A subtler version of its flagship model, the Biver Carillon Tourbillon Signature Series looks almost like a time-only watch. It does away with the dial cutout for the tourbillon, leading to a more toned-down appearance for the complicated watch that combines a three-gong carillon repeater with a tourbillon. Notably, the new model is also available in a two-tone configuration of titanium and 18k rose gold.

Initial thoughts

Watchmakers usually highlight the tourbillon, putting the regulator front and centre of the dial (and charge a lot more for the mechanism too). Back in 2023, Biver made its debut with a tourbillon minute repeater,  which proudly displayed the tourbillon at six o’clock. Now the brand has reprised the model, but conceals what was the main showpiece on the dial.

The two models are delivered with a set of cufflinks, material-matched to the watch

The closed dial plainly conceals the tourbillon underneath. And due to the movement’s construction, the tourbillon can’t be seen from the case back either — making for a confusing sight. The end result is a very understated timepiece that doesn’t reveal itself easily, or much at all.

In fact, the apparent simplicity is underlined by the dial, which is almost identical to that of the time-only Automatique. It features the same brushed circular sectors and micro relief minute track have become staple design elements of the brand. Were it not for the repeater slide, one would even be tempted to assume this is indeed a new version of the Automatique. 

Apart from its misleading simplicity – which is arguably appealing in itself – the Carillon Tourbillon Signature is an appealing repeater that retains the key characteristics of the original model – high-grade finishing in a well-crafted movement and a great bracelet. With a five-link, faceted design bracelet is one of the highlights. It is both original and pairs well with the styling of the case and dial.

It does, however, share the dimensions of the original version, which leaves it a little larger and thicker than ideal for the classical design. And it is also priced similarly to the original, which means a price tag of almost CHF500,000.

We recently visited Biver’s workshop and left impressed by the young brand’s consistency and commitment to quality. Jean-Claude Biver’s experience with watchmaking is surely on display, finally under his own name and uninhibited by convention. 

Classic styling

Both the titanium and two-tone version are classically styled yet feature modern nuances. The case is executed to Biver standards, with sharp angular cuts to the lugs and a fairly large crown. The case finish is both brushed and polished, making for a well-rounded show of textures.

The independent’s take on the classic teardrop lug design is bold, with wide cuts and bevels replacing the smooth rounded surface of the original shape. These lugs are modelled on the vintage Patek Philippe ref. 1579 nicknamed “anse a ragno”, Italian for “spider lugs’.

The dial is an almost identical twin of the Automatique, with the same layered appearance and multiple finishes. The sharp indexes and minute track remain highlights of the watch face, with the minute track featuring both a finely grained backdrop and numerals in relief.

Although the dial looks all but identical to the Automatique, the hands of the two models differ; the Signature Series lacks a centre seconds hand.

Two versions

This model launches in two versions: one entirely in titanium and the other in two-tone titanium and 18k rose gold.

While the monochromatic titanium version is handsome, it is the two tone model that carries the most appeal. The darker shade of titanium pairs well with the brightness of the rose gold accents.

Both cases measure 42 mm in diameter and have a reasonable thickness of 13.7 mm. The lug width is an odd 21.3 mm, but given the quality of the bracelet, the owner probably won’t be tempted to search for a different strap. 

Now one of the trademark features of the brand, the bracelet is executed well. It has a jewel-like quality, since each link is polished, angled and original in design. There is also an extension mechanism at the clasp, a thoughtful addition that makes for a more comfortable wearing experience.

A complex movement

The latest Carillon Tourbillon retains the same movement found in the original 2023 model. Made by Le Cercle des Horlogers, the JCB-001-B beats at 3 Hz and runs for 72 hours.

This version is by all means identical to the original JCB-001, with the exception of the absent small seconds hand on the tourbillon cage.

The tourbillon assembly is fully concealed under the movement layers, with the platinum micro rotor obscuring its view from the back. This gives the calibre a static appearance, which is the opposite of a conventional tourbillon movement.

The view changes when the repeater slide is actuated and the strikework springs to life. The watch is a carillon repeater, meaning it has three gongs instead of the usual two. This makes for a more layered sound and also adds a degree of complexity to an already complicated movement. 

