The father-and-son duo Biver made waves last year with the debut of their ultra-complicated Minute Repeater Carillon Tourbillon. Now, the independent brand is back with its second creation, the Automatique. Stripped to the bare essentials — a three-handed, time-only watch — the new Automatique is still unmistakably Biver, full of thoughtful details that impress and surprise. Powered by a micro-rotor movement with zero-reset seconds, it’s one of the most elaborately finished in its class, all packed into a sleek, compact case measuring 39mm wide and 10mm thick.

The new icons of gentlemen’s watches

Traditionally, gentlemen’s time-only watches have been predominantly hand-wound, with a few notable exceptions like the Patek Philippe Calatrava ref. 2526, an iconic automatic. But in today’s world, where self-winding watches dominate, even the most classical brands are embracing automatic movements for dress watches.

A rising trend within this shift is the micro-rotor movement. It’s becoming a defining feature in dress watches, reaching an all-time high in popularity. Brands like Patek Philippe, Parmigiani Fleurier, Piaget, Chopard, and Louis Vuitton are all incorporating micro-rotor movements into their dressy designs.

Then there’s another class in that category: finely decorated micro-rotor movements — those that can compete with the most classical hand-wound movements. A few standouts are exceptionally well-constructed, with high-level finishing and independent design — examples from Romain Gauthier, Laurent Ferrier, and Renaud Tixier have already secured their place in the history of fine watchmaking. 

Now, the Biver Automatique has joined the conversation, arguably the most lavishly constructed and decorated micro-rotor automatic to date. 

The decorative automatic movement

The Automatique’s style echoes that of the inaugural watch, featuring a case and lugs inspired by mid-20th-century designs. The dial is available in several variations, including a classic “salmon” sector dial or mineral stones such as Pietersite (a commercial term for a variety of the mineral chalcedony) and obsidian. These stone dials are decorated with engravings or frosting and applied markers, adding a distinctive touch.

Now if there’s one word to describe the Biver Automatique, it’s “elaborate” — and this applies to both its movement construction and finishing.

First, let’s talk about the decoration. The Biver Automatique features polished, rounded bevels and includes both interior and exterior angles. While these details are now common in high-end independent dress watches, Biver has gone the extra mile with their details. The wheels are crafted with serpentine spokes, allowing for sharp inward angles, something you’d usually see in Patek Philippe’s minute repeaters. The escape wheel bridge also sports a polished steel cap, a step up from typical high-end practices.

But Biver didn’t stop there. They’ve added engine turning to the bridges instead of using the usual Côtes de Genève or brushing. The bridges are hand-turned with straight-line work, and remarkably, they’ve managed to add polished bevels to the edges and achieve inward angles, something unforeseen in watchmaking.

A time-only operation that’s above standard practice

When it comes to the functions and mechanisms of this watch, you’ll be amazed at what this three-handed time-only movement can achieve.

First of all, it features a zero-reset seconds function. This means the second hand not only stops when you pull out the crown but also resets to the center for easy time adjustment, thanks to a heart cam mounted on the seconds pinion shaft.

Then there’s the unusual winding click — the grand sonnerie winding click, typically found in, well, grand sonnerie watches. This adds a complex and beautifully designed winding system with integrated pawls and a ratchet wheel. It’s perhaps the first time such a detail is found in an automatic watch, and certainly the first in a micro-rotor automatic. Despite being a grand sonnerie winding click, it’s almost “hidden” beneath an elaborate bridge and wheels with many internal angles, highlighting the complexity of the movement’s design and finishing.

Additionally, there are future-proofing designs built into the basics, preparing it for potential additional functions. Unlike other automatics, the rotor doesn’t sit at the same level as the barrel. This design allows for a larger rotor, passing the central axis of the movement to provide greater inertia, making it a powerful automatic watch designed to accommodate future complications.

The fourth wheel in this movement is positioned at six o’clock, requiring an additional pinion to relocate it to the center. This also opens up the possibility for a small seconds iteration in the future.

The Biver Automatique joins the lineup of modern dress watches

We might just actually be at a historical high point in craftsmanship. What could be achieved in the past in terms of movement construction and finishing can now be done — and perhaps even better — thanks to modern technologies, better training, and a robust economy supporting high-end crafts. Case in point — the case, dial, and movement of Biver’s Automatique all feature details that are excellent for a dress watch, excelling in every category you could list on paper, making it a strong example for this reflection.

The essence of watchmaking might not just lie in craftsmanship but also in the design and philosophical ideas behind it, such as coherence, balance, or subtlety. We may be nearing a point where it’s time to shift our focus from just the finest execution to finding watches that genuinely resonate. Few watches on the market today can be said to have a truly beautiful soul. Many are simply the result of trying to cater to market tastes, and as a result, they have lost their original intent of being a fine timepiece. Sure, beauty is subjective, yet it begs the question — what’s a fine timepiece to you?

Tech Specs: Biver Automatique

Movement: Automatic-winding JCB-003; 65-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes; central seconds
Case: 39mm × 10mm; platinum or 18K rose gold; 50m-water resistance
Dial: 18K white or rose gold; sanded obsidian or pietersite (Atelier Automatique)
Strap: Leather strap or bracelet in matching material
Availability: Limited run for Atelier Series
Price: CHF 75,000/78,000 (rose gold/platinum with gold dial on leather); CHF 94,000/107,000 (rose gold/platinum with gold dial on bracelet); CHF 89,000/108,000 (rose gold with pietersite dial on leather/bracelet); CHF 92,000/121,000 (platinum case with obsidian dial on leather/bracelet)