AkriviA was born of the meeting of two promising personalities from Geneva’s horology galaxy, Rexhep Rexhepi and Etienne Deschamps.
This brand has established itself within the great traditions of
horology, that of ingenious mechanisms of the first clocks, with the
most refined complications. It is with the ambition of the great players
in the world of horology and the Arts that Akrivia, today, presents
exceptional timepieces, aligning heritage with the reinterpretation of
contemporary aestheticism.
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Rexhep Rexhepi
It was at the tender age of 12 that this young horology aficionado left Kosovo for Geneva.
A passionate and committed student, he obtained his horology diploma
from Patek Philippe. Geneva’s great watchmaking house wished to keep him
on and offered him his first contract as a professional watchmaker.
Over a period of two years, this tireless and inquisitive young man
would work in virtually every atelier of the watchmaking house.
Upon being noticed by BNB Concept, he perfected his skills whilst
working on complicated mechanisms. At the age of 20, he was made manager
of the atelier.
Francois-Paul Journe also took interest in the young and talented
watchmaker, and put him in charge of mounting some world re-known
calibres.
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Despite being more than fulfilled in his job,
Rexhep
aspired to be more independent. His experience gained alongside the
greatest stimulated his creativity, and it was at night, after long days
at work, that his project to launch his own brand matured. The first
time-keeper conceived by his own hands was a tourbillon chronograph. He
then partnered with
Etienne Deschamps, a young horologer sharing the same aspirations.
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Etienne Deschamps
Etienne Deschamps grew up in the Geneva countryside, far from the established and prestigious watchmakers.
It was almost by accident, at the age of 15, that he became acquainted
with horology. More than being just a job, he discovered in it an
identity, a tradition, and roots. He then began his apprenticeship with
the Chopard house.
After four years of study, he was awarded the title of best watchmaker in Geneva for his end-of-year exams.
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With a deep desire to travel the world, Etienne spent eight months in
Brisbane, in the Australian Queensland, to perfect his English and
satiate his taste for adventure. A few months after his return, Chopard
offered him the position of Method Agent.
It was not easy though
to stay put after having had a taste of freedom and travel. Etienne
therefore jumped onto a new opportunity: that of setting up his own
business.
A methodical and patient man, he left the comforts of a
secure job to return to university, where he later obtained a Bachelors
degree in Management at the ESM, Management and Communication school.
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The AkriviA Tourbillon Monopusher Chronograph
For me as a watchmaker, a tourbillon
will always remain one of the most challenging and beautiful types of
escapement mechanisms to create - and this is the reason why it is at
the heart of my first AkriviA timepiece. However, using a tourbillon was
just one of several decisions regarding my specific choice of this type
of movement. I was also fascinated by the combination of a tourbillon
with the more rare variety of chronograph called a ‘monopusher’.
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This is
one of the oldest chronograph types that we know of, with a grand
history dating back to the 19th century. Even today in the 21st
century it remains the most easy to use chronograph type, perfectly
suited to the typical timing tasks of everyday life. This combination
of tourbillon and monopusher chronograph is very inspiring for me in the
way it combines complications in an elegant manner for a contemporary
watch design. I see no reason why a watch cannot be useful, as well as
high-end and elegant!
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The movement I am using for the first series of
AkriviA timepieces was developed by friends of mine here in Geneva; in
fact, I was even able to follow its development directly as it was being
designed. So it also has its ‘roots’ in the Geneva tradition – the city
where I grew up and presently live.
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It embodies everything that
tradition has to offer while being different from the rest and in fact,
it is actually quite rare as very few of these calibers were made. On a more technical watchmaking
level, an aspect I really enjoy is the fact that the chronograph
mechanism is built up on the dial side, which is quite rare in the world
of watchmaking. All of the bridges, springs, plates and the tourbillon
cage, the balance with its gold timing screws, the chronograph wheel and
many more details - have all been re-designed following my personal
approach to watchmaking, and for this reason many new parts were created
from steel, which allows me to work to a high level of finishing as
well as providing extensive longevity regarding wear and tear.
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Some of
these changes were purely visible in order to follow all the codes for
the Geneva Seal; others were undertaken in order to optimize the
monopusher chronograph functions for perfect chronometric results and
the elimination of backlash when stopping and starting the mechanism.
And, last but not least, as a watchmaker, I am exceptionally pleased
that the timing results of this movement when completed in this manner
have turned out to be exceptional in every way.
Design
In the design of the case for my
watch, I was strongly influenced by classical traditions as a starting
point; however, it was not my wish to merely copy a particular look or
style of case design from the past. For this reason I chose to create a
strong identity using what I would call a neo-classical design
vocabulary.
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The case design recalls the elegant cases of the
past only by indirect inference, yet its design is firmly rooted in the
more dynamic lines of the 21st century. And with an eye to
the user, in order to make the watch comfortable to wear, a lot of
attention was paid to such details as the creation of a streamlined,
ergonomic case form and outline, the shape of the pusher as well as the
angle and direction in which the fingers touch the case when using the
chronograph functions. The anti-glare treated sapphire glass front and
back provide the perfect window on the movement’s key features and the
attention given to each detail.
