HAUTLENCE isn’t just breaking boundaries, it’s entering new dimensions. Since its foundation in 2004, the independent brand has made its mark in the world of contemporary watchmaking by conjuring novel ways of portraying the passage of time. Blurring the lines between mechanical marvel and artistic expression, HAUTLENCE has completely reimagined how the most essential of time measurements – the hours and minutes – can be creatively rendered. After the semi-trailing hour on a chain, the linear jumping hour, it brings time to a third dimension with a twirling hour sphere. Radical in design and quite literally like nothing else out there, the Sphere Series 1 is avant-garde horology at its finest.
Multi-faceted, sculptural, and on the outer limits of what seems possible with mechanical watchmaking, the Sphere Series 1 elevates HAUTLENCE’s unique approach with a distinctly architectural edge. Fluid shapes and organic lines give way to the centerpiece of the Sphere Series 1.
Like a neo-futurist sculpture, the blue sphere prominently occupies the left portion of the case, magnificently staged by a beveled sapphire crystal fitted with a small dome. It has twelve engraved numerals and turns on itself on three axes of rotation to reveal the time. Seemingly random but precisely orchestrated, the sphere spins every hour using four conical gears, which evolve around two crossed axes inclined at 21 degrees. These atypical gears are concealed between two polished titanium shells with a blue PVD treatment that form a sphere.
All in curves, evoking a sparkling bubble, this sphere perfectly represents the values and state of mind of HAUTLENCE: an extremely technical brand, that elevates complexity to the rank of art, while remaining very playful and without taking itself too seriously.
To the right of the sphere is a retrograde minute hand, which moves along a slender and elegant minute track that opens onto the movement. Through this opening, we can see the gear train which slows the movement of the minute hand when it returns to zero, regulating its speed to limit shocks. You can also see, under the minute hand, the freewheel and the snail cam allowing the triggering of the jumping hour. The applied minute numerals, white by day and blue by night, are made of Globolight®, a ceramic-based material charged with Super-LumiNova®. They are set on an intermediate sapphire crystal dial.
The steel case of the Sphere Series 1 features the TV screen shape so dear to HAUTLENCE. Reworked with a more contemporary aesthetic, the case sports shapes in relief on the sides and is water-resistant to 10 ATM. The notched crown, in steel, engraved with the HAUTLENCE logo, is adorned with a rubber ribbon of the same blue as the integrated rubber strap.
On the movement side, the hand-wound A80 calibre beats at the heart of the Sphere Series 1 model. Entirely developed, designed, and produced by HAUTLENCE watchmakers, this shaped movement has been revisited for even better performance and a more balanced geometry.
This movement is equipped with an in-house hairspring, produced by Precision Engineering AG, the sister company of HAUTLENCE. Entirely skeletonized, the drum and the ratchet reveal the mainspring of the barrel, thus offering a visual indication as simple as it is ingenious of the 72-hour power reserve. The A80 calibre is equipped with a safety device to prevent any incorrect manipulation like reverse time setting. The movement then simply rotates in a vacuum, without any risk of damaging the mechanism.
HAUTLENCE: Spearhead of modern and architectural watchmaking, catalyst of independent watchmaking in motion.
HAUTLENCE SPHERE Series 1 Technical Specifications
Reference BA80-ST00 – limited to 28 pieces
Movement
- Hand-wound mechanical movement A80
- Spherical hours and retrograde minute on a 180° sector
- Power reserve: minimum of 72 hours
- 21’600 vibrations/hour
- Number of components: 218
- Number of jewels: 37
Case
- Case middle and horns: satin-finished and polished steel
- Bezel: satin-finished and polished steel
- Crown: satin-finished and polished steel with engraved HAUTLENCE logo
- Crystal: extra-hard sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment, beveling and dome
- Back: sapphire crystal, engraved «HAUTLENCE», «10 ATM», «Horlogerie Suisse»
- Dimensions (excluding dome): 43.0 x 50.8 x 11.9 mm / 10.9 mm without sapphire crystal
- 10 ATM water resist
Dial
- Base dial: skeletonized and rhodium-plated brass with a frosted finishing
- Intermediate dial: sapphire with applied minute numerals in Globolight®
- Hour sphere: polished grade 5 titanium with blue PVD treatment, engraved hour numerals with white SLN filling
- Minute hand: satin-finished grade 5 titanium with blue PVD treatment, white SLN
Strap
- Blue rubber
- Buckle: steel
A brand new chapter in the history of HAUTLENCE
Founded in 2004, HAUTLENCE – whose name itself is an anagram of Neuchâtel – pays tribute to the birthplace of the watchmaking art. The brand has been praised by watch collectors and aficionados from across the world for bringing a new dynamism to the art of fine watchmaking.
#In 2022, HAUTLENCE embarked on a new chapter in its history. While continuing to refine and develop the brand’s signature codes, HAUTLENCE adopted a brand new, more contemporary and sporty approach. Featuring a new structure, a more exclusive distribution network and a visual identity aligned with the brand’s positioning, HAUTLENCE now has the resources to confirm its status as a leading independent.
With annual production of around 200 pieces, HAUTLENCE has nine calibres designed and developed in-house, whilst also relying on external partners for the movements used in certain collections.
In strategic terms, HAUTLENCE can count on support from MELB Holding, an independent family watchmaking group which has been offering its experience and network since 2012, with the synergies between HAUTLENCE and the group sure to grow.
HAUTLENCE is pushing the boundaries of traditional watchmaking codes, uniting them with innovative mechanical solutions and an unlimited universe borrowed from the various arts, combining design, architecture, and movement. The brand takes its inspiration from this to create new approaches to time display, which it uses to elevate the two key dimensions of space and time. Ever conscious of a functional relationship with beauty, HAUTLENCE invents timepieces with completely new contours and depths, respecting every stage and every person involved in their production.