Biver again applied its reinterpretation of classic finishing, doing away with classic Geneva waves and instead opting for a mix of coarse frosted bridges and mirror polished steel parts. The movement finishing is lavish, with sharp angles on all components, gold settings for the jewels, and an abundance of black polishing. 

The steel bridges holding the micro rotor and governor, along with the wide hammers and screw heads, are all black polished. A pleasing contrasting touch is the brushing on the governor arm, which creates a visual break amidst all the black polishing. 

Key facts and price

Biver Minute Repeater Carillon Tourbillon Signature Series

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 13.7 mm
Material: Titanium or titanium and 18K rose gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: JCB.001-B
Functions: Hours, minutes, tourbillon, and minute repeater
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 72 hours

Strap: Matching titanium or two-tone five-link bracelet

Limited edition: No
Availability: From Biver and authorised retailers
Price: CHF475,000 before taxes

For more, visit jcbiver.com.

The day I visited Biver started like any other – with breakfast. But it wasn’t a normal breakfast, because I was seated opposite Jean-Claude Biver, at his own kitchen table. A few days after Watches & Wonders wrapped up I had the opportunity to visit the brand’s atelier in the countryside near Geneva, and I was lucky enough to spend some time with the man himself before he went to the airport; he was headed to Boston to deliver a guest lecture at Harvard Business School.

Dismissed in his early career as a ‘nostalgia salesman,’ Mr Biver helped pioneer the contemporary luxury watch industry in the midst of the Quartz Crisis by proving the consumer demand for artisanal mechanical watches. The story is well-known but it bears repeating; Mr Biver, together with his friend Jacques Piguet, head of the esteemed Frederic Piguet manufacture, paid CHF22,000 to buy the rights to a defunct brand from what would later become Swatch Group. Their deft products and marketing made Blancpain one of the stars of the mechanical watch renaissance, allowing the pair to sell the brand back to Swatch a decade later for CHF60 million.

From left to right: CEO James Marks, Jean-Claude Biver, and Pierre Biver. Image – Biver

The success of Blancpain was extraordinary and helped pave the way for the rebirth of other brands like A. Lange & Söhne. But this was just the opening act.

After selling Blancpain back to Swatch, Mr Biver helped put Omega on the wrist of James Bond and transformed Hublot into what it is today. It’s easy to see why in 2010 he was awarded the Prix Gaïa, the highest honour in modern watchmaking, for his entrepreneurship and lasting influence on the industry.

Over coffee and croissants, Mr Biver explained the rationale for starting his own brand with his son Pierre, and what they’ve been working to achieve over the past few years. A charismatic speaker, his passion for watchmaking is palpable, and he has a charming habit of smacking the table to emphasise his points.

Our conversation was wide-ranging, from his initial pitch to a group of skeptical Credit Suisse bankers to secure the funding to start Blancpain, to his vision for the family’s eponymous brand. As he put it, after a 50-year career in the industry, there was only one place he wanted to start: the top.

Understanding Biver

Finding the Biver manufacture means getting out of Geneva and heading north toward Givrins. It’s a comparatively rural area, a world apart from the canton’s industrial watchmaking clusters in Plan-les-Ouates and Meyrin. But it’s still close enough to Geneva that, on a clear day, you can see the famed Jet d’Eau.

Arriving at the manufacture, I was struck by the similarity to Blancpain’s famous ‘farmhouse’ in Le Brassus, established by Mr Biver and Jacques Piguet in 1983. The similarity begins with the architectural style of the building and extends to its idyllic surroundings – even the typography of the brand logo is familiar – but it doesn’t end there. Similar operations occur within, namely finishing and assembly, and on similar types of complicated watches.

Mr Biver clearly has a penchant for the pastoral, and I have to admit it gives the operation a decidedly familial atmosphere, which suits the father and son operation. But neither father nor son are watchmakers in the literal sense, so they’ve hired a team of 26 engineers, watchmakers, designers, and logisticians who together will produce about 150 watches in 2025. This production includes the last few Carillon Tourbillons, and about 140 Automatiques.

Most of the value creation takes place at the farmhouse, where all Biver watches are designed, finished, assembled, cased, and tested.

