Vianney Halter
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DETAILS
The Antiqua (originally Time Machine Perpetual Antiqua) is the first watch designed by Vianney Halter and presented in 1998. The watch was designed in collaboration with the American designer Jeffrey Barnes. The original plan was to produce the watches under the Halter Barnes brand. However, the partnership ended shortly after the presentation of the Antiqua. Subsequent Antiqua watches were labeled by the Vianney Halter brand and produced in yellow, rose or white gold as well as platinum until 2016; there is also said to be a unique gem-set platinum piece. The extremely elaborate case with separate portholes for the four dials is decorated with hand-set rivets in gold or platinum. A total of 130 parts were needed to assemble the case, including 104 rivets. The watch was fitted with hand-engraved platinum dials for the yellow gold and rose gold models and with platinum, yellow gold or rose gold dials for the platinum and white gold models. The dials have been decorated with hand-engraved numerals and other markings filled with black hot enamel, giving the watch the inimitable look of a hand-crafted precious antique, an old scientific instrument or a marine chronometer for the wrist. It is no coincidence that Vianney Halter names the worlds he has created in his imagination after the works of writers Jules Verne and Herbert G. Wells, which are a source of inspiration.
REASONS TO BUY
This Antiqua in 18k yellow gold with platinum dials will undoubtedly go down in the history of watchmaking as one of those rebellious watches that fully embody traditional craftsmanship. This applies to the charismatic design with the coolest combination of gold case and platinum dials and the harmonious use of hand-engraved dials, which builds a bridge to the best creations of 17th and 18th century watchmakers. The simultaneous sense of avant-garde and ancient tradition is an undisputed success and breakthrough of Vianney Halter, most impressively realized in the Antiqua. This watch also appears to be a valuable achievement thanks to the rare instantaneous perpetual calendar version, which requires great skill and experience on the part of the watchmaker who designed, manufactured and assembled it.
ABOUT THIS WATCH
When the Time Machine Perpetual Antiqua was first announced in 1998, the impact on the watchmaking community was astounding – no one could have imagined that a modern mechanical wristwatch could be so crazy. The round case had not one, but four dials, shaped like a porthole and protruding far beyond the outline of the case. The mysterious impression was further enhanced when it turned out that the watch was actually very thin and literally nestled against the wrist, which is still a rarity today, as the trend towards large wristwatches that emerged in the early 2000s very often also leads to the release of very thick watches. The second sensation is the obvious value of the Antiqua as an art object with its gold case, precious platinum dials and rivets. A perception of value that is further enhanced by the handcrafted dials with engraved numerals and markings and the filling of the engraved elements with hot enamel.
The VH198 caliber, which is visible through the sapphire caseback, was developed by Vianney Halter on the basis of the Nouvelle Lémania 8810 automatic movement. In fact, Halter used this movement as the donor of the mainspring barrel, the gear train, the automatic winding module and the escapement with balance wheel, and made all other parts specifically for the Antiqua movement, so that there are virtually no externally visible signs of the original caliber. In particular, he used a full plate design of the movement instead of the traditional separate bridges used in the Nouvelle Lémania 8810. Perhaps the most surprising design element of the VH198 caliber is the winding rotor with the “mysterious mass” patented by Halter in 1999 (patent no. WO9957613, which however did not prevent the Japanese brand Seiko and later the Swiss brand Swatch from using this design). The winding rotor is made almost entirely of transparent sapphire crystal, so that the rotor completely reveals the movement and makes it look like a hand-wound movement. The perpetual calendar mechanism enables the date, day of the week, month and leap year to be changed instantly. This makes the watch a mechanical perfection and a rarity, especially when you consider that in 1998 there were only a handful of instant perpetual calendars among wristwatches.
Specifications
| Case | Yellow gold case 750/1000 in "Steampunk" design, alligator strap with original golden buckle |
| Dial | 4 differently sized "porthole" dials with arabic numerals and letters, date hour and minute indications at 2 o'clock, date window with loupe at 4 o'clock, leap year and month indications at 7 o'clock, weekday indication at 10 o'clock, signed: "Vianney Halter" |
| Movement | Rhodium-plated automatic movement with Geneva stripes and perpetual calendar |
| Cal. | VH-198 |
| Ref. | 11Y.35.A |
| Movement No. | 11Y |
| Case No. | 11Y.35.A |
| Accessories | Box and papers |
| D= | ca. 39,5mm |
| Year | ca. 2000 |
Condition report
| Case: | Good, signs of use |
| Dial: | Very good |
| Movement: | Low amplitude, service is recommended, calendar works properly |
| Amplitude (Dial on top/Lift angle 52): | ca. 210 degrees |
| Accuracy (Dial on top): | ca. + 90 sec / day |
| Papers: | Yes |
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
