Introducing The Chronomètre Artisans From Simon Brette

Over the last decade, we have seen independent watchmaking grow and evolve into a universe of its own. Some of the indie designers, watchmakers and artisans are now “brands” in their own right, thanks to a growing tribe of collectors, who are increasingly moving away from big conglomerates to appreciate  the nuances of making watches from scratch in the most traditional ways. Unafraid to take risks and uninfluenced by trends, independent watchmakers have their own distinct styles shaped by extraordinarily talented individuals — right from hand engravers and decorators to micro engineers and component specialists. People have always been at the heart of independent watchmaking and in recent years we have seen some individuals share the spotlight with the founders of these brands as the co-creators of exceptional timepieces.

Geneva-based movement designer, Simon Brette, aims to elevate these collaborative efforts to another level with his very first timepiece – Chronomètre Artisans – made in collaboration with artisans and watchmakers representing the absolute best in their respective crafts. “While most independents work with these craftsmen, they hardly get the recognition they deserve. I want to change this norm and acknowledge their hard work by introducing them to the world in the best way possible,” says Brette. “The Chronomètre Artisans comes with a passport that credits each and every person who has worked on the watch. I have designed and conceptualized the watch but there’s a whole team that has brought the watch alive with their know-how and I feel the clients should know more about the individuals who have contributed to the making of this watch,” he says.

A Legit Tribute To Artisans

A watch engineer by qualification, Brette is not new to the world of independents. He joined Jean-François Mojon in 2011 and developed some of the most ground-breaking calibers in recent years. He then worked with Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps and developed a watch for them with a digital mechanical display. Brette’s most rewarding years as a movement designer came through his stint with MB&F where he created three movements, including the one for the HM10 Bulldog. “In April 2021, I decided to go solo. The idea for the Chronomètre Artisans came through while I was on a break after my daughter’s birth in June that year. I wanted to create a watch with absolutely no compromises. This timepiece had to have all things I love about watchmaking, including the most beautiful finishes ever,” says Brette.

For his first ever watch, Brette brought together a team of expert craftsmen he had earlier worked with during his time at MB&F. “During the pandemic, these craftsmen started to sell their tools and machines since they didn’t have enough work. So when I decided to work on my own watch, I collaborated with them. I wanted them to come up with their suggestions and fresh ideas for my watch, something they would be genuinely proud of. I wanted them to have a say in the final outcome while sharing their invaluable craft and know-how with me. Chronomètre Artisans is the first of the many such collaborative efforts that will bring them much-deserved recognition and glory, I hope,” says Brette.

A Classical Chronometer With Exceptional Finishing

Inspired by horological geniuses like George Daniels and Derek Pratt, Simon Brette wanted his first watch to be something he would wear himself – light, small and beautifully finished. A limited and numbered edition of 12 pieces, the Chronomètre Artisans is undoubtedly a work of art. While the dial represents Brette’s appreciation and obsession with artistic crafts, the caseback is all about his pursuit for symmetry.

Made out of zirconium, the 39 mm watch commands a striking wrist presence – it’s the perfect size that sits light and easy. The asymmetrical, partially open dial displays hours, minutes and seconds. Crafted out of solid red gold, the dial is decorated with “dragon scales” – a technique exclusively developed for the Chronomètre Artisans subscription edition. “We had around 15 artisans working on this watch and the dial has been painstakingly hand-engraved by Yasmina Anti, best known for her work with Romain Gauthier,” says Brette.

The Dial

Among the many timepieces that have fascinated Brette are the pocket watches by Urban Jurgensen and the Three Golden Bridges pocket watches by Girard-Perregaux. For the Chronomètre Artisans, Brette chose to have a central hour hand inspired by the Urban Jurgensen “observatory” hand designed by Derek Pratt. Brette has reinterpreted this hand with an interior angle in the pointed tip. The mirror-polished, flame-blued hand looks absolutely gorgeous under sunlight and is one of the key highlights besides the engraving on the dial, which has been enhanced with different contrasts in colors and decoration techniques on the main plate, titanium bridge and gearing.