To cover the gap in the middle, the brand contracts out engineering and the production of cases, dials, and raw movement components to a network of well-known suppliers. Mr Biver’s prominence is no doubt helpful in this regard; his name alone opens a lot of doors and he probably has an easier time having small orders fulfilled than do most other small-volume watchmakers.

The brand introduced its first watch, the Carillon Tourbillon Minute Repeater, in 2023. While the popular reception was skeptical, it’s proven to be a hit with its target clientele.

A year later, the Carillon Tourbillon was joined by the comparatively simple Automatique, which is noteworthy for featuring one of the most technically and aesthetically elaborate automatic movements in the industry, complete with a return-to-zero function for the central seconds hand.

As a business, the Biver brand feels a lot like that of Laurent Ferrier in its early days – a small team of just under 30 people focused on design, finishing, and assembly, with cases, dials, and movement components outsourced to specialists in their respective fields.

Both companies started out with a tourbillon before adding a micro-rotor automatic, and sought inspiration from the great designs of the past. The Biver Automatique, for example, clearly takes inspiration from the Patek Philippe ref. 1579’s so-called ’spider lugs’ and features a concave bezel to reduce perceived thickness, borrowing a page from Patek Philippe’s grand complication design playbook.

Finishing

Mr Biver is extremely passionate about finishing, which makes sense given that much of the Biver brand’s value-add is in its excellent finishing. Over breakfast, he articulated his distaste for the common industry practice of brands finishing different movements to different standards depending on the complexity and price point.

The finishing department

In his view, brands should commit to a single quality standard that is consistent across the range. Fortunately Mr Biver is not alone in this belief; A. Lange & Söhne and FP Journe come to mind as brands that seem to share this philosophy.

The finishing protocols are meticulously documented and unambiguous

For his own watches, Mr Biver believes it’s critical that the ‘simple’ Automatique is finished to the same degree as the Carillon Tourbillon, with the same care taken to heighten the movement’s aesthetics with sharp inward angles and black polished steel. And he emphasised the importance of finishing the unseen components under the dial to the same standard as those seen through the case back. From what I observed in the finishing department, he’s assembled a team that shares his values.

After processing by the logistician, raw movement components are delivered to the finishing department; the parts themselves come from either Le Cercle des Horlogers, where the components for the Carillon Tourbillon are made, or Dubois Dépraz, which is responsible for the Automatique.

Here, a small team bevels every bridge, brushes every flank, and polishes every countersink the old fashioned way, by hand with metal files and boxwood.

This is time-consuming work – even in the simple Automatique, most bridges take about nine hours to finish, while the most intricate bridge, the so-called ‘guitar’ that straddles the grande sonnerie-style winding click, can require up to 16 hours of tedious polishing.

Once the components are finished, they are carefully organised and packed off to the logistics department until a watchmaker is ready to assemble them. The watchmakers have flexible schedules and keys to the building, so they can work whenever they need to while maintaining work/life balance.

A real treat of visiting any manufacture is meeting the watchmakers and seeing them in action. At Biver, many of them keep their school watches on hand and are delighted to show them off.

The personal school watch made by one of the watchmakers in the finishing department

If there’s any fault to be found in the finishing, it’s that it arguably calls too much attention to itself. The winding mass of the Carillon Tourbillon, for example, is engraved “196 angles rentrants” to indicate the number of hand-finished inward angles that can be found in the movement. It’s a staggering number to be sure, but perhaps better left unsaid.

Likewise, the painstaking clous de Paris guilloche decoration on the Automatique is impressive, but doesn’t leave anywhere for the eye to rest. Both critiques are subjective and stylistic; the quality is above reproach.

Assembly

The assembly workshop is adjacent to the finishing department. Here, each watchmaker starts with a kit of finished components and assembles a single movement from start to finish, a process we’ve documented elsewhere at other manufactures like F.P. Journe.

Anecdotally, watchmakers crave this level of autonomy, and the freedom to build a complete watch from the ground up is an appealing proposition for ambitious young watchmakers languishing at establishment brands, where the work is typically subdivided into an endless series of tedious repetitive tasks.

Though the watchmakers in this room start with finished components, they are responsible for any corrective finishing that is required, and have access to many of the same tools used in the finishing department, including metal files, boxwood polishing sticks, soft-tipped tweezers, and purpose-built jigs.

