Day Four, Kari Voutilainen & Rexhep Rexhepi (Akrivia)

Sunday morning is a bit relaxed, breakfast with my hosts and then off to the fair. Kari was my first port of call this day and his offering this year was not to be trifled with. So often he has created a unique piece that is shown and pre-sold, but here was a new item with his guilloche dials looking classically "Voutilainen" but with a twist. inside the hours chapter is a date sector from 8 o'clock sweeping around to 4 o'clock leaving the sub seconds alone. A retro-grade or perhaps like Marco Lang's effort in the Konrad or Heinrich models, an anti-retrograde perhaps??? No, this is another variation on the theme of retro-grade dates. Upon arriving at midnight on the 31st, the date hand doesn't just flick back to the 1st, it slowly and visibly sweeps back, so that the owner can observe it's motion over the course of 2+seconds. I don't think this has been done prior. The 217QRS is a totally lovely watch and will only be made in tiny quantities, 10 RG, 10 WG & 10 Platinum.

The lovely Observatoire in WG

Superbly finished caliber of the Observatoire.

I enjoyed three executions of this model that Kari had with him, my favorite was the lovely blue dial within a RG case. The other two were a WG with grey dial, minimal guilloche and 12,3 & 9 romans, with a platinum watch with a black multi style guilloche & arabics at 12, 3 & 9 dial. All three would be right at home on my wrist mind you, but the I have a soft spot for blue dials, so that got my vote. Now if the blue was in a platinum case, then hands downs a winner we'd have. The other fun piece that was on show, was a WG Observatoire with a guilloche grey dial and full applied RG radial arabics. I was able to snap some comparison shots for you. There was one Vingt-8 on show, that I was surprised to see and it too had a stunning light blue guilloche dial cased in WG with a lovely frosted movement finish.

217QRS caliber

Vingt-8 with pale blue guilloche enamel dial with the QRS behind.

As I finalized the potential purchase of a 217QRS for a great client with Kari, I was still snapping pics of his watches and trying them on, he picked up my Speake-Marin Piccadilly and strapped it on. He commented on how heavy it was and how classic Speake-Marin was in the day. Wise words from such a sage of the Independent watch world...it's what I found so compelling back in 2003 when I started this journey.

Kari checking out my original Piccadilly from 2005.

I then headed out to meet Stephen McGonigle for a quick beer & to grab a sandwich before my next stop. Whilst outside I bumped into a dear friend and watchmaker, Briana Le, who was visiting Basel from the SF Bay Area. She happened to be with some good watchmaker friends & student watchmakers, one of whom I'd met briefly prior, Kaj Korpela. He had on his wrist his own stunning rectangular watch with a Tourbillon escapement. Beautiful and quite elegant.

Henrik’s elegant Tourbillon.

Beautifully hand finished!

Next stop was back inside, and to visit with completely new to me watchmaker, the brilliant Rexhep Rexhepi of Akrivia and his brother Xhevdet Rexhepi, also brilliant by the way. Their prior offerings were not really to my taste and stylistically didn't seem something my clients would be excited about. Obviously technically the tourbillons were impressive and appeared to have very fine hand finishing, but designwies they just didn't it enough for me to reach. Last year an open dialed watch the AK-06 was revealed that had their own caliber and dial side was quite busy. A good step in the right direction for me, however this year they revealed a watch that I was very excited to see in person, The Chronometre Contemporain Rexhep Rexhepi.

The rose gold execution with black enamel dial

Exciting caliber, beautifully hand finished!

An enameled dial time only beauty with elegant proportions in a 38mm case of either 18K RG or platinum. The RG case sported a black enamel dial whilst the platinum a white version. Simple, yet brilliant in it's design. The caliber is similar to last year's effort in the AK-06, with it's symmetrical design and beautifully hand-finshed with all the classic elements of fine hand finished movements. Another one to add to the list.

Platinum elegance with white enamel dial.

Day Three, Gronefeld & Vianney's Birthday

Tim & Bart Gronefeld are rock stars in more than one way, not just highly talented Independent Watchmakers,  but Bon Vivants who know how to live and have a good time doing it. I've had the enormous pleasure of working with Bart & Tim for several years now and have found homes for their watches. The first piece was a One Hertz Dune, their 18K RG independent jumping seconds watch that housed their first fully inhouse created caliber. The recent model that they have had much success with is the 1941 Remontoire, initially released with a couple of dial options. Since last year (2017) this watch has been available with a brilliant Guilloche & Enamel dial courtesy of Kari Voutilanen's Comblemine dial company in Switzerland. The outer chapter is grey guilloche with a blue or red enamel option and the other variations are blued fish scale guilloche all over the dial or light blue lacquered guilloche dial.

