Haute-Rive Honoris I: Incredible 1,000-Hour / 41-Day Power Reserve plus a Flying Tourbillon in a Very Wearable Watch

Not all watchmakers are created equal. Some merely possess extra expertise particularly fields, whereas others excel in numerous issues. The irony of that is that almost all distinctive watchmakers are usually not very snug with this notion.

In a deep sense of modesty, they downplay their achievements and appear to be virtually embarrassed once you get actually enthusiastic about what they’ve made.

In that matter, I most likely owe Stéphane Von Gunten an apology as a result of when he confirmed me final 12 months the primary watch of his personal model, there was no method that I might conceal my pleasure, however extra of that later.

Stéphane Von Gunten

On this planet of watches, Stéphane Von Gunten has a rockstar standing. He likes to discover uncharted territory and deal with issues in an revolutionary method. Whereas he did spend a couple of years at Patek Philippe, many would possibly know him from his time at Ulysse Nardin the place he climbed the ranks to the fascinating place of Analysis & Improvement Director. That is fairly a job, as Ulysse Nardin has innovation as one in all its driving forces.  

The title sport

Whereas Von Gunten achieved wonderful issues at Ulysse Nardin, seeing his first watch made me marvel if he shouldn’t have struck out on his personal lengthy earlier than. It ain’t simple to make a watch by yourself, it’s much more troublesome to make such a watch revolutionary and refreshing, and it’s a close to impossibility to then promote it correctly.

Most nice watches are simply nice watches, and whereas very cool, industrial success often wants a narrative. Granted, watches that aren’t nearly as good want this extra, but it surely all the time helps. Whereas an revolutionary watchmaker pur sang, Von Gunten confirmed nice perception into supply the whole package deal.

He ignored the temptation of naming the model after himself however as an alternative used his household’s historical past. That is fairly intensive, as he’s the fifth technology that went into watchmaking.

The title of the model, Haute-Rive, is similar because the workshop through which his great-great-grandfather labored. Additionally, for the idea of his first watch, he dug into his household historical past and located a patent filed in 1889 for a Hebdomas pocket watch with an influence reserve of a beneficiant 8 days.

Classic Hebdomas 8-day pocket watch

Whereas this all might sound very good, it’s uncommon {that a} watchmaker comes with such a real and fluent story, as most both forgo it altogether and concentrate on the watch, or rent any person who cooks up a advertising story that’s extra fiction than truth.

Hefty competitors

The duty Von Gunten set for himself was to create a mechanical watch with an influence reserve that’s so long as attainable. This sounds simple however is sort of troublesome to attain. A two-day energy reserve is kind of customary as of late; some manufacturers can double this, and fewer push the envelope and triple it, however getting over per week, issues turn into actually robust.

That doesn’t imply that it hasn’t been carried out. A. Lange & Söhne created the Lange 31, which had an influence reserve of 31 days. It’s a formidable characteristic, but it surely additionally made it the most important watch the model has made to this point, with dimensions that may even impress a Panerai, being 45.9mm in diameter and 15.9mm thick.

The issue is that an intensive energy reserve wants lengthy mainsprings, and often lots of them. And these take up lots of house. The competitors, in case you might name it that, selected a unique configuration however they had been additionally fairly giant. Jacob & Co’s Quenttin involves thoughts (additionally 31-day energy reserve), Revolt’s T-1000 (with a 41-day energy reserve) and Hublot’s MP-05 LaFerrari (a whopping 50-day energy reserve).

With 1,000 hours/41 days of energy reserve, the Haute-Rive Honoris I is spectacular but doesn’t set any information, nonetheless, it outshines the competitors.

Haute-Rive Honoris I

The explanation for that is that Von Gunten’s Honoris, as he named the mannequin, wants solely a single mainspring for its 1,000 hours of autonomy. Due to this, he might make the motion a mere 7.75mm thick. With that, he might management the size of the watch itself, giving it a diameter of 42.5mm and a peak of 11.95mm. This makes the Honoris essentially the most svelte and wearable of the very lengthy energy reserve watches.

Haute-Rive Honoris I

For the sake of design

For good measure, Von Gunten included a tourbillon – a flying tourbillon at that. This isn’t unusual, because the complexity of watches with such lengthy energy reserves calls for a hefty price ticket and collectors who can afford such purchases often half just a little simpler with their cash when it comes with some further bragging rights. The flying tourbillon not solely balances out the design on the dial properly, it additionally provides an excessive amount of depth to it as effectively, as Von Gunten positioned the complete building on high of the dial.

Haute-Rive Honoris I

This isn’t the one factor we discover on the dial aspect, as there’s additionally a part of the gear practice below the central bridge, the charming lengthy crown stem with its flowing pinion with a column wheel to pick the completely different capabilities, and the ‘wheel of time’ dominating the twelve o’clock place. This wheel transfers the ability from the mainspring to the gear practice, linking the 2 in a really tangible method. Additionally it is the massive mainspring that pushes all these parts to the dial aspect of this Haute-Rive as there isn’t any house left beneath.

Haute-Rive Honoris I

Whereas I really feel that he made the best name, I nonetheless marvel how the Honoris could be if it was solely in regards to the energy reserve. One of many issues we’d have extra of is that beautiful dial. You may’t presumably seize its true magnificence in pictures, irrespective of how good of a photographer you might be. It’s among the finest grand feu enamel I’ve seen shortly, particularly the black model, which is extremely troublesome to get excellent.

Haute-Rive Honoris I meeting

Good to work together with

As talked about, the Honoris makes use of a column wheel to pick the capabilities which is operated by a pusher in conjunction with the case. The motion shouldn’t be wound by the crown, however by rotating the bezel. That is an especially satisfying exercise, and the one draw back is that you simply solely need to do it as soon as a month.

1,000-hour energy reserve indicator on the again of the Haute-Rive Honoris I

Equally satisfying is the again of the watch, which Von Gunten devoted fully to the ability reserve indicator.

Haute-Rive Honoris I

Due to its intelligent building it is vitally simple to learn very exactly. The ending is just like the entrance, excellent in each method.

Haute-Rive Honoris I

This makes you virtually consider that Honoris 1 is likely to be even a bit too good to be the primary providing of a brand new model. How will Von Gunten surpass such a fantastic marriage of ingenuity and wonder? He’ll almost certainly discover a solution to do exactly that, as that is what his profession in watchmaking has all the time been about.

For extra data, please go to https://haute-rive-watches.ch/en/honoris-1-en/

Fast Info Haute-Rive Honoris I
Case: 42.5 x 11.95 mm, 18k yellow or white gold case, black or white dial in grand feu enamel
Motion: Caliber HR01, 1,000-hour energy reserve, 18,000 vph/2.5 Hz, flying tourbillon, hand-wound by means of the bezel
Capabilities: hours, minutes; 360 diploma energy reserve indicator on the again
Manufacturing: Restricted to round 10 items per 12 months
Worth: CHF 148,000 (excluding delivery/taxes)

* This text was first printed 10 March 2024.

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