Top Horological Object 2021: Collector's Picks

Patrick_Y, a respected voice in the luxury watch community, shares his reflections on 2021, spotlighting an unexpected yet horologically significant object: a skeletonized belt buckle by Roland Iten. Patrick_Y's deep dive into Iten's philosophy and craftsmanship reveals why this accessory, often dubbed the 'Philippe Dufour of belt buckles,' resonates with collectors who appreciate mechanical artistry beyond traditional timepieces. His insights challenge readers to broaden their definition of horological excellence.

This one almost doesn’t count.  I mean…  Some of you will be dismissing this quickly and rolling your eyes.  Technically it's not a horological object, but it's definitely made like a watch and finished in some ways like one too!  Roland Iten, known as the Philippe Dufour of Belt Buckles, did debut a cool and new skeletonized belt buckle this year.  And all I can say is that the genius here is amazing.  I had the pleasure of interviewing Roland Iten twice this year, once virtually over a conference call, and once more in person at his studio in Switzerland.  All I can say is the man is a great combination of mad genius – I saw sketches for amazing projects, incredible out-of-the-box thinking mentality, and some incredible one-of-a-kind pieces custom made for the Henry Graves and James Ward Packards of today.  You can read the original article I wrote here:

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I asked Iten what motivates him, who his customers were, and if business was steady.  Iten is exuberant and expressive about his work, but also modest at the same time.  It was unfair of me to make the man uncomfortable, as I was a guest in his atelier, but I had to push for journalistic value too.  I hope the following is satisfactory for you, the reader, and I hope it gives you enough to gain a perspective about Monsieur Iten, the Philippe Dufour of belt buckles!   

What motivates Roland Iten? 

A little too modest to say anything immodest, Roland was a little hesitant at first.  But it was apparent, Iten’s mind thinks at supersonic speeds and he’s just trying to write it all down or sketch it all down and that he’s only capturing a small percentage of his ideas – sometimes some of his best ideas come in the middle of the night and he’s not able to record them. 

Who is the Roland Iten client? 

Cheerfully declining to name specific people, Iten’s customers include some of the most famous, cultured, and/or successful people in the world, but even when I pressed for names again, he wouldn’t give any names nor specifics – other than movie star Sylvester Stallone whom I already knew wore his pieces.  Iten mentioned his policy is not unlike a Savile Row tailor’s and like a Savile Row tailor, they honor gentlemanly discretion.   

How is business?

Iten explained business is very busy; clients who come to Roland Iten are looking for the best solution one that is elegant and technical.  The need to continuously impress existing clients requires tremendous ingenuity.  The most demanding client is a former client.  Iten is also not just designing belt buckles - far from it - he's designing solutions...  elegant and mechanical solutions for valuable objects.  I can't say specifics, but imagine you have a gigantic million dollar irregularly shaped piece of jade that you want to carry in a discreet way...  Perhaps you may ask Iten to make a mechanical device to hold this possession.  Yet, once the product is designed, there’s a question of “will it work?”  Prototypes are made.  Some prototypes are designed to carry something valuable, worth millions.  The device cannot fail and must hold this jade securely.  Then, another requirement is added, the holder must also be compatible with a special art frame on a wall and a special holder on the owner's desk.  Complications and redesigns ensue!  And how about a single belt buckle?  A young bicontinental client named “Frank” made an order in November 2021 for a “standard R8 model” belt buckle and will likely receive delivery in March or April 2022.  

Five months for a personalized belt buckle?  That's not too bad, a simple Rolex can take a year nowadays!  My interview with Roland Iten was over and I jumped onto a train to head to the airport for another flight – in November 2021 (Covid times), one has to get to the airport early!  I barely made my flight since the train to Geneva had an unexpected major delay.  But the amazing ingenuity and crazy sketches I saw will influence my psyche.  It was beyond “out of the box.”  It was so far out of the box that “out of the box” isn’t enough to describe it. 

Roland Iten wouldn’t be soon forgotten.  Later that month, during Dubai Watch Week (also November 2021), amongst the cultured elite of Dubai, many of whom are bankers, developers, etc. you are surrounded with luxury.  Setting the scene; the driveway is filled with Bentley and Rolls-Royce vehicles (the most plebian vehicle I saw was a Mercedes-AMG G-Wagon).  Everyone sports an incredible timepiece and the ladies are all carrying alligator or crocodile Hermes handbags that retail as much as a petite complication Patek Philippe.  To paint the picture, five ladies sat next to me at a presentation at Dubai Watch Week and down came four Hermes handbags of various colors of crocodile or alligator and one Gucci Himalayan crocodile handbag.  The watches these women wore were perhaps even more special.  Amongst the men, superb watches that were of the finest makers graced the wrists; a special edition version of Journe’s tourbillon, a Dufour Simplicity, a Chopard LUC Minute Repeater, and a slightly complicated Patek Philippe Nautilus.  But what watch was garnering the most excitement amongst the men?  Trick question, it wasn’t a watch…  One of the men was wearing a Roland Iten belt buckle.  Apologies were given about gawking at the man’s waist, but the conversation shifted entirely to the belt buckle.  Belt buckles aren't of great importance anymore, they hold your pants up.  But what about watches in today's age of mobile phones?  Yet, as readers of WatchProSite, we all still like watches! 

In Conclusion...

There’s no denying, that Iten’s creations stand out, and command attention – even among the best.  And like Philippe Dufour who has created between 200-300 watches bearing his name on the dial, Roland Iten has created an incredibly small number of belt buckles bearing his name as well. 

Thanks for reading about my Reflections of 2021!  Hoping for a great 2022 for all WatchProSite readers!