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Geneva Watch Days 2023: Trilobe Nuit Fantastique Brume with a Brown-Grey Guilloche Dial

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Geneva Watch Days 2023: Trilobe Nuit Fantastique Brume with a Brown-Grey Guilloche Dial

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An improved design for an already captivating timepiece
Young independent watchmaker Trilobe presents a subtle yet tasteful update to its entry-level model featuring an exotic time display at Geneva Watch Days 2023. The Nuit Fantastique Brume, or Fantastic Night Mist in English, adopts a harmonious dark brown-grey palette across the dial, case, and movement. And the watch’s overall aesthetic has been enhanced with the addition of a guilloche dial.

The new Trilobe Nuit Fantastique Brume with a guilloche dial

Brown-grey guilloche

Trilobe unveils three new Nuit Fantastique Brume models: two in titanium and one in rose gold. One titanium model measures an elegant 38.5 mm in width, while the other two watches have a 40.5 mm size. The two moderate-sized options complement the minimalist yet artistic dial design and should cater to a wide range of preferences.

 

A nice case size is always good to begin with, as a watch is ultimately something to be worn on the wrist. But all the better if it is complemented with a thoughtful dial, which the new Nuit Fantastique Brume boasts. 

The case side of the Brume

The new dial of the Brume features two distinct guilloche patterns: clous de paris on the seconds sub-dial and grain d’orge (barleycorn) guilloche on the larger dial, with an almost swirling pattern. The choice of guilloche is clever because the time display’s design leaves relatively large unused areas on the dial. The guilloche pattern serves to fill these spaces, enhancing visual depth without appearing overly complicated.

An understated mix of grey and silver

It’s worth noting that the base design of the Nuit Fantastique is already quite impressive. The minutes and seconds rotating rings, rather than traditional hands, are positioned off-centre on the left side of the dial, creating an unconventional and distinctive look compared to most watches on the market. 

 

Additionally, the choice of font for the numerals adds a touch of playfulness, especially on the hour ring that encircles the watch dial. This playful element brings vibrancy to the watch, even though its overall design is relatively minimalistic. 

 

While the design may remind fans of independent watchmaking of F.P. Journe’s style, Trilobe employs a unique time display without hands, allowing it to maintain its distinctiveness and stand on its own.

Quirky and lively

A micro-rotor movement

Although earlier Trilobe watches relied on ETA movements with a module developed by specialist Chronode, which supplies top brands such as MB&F, the more recent Nuit Fantastique boasts a new movement, the X-Centric, that has been developed from by another specialist, Le Cercle des Horlogers.

 

The result is immediately a significant improvement, especially when seen from the back. The new X-Centric movement has a more appealing layout on the rear, reminiscent of a hand-wound movement, but it is actually automatic with a micro-rotor at 12 o’clock. Notably, the finishing of the base plate of the movement is especially attractive, with fine grain and a dark coating that makes it sparkle beautifully under the light.

The automatic X-Centric with a micro-rotor

The movement has been coated grey to match the dial

Trilobe Nuit Fantastique Brume Specs and Price

Movement: X-Centric, automatic, 48 hours of power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and power reserve indicator
Case: 38.5 mm x 9.2 mm or 40.5 mm x 9.2 mm, titanium or 18k rose gold, water-resistant to 30 m (gold) or 50 m (titanium)
Strap:  Leather strap
Limited edition: No
Price: € 13,000 (titanium); € 25,000 (gold)