Because most of the movement bridges of both the Carillon Tourbillon and Automatique are made of solid white gold, specifically a high-palladium white gold alloy that does not require rhodium plating, extra care is taken to minimise scratches during assembly.

Even the typical wood-tipped tweezers can leave faint marks on polished surfaces, so extra-soft casein plastic-tipped tweezers are used to handle the most sensitive components. This extra care is worth it, since the white gold bridges give the movements a little extra gravitas.

This is also where the watches are cased up, tested, and, if specified by the client, paired with a matching bracelet. One of the interesting details about Biver watches is that the material used for the micro-rotor and the plating on the barrel is colour-matched to the case material, at least for the 18k rose and yellow gold models.

In other words, the yellow gold models feature a 22k yellow gold winding mass and gilded barrel, while the rose gold pieces feature these components in rose gold. This treatment does not extend to the platinum models, likely because it would render the appearance overly monochromatic.

The cases for both the Automatique and the Carillon Tourbillon are supplied by Efteor, a maker of top-quality cases used by the likes of A. Lange & Söhne, among others. Highly nuanced with elegant soldered lugs, the cases are unusually robust; the Automatique is water resistant to 80 m. The design of the crown tube is such that some water resistance remains even with the crown pulled, which provides a reassuring degree of safety.

This is one of many details that prove the watches are made to be worn. Another is the lug holes, which are lined with titanium bushings to prevent ovalisation. Even the Carillon Tourbillon is made to be worn and enjoyed, with 50 m water resistance for most versions and redundant safety mechanisms to prevent damage to the movement. While many of these watches are destined to live a coddled existence inside a safe, it’s nice to know they can stand up to the hazards of the real world.

Quality control

Ironically, none of these safety measures can protect the watches from the most significant hazard they are likely to face: the unforgiving scrutiny of Instagram. Like most brands that make watches for fastidious collectors, Biver fights fire with fire, examining every detail under high magnification to ensure the dial markers are perfectly aligned and that the movement is perfectly clean.

Here a technician uses a high-powered camera to systematically inspect each dial and movement, millimeter by millimeter. For the Carillon Tourbillon, quality control extends beyond what you can see to ensure that each watch strikes exactly the right high and low notes.

A yellow gold Automatique with a carbon fiber dial undergoing quality control

To this end, every minute repeater is tested in a purpose-built sound chamber to isolate any background noise and perfectly record each watch’s acoustic signature. This digital fingerprint is used during initial assembly to measure the frequency of each tone to ensure that it’s within spec. And when a watch comes back for service, the sound can be compared with the original recording and adjusted to sound like new.

The custom-made acoustic test chamber

Closing thoughts

On the road back to Geneva, I began reflecting on what I’d seen. The Biver name looms large, and carries with it high expectations. But as high as my own expectations were, I came away from my visit with the distinct sense that the Biver team has even higher expectations for themselves. 

The ambition and drive that motivated Mr Biver for the past 50 years is alive and well, and seems to have attracted a group of like-minded individuals. And based on a few details that were teased about upcoming models, they’re just getting started.

Having launched the Automatique last year in a range of metals except yellow gold, Biver has now revealed a pair in the classic precious metal. The Automatique in yellow gold debuts with a matching solid yellow gold dial or a more unusual dial in glossy, woven carbon fibre composite.

Initial thoughts

I was already a proponent of the Automatique, mainly because of the high quality of construction inside and out. The yellow gold duo add more options to the offering, but arguably bring more than just a new colour because the material evokes a vintage feel that suits the design. Between rose and yellow gold, I would pick the latter.

The carbon dial version is interesting because it brings to mind the era of the 1990s when woven carbon fibre was a thing. The novelty of the material has since been supplanted by more exotic carbon composites, but the retro feel of the carbon dial is appealing. Moreover, it brings to mind the black-and-gold livery of John Player Special Formula 1 cars, which is precisely the point of this version according to Biver chief executive James Marks.

Both versions are priced identically to their equivalents in the standard and Atelier Series. That’s fair enough but the carbon should be priced a little lower since the other Atelier models have mineral stone or fired enamel dials, which are typically costlier and harder to work than carbon fibre.

