Watches & Wonders Geneva 2024
BEAUREGARD & Vianney Halter
present ‘Ulysse’
When Haute Joaillerie meets Haute Horlogerie
An Exclusive Series of 10 Pieces
In a collaboration that marks a first in the brand's history, Beauregard, under the creative leadership of its founder Alexandre Beauregard, joins forces with master watchmaker Vianney Halter to present the brand's inaugural men's watch: Ulysse.
Combining the artistic signature and technical mastery of the two creators, Ulysse, recognizable at first glance, emerge as a unique and unconventional work in the watchmaking realm.
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More than a watch, Ulysse is a work of art on the wrist, an aesthetic inspiration by the Art Deco school and the organic beauty of the marine universe, showcasing Aqua Marines of perfect clarity. The fruit of several years of research and a three-year development phase, Ulysse is the result of personal introspection and prodigious technical mastery.An odyssey of friendship and horology
This collaboration between Alexandre Beauregard and Vianney Halter, which originated at Baselworld in 2019, reveals a shared vision of watchmaking as an art form in its own right. Alexandre Beauregard, with a decade dedicated to women's floral collections, join forces with Vianney Halter, recognized for his avant-garde approach, in the creation of an unexpected watch that blends organic beauty with mechanical precision.
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Ulysses is a work of love and the testimony of a creative journey where technique and aesthetics converge to forge an exceptional art piece. The encounter with Vianney, a larger-than-life character animated by a whimsical spark and perpetual youthfulness, deeply resonated with Alexandre Beauregard: “It was an instant connection with a kindred spirit.”Vianney Halter. A name that resonates powerfully in the world of independent watchmaking, not only as a watchmaker-creator but also as a visionary who has pushed the boundaries of innovation and been crowned three times at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. The inventor of watches with advanced complications, Halter has left a mark on the industry with the famous ANTIQUA, his first creation, launched in 1998, the only one of its kind in the world, a perpetual calendar arranged in a scattered manner on the case.
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Vianney Halter also created the OPUS 3 for Harry Winston, released in 2003, and the ANNIVERSARY, a limited edition marking the 20th anniversary of his creations, released in 2018; it is the first watch with the VH122 caliber. He then captivated the watchmaking world with the DEEP SPACE TOURBILLON, launched in 2013, making him a living legend in the world of independent watchmaking. This is a central tourbillon with 3 axes.
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As the inventor of watches with advanced complications, Halter has more recently made his mark on the industry with the 👉 DEEP SPACE RESONANCE, a 3-axis tourbillon equipped with 2 resonant balances, created in 2021.
For Alexandre Beauregard, who has created his own aesthetic universe in watchmaking and jewelry based on a mastery of lapidary art “working with Vianney Halter has been pure joy.”
Singular concept, exclusive design
Ulysse immediately captures attention with the boldness of its dial, a Beauregard hallmark. originating from a creative concept of a stained glass with precious stones in which the lead is replaced by Gold, the captivating work of the gems with its 68 miniature components of Aqua Marines selected for their purity and delicate color, meticulously hand-cut and nestled within an intricately laid gold lacework of fascinating finesse.
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Each stone, patiently shaped and fitted by hand in the brand’s Montreal workshop, reflects light in a unique way thanks to a disk of mother-of-pearl cleverly positioned beneath the stone. This creates a play of light that further enhances the artistry in the applied technique. The hands, off-set and curved to follow the arch of the dial, appear to dance above this exquisite mosaic of light.Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
For Beauregard, each detail embodies a world unto itself, from the design to the meticulous hand-finishing of every component that grants each watch its distinctive signature. The dial’s lines seamlessly flow onto the case, elegantly shaped with subtle waves, evoking a sense of natural movement and radiant fluidity.
The unusual degree of finishing and decoration of a Vianney Halter movement
A measure of the implicit trust that underpins this collaboration, Vianney gave Alexandre free rein to lavishly dress and decorate his famous mysterious automatic movement that celebrates 20 years of Vianney Halter watchmaking creations.
The choice of maillechort, a noble alloy favored over brass for its superior quality, exemplifies Halter's dedication to the longevity of his creations. It not only ensures the watch’s durability but also that it can be easily maintained – a mark of all the care and respect such an exceptional object deserves.
