The Sartory Billard SB04 launched in 2020 was the model that really changed the game for Armand Billard following the limited reception of his first three watches. Rather than focusing on unconventional case shapes, Armand returned to the drawing board and designed a classic 40mm round watch with an elaborate, highly customisable multi-part dial that has since become one of the most distinguishing characteristics of Sartory Billard watches. Today the brand has unveiled the SB04-E, a spin-off on his most emblematic model, with a new 100m water-resistant case designed for daily wear.

The watch is offered in stainless steel with two dial variants – the Ruby Platinum and Tantalum Hand-Engraved. The Ruby Platinum is limited to 150 pieces and priced at €4700 while the Tantalum Hand-Engraved is a permanent model with a price tag of €3500. Customization is not offered for either version, a decision that underscores the complexity and cost of working with such rare and specialised materials. Although the SB04-E can still be customised with various other materials and crafts, tantalum and ruby remain exclusive to these two versions.

The first thing you notice is that the case design is somewhat sportier with wide, sturdy lugs and a large screw-down, luminous crown. However, it is both smaller and slimmer than the original SB04, measuring 39.5mm wide and 10.3mm in height, compared to the original 40mm by 11.5mm. It consists of three parts with a wide polished bezel, a satin-brushed case middle and a case back that is decorated with a fluted pattern. A detail that has become a constant in Sartory Billard’s most recent watches is that the case back is held in place with Torx screws which, apart from being more aesthetically appealing, distributes torque evenly over the entire diameter of the screw.

The dial is immediately identifiable as a Sartory Billard watch. It is as elaborate as ever, consisting of four main parts – a sapphire chapter ring, a solid outer ring and a central disc with an additional ring in between both dial parts. In contrast to the original SB04 which features a laser-cut chapter ring as well as the SB05 with pad-printed numerals, the new watch features applied diamond-cut steel indices on the sapphire chapter ring with alternating pad-printed Y-shaped markers.

The central dial of the Ruby Platinum edition is crafted from a single piece of ruby, cut and shaped into a flat, thin disc. The use of ruby as the dial itself is incredibly rare and the most famous instance is the F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain Coeur de Rubis. While ruby is exceptionally hard (with a Mohs hardness of 9), this very hardness makes it brittle and prone to cracking or chipping under pressure or during machining. This fragility, combined with the difficulty of machining and the cost of high-quality ruby, is why its use in watchmaking is so rare.

Surrounding it is a platinum-plated outer ring which features a sunray finish, with the latter contributing to the darker shade that creates a tone-on-tone contrast with the polished steel indices and hands.

In the Tantalum Hand-Engraved, both the central disc and outer ring are made of tantalum, which is one of the most difficult metals in the world to work with, owing to its unique combination of low thermal conductivity, high melting point, high coefficient of friction, and a tendency to adhere to cutting tools. Notably, the central tantalum disc has been hand-engraved by Armand himself. It features a feather-like pattern that radiates a sunray effect, while the solid outer ring features a complementary sunray finish. The dial is also characterised by a distinctive handset that, together with the indices, overall dial design, case, and proportions, achieves a pleasing harmony where every element gets to shine. This gives the watch not only a lot of visual interest, but also makes it very attractive both from afar and at close range.

Inside the SB04-E is the automatic La Joux-Perret G101, which is essentially a better-performing alternative to the ETA 2824 or Sellita SW200. Although it has the same frequency of 4Hz and similar dimensions to the others, it offers a much longer power reserve of 68 hours. Additionally, the rotor is made from a solid piece of tungsten and turns on a ball-race held in place with three screws, which is rarely seen on movements of its ilk. The decoration is cleanly executed with perlage on the baseplate and striping on the bridges and rotor.

In all, while it has become business-as-usual for Sartory Billard to present hand crafts, exotic materials and considerable over-delivery in design at an affordable price, so much so that it’s easy to take for granted, it’s a proposition that remains far from ordinary even in today’s saturated landscape. The idea of a watch designed for daily wear – with a sturdy, water-resistant case and a movement chosen for its performance and ease of service – while incorporating some of watchmaking’s most exotic materials and an obsessive level of thought and care, is certainly compelling and hard to beat at this price point.

Tech Specs

Movement: Self-winding La Joux-Perret caliber G101; 68-hour power reserve; 4Hz or 28,800vph
Functions: Hours and minutes
Case: 39.5mm x 10.3mm; stainless steel; water resistant to 100m
Dial: Cœur de Rubis (Heart of Ruby) with a fumé sunray textured Platinum-plated outer ring
or full tantalum with handmade “Feathers” engraving with a fumé sunray textured solid tantalum outer ring
Strap: 20mm Curved Delugs CTS rubber strap with deployant clasp (each watch also includes a voucher for a free additional Delugs strap)
Price: EUR 4,700 (Ruby Platinum) and EUR 3,500 (Tantalum Hand-Engraved)
Availability: Ruby Platinum limited to 150 pieces; Tantalum Hand-Engraved is a regular production model