The original colour of gold

The new Automatique retains all of the features of the earlier versions, including the “spider” lugs, except it’s now in yellow gold.

The standard version is almost entirely yellow gold – the case, dial, hands, and hour markers are all 18k yellow gold, though the hands and markers are black coated for legibility.

The Atelier Series Carbon Edition is similarly kitted out in yellow gold, but the gold dial incorporates carbon fibre composite inlays. The inlays are made up of woven carbon fibre in a clear polymer and polished for a glossy finish that allows the carbon to catch the light nicely.

Both models are powered by the JCB-003, which is perhaps the best trait of the Automatique. Developed by Dubois Dépraz for Biver, the JCB-003 is a micro-rotor automatic with an elaborate construction that is as much visual as it is functional.

Key facts and price

Biver Automatique

Diameter: 39 mm
Height: 10 mm
Material: 18K yellow gold gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 80 m

Movement: JCB-003
Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 25,200 beats per hour (3.5 Hz)
Power reserve: 65 hours

Strap: Leather with 18k gold buckle, or five-row Biver bracelet in yellow gold

Limited edition: No, but limited quantities for the Atelier Series
Availability: Direct from Biver or at authorised retailers
Price: CHF75,000 in yellow gold; CHF89,000 with carbon dial (prices exclude taxes)

For more, visit jcbiver.com.

Jean-Claude Biver and his son Pierre continue their journey of independent horology with the Biver Automatique Japan Edition. Made in collaboration with its retailer in Japan, this special release is based on the time-only automatic debuted last year, but reimagined to cater to the traditionally classical taste of the Japanese collector.

The minimalist edition debuts in two elegant variants that explore the contrast of light and shadow through hard-fired enamel made by an enamel workshop in Geneva’s Old Town. A stark white enamel dial is paired with a platinum case, while the high-contrast version matches a glossy black dial with a rose gold case – both share a clean, old-school aesthetic with applied markers and a railway minute track.

A tribute to the Japanese collector

The Automatique epitomises Biver’s neoclassical and elaborate approach to watchmaking, which blends careful detailing with hand-finishing techniques, for both habillage and the movement. Now the Japan Edition further refines the approach, condensing the more elaborate execution of the original versions into something more traditional, more classical, and arguably more reflective of the taste of Japanese enthusiasts.

The two distinct models pay homage to the Japanese appreciation of minimalist aesthetics combined with high quality and precision execution, along with a well-established love of mid-century precision Swiss wristwatches. The clarity of the vintage-inspired design makes the Japan Edition appealing, especially for a purist who finds the original versions a bit too fanciful.

Added appeal comes from the fact that the dials are made by a respected enamel workshop in Geneva that also supplies other notable independent brands. The dials also underline the attention to detail found through the Automatique – the fired enamel dials feature solid gold applied markers secured with rivets, a detail almost never found on enamel dials due to the difficult of attaching indices to enamel.

Art of Enamel

The angular case of the Automatique is retained, as is the JCB-003 movement – both executed to the same high standards – but the Japan Edition stands out for its grand feu enamel dial.

While the combinations of black or white enamel with rose gold or platinum respectively are familiar, they aren’t arbitrary. The palette is rooted in Japanese design principles, where black and white symbolise balance and the interplay of opposites.

“Japan has always been a source of inspiration for me,” says founder and industry legend Jean-Claude Biver, “The country’s collectors have a profound appreciation for detail and perfection, which has left an indelible mark on my approach to watchmaking.”

“Black and white dials are a meeting point between Japanese aesthetics and classical watchmaking,” adds Pierre Biver, “They are both traditional and modern, allowing us to create something timeless yet distinctly Biver.”

The Japan Edition is Biver’s second foray into enamel dials, after the unique watch with an abstract enamel dial for charity. These dials are crafted using traditional techniques by Les Émailleurs de la Cité, a recently established but fast-rising specialist in high-end enamelwork located in the oldest part of Geneva.

Each dial starts off as either a 22k rose gold or 18k white gold disc before being painted by hand with liquid enamel and then fired at about 800°C. The painstaking process requires over 10 hours of repeated and precise application of enamel and firing, followed by some additional six hours of polishing by hand that achieves the glassy sheen.

