Per esper

Based in Sainte Croix, only about an hour outside of Vallée de Joux in French-speaking Switzerland, Sylvain’s workshop consists of himself and two other watchmakers. We caught up with Sylvain to discuss that timepiece, his inspiration, and overall approach to watchmaking. 

With independent watchmaking, especially with modern, avant-garde timepieces, case sizing doesn’t fit classical rules. Today, we’re digging into the basics of case sizing for modern indies and how to think through what will fit best on every wrist.

We’re continuing our series on fantastic modern movements in independent watchmaking with a focus on Moritz Grossmann’s Caliber 106.0, found in the brand’s HAMATIC timepiece.

We’re digging into what we view as a significant shift in the industry by looking at what Louis Vuitton watchmaking is doing with indies, why it’s happening now, and what it may mean for the future of indies. 

We’ve talked in-depth about some of the more iconic creations from this era in independent watchmaking – timepieces like Urwerk’s UR-103, and Akrivia’s AK-06. It’s now time to turn our attention to the beating heart of the tradition – movements. 

We like to do a temperature check on the state of the watch market at the beginning and around the halfway point of every year. Especially due to the opaque and slow nature of the watch industry, that six-month cadence allows for some shifts to be more easily observed. 

One of our favorite modern independent watch brands, MB&F has come a long way from its earliest days. The Horological Machine 1, released in 2006, confused and bewildered collectors and retailers. The Horological Machine 11 Architect from last month’s Dubai Watch Week (Nov. 2023), well the watch community was mesmerized and demand is huge. Avant-garde watchmaking has become something much bigger than an ultra-small niche for a handful of sci-fi enthusiasts. 

Another year comes to a close with no shortage of incredible timepieces launched from our favorite brands. To end 2023, we spoke with some friends and members of the watch-collecting community to share their candidates for Watch of the Year. Enjoy!

MB&F is one of the main actors to propel modern independent watchmaking to its current heights. Even after nearly two decades of operating, Max Büsser and friends seem to be building only more and more momentum with every new creation.

As the festive season approaches, the quest for the perfect gift begins. For those who love all things horological, we’ve prepared a holiday gift guide for watch collectors and enthusiasts.