New Sartory-Billard SB04-E: an Eye-Catching High Quality watch from an Independent is More Affordable than You Think
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French-built watches are traditionally pivotal however just lately scarce. As with many former watchmaking powers, France’s period of quantity manufacturing and engineering management lapsed way back. However on the indie stage, its watchmaking is experiencing a renaissance.
French watchmakers in Switzerland comparable to Daniel Roth, F.P. Journe, and Denis Flageollet helped to blaze a path of invention that’s led again to the mom nation itself. Watches made in France are now not the only area of historic texts, and the 2025 Sartory-Billard SB04-E is writing a brand new chapter in French horology.
Sartory-Billard SB04-E Ruby Platinum (left) and Tantalum
French industrial designer Armand Billard has made most of his current headlines with a relentless march upmarket. 2023 and 2024 had been all about tourbillon regulators, valuable metallic circumstances, and five-figure value factors.
It was spectacular on ambition alone, however the €90,000 tourbillon market is a troublesome one, and Sartory-Billard nonetheless wants quantity fashions to attach with rank-and-file collectors. To that finish, Billard revisits his breakthrough watch with the 2025 SB04-E.
Sartory Billard SB04 Titanium Blue
2019’s SB04 was a transformational look ahead to Sartory-Billard. Like many creators, starting from Rexhep Rexhepi to the Grönefeld brothers, Armand Billard premised his 2015 model launch on design intuition slightly than canvasing the market. S-B’s preliminary three fashions had their followers, however the kinds had been greatest described as idiosyncratic.
In distinction, the SB04 hit all the suitable notes with a spherical case, classical strains, smaller dimension, and a give attention to dial customization. It was the suitable transfer, and Sartory-Billard expanded its attraction to a broader viewers.
With the SB04-E – the “E” is for “evolution” – Billard has taken one more spherical of requests to coronary heart. New dial choices and a 100-meter water resistant case add contemporary life to the gathering and a measure of standardization to a mannequin whose prior vary of customized choices might show bewildering.
Again of the Sartory-Billard SB04-E
La Joux Perret’s computerized caliber G101 returns from the prior SB04 as a reliable 68-hour drop-in surrogate for the ever-present ETA 2892-A2.
Sartory-Billard SB04-E Ruby Platinum
The flagship of the brand new collection is the 150-piece “Ruby Platinum” version. Armand way back added dial fabrication to design amongst his stock of abilities, and it reveals right here.
Sartory-Billard SB04-E Ruby Platinum dial particulars
At middle, a disc lower from a Tanzanian ruby boulder pops with coloration and crystalline texture. A lapidary in Germany fashions the disc for set up, and Armand handles the chopping of metallic fingers, indices, and the chapter ring separating the hour observe from the middle dial.
There’s layering and complexity to the ruby core that solely a pure materials can produce, and the stone’s fragmented matrix of element ensures that no two dials among the many 150 will probably be an identical.
Diamond-cutting methods guarantee sharp breaks between metallic faces of the fingers and indices; the diploma of element is beautiful.
Sartory-Billard SB04-E Ruby Platinum options sharp lower fingers
At middle, even the counterweight of the seconds hand is faceted and cut up between polish and satin.
Sartory-Billard SB04-E dial element
Outboard, a sapphire ring 0.3mm in thickness sits atop a platinum-coated metallic substrate that has been radially-brushed and gradient-shaded. Blue Tremendous-LumiNova blazes on the hour ring and fingers, so this watch is an am/pm choice.
Sartory-Billard SB04-E lume
Sartory-Billard SB04-E crown by day and lume by evening
The clear breaks between diamond-polished surfaces reveal Armand’s proficiency with micromechanical ending, and it’s beautiful to comprehend that he was solely launched to the craft after creating the S-B model.
Sartory-Billard SB04-E Ruby Platinum
Regardless of their standing as prototypes, each of the watches examined on this survey had been indistinguishable from retail merchandise. In qualitative phrases, Armand’s work with metallic dial {hardware} on these watches compares favorably to Grand Seiko’s underrated virtuosity on this class of labor.
Sartory-Billard SB04-E Tantalum
The second mannequin within the SB04-E assortment is the “Tantalum.” Each fashions are of stainless-steel development, so the “tantalum” on this occasion is the guts of the dial. Whereas Armand makes use of a provider to arrange the ruby disc, he finishes the tantalum one himself.
Tremblage-like dial of the Sartory-Billard SB04-E Tantalum
A high quality graving instrument creates a tremblage-like sample of elongated divots that scatter gentle and benefit from tantalum’s distinctive blue-grey glow.
As with the ruby, the tantalum middle’s high quality particulars reward shut viewing. The dial furnishings, sunburst outer ring, and luminescent options intently parallel these of the “Ruby.” There’s no denying that the collection manufacturing “Tantalum” mannequin is a extra conservative choice than its ruby kin.