While the left side of the dial showcases the third and fourth wheels supported by two parallel titanium bridges, the right side reveals the time setting mechanism with three springs carrying out multiple functions. These springs too have been mirror-polished with chamfered edges and sharp internal angles. Brette’s obsession with finishing is exemplified in the details like the concave mirror polished screws fixed in gold chatons.

All the screws, wheels and the watch lugs have curved surfaces, which have been hand-finished to perfection. “Just the finishing of a screw for this watch takes up to one hour and costs CHF 80. The deeply concave screws with mirror-polishing provide a visual depth that make the heads look domed rather than concave. We have made no compromises in this watch and the entire process is absolutely transparent. The buyer would know of each and every person who has touched the watch. This will also give our clients an opportunity for direct communication with all the artisans in future,” explains Brette.

The Case

The 39mm zirconium case is made of three different parts with no visible screws, even the lugs are screwed to the inner case from the inside. The tapered lugs feature two sets of holes that can accommodate either curved or straight spring bars, each offering a different look and feel for the strap on the wrist.

The bezel and caseback are screwed to the midcase. “This technique was important for us to achieve a flawless finish for the caseback. I have also incorporated a key motif on the side of the case as a memory of my father’s work as an artisan. It’s a small, polished dovetail motif that he used in his carpentry work. Although it’s just a symbol of his craftsmanship on this piece, I intend to make it functional in the watches we make in future. You may see it on the links for bracelets or as a pusher for our next complication,” says Brette.

The Movement

Interestingly, Brette started working on the movement first and then progressed to design the rest of the watch. The hand-wound Caliber SBCA or Simon Brette Chronomètre Artisan was developed over two months and it was the first thing Brette shared with his friends and collectors for a review. “I shared the idea with three collectors initially and they encouraged me to go ahead with the project. The idea of subscription came up as more people supported me along the way and I then approached the case designer in Geneva for the next steps,” says Brette.

While the romance of the finely finished and aesthetically designed components is hard to ignore, the importance of the well-made Caliber SBCA is not lost on us. Much like the historial marine chronometers that used a large diameter/high inertia balance wheel, the Chronomètre Artisans is equipped with a large balance wheel that beats at a rate of 2.5 Hz. All the parts next to the balance wheel are crafted in Phynox, a non-magnetic steel alloy. While the three-quarter bridge is decorated with a grained texture, the main-spring barrels have mirror-polished concave surfaces.

The 33.30 mm movement delivers a solid power reserve of 72 hours and features  a stop-second mechanism for precise time-setting. The technical highlight of the watch is its winding mechanism which can be “be seen, heard and felt.” Developed by Brette during his engineering days, this innovative system replaces the multiple components usually found in conventional movements.

One of the most complex components in the Chronomètre Artisans is the crown wheel comprising of three different types of gear-cutting: wolf teeth in connection with the ratchet wheels, vertical teeth which engage the winding pinion, and internal teeth ensuring the paw meshes which engage in only one direction during winding.

What’s Next From Simon Brette

Priced at CHF 50,000, the 12-piece Chronomètre Artisans Subscription Edition is already sold out. Brette will be introducing a series in titanium at the end of the year. “It will be limited in production, less than 100 pieces. The Chronomètre Artisans is the foundation for all the collaborative work we will be doing with our artisan friends,” says Brette.

We can’t wait to see how Brette would nurture his vision and a new generation of creators, who will be equally acknowledged and appreciated for their exceptional talents.

The Artisans Behind The Chronomètre Artisans

• 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

SPECIFICATIONS

Simon Brette Chronomètre Artisans

Case: 39 mm Zirconium case
Dial: Red gold with hand-engraved “dragon scales”, flame blued steel hands with hand-polished anglage and mirror polish
Functions: central hours, minutes, small seconds
Strap: Two straps in textured calfskin and a folding clasp, as well as one with a tang buckle
Movement: Manual-wind Calibre SBCA; 2.5 Hz vph, mainplate and bridges in ruthenium treated brass, wheels and chatons in red gold
Water resistance: Up to 30 meters
Power Reserve: 72 hours
Price: CHF 50,000; Limited to 12 pieces