SIMON BRETTE – Chronomètre Artisans Subscription Zirconium Edition 2023
An Ode to Artisanal Watchmaking
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Geneva, April 12th, 2023: Independent watchmaker and movement designer Simon Brette presents his first timepiece, the Chronomètre Artisans.
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At its core, Chronomètre Artisans is a dialogue between Simon Brette, the movement designer responsible for conceiving and developing the timepiece, with the artisans and watchmakers who bring their invaluable know-how and craft. Free from the pressure of high production volumes, those involved had the time to ensure that every component is crafted without compromise.
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Simon and his partners are creating watches at the highest level of artistic expression, and the Chronomètre Artisans is the first in this collaborative effort which will build a solid foundation.
Design
Chronomètre Artisans: A New Expression of Neo-Classical Watchmaking
With the Chronomètre Artisans, Simon Brette has developed a highly original, easily recognizable, and evidently hand-finished timepiece focusing on the essentials: hours, minutes and seconds. It is in the design and execution that Simon expressed his aesthetic sensibilities and allows the work of all the artisans involved to stand out spectacularly.
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But beyond historic timepieces, it is the technical prowess and ingenuity of 20th century watchmakers such as George Daniels and Derek Pratt that inspire Simon Brette. His ideal watch would be a miniaturized pocket watch with optimized mechanisms and decorated in the most beautiful way possible, while also incorporating a pronounced contemporary edge.
And that’s precisely what he set out to create with his debut timepiece, the Chronomètre Artisans.
Mechanics
Calibre SBCA, a Contemporary Chronometer Movement
Simon Brette began designing his first watch from the inside out, starting with the movement. Conceived as a classical chronometer, Simon opted for a visually pure and symmetrical construction with a large prominent balance wheel. Held by a single straight rounded bridge crafted in non-magnetic grade 5 titanium, the large balance wheel beats at a traditional rate of 2.5 Hz, similar to historical marine chronometers that used a large diameter/high inertia balance wheel coupled to a low beat rate. All the steel parts adjacent to the balance wheel are crafted in Phynox, a non-magnetic steel alloy.
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For precise time-setting, the movement features a stop-second mechanism in the form of a single flexible “S”-shaped arm, which engages via a sliding pinion to contact the balance wheel rim in order to stop it from oscillating while the time is set.
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Exuding more contemporary tones, the three-quarter bridge is decorated with a grained texture and finished in an anthracite ruthenium tone. When fully wound, main-spring barrels, having mirror-polished concave surfaces, deliver a healthy 3-day power reserve. In a nod to chronometers from the golden era of watchmaking, the ratchet and crown wheel feature “wolf teeth” gearing.
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The winding mechanism of the Chronomètre Artisans is a technical highlight that can be seen, heard and felt. Using an innovative system that Simon developed while he was studying engineering, the click is a contemporary and pragmatic solution to a rarely revisited component. This innovative click replaces the multiple components usually found in conventional movements.
The Chronomètre Artisans' click is both more robust and reliable compared to a conventional click as it also provides a much more responsive feel when winding the movement. A compliant monolithic mechanism integrated in the crown wheel, the winding mechanism further enhances the symmetrical aspect of the movement.
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Perhaps the most visually distinctive components found throughout the Chronomètre Artisans are the amazing screws. Simon wanted to give these screws his personal touch, so the surfaces were deeply concave and then mirror polished to perfection.
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The rest of the movement is similarly superlative in execution, where one can admire the impeccable finishing and attention to detail in both the form and execution of the myriad of components. The finely hand-chamfered and polished edges of the three-quarter and individual titanium bridges have all been entirely mirror-polished, as well as the edges of the gear spokes and inner rims, the chatons, and even the pinions.
Face
Dial Harmony Through Open Asymmetry
While the Chronomètre Artisan’s movement has been constructed with symmetry in mind, the dial takes another direction entirely. Partially open, the dial reveals a balanced interplay between tradition and modernity. Familiar forms seamlessly merge with completely original shapes creating a sense of volume and depth. Asymmetrical yet balanced, the dial features two distinct openings to reveal kinetic parts of the movement and highlight its complexity.