Affixing the 18k gold hour markers to the enamel posed a significant challenge, as drilling holes through enamel for the rivets of each markers risks cracking the fragile surface of the enamel. The artful solution was a dozen tiny rectangular areas left free of enamel, allowing the indices to be anchored directly onto the gold base. 

This results in a seamless integration of applied markers onto the dial surface — all executed with great precision. The dial design remains otherwise classical, with a thick railroad minute track and the brand name, all printed in enamel naturally.

The remarkable movement 

Powering the Japan Edition is Biver’s excellent micro-rotor movement, the JCB-003, which is also found in the other iterations in the Automatique collection. 

The 3.5 Hz movement is both technically and aesthetically impressive, with prominent engine turning covering the upper bridges that are further accented with wide anglage and countersinks. Running for about 65 hours on a full wind, the JCB-003 is equipped with hacking, zero-reset seconds (a mechanism better detailed here) and a free-sprung balance wheel. 

And it’s worth reading our in-depth look at the Automatique detailing the quality and overall refinement of the execution.

Key facts and price

Biver Automatique Japan Edition

Diameter: 39 mm
Height: 10 mm
Material: Platinum or 18k rose gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 80 m

Movement: JCB-003
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 25,200 beats per hour (3.5 Hz)
Power reserve: 65 hours

Strap: Grey or black alligator nubuck leather, with platinum or rose gold pin buckle (folding clasps available on request)

Limited edition: Limited production
Availability: Only at The Hour Glass Japan
Price: CHF92,ooo in platinum and CHF89,000 in rose gold (before taxes)

For more, visit jcbiver.com.

There were relatively fewer surprises in 2024, perhaps because of the overall slowdown in demand for luxury watches. There were a few big surprises though, including the biggest one of all, the Patek Philippe Cubitus, leaving aside the leak thanks to a premature publication of Fortune magazine. Perhaps even more surprising and even bigger, both figuratively and literally, was the Bugatti Tourbillon, a hypercar inspired by a watch.

Also notable was the fact that there was little unexpected from independent watchmakers, which perhaps underlines the still-robust demand for watches by the indies, which stick to safe bets that are easy to sell.

Here’s a look at our team’s take on the unexpected launches of the year.

Biver Automatique – SJX

The first Biver watch was a carillon minute repeater with tourbillon that was finely finished, inside and out, but it was big, thick, and expensive. The follow-up, in contrast, was almost the opposite.

The Automatique is compact and elegantly wearable, with a clean design that has just the right amount of vintage flavour. The only aspect where the Automatique stays true to its predecessor is in the finishing, which is outstanding, inside and out.

The surprising bit about the Automatique is the movement. For one, it was developed by Dubois Depraz, better known as a maker of chronograph- and perpetual calendar modules mounted on ETA movements. Second, it arguably exceeds the movement of the Carillon Tourbillon in terms of design and decoration.

In fact, the JCB-003 movement has too much finishing for me, particularly the hobnail guilloche on the bridges (that is nonetheless done on a hand-operate straight-line engine). I would have preferred a cleaner surface finish, for instance traditional frosting or striping.

Still, the Automatique stands out as one of the most accomplished time-only watches in recent memory. At about US$80,000 in its basic configuration, the Automatique is pricey but competitive with other comparable watches.

Bugatti Tourbillon – David Ichim

While car enthusiasts had their own full year – from the Ferrari F80 to the Pagani Utopia – one particular supercar piqued the interest of horology enthusiasts, the Bugatti Tourbillon. Apart from the suggestive name, the supercarmaker’s latest creation is equipped with an unexpected feature: a fully-mechanical instrument cluster inspired by watchmaking.

In an unexpected development, Bugatti turned to Swiss movement specialist Concepto for the unique mechanical gauges that look, and function, much like classical clockwork.

The mechanical speedometer and tachometer assembly are comprised of racks, pinions and gears, and even feature jewelled bearings. The needles react swiftly at the automatic gear changes, dropping down or climbing up instantly, almost like retrograde indicators. 

