Comments:
New Independent with New Escapement
Interesting, nice to see some technical innovation. Although, I find it funny how many will technically innovate but not post timing info.
Like the , it is a dual impulse motion fitted with two escape wheels. Yet, it was modified to resolve one of the main drawbacks of traditional natural escapements, which is not self-starting, by drawing on principles from the Fasoldt escapement. In effect, it “combines the dual escape wheels of the natural escapement but with a tangential impulse delivered through the escapement lever. Therefore, the impulse to the balance wheel is not direct, as in a natural escapement. Instead, it is indirect and tangential, following the principle of Charles Fasoldt’s solution. The theoretical advantage over the Swiss lever escapement, which is used in the vast majority of watches, is the absence of sliding friction – eliminating critical lubrication issues as well as energy loss, efficiency reduction, and wear associated with it.”
Kari meets Greubel Forsey
At least there's that new " old" escapement.
Don't get me wrong, it's undoubtedly a superbly crafted watch, but I think that it's just another 100k independent League player.
Where are new ideas like that one by Marco Lang?
The technical innovation is interesting,
but aesthetically this watch could be taken for a Greubel Forsey or a Ferdinand Berthoud. So, not very original (and not my taste visually, but I know it’s only personal).
Anyway thanks for sharing this new release.
Best, Emmanuel
Anyway thanks for sharing this new release.
Best, Emmanuel
I find the top of the mainspring barrel cover pretty interesting. It’s shiny. And it’s bronze.
Interesting, yes.
But do I like the style of this watch? No, personally, I don't appreciate this design, which has become so widespread, of exposing the movement on the dial side.
Best, Emmanuel
Best, Emmanuel
How did i miss this release?
38.5mm and fantastic hand-finishing. I love it but too late now. There is nothing negative about this release. Darn, this is a bad miss for me.
You have not missed it!
The initial 12 watches have been sold but there will be another 68 produced (48 in precious metals and 20 special orders). For me personally, this is the most impressive watch released in the last 12 months and I will be trying to get an allocation with Mathieu Cleguer. The watch is priced well compared to a Gruebel Forsey.
Innovation with heritage
This is exactly what independent watchmaking should be. Not just beautiful finishing or bold design, but genuine technical advancement.
Thanks for sharing
Bill
Thanks for sharing
Bill
I feel nothing. Is it the watch or am I dead inside? 😂
I sat with this for a while because I think I should love it but seeing it brought neither excitement nor disdain, not dismissal, just nothing at all. FB center seconds and offset hour minute, GF style half plate, KV style balance bridge with integrated stud, all in titanium, it checks so many boxes. All my favorite things.
Maybe it's me. Maybe I'm tired of the hype, the growing pile of shiny polished and beveled >$100k my first watch releases from unproven makers. Maybe I just haven't adjusted to the idea that $100k is the price of entry today and I should be excited that this is an incredible value compared to FB's latest release at $400k.
And after sitting with this this is where I landed. It's a beautiful watch, great construction, but to my eye it is too much inspired by other things. The yuge gold chaton and balance bridge with natural escapement just feels too KV, the cutaway plate and subdial feels too GF S1, the long center seconds and floating chapter ring feels too FB. It pulls pieces from others without adopting their philosophies. The hidden stud in the KV bridge is an aesthetic nuance on a clean symmetrical bridge which here is betrayed by the awkward offset and screwed balance assembly. A few big gold chatons only exist on the dial side, no such chatons carried over to the movement side like a GF in adherence to tradition that they implement completely. The long seconds hand from FB is a nod to their accuracy mission and chronometry certification but no such certification or accuracy goals have been stated and the natural escapement is more an efficiency feature than an accuracy complication. It's beautiful, a great value even, but I don't see a clear philosophy behind the watch or the watch maker.
Maybe that's asking too much from a first watch..maybe $100k doesn't buy philosophy anymore, maybe this is derivative in the best way possible because it is giving GF/FB/KV vibes at a fraction of the price, maybe I'm just getting old and grumpy.
Maybe it's me. Maybe I'm tired of the hype, the growing pile of shiny polished and beveled >$100k my first watch releases from unproven makers. Maybe I just haven't adjusted to the idea that $100k is the price of entry today and I should be excited that this is an incredible value compared to FB's latest release at $400k.
And after sitting with this this is where I landed. It's a beautiful watch, great construction, but to my eye it is too much inspired by other things. The yuge gold chaton and balance bridge with natural escapement just feels too KV, the cutaway plate and subdial feels too GF S1, the long center seconds and floating chapter ring feels too FB. It pulls pieces from others without adopting their philosophies. The hidden stud in the KV bridge is an aesthetic nuance on a clean symmetrical bridge which here is betrayed by the awkward offset and screwed balance assembly. A few big gold chatons only exist on the dial side, no such chatons carried over to the movement side like a GF in adherence to tradition that they implement completely. The long seconds hand from FB is a nod to their accuracy mission and chronometry certification but no such certification or accuracy goals have been stated and the natural escapement is more an efficiency feature than an accuracy complication. It's beautiful, a great value even, but I don't see a clear philosophy behind the watch or the watch maker.
Maybe that's asking too much from a first watch..maybe $100k doesn't buy philosophy anymore, maybe this is derivative in the best way possible because it is giving GF/FB/KV vibes at a fraction of the price, maybe I'm just getting old and grumpy.
I am in the same boat fwiw
Surprisingly, it seems to have everything I love on paper but I don't really feel much looking at it because I feel a lot of the new releases blend in. I have been looking at 3970s and the lange striking time ZW a lot more lately lol