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The small flame-blued steel seconds hand is placed on the same plane as the dial, minimizing the parallax effect. This provides an optimal reading of the seconds against its frosted sapphire sub-dial, regardless of the viewing angle. To further optimize readability, contrast is enhanced through different colours and decoration techniques of the main plate, titanium bridge, and gearing.
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Often an overlooked part of the movement’s overall aesthetic, these springs are mirror-polished with chamfered edges and sharp internal angles, which are further embellished with concave mirror polished screws fixed in gold chatons.
The dial is crafted in solid red (5N) gold and embellished with a unique dial decoration technique that will be exclusive to the Chronomètre Artisans Subscription Edition.
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Further adding to the sense of visual depth and lending a contemporary accent to the dial, the chapter ring with its minute markers is crafted in translucent sapphire crystal with a frosted finish ensuring high legibility with minimum glare. The raised sapphire ring is surrounded by a silvery opaline ring on which the Arabic numeral five-minute markers are pad printed.
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The central hour hand is inspired by the Urban Jurgensen “observatory” hand designed by Derek Pratt, here reinterpreted with an interior angle in the pointed tip. Rounded, flame-blued and polished by hand, the upper surface of the steel hand’s open portion is mirror-polished, seemingly disappearing and reappearing as it moves with the light.
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Ergonomics
A Zirconium Case for the Subscription Edition
Once the movement and dial had been designed and their proportions established, Simon began working on the case. He focused on proportions and ergonomics, while also maintaining coherence in design, extending from the movement to the dial and finally the case.
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The tapered lugs are unusual in that they feature two sets of holes that accommodate either curved or straight spring bars, each offering a different look and feel for the strap on the wrist.
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As the finishing touch to his first creation, Simon has incorporated a little sentimental signature on the case. On the left side, a small, polished element shaped like a dovetail subtly protrudes – exceptionally crafted in rose gold for the subscription series. The dovetail is a joint Simon often saw in his father’s carpentry work, and on the Chronomètre Artisans, it serves as a tribute to his father, who inspired him to pursue a life dedicated to independence and excellence while also being a symbol of the craftsmanship that he seeks to defend and cultivate.
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With the Chronomètre Artisans, Simon Brette is writing the first chapter of his self-titled adventure. His convictions and the role of his fellow artisans are intentionally evident from the onset. This three-hand timepiece embodies and establishes many of the codes that will carry on to future creations, heralding a new era of artisan-centric watchmaking.
The 12-piece Chronomètre Artisans Subscription Edition has already sold out. The Chronomètre Artisans production edition will be launched at the end of the year.
Teamwork
The artisans behind the Chronomètre Artisans
They have been carefully selected for their unrivalled talent, their limitless creativity and their rare meticulousness; exceptional craftsmen and craftswomen in constant pursuit of perfection.
⦁ Matthieu Allègre ― Watchmaking Designer
⦁ Yasmina Anti ― Hand engraver
⦁ Marc Bolis and Alyna Rouelle ― Micromechanical machining
⦁ Barbara Coyon ― Watchmaking Decorator
⦁ Pierre-Alain Dornier & Cie ― High-precision machining
⦁ Julien Ducommun & Cie ― Manufacturing, micromechanics and machining
⦁ Damien Genillard ― Surface Finisher
⦁ Nadine Görgl ― Hairspring regulator specialist
⦁ Alexis Greco & Cie ― Watchmaking Decorator
⦁ Nathalie Jean-Louis ― Watchmaking Decorator
⦁ Luc Monnet ― Prototypist Watchmaker, Art Mechanic
⦁ Anton Pettersson ― Prototypist Watchmaker, Art Mechanic
Founder
About Simon Brette: A Destiny of Independence
Simon Brette’s sense of entrepreneurship and independence runs in the family. As far back as he can remember, Simon’s parents and his siblings led their lives in pursuit of their convictions and passions rather than comfort and stability, often taking the riskier and less traveled road rather than enjoying the comforts of a more monotonous life.