While there is much historical precedent for mechanical gauge clusters built by watchmakers – Jaeger instruments were found in Aston Martins and Jaguars for instance – nothing like this has been accomplished in modern times. The Bugatti Tourbillon is one automotive collaboration no one saw coming, but it left car and watch enthusiasts impressed.

Chanel Couture O’Clock Musical Clock – SJX

Priced at over US$2.7 million – and sold quickly after launch – the Couture O’Clock Musical Clock is whimsical, complex, and extremely elaborate. Very much typical of Chanel’s house style, this is a clock that incorporates a music box and automaton. The music box plays a tune that was reputedly a favourite of Coco Chanel, while the automaton is a carousel with dancing mannequins.

Made largely by hand, the clock is decorated with diamonds, as well as 245 pieces of onyx inlaid into the base to form Chanel’s trademark quilted pattern. Even the key that winds the clock is precious: the key is solid 18k gold and matched with an 18k gold chain that together are set with over 350 diamonds totalling some 14 carats.

F.P. Journe Élégante “Gino’s Dream” – SJX

The latest Élégante is atypical of F.P. Journe. In fact, it’s the only F.P. Journe watch I know of with in “rainbow” colours. And the rainbow on the bezel isn’t even precious – the “gemstones” are actually glass-ceramic composite.

But understanding that this pair of watches were made to remember Gino Cukrowicz (1959-2021), François-Paul Journe’s longtime friend and business partner, then the watches make sense. Cukrowicz was as colourful as the watches, while being instrumental in F.P. Journe as one of the founding investors in the company. So the watches may seem unorthodox for the brand, but they actually capture its history perfectly.

Patek Philippe Cubitus – SJX

The Cubitus was one of the most discussed watches of the year, and also quite unexpected. Conceived as the new entry-level Patek Philippe model, the Cubitus is essentially a squared-off Nautilus.

While neither imaginative nor radical, the Cubitus is executed well in typical Patek Philippe fashion. The finishing of the case and bracelet are excellent, and the movement is high-quality, albeit industrial high horology.

Personally, I like the Cubitus design, especially its case dimensions that some criticise as too big. The 45 mm diameter gives it a big footprint on the wrist, but the case is impressively thin, which gives the watch a surprisingly elegant profile. The time-only ref. 5821 is only 8.3 mm high, which is very, very thin, especially in comparison to the diameter.

In my opinion, the fundamental weakness of the Cubitus is nothing intrinsic to the watch, but the price. The base model in steel costs just over US$41,000, which is a lot for a steel watch. This inaccessibility is a problem, both for Patek Philippe and the broader luxury goods industry, though it hasn’t truly affected bottom lines yet.

Rolex Perpetual 1908 in platinum – David Ichim

The Perpetual 1908 launched last year was warmly welcomed, with the sole criticism that the monochromatic dials felt a little bland. This year Rolex did the unexpected move and introduced the 1908 in platinum (ref. 52506), a wholly new take on the newly-minted model sporting a true guilloché dial.

While no stranger to exotic and artisanal dials, traditional engine-turning is a novelty for Rolex. The result is nothing short of remarkable.

The vibrant, “ice blue” dial with a “rice grain” guilloche works well with the stylised Breguet hands and applied numerals. For a brand that’s famous for hard-wearing tool watches, it looks like Rolex also found a winning recipe for the dress watch, blending tradition with modern design sensibilities.

Behind the engine-turned dial is the cal. 7140 — arguably the brand’s first serious attempt at an aesthetically-oriented movement.

While the decoration is clearly done by machine, the quality and consistency is laudable. Though it’s been dressed up, the cal. 7140 stays true to the Rolex focus on timekeeping, and the movement retains the high-performance features typical of Rolex.

The second watch launched by Biver, the Automatique is a three-hand time-only, functionally simple but elaborately executed. Even the base model has a surprisingly complex dial, but the Automatique is really all about the JCB-003 movement, which is a micro-rotor calibre that ranks up there as one of most impressive recent self-winding movements.

Established by Jean-Claude Biver and his son Pierre, Biver got its start with a far more complicated watch, but the Automatique is arguably more impressive because it’s a simple watch executed in a complicated yet cohesive manner.

