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Thanks for the review..
It's an attractive watch, and I admire Viot's addressing the long-term serviceability of his creations head-on. In a way, it is a contract with the buyer that is the opposite of that implicitly offered by, say, Rolex and Omega, or in an earlier time, Elgin and Waltham. Whereas the big manufacturers say: buy our watch with the assurance that new interchangeable replacement parts and trained experts will be readily available throughout the world to repair and adjust your watch far into the future, Viot seems to say: with my watch, you get a robust, easily serviced timepiece for which any part can be fabricated by any watchmaker of adequate skill. There's a lot to like about this philosophy.
The finishing is an interesting departure from that typically seen. Has a bit of the Jules Verne-Nautilus submarine look to it. I am unsure about the "dial". I see that it puts the movement front and center, but it somehow comes off as a bit confusing and without a defined character.
One question about the "chronometer" aspect: is top-notch timekeeping part of this watch's conception? What is Viot's ambition here? Will there be COSC/observatory certification? And finally, is there anything about the design of the caliber that would make adjusting the performance (as opposed to simpler micrometric rate changes) easy and straightforward for the non-Viot watchmaker of the future?
Thanks again for the photos and write-up.
-Tom
A French watch: The Chronomètre by Jean-Baptiste Viot
There are a lot of very talentous french watchmakers: François-Paul Journe, Denis Flageollet, Vianney Halter, Christophe Claret... but they all work for compagnies based in Switzerland. One of the most interesting French watchmaking projects takes place i...
Like a strange water painting...
I'd certainly be curious if I saw it on a gent's wrist. This message has been edited by Mostel on 2010-02-28 09:42:17
Aha, now a face to a name
I remember his watches at the SbM, but he's quite a shy man, I never got to ask about them I am fascinated by the lathe in the last picture, it has the same style bed that I have seem often in American lathes, but rotated 90degrees. On an American it woul...
Thanks
Many thanks for the report. The movement is very 3-D and striking. Do you have more information on the clock? It reminds me of something I've seen elsewhere (Janvier...Leroy...???) but I can't think what. nick
very clever
I have a lot of sympathy for his thoughts behind the watch - very clever. I also like the "absence of dial" the combination of modern ad classic values are very clever and appealing. Hovever im not to shure about the look. I know its a proto but it looks ...
I think I like how it looks in gold....
This will be a very potential candidate for my next purchase. Currently , I'm just waiting for the release of the RogerSmith/George Daniels creation but I must say this one has potential. I like the feel of the watch, very antiquated, a similar kind of se...
mind blowing
i love the watch , though i don't like the presence of purplish dark navy dotted with gold, ....another let down for me is the case size its 38mm , i mean 40mm would be FAIR , FINE with MEN wrists. would love to see the finished one , and would love if th...
I want one!
The prototype just bowls me over. What beauty - but no incablock, please ... Thanks for that report and those photos, FrX ! Now I will be reading all I can about Untergunther. amerix
This is wonderful news. I am excited also about the French revival in watch making
especially at this level. One question though, who is the French military officer framed behind Jean-Baptiste Viot in the last cliché ?
General
Not de Gaulle, and not Joffre or any of the other obvious ones I can think of. The problem is that ALL French generals had moustaches and were photographed or painted in 3/4 profile looking sternly into the middle distance, so hunting for the image will n...
The movement seems Ok, but...
it needs a dial or be skeletonized. No shock protection as the default seems troubling ot me.
Very interesting and I have to admit, that I like the watch...
something of the modern and the old. I sincerely hope he does well and with the price point being reasonable, I can imagine that he will receive a number of orders. Cannot wait to take a closer look. Thanks for the very interesting article. Andrew H
Very romantic watch
The blue outer ring with gold dots reminds me of a celestial watch with the seconds gear like the sun and all that night blue.....very Alice in wonderland......beautiful and poetic.To be seen live .....
Thanks for the review..
It's an attractive watch, and I admire Viot's addressing the long-term serviceability of his creations head-on. In a way, it is a contract with the buyer that is the opposite of that implicitly offered by, say, Rolex and Omega, or in an earlier time, Elgi...
nice
front and back. i'm guessing the Case Diameter is around 40mm???! thanks for the report Tony
When I saw the first pictures
I was not so impressed by the looks of this very techno piece. But when I saw the wristshots, I loved it. What a difference that makes to get the right idea about a watch, that one has not seen in the flesh. Thanks for the post Foversta, great read. GEO
Extremely Compelling
The design and horological aesthetics of this watch are the most compelling I've seen in quite a long time. Thank you for the review. Best, Douglas
A French Watch!
Special Kudos to Jean-Baptiste Viot. I only learned about German watch making about five years ago. I'm pleased to now know that there is a French watchmaker (who isn't Swiss-French) who creates watches in France. The watch looks very interesting, I hope ...
Thanks for the great details of this interesting French watch.
I love the watchmaking philosophy and the actual design of this watch. Would love to learn more about it and hope to see it in person one day.
Thank you all about your comments.
I will contact Jean-Baptiste to get news from him. Fr.Xavier
I LOVE this piece!
It's got that inside-out quality to which I'm so very attracted (other watches that fit into this category for me: GO PanoInverse, Breguet La Tradition, AP Jules Audemars with AP escapement). What a romantic watch. I'd love to see a finished version in th...
How wonderful, Daos!
It's nice to hear that we can agree so strongly on a concept or a design. In fact, I have already ordered mine this morning, but without the anti-shock protection - which Jean Baptiste was relieved to hear, since he feels it is more "genuine" this way. Ch...
Congrats!
How wonderful, Amery! I cannot wait to see your wristshots! It's a fine, artistic, romantic piece. I particularly like the "scrambled stripes" finishing, as Fr.X has reported in his post! I do think you and I both have a deep appreciation for the unique v...
A basic horology question...
FrX, Thanks for the update. Your photos pose an interesting (to me) question : Why do most, if not all, hand-wind quality movements have a mainspring barrel with same diameter as balance wheel? Regards, MTF
Not a watchmaker's answer....
...but it has been my understanding that in a basic wristwatch caliber, the two things to make as large as possible are the balance diameter and the spring barrel diameter. The first for better stability of rate/timekeeping, and the the latter for longer ...
Well done. More creation of beautiful mechanical watches...
Going down the road less traveled, another Independent watchmaker taking the plunge to create valuable micro-mechanical art for those appreciators of this genre. Kudos to Jean-Baptiste Viot. Cheers, Tim
very interesting with new things to see everytime you look
like Daos, i am a fan of the 'inside out' and no dial watches. this is a good example of such a piece, but with a more exclusive feel to it due to it being hand made. the blued parts go well with the perlage steel pieces. in my eyes it works well. thankyo...
The Peseux 260
That's what Jean-Baptise's Chronomètre and Kari's Observatoire have in common. Either way, it is an exceptional basis caliber that I would recommend exploring. With the Chronomètre you can still get one !!! Worlds of thanks to Franz Xavier for drawing my ...
overlooked
I just re-read FrX's post - with the greatest of pleasure! - and discovered that had already mentioned this.
Blockbuster
Caution, satire !!! Here's one for Basel. Say you were promoting Incablock. I know exactly what Incablock is supposed to do, how it is put together, and every part of its construction. The same goes for KIF. They are good! We start with an Original Inca b...
short visit
Yesterday, I made a short visit Drawing of a clock, carried by Jean-Baptiste For the only contest organized by the House of Breguet > >...