From a vital perspective, the writer notes that small accents of coloration would enliven this mannequin. It feels stark, cool, and nearly Teutonic – not French in any classical sense. Rose gold plating the indices, chapter ring, and fingers might assist. Alternatively, introduction of coloured lume or a colourful metallic grain beneath the hours would relieve a number of the austerity.
Cack of the Sartory-Billard SB04-E again (metal prototype)
Externally, the SB04-E seems just like its predecessor however modifications in nearly each element. Ranging from the reverse of the case, there’s a circumferential fluting that replaces the fluted rotor on 2019’s unique. This differentiates the brand new mannequin but additionally supplies a concrete profit by slimming the case 1mm.
Caseback end is extra nuanced than the SB04 because of the applying of polished, brushed, and blasted particulars. Actions are undecorated however are adjusted by Armand previous to supply.
Sartory-Billard SB04-E Tantalum
Topside, the brand new case declares itself with a concave bezel that contrasts with the unique’s domed gadroons. The newer design accentuates the slimmer case and segues properly to the shallow dips between lugs and bezel.
First-series SB04s featured barely stepped lug profiles and a media-blasted mid-case; each options are missed on the newer mannequin.
Lug and caseband of the Sartory-Billard SB04-E Ruby Platinum
That mentioned, the “E” does characteristic a delightfully delicate lug-shoulder bevel that runs end-to-end throughout the case band.
The SB04-E seems to serve two tendencies underway within the watch market. First and most clearly, there’s the transfer in direction of smaller circumstances; it’s partly a shift in tastes and partly an acknowledgement of ever extra quite a few feminine collectors. Second, there – seems – to be an incipient fatigue with built-in bracelet sports activities watches.
“All-around” choices that mix the magnificence of a costume watch with the sturdiness of a sports activities watch are looming on the horizon. Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, and Audemars Piguet – amongst others – have prominently added extra metal costume watches to their collections. These weren’t designed with tuxedos in thoughts, and house owners are carrying them accordingly.
If there’s one issue that limits the addressable marketplace for dress-style watches, it’s water resistance, however that’s altering. Patek’s current declaration that its common “30-meter” score is a true 30 meters has added some momentum to the thought.
Initially, I believed the “E” in “SB04-E” stood for “etanche,” the French time period for water-sealed. Honestly, it’s “Evolution,” however the 100-meter case in a costume watch format is one other datum auguring for a brand new age of genre-splitting versatile fashions.
The SB04-E gives lots of the conventional advantages of the indie shopping for expertise, together with exclusivity, a singular imaginative and prescient, and the pleasure of realizing your watchmaker. On the launch costs of €3,500 and €4,700, the Tantalum and Ruby Platinum, respectively, are proof that you simply don’t want an F.P. Journe finances to purchase unbiased.
Reality be advised, these aren’t for motion snobs, model snobs, or individuals who wish to dive the wreck of the Andrea Doria. However for the remainder of the watch collector panorama, it is going to be refreshing to see that the elan and eccentricity of a real artisanal expertise can nonetheless be skilled for Oris cash.
For extra data, please go to https://sartory-billard.com/product/sb04-e-ruby-platinum/ and/or https://sartory-billard.com/product/sb04-e-tantalum-hand-engraved/
Fast Info: Sartory-Billard SB04-E
Capabilities: Hours; minutes; seconds (hacking)
Version: Launched in 2025; 150 items “Ruby Platinum”; “Tantalum” in common manufacturing
Case: 316L chrome steel; 39.5mm diameter; 10.3mm thick; 44.6mm lug-to-lug; 20mm between lug horns; dipped lugs; 100 meters of water resistance; screw down crown with luminescent graphic insert
Strap: Delugs rubber with pre-scored sections for chopping to size; colours elective
Clasp: Metal double deployant claps with leaf spring stress to open or shut
Dial: Ruby Platinum: coronary heart of ruby middle dial with platinum-plate gradient fade sunburst outer ring and superimposed sapphire hour observe; diamond-cut hour indices and fingers. Tantalum: engraved tantalum middle dial with metallic plated sunburst gradient fade outer ring and superimposed sapphire hour observe; diamond-cut indices and fingers. Luminescent fingers and sapphire hour observe discs.
Motion: La Joux Perret G101; computerized winding; 68-hour energy reserve; 4Hz beat price; 24 jewels; cease seconds; adjusted previous to supply
2025 New Retail Value: €3,500 “Tantalum” – €4,700 “Ruby Platinum,” each earlier than V.A.T.
* Tim Mosso is the media director and watch specialist at The 1916 Firm. You’ll be able to take a look at their very complete YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/@the1916company.
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