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With a philosophy identical to that
used in the movement, the case is extremely finely finished in every
detail as well as complex in its realization with more than 30 separate
parts; for this reason it takes me more than 5 days of work to complete
the case by hand to the same level as my movement. And of course, here
also you will find hand engraved inscriptions on the case to complement
that work….
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DIAL SIDE
Created according to the highest
standards of traditional Swiss watchmaking, all components of the
chronograph movement were made by hand. The engravings, chamfering,
matte finishings, cicle grain finishings, the mirror polishing and some
36 inward angles constitute all the finishings.
Under the chronograph bridge, you
can see more of the hammer and gear teeth, with another specificity; the
wheels. They have been specially cut with a patented design by AkriviA.
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TOURBILLON
The tourbillon seduces us with its
size, its elegant proportions and the quality of its finishings. The 10
inward angles and mirror polished surfaces complete this unique haute
horlogerie mechanism.
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MOVEMENT SIDE
The sapphire case-back reveals a
structure in accordance with the purest tradition of Geneva. The
different bridges are all adorned with straight Côtes de Genève, created
with boxwood and covered in diamond paste.
A mirror-polished steel plate is enthroned in the center of the movement and draws the eye of the connoisseur.
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The movement bridges - all beveled
by hand - bring rigidity to the masterpiece, that is necessary for
accurate chronometric results. This construction is inspired by marine
chronometers, which must be accurate under all circumstances. This is
also why the Saturn timepiece maintains a sporty essence.
On the baseplate decorated with a
fine stippling, and hand-chamfered, one notices the steel ratchet wheel
and the barrel.
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The center wheel and the intermediary wheel are both
angled, have circular-graining and are plated with yellow gold. The
AkriviA logo, the "Manufacturé à Genève" inscription as well as the rest
of the inscriptions are hand engraved.
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Each timepiece is unique and
entirely assembled by hand by the same watchmaker. Only 10 samples of
this ultra-exclusive timepiece will be manuafactured.
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Technical Description
Movement
DIMENSIONS
• Diameter: 30.00mm / Thickness: 7.40mm
NUMBER OF PARTS
• Complete movement : 286 parts / Tourbillon cage : 63 parts
NUMBER OF JEWELS
• 33 / Olive-domed and plate jewels
POWER RESERVE
• 100 hours / With chronograph engaged: 72h
CHRONOGRAPH
• Engages directly with the Tourbillon cage
• Column-wheel
• Snail type gear-trains design by AkriviA
• Steel parts decorated by inward angles and sinks
• Chronograph wheels and parts decorated by hand
MAIN PLATE
• Interior and exterior flanks finished with angles and sinks polished by hand.
• Manual circular graining
• Rhodium finish
BRIDGES
• Interior and exterior flanks decorated with 10 inward angles created and polished
by hand.
• Angles and sinks with hand graining and polishing by hand
• “Côtes de Genève” decoration
• Manual circular graining even on non-visible parts
• Finishing of all steel parts with hand made blocked and facet polishing
• All inscriptions engraved by hand (“AkriviA”; N°, “Manufacturé à Genève”, logo)
• Nickel-rhodium finish
• Hand-engraved inscriptions finished in 3N gold
TOURBILLON CAGE
• Cage pillars in Titanium
• Bridges in hand blocked and facet polished steel
• Eight hand made and polished inward angles
• Swiss anchor escapement
• 60-second rotation
• Weight of the cage: 0.45g
BALANCE WHEEL
• Gold timing screws
• Diameter 9.60 mm
FREQUENCY • 21,600 vph
DISPLAYS
• Hour and minute / Chronograph minutes and seconds / Segmented power reserve (100 hours)
Bridge side view
Dial side view
Exterior
CASE
• Available in Steel or 18K 5N red gold
• Front sapphire glass crystal with anti-reflective treatment (both sides)
• Lateral tab at 9 o’clock provides optimal ergonomic positioning of the fingers
when engaging the chronograph
• Case composed of 30 parts
• Transparent back of sapphire glass with anti-reflective treatment (both sides)
• Hand engraved inscriptions placed on the circumference
CASE DIMENSIONS
• Diameter: 43mm
• Thickness: 12.90mm
WATER RESISTANCE
• 3 ATM (30m / 100ft)
CROWN
• In steel or 18K 5N red gold with engraved and polished AkriviA logo
• Engraved circumference with “clous de Paris” decoration
DIAL
• Black PVD–coated German silver base
• Silver pigments for the hour and minute markers (steel version)
or blue pigments (red gold version)
• Brushed and rhodium finished minute and seconds display
• Brushed and rhodium finished power reserve sector
• Hand engraved, blocked and facet polished decorative inset at 12 o’ clock
• Hand engraved, blocked and facet polished decorative insert around
the tourbillon cage in steel
HANDS
• Sword shaped hour, minute, seconds and chronograph minute hands in AkriviA design
• Hands with Rhodium finish
• Power reserve in brushed German silver with rhodium finish and red lacquer
STRAP AND CLASP
• Hand-sewn black alligator
• Choice of 18K, 5N red gold deployant clasp or pin buckle, both with hand-engraved
AkriviA logo and hand stitched alligator strap
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