The final version of the One Hertz is cased in 18K RG with an off white & silver chapter dial. Blued steel hands set this off in a classic and quite elegant way for a technical watch. Matching this aesthetic is a RG version of the Parallax Tourbillon limited to 28pcs, elegant and classic too! As is always their way, Tim & Bart casually chatted with me and showed their watches whilst keeping an eye out for potential new clients and press that needed their attention. This is all part of the Baselworld experience, where exhibitors are focused on the annual exposure and sales opportunity that mustn't be missed, after all it is a tough world to exist in as a business. Tim & Bart not only create stunning watches under their own name, but run a thriving service business that employs several highly skilled watchmakers, so a balance must be made that allows for both avenues of their business to thrive.

I then, ambled over to where Vianney was seated and asked him about the 20th Anniversary Classic and if there was an option to get a second piece for stock. As we sat and chatted, suddenly a cake appeared clad in lit candles, placed on my table in front of Vianney and "Happy Birthday" or "Bon Anniversaire" was summarily sung by all present to Vianney. What a treat to be there for such a moving and precious moment. Another reason why I always make the enormous effort, timewise and financially to attend Baselworld. These vignettes into life as an Independent Watchmaker are why I do what I do. The simple moment of reality, where a man has his birthday celebrated publicly at a trade show, is important and being there at his table was quite an honor. "Salut mon ami, Vianney!"

I write this with his RG Classic strapped to my arm as it has been for the past week. Falling in love with it all over again! Shortly after the candles were blown out, the beers appeared and I enjoyed many a fun conversation with my friends and colleagues for an hour prior to my Irish friends arriving. Meanwhile as is the custom, many a watchmaker or friend of the tribe shows up towards the end of the day for the requisite beer prior to heading out to dinner. Peter Speake-Marin popped by and I had a chance to catch up.

For dinner on Saturday, I made my way home to my English family-in-law's apartment in Basel and enjoyed a stunning dinner with John McGonigle and his friend Graeme, a potential future business partner. They regaled my hosts with many a watchmaking story and gave them a taste of Irish Independent watchmaking, McGonigle style! It isn't every day one gets to dine with a world class watchmaker when you are not in the business and my family were fascinated. John & Graeme were delighted to have a home cooked meal and lovely non-watch business folk for company. I finished the evening with a wee dram as Tom likes to offer it, John seemed quite at home with the fiery brown water of the highlands to round out the evening. Huge thanks to my hosts, Katie & Tom!

Day Two, Sarpaneva & Laine (Finnish Watchmakers)

Finland for some reason produces some brilliant watchmaking talent, maybe it's the water or perhaps the vodka, Whatever the reason, Kippis! We are better off for it. Stepan has forged his path for years now in Helsinki, where he returned to after a stint in Switzerland honing his skills. His design and watchmaking skills are are bit off the beaten path and, as his hashtag proudly states #notforeveryone, the watches he creates in small quantities, are polarizing. He wouldn't have it any other way. One typically loves his work or doesn't. The evolution of the Korona case and his use of interesting dial materials and colors make for strong design direction. This year he showed his own design inhouse caliber, named the Moonment. Utilizing the brilliant Andreas Strehler's constructor and movement production facilities, he created a fully integrated Fiber Optic Moonphase within the caliber. The coolest execution of a moonphase complication I've ever seen. It needs some fine tuning in my opinion, and as the piece shown was very much a prototype, I'm sure the final product will be stunning. The balance wheel is also placed on the dial side, as the back of the caliber is reserved solely for the dual moons that make the rotation around the diameter once every 57 days. As they arrive behind the fiber optic disc, they cast a shadow giving a very realistic look to the moon. Of course Stepan's stylised "Man in the Moon" face is featured on the moon, for his little twist. Held up to a light source from behind, gives one a very bright moon! My understanding is that some form of Luminous material will be implemented in the moon. The other stunning piece shown was a magenta colored guilloche dial for a K1 Moonpase piece.

