The Modern Holy Trinity: Redefining Horological Excellence in 2022

enjoythemusic · 2022-01-01T09:46:10Z

Is the 'Holy Trinity' of horology outdated? Join the debate on WatchProSite as collectors propose a Modern Holy Trinity, discussing brands like MB&F and Parmigiani.

enjoythemusic

WPS member · Independents forum

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In a thought-provoking post, 'enjoythemusic' challenges the long-standing notion of the 'Holy Trinity' in horology, arguing that the traditional list is outdated for 2022. He proposes a community-driven initiative to define a 'Modern Holy Trinity,' sparking a lively debate among collectors about the criteria and contenders for such an esteemed designation. This discussion explores the evolving landscape of independent watchmaking and questions the very foundation of horological hierarchies.

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With 2022 upon us, it is time we within horology decide a new Holy Trinity as the current list is outdated.

With a nod to many decades ago, let us remember the Old-School Holy Trinity for its relevance when it was first decided upon by ??????? many decades ago. Today, two of the old-school trinity are now part of very large corporate entities. The other one has changed quite a bit, with questions about various mass production quality levels instead of always doing the very best possible at ALL times.

With the Old School Holy Trinity now outdated, without a doubt it is time we choose the Modern Holy Trinity of horology. This is 2022 my friends. Virtually everyone I chat with seems to agree MB&F should be part of the Modern Holy Trinity.

Please ONLY post five brand names who you feel are the true independents that make up the other two Modern Holy Trinity of today's timepiece invention/creation.

Note: This is Round One as we hone in on which three brands are part of the new Modern Holy Trinity. Thanks for your consideration as am compiling the list of names across multiple discussion boards. At some point, we'll join them all in one location for a final decision.

Key Points from the Discussion

Parmigiani Fleurier deserves strong consideration for a modern Holy Trinity due to their extensive in-house manufacturing capabilities, producing cases, movements, and dials for numerous industry players, underscoring their top-tier status.
The methodology for defining a new Holy Trinity should be more rigorous, establishing clear criteria and a defined timespan for evaluation, then seeking agreement from a broad panel of experts to ensure scientific validity.
MB&F's inclusion in a Holy Trinity is debatable, with one collector citing personal experience with accuracy issues (e.g., +8/-2 seconds per day) and suggesting that while creative, other brands offer superior timekeeping alongside high-quality finishing.
The concept of a 'Trinity' implies fixed, unchangeable names over decades; instead, a more dynamic approach might be to recognize 'most deserving' brands at a given time, with a preference for those that avoid 'Limited Edition' collaborations with online influencers.
It is challenging to compare brands with over a century of history to contemporary watchmakers, regardless of their technical prowess. However, open discussion about modern independents can still be constructive.
The original author notes a surprising lack of historical information regarding the traditional Holy Trinity, including who established it, the criteria used in the 1960s, and whether those criteria remain relevant today.

The Discussion

patrickh

Jan 1, 2022

1) Laurent Ferrier (even if still underated these days), but Class & Classic 2) MB&F (innovative and modern iterations) 3) David Candaud great & unknown for most then etc GF, FPJ,KV (but overly rated, hyped) The ORIGINAL Trinity remains to me: PP, VC (cabinotiers) & AP My 2 cents

sham1

Jan 1, 2022

Anyway, I disagree that MB&F should be part of any holy trinity or Top 5. Why I say that was that I was on a zoom call with Max Busser a few months back and when I asked him about the accuracy of his watches, he stated that they were about +8 -2 seconds per day. Some may say if you want an accurate watch, buy a quartz or a spring drive. But there are watch companies out there that can produce beautifully finished watches with accuracy a lot better than a MB&F. And I have owned a LM101 an

patrickh

Jan 1, 2022

agree with you that MB&F are not very accurately regulated. That The Reason why I did not buy one. BUT, if you know a Great Watchmaker who could/accept to regulate your MB&F, based on your wrist tests (after official warranty period) you could be Happy ;-)

sham1

Jan 1, 2022

But can't MB&F regulate their watches rather than me having to send the watches to a 'great' watchmaker?? And I did send the LM101 back for them to regulate so surely a company as accomplished as MB&F can regulate a watch to bring out its maximum capabilities.

Bruno.M1

Jan 1, 2022

Tbh, One brand is not yet mentioned and it’s probably the only one that really deserves it. Parmigiani!! Please do look at them and read their history. Look at the manufactures that belong under the parmigiani/Sandoz foundation umbrella and you will understand they are a top tier players They make cases , movements, dials…. For the entire industry. And I mean THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY Do some research Most of the others mentioned I simply can’t agree and I’ll try to explain why. Dufour and smith … top

Bruno.M1

Jan 1, 2022

Those brands I didn't agree with were mentioned in replies on that other site. But of course those are just my thought / feelings so I could be very wrong ;-)

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The Modern Holy Trinity: Redefining Horological Excellence in 2022

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