Independent Watchmaking
Power List: The Best of Independent Watchmaking
Independent Watchmaking
Power List: The Best of Independent Watchmaking
In the past couple of years, there has been a tremendous thirst for independently made watches. What were once silent figures who labored in the shadows of their globally renowned competitors have emerged at the forefront of horology today, capturing the hearts and minds of both the seasoned collector and the wide-eyed newcomer as the ultimate expression of horological prowess.
In many ways, the very nature of independent watchmaking defies horological history, which in broad strokes is a story encompassing the manifold changes wrought by the forces of industrialization and democratization. It is the pursuit of horology as an art form, be it artisanal, conceptual, technical or artistic, without consideration for expense or time that separates them from the big players. And in developing a much more specialized line of inquiry where innate purpose holds the lead over commercial expectations, their influence on watchmaking is often directly inverse to their production output.
The history of independent watchmaking can be traced back to the late George Daniels, an English watchmaker who sustained the craft of mechanical watchmaking in an era when electronics and quartz technology threatened its existence. Up until then, the trade was largely characterized by an intense division of labor, but Daniels became the first watchmaker to master 32 of the 34 essential skills required in the construction of a mechanical watch. Most crucially, he dedicated his life to improving the heart of a mechanical watch and eventually succeeded in inventing the first practical escapement in 250 years that could supplant the Swiss lever on an industrial scale.
Thus, today we recognize the watchmakers who, like Daniels, work from an inner necessity to expand the boundaries of horology, ranging from the greatest independents of all time who have become the cynosure of all of horology today, to the latter-day stars who have made distinct developments in their chosen fields, and the up-and-coming watchmakers who have shown great promise in their debut work. All of these watchmakers began their careers modestly. Some have grown in stature while others are still on the cusp of broader recognition. Each one, however, has demonstrated a level of excellence in their respective branch of pursuit and it is by this indicator of merit that we present you this power list.
The Living Legends
Svend Andersen
Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei, URWERK</ h2>
Maximilian Büsser, MB&F
Philippe Dufour
Laurent Ferrier
Denis Flageollet, De Bethune
Romain Gauthier
Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey, Greubel Forsey
Since then, the pair has developed numerous other mechanisms dedicated to chronometry, from the high speed 24-second tourbillon to two inclined balance wheels or double- axis tourbillons with rates averaged by a constant-force differential. At the same time, they have also served up traditional complications with an innovative spin such as the GMT and Grande Sonnerie, the most forbiddingly complex of all complications.
Bart and Tim Grönefeld
Vianney Halter
François-Paul Journe
Andreas Strehler
Kari Voutilainen
In 2005, he introduced the world’s first decimal minute repeater, a far more intuitive acoustic system that chimes the minutes in units of ten. More prominently, he introduced the Double Direct Impulse escapement in his Vingt-8 in 2011, which was inspired by Breguet’s natural escapement, having encountered it during his time as a restorer. Unusually in his movements, the pair of wheels that drive the twin escape wheels are hidden under the mainplate, so the escape wheels appear to be running mysteriously.
The Stars of Today
Konstantin Chaykin
Karsten Frässdorf, Montres KF
Bernhard Lederer
Rémi Maillat, Krayon
Sunrise and sunset displays are inherently limiting in terms of usability as they are latitude specific and have to be calibrated to the specific point on Earth where the owner is located. Any change in location would require modifications by the manufacture. As such, they are typically only found on limited edition or one-off timepieces.
Serge Michel and Claude Greisler, Armin Strom
The Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance of 2016 marked a major leap forward in the history of resonance watches, as it built and improved upon earlier efforts and experiments by strengthening the coupling structure between two oscillators.