SUF Helsinki, is Stepan's second brand if you will and the enormous success of the brilliant Vetehinen model, a 300m dive watch from 2 years ago, has spawned several variations over the past 2 years. The dials are again from Comblemine in Switzerland, Kari Voutilainen's dial company. Galvanic green is the latest offer and it's a close second to my personal favourite, the original blue dial Vetehinen. Earlier this year during SIHH, Stepan released a collaboration purple dialed Vetehinen, with a neat machine engraved bezel designed by the master tatoo artist and watch collector from London, Mo Coppoletta. These he sold out during SIHH and although I didn't attend, I was able to secure the last three unspoken for pieces, in the series of 26 owing to some frantic emails and WhatsApp messages from me during SIHH.

After lunch of the usual kalbsbratwurst & rosti with Fiona & Michael Kruger, John McGonigle & Graeme Haughton I met up with Torsti Laine. Having missed him last year due to a scheduling issue, I was keen to meet the maker of my watch received late last year. The 1817 is a simple watch executed in a lovely style with hand engraved bridge and finely finished balance & escape wheel cocks. The base caliber is the venerable Unitas 6498, which like many an Independent Watchmaker, is used to create something quite special. 10 pieces each in RG, WG & YG movement colors will be made. This year he showed his next model, the Gellidus. Hand frosted dial and mainplate, again in the three colors of gold. I was intrigued to see in person his original wristwatch made under the Laine name, the Classic Chronograph. Two models were made, one with a blue dial and dark rhodiumed movement, the other with a dark grey dial and rose gold movement. The stunning manual wind caliber is based on the brilliant Valjoux column wheel chrono and is extensively modified and hand finished to a high degree with 38 new inhouse parts to improve the movement. In person these watches are even more stunning than the early pics I saw in 2017 prior to Basel 2017. 

I then headed to what has become a bit of a Basel tradition in the past three years, Baselworld Thai dinner with the Independent watchmakers, friends & collectors. Several continents are represented and it is a very fun, relaxing dinner with much laughter to go around. The obligatory table shot reveals quite a collection of brilliant watches. 

Day Two, Habring2 & Vianney Halter

I ended Day One, by heading to the Bad Bahnhof where I got on a German train bound for Schaffhausen. Odd you might say, as I neither represent IWC or any Independent Watchmaker from this famous Swiss town on the Rhine. Well there is a connection, Richard Habring spent many a formative years here and developed a close friendship with a hotelier, with whom he and Maria always stay when attending Baselworld. I had received a kind invite from Maria & Richard to join them for dinner and eagerly accepted. To get out of Basel during the fair is something I love to do if possible, and for me Schaffhausen was a new town to visit. I dined upon the best Veal Cordon Bleu I've ever had. Washed down with lovely red vino and superb dinner companionship, the conversation flowed until almost 11 o'clock! We were the last ones in the dining room...a big thank you to Maria & Richard!

The following morning I had a lovely breakfast in the hotel, and headed back to the train station with Maria & Richard to take the 1hr train back into Basel. During the train ride, they showed me a couple of new pieces, or rather derivations of existing models, a blue dial for the Felix and a white dialed central hand Calendar Jumping Seconds. Also we discussed the upcoming 10th Anniversary Habring2 model and was shown a couple of potential new cases. The hour quickly flew by and before I knew it, arriving into Basel, and off to the first meeting of the day.

Vianney Halter was exhibiting for the first time in several years, thanks to several of his colleagues who convinced him that 20 years since his first Baselworld, he ought to exhibit. It's allways one of my favourite meetings during Basel, and this year was no exception. To this day and almost ever since I first saw his Antiqua Perpetual in a magazine in 1999, I have been smitten. It is to me one of the most brilliant pieces of Horological Art, combining brilliant micro-mechanics for that caliber and the aesthetic of the dials and case. Habillage at it's finest. When asked about possibly building another one for a client, he grimaced somewhat, as the thought of doing what it takes to make one crossed his mind. There are only 3 WG cases left, so if one wants one, now is the time as there will be no more. Of course this watch isn't for everyone, and it lies within a terribly narrow field of appreciation. Knowing Vianney for almost 15 years and having visited his workshop in St. Croix, only goes to make this piece that much more compelling.

