee of fine watchmaking

In 2009, the Musée du Louvre hosted a rétrospective of Abraham-Louis Breguet’s (1747-1823) unique timepieces. The exhibition showcases exceptional examples of clocks, watches, measuring instruments, as well as archival documents for unique patents. The exhibition was curated by Marc Bascou (curator), Department of Decorative Arts, at the Musée du Louvre, and Emmanuel Breguet, historian, specializing in the works of Breguet, at Montres Breguet S.A.

 

Welcome to Anatomy of Time

Welcome to my blog Anatomy of Time! I’m intending on sharing the latest developments and advancements within the Horlogical world including upcoming complications, unique materials, Basel World releases, and snippets from the historical record. I will also be sharing my intrigue with watchmaking and watches, as well as my personal and wishful collections. Welcome to the world of Haute Horology!