The following morning, Thursday, I left Neuchâtel headed for Sainte-Croix up in the Jura above Yverdon-les-Bains.
Waiting for the local train that also was heading up the hill to Sainte-Croix. The valley seen in the distance just below the clouds, is the way up to Ste. Croix.
Looking out across the village of Sainte-Croix to the Swiss Alps in the south. We are now 2100 feet above the previous picture above the low lying clouds of the prior picture.
I was headed to see my old friend Vianney Halter, and new friend Sylvain Pinaud. These two very able and highly capable Frenchmen craft their horological gems in the small village of Sainte-Croix. My first stop was to meet with Vianney and we were quickly off to a very delicious lunch in the village. After lunch, it was back to his atelier, where I could enjoy several amazing watches that were there.
The watchmaker’s lathe of choice, a Schaublin!
Now to the watches!
The caseback with the patented Mystery rotor found in this Antiqua Perpetual.
On the wrist it is magical!
I count the “Antiqua Perpetual” in my top 3 watches of all time! However, the “La Resonance” is one of the most extraordinary watches I think he’s ever made. I might be biased, but Vianney’s version of a watch featuring resonance is something that has to be seen and explained to be truly understood.
Twin Barrels provide power through a differential in the center of the watch.
The winding/setting crown is at 9 o’clock in order to have a view from the case window at 3po’clock of the twin oscillators/balance wheels doing their magic.
As to it’s difference between the other two main watches that are available to collectors, namely François-Paul Journe’s “Chronomètre à Résonance” model watch and the Armin Strom “Mirrored Force Resonance”, I’ll attempt to paraphrase Vianney’s explanation of it’s differing horological technical wizardry. As Vianney explained, his uses acoustic resonance in order to work, and it works even in a vacuum. The two balance wheels are connected via a common stud holder for the energy waves to flow through, with every part being completely symmetrical. One fun aspect that isn’t immediately obvious or known, is that the two balances are able to go into an acoustic resonant state either in phase or in opposite phase. In layman’s terms, “in phase” means the hairsprings contract and expand together and conversely “opposite phase” means one hairspring contracts fully while the other expands fully. The lack of a more standard mainplate makes for a spectacular and skeletonized movement.
Another aspect most will never see, are the “squared” or four facetted escape wheel axles that are incorporated. A nod to the old ways of the blacksmiths of old, who built entire tower clocks using only red hot metal, anvils and hammers. At that time crafting a facetted axle was the only way, lathes did not exist. This really appeals to Vianney’s sense of tradition and knowing his amazing collection of old tower clock movements, I can see why he chose to do this inside one of his watches.
An exquisite example of the independent watchmakers horological artistry.
A big treat for me was seeing this version of the Antiqua Perpetual that up until this point in time, I had only seen in photographs, this execution was in a platinum case with rose gold dials. This to me is probably the ultimate Antiqua Perpetual. I was able to spend a good half hour with the watch, snapping photographs on and off the wrist for my archives, as the workshop was busy on a Thursday afternoon.
I always find it amazing that Vianney and his team create their own winding boxes for the Antiqua Perpetual, and here we see a colleague using an old but very precise drill press to create the 12 holes on one of the ‘Riveted Bezels” for the winding boxes.
The finished results.
Another fascinating visit to Vianney’s atelier, where one will always see and experience horological moments of awe. I then headed out after meeting Vianney’s daughter Victoire, who was keen to find some watchmaking tools in the US via Ebay, and needed someone to receive them in the US, due to the seller’s shipping restrictions. I was of course happy to help.
Merci beaucoup to Vianney and his team!