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The caliber’s innovative design is highlighted by a patented 'invisible' rotor that allows for an unobstructed view of its intricate inner workings.With a power reserve of 56 hours, its ingenious architecture allows for the addition of extra modules. For the Beauregard Ulysse watch, this translated into a reinvention of the time display. Here, the hour and minute hands rotate not from the center.
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Several months of meticulous planning, drawing, and prototyping went into adapting the movement. The fluid aesthetic achieved reverberates throughout: from the bridges whose shape celebrate the the rhythm of the tides, to the 30 clear sapphire jewels for chromatic homogeneity, and back to the rounded anglage on each wheel – all the visible hand-finished details play off each other. This work of love transformed Vianney's movement into a distinctive heart that beats only for the Beauregard watch.
Impossible not to mention Dzevad, who, from his workshop in Sainte-Croix, machined the extravagant components, and Philippe Narbel, who, with his team at Manufactor in L’Abbaye, masterfully decorated the components by hand.
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The 41mm case in 18K rose gold, with its domed sapphire, engraved screw-down back with gold engraving highlighted in blue lacquer, and crown adorned with an Aquamarine, is fitted with a sober, stitchless chestnut alligator strap. It is water resistant to 3 ATM (30 meters). The ‘quick release’ interchangeable strap system, together with the rose gold pin buckle, follows through with the creator’s unparalleled attention to detail.
Ultimately, the creation of Ulysse is a human adventure, a journey among friends, weaving together the bonds of friendship and the art of watchmaking.
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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
🤝 COLLABORATIONS:
Collection: ART DECO
Model Name: Ulysse
Movement:
Self-winding
Designed, developed and manufactured by Vianney Halter in his Sainte-Croix workshop
Decorated and finished under the creative impulse of Alexandre Beauregard
Frequency of 21,600 Alt/h.
56-hour power reserve
30 transparent functional rubies
Entirely made and assembled in Switzerland
Functions : Hours, minutes
Dial:
18K Rose Gold lacework
68 Aquamarine components of flawless quality
Entirely made in our Montreal’s workshop and assembled in Switzerland
Case:
18K Rose Gold
Domed sapphire with anti-reflective coatings on both sides
Water-resistant to 3 ATM (30 meters)
Entirely made and assembled in Switzerland
Strap & Buckle:
Chestnut alligator, stitchless
18K Rose Gold pin buckle
Entirely made and assembled in Switzerland
🔰 A limited series of 10 pieces, each at a retail 🔴PRICE of CHF 110,000, excluding VAT
Official launch at Watches & Wonders 2024
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ABOUT VIANNEY HALTER
Vianney Halter was born in 1963 on the outskirts of Paris,
the son of an engine driver on the French railways. He remembers being
fascinated by the old machines and mechanical objects that his father
brought home. Perhaps this early contact with powerful locomotives,
steam engines and other measuring instruments is the reason why he was
attracted to technology and mechanics.
At 14 years of age, Vianney Halter made the decision to broaden his interest in mechanics, and took the train to the capital to enrol at the École Horlogère de Paris (Paris Watchmaking School). He qualified in 1980 and
spent his first ten years in the profession restoring antique watches
and clocks, experience which gave him in-depth knowledge of the art of
watchmaking.
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Self-employed since 1984, he then went on to create a variety of timepieces for well-known manufacturers including Harry Winston, Breguet, and Audemars Piguet. He has also invented and developed his own collection of wristwatches since 1998.His designs have been regarded as avant-garde pieces and are considered to have instigated a new shift in the watchmaking world. Vianney Halter makes unusual watches in the traditional method of the master watchmakers of the past, while using singular aesthetics, his own technical patents and unique constructions. All of this is illustrated in his first model, the “Antiqua”, a perpetual calendar presented in 1998. This watch was instantly regarded as a "relic of the future", reinforcing Halter's creativity and allowing him to enter the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI).
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His
years as an independent watchmaker continuing the art of watchmaking
and his contribution to the modern horological landscape have already
earned him nine awards. He has created around ten models of
wristwatches, but the high level of workmanship they demand means their
production is confidential. Indeed, under 500 pieces created by Vianney Halter have been produced to this day.
Press release - 2021
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www.Vianney-Halter.com
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