Born and raised in Auvergne, a historical mountainous region in central France, Simon’s father was a carpenter who hand-crafted unique pieces to his own designs. From watching the pleasure and pride his father took in his work, as well as the challenges he faced as an independent craftsman, little did Simon realize at the time that it would become one of his greatest sources of inspiration.
After completing his studies to become an engineer in 2011, Simon joined renowned watchmaker Jean-François Mojon’s movement conception and development company Chronode, where he spent years as a technical constructor working on some of the most ground-breaking calibres in contemporary watchmaking.
Simon later went on to join the avant-garde watch brand MCT as a project manager responsible for bringing the brand’s unprecedented time display concepts to reality. Finally, Simon joined MB&F as Development Project Manager, where he was responsible for the management and implementation of movement concepts from R&D to production.
After the birth of his daughter in June 2021, Simon decided to embark on a new chapter in his career, where his convictions about artisanship and human values in watchmaking could be expressed in a collaborative horological project. Chronomètre Artisans Souscription Edition bares the project's first fruit.
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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Model: Chronomètre Artisans Souscription Edition
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ARCHITECTURE
• Caseband with embedded gold brancards, screwed bezel and caseback.
MATERIAL • Zirconium
DIMENSIONS
• Diameter: 39.00 mm
• Height: 10.50 mm
• Total length: 45.00 mm
• Distance between lugs: 20.00 mm
CRYSTAL
• Sapphire crystal with anti-refection treatments above and below crystal to minimise scratches.
WATER RESISTANCE • Water resistant to 30 meters
DISPLAY
DIAL
• Red gold
• Hand engraved
• Top face circular grained
• Hand polished anglage and straight grained flanks
HANDS
• Flame blued steel
• Top face mirror polished
• Rounded and hand polished anglage
MOVEMENT
• Manual winding: 45 rotations of crown
• Ruthenium treated: 24 rubies
DIMENSIONS
• Diameter: 33.30 mm
• Casing diameter: 32.70 mm
• Overall height: 7.80 mm
• Height of winding stem: 3.00 mm
• Diameter of winding stem: S1.20 mm
BALANCE
• Variable inertia balance with adjustment weights
• Hairspring with Breguet overcoil
• Adjustable stud holder
• Free sprung balance
• Greiner collet
• Geneva style stud
• Frequency: 18'000 a/h (2.5 Hz)
• Inertia: 40 mg/cm²
• Lift angle: 52°
AMPLITUDE
• 0 h flat: 310°
• 24 h flat: 280°
FEATURES
• Manuel winding
• 2 barrels in parallel
• Two-position winding stem (winding and setting)
• Time setting in position 2
• Escapement anchor ‘coudée’, 15 dents
INDICATIONS
• Central hours and minutes
• Small seconds at 9:15 o’clock
POWER RESERVE • 72hours (±5 hours)
DECORATION
• Haute horlogerie
• Mainplate and bridges featuring hand finished graining and anglage
• Concave screw heads mirror polished and set in gold chatons
• Pins and screws with mirror polished convex heads
• Wheels with flat teeth, hand polished anglage and hand polished faces
• Steel components mirror polished
NUMBER OF PIECES
• Movement without dial: 194
• Cased with strap: 226
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Hand wound mechanical movement, 33.30 mm
diameter x 7.80 mm high, 2.5 Hz/18’000 a/h, large diameter balance wheel with visible gearing.
Mainplate and bridges in ruthenium treated brass, wheels and chatons in red gold.
🔰 Edition of ✅only ❱❱❱ 12 pieces
⚠️Already sold-out.
Production edition will be launched at the end of the year
🔴 Price: in excess of CHF 50,000 💰
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Contact
Simon Brette
Owner & CEO
Mobile: +41 79 600 17 60
Office: +41 22 342 48 20
sb@simonbrette.com
www.facebook.com people - Simon-Brette-Watches
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