WG Antiqua Perpetual

As he hasn't had a sub $100K watch for a while now since the original Classic sold out in 2008, he decided to make a series of 20 steel watches named the 20th Anniversary Classic. This is a 2mm diameter increase over the original, so it is now 38mm and with the lugs wears closer to a 40-41mm watch. The rivets are 18K YG in the bezel and on the crown. The dial has a different logo, Vianney's signature and on the case back there will be a cryptic mark or letter that together with each of the other 19 pcs makes a special message. Obviously I am at a bit of a loss as to exactly what this will be. The piece pictured here is the prototype and the back of the watch case isn't complete. Same Mystery rotor automatic VH100 Caliber based on the Lemania 8810 ebauche. Happy to see this piece, we ordered one thinking we'll almost certainly find a client for it. Happy to report we did indeed. It is great to see Vianney's extra-ordinary talent get the recognition it so richly deserves.

The prototype 20th Anniversary Classic

Rather unfinished prototype case back.

Day One, Romain Gauthier, Lang & Heyne & Kudoke

My first meeting was with Romain, who didn't have a new model, rather an expansion on the Insight Micro-Rotor model he debutted last year. This year a polished Titanium version with several dial options. The blue enamel piece limited to 10 was a winner.

He also for the first time in several years (4yrs at Baselworld) showed a couple of pieces from the original HM series. These are the simple classic Hours & Minutes pieces with lovely guilloche dials.

The movement finishing is superlative and a refreshing moment to reflect upon where he has come since the beginning.

The platinum model with it's lovely frosted finish of the mainplate and bridges and the RG with the Geneva stripes. The HM model is so much Romain, and knowing him that much better now after all these years, I really appreciate this exquisite time only watch.

The back of the Insight Micro Rotor

Here is a new Logical One in natural titanium with a lovely black enamal dial

I then headed about 50' away to where Marco was showing. Eagerly anticipating the release of the Anton, I was not to be disappointed. This watch is cased in the rectangular case from last year's massive hit, the Georg. Featuring again the lovely white enamel arabic dial, this execution sports an elegant classic Saxon style Flying Tourbillon down at 6 o'clock in place of the sub seconds. The Anton movement side sports those wonderfully high polish curved steel cocks against the frosted finish main plate. A feast for the eyes! Marco showed me a platinum version as well as a RG model. The wonderfully thin cage is styled after the brilliant and famous Saxon watchmaking teacher, Alfred Helwig used to design his tourbillon cages. Black polished superbly, it is a sight to behold. Marco resisted for years to make a tourbillon, as he felt it was over subscribed within the watch world, well finally he decided to do it and wow! As is his way, it is so well designed and executed to his exacting standards, the Anton will make it's new owner very happy. 

The mighty Anton here cased in platinum

I spoke about an impending USA visit by Marco, and made plans for an event on the west coast and also hopefully on the East Coast, NYC a likely place. One of the great things about Basel is the ability to view models never before been seen or created, in this vein I was thrilled to see a Friedrich-August 1st cased in RG with the killer blued steel Louis XV hands. Particularly as I have a client who is interested in ordering this piece, and I have to say I really liked it in person, even though I typically prefer romans.

Next up was a lunch meeting with Stefan Kudoke, usually associated with hand skeletonizing and his famous Kudoktopus model. In fact until now, all his work has been the highly skilled manually, rather than with the help of CNC machines, skeleton working of the calibers, dials and hands of his watches. Based outside of Dresden in the former eastern Germany, his focus and passion is patently obvious when Stefan is speaking of his work and about watchmaking. This year he collaborated with the brilliant Austrian duo, known to many a seasoned watch aficionado as Habring2. He designed his new caliber using the Felix caliber as a starting point and certainly changed much about the aesthetic to give it a very different look and feel to it's Austrian counterpart. Basing the design of the main bridge from an old English pocketwatch he's owned for many years, he has a hand engraved balance cock that features his signature infinity symbol within the engraving. The frosted finish and blued screws are common in Saxon watchmaking. A note here, to say that Stefan does all this hand finishing of the mainplate, bridges, wheels and bluing of the screws himself. The hand engraving is done by a colleague, but again to Stefan's exacting design ethos. This resulting Time Only piece, known as the Kudoke 1, is to my sense of watchmaking, quite lovely. A coherent design executed by a truly skilled watchmaker/craftsman. I am excited to bring a couple of these lovely pieces out to California in due course once he has begun to build them in a series. As a prototype, this watch is impressive and I'm not sure it needs anything else to improve it!

The prototype Kudoke 1 in steel.

A lot to like in this classic watch.