The JCB-003

Initial thoughts

Yet another time-only watch with a dressed up movement and hefty price tag – the formula feels a little worn out now. So the Biver Automatique surprises on the upside. I like it. The design is appealing and cohesive, while the movement is impressive.

In contrast, when Biver debuted with the Carillon Tourbillon minute repeater, I thought “the quality is unmistakeable, the aesthetics are lacking”. The Automatique lives up to the same levels of quality – and maybe even more – but it is instinctively appealing, even considering the price.

The solid gold dial of the entry-level version in rose gold

Even though Biver is not an artisanal independent brand in the conventional sense of the word since neither of its founders are watchmakers, the JCB-003 movement is executed to a standard that equals many artisanal independents. The construction is thoughtful and sophisticated, while the finishing is top class.

If anything, the JCB-003 has too much decoration. The construction already incorporates numerous aesthetic flourishes like a grande sonnerie-style winding click, giving it an eye-catching level of visual complexity for a time-only movement.

But the visual landscape is further complicated by the guilloche on the bridges, which I would have done away with in favour of traditional surface finishing like striping or frosting. I am sure guilloche is more time consuming and expensive than Côtes de Genève, but I prefer a simpler bridge finishing for its visual lightness.

The JCB-003 with its solid gold micro-rotor that’s engine turned just like the bridges

On the outside, the Automatique has a cleaner aesthetic. It actually employs the same design elements as the repeater, but on a smaller scale and simpler format, where the styling simply works better. Although the design is clearly vintage inspired, both in the case and dial, it still manages to feel original and distinctive.

There are actually two distinct designs for the dial of the Automatique dial, which debuts with two sub-lines, a basic model with a solid gold dial and the Atelier Series that has dials in a variety of mineral stone.

Even though it’s simple to a degree, I prefer the base model as I find the dial design more interesting. The base model has a relief minute track and hour marks of alternating length. On the Atelier Series, the applied elements of the dial are plainer, as the mineral stone itself is the centrepiece.

The Atelier Series with a pietersite dial

The Automatique starts at CHF75,000 in rose gold on a strap, with mineral stone dials and bracelets naturally costing more. Considering the high quality, the price is fair, even compared to the independent watchmaking competition.

In fact, I consider the Automatique the most compelling offering in the ultra-high-end automatic category because it has the most appealing design and arguably the best executed movement in the segment.

That said, CHF75,000 is a lot of money, but that reflects the state of the wider industry, rather than Biver. High-end mechanical watchmaking is expensive, oftentimes too expensive now, but that is another discussion entirely.

On a personal note, I am actually glad I like the Automatique, simply because I respect Jean-Claude Biver. The fact that he isn’t a watchmaker is perhaps one of the weaknesses of the watch, at least for the wider public. Given today’s mania for “indies”, I can imagine people falling over themselves to buy an Automatique if it was the creation of a stereotypical “independent”. But despite not being the result of a lone watchmaker, it still feels like an authentic creation of a father and son steeped in watchmaking.

Finely detailed

The Automatique is essentially a scaled-down Carillon Tourbillon, and the reduced size boosts its appeal. Measuring 39 mm in diameter and 10 mm high, the Automatique has good proportions that make it easy to wear. In fact, the case feels thinner than it is thanks to the design.

Interestingly, despite the svelte dimensions, the case is water resistant to 80 m. It’s not practically useful in any way, but 80 m is a substantially greater depth rating than the 30 m typical of dress watches.

The case design is vintage inspired, but still original, with all of its elements coming together in a distinctive design. The vintage inspiration explains the familiar silhouette, especially in the lugs.

Especially in profile, the lugs evoke the ref. 1579

The lugs take inspiration from the Patek Philippe ref. 1579 “anse a ragno“, which translates literally as “spider lugs”. This vintage chronograph reference is defined by its angular lugs that had been reimagined for the Automatique. Jean-Claude himself owned one of the rarest examples of the ref. 1579, one of three known in platinum, for many years, explaining the basis of the design.

Each soldered to the case by hand, the lugs are comprised of angular facets that show off the case finishing. The lugs sport brushing and mirror polishing, with flat surfaces and sharp edges.

The thinness of the case is due to the concave case band that echos the round base of each lug. The bezel and back are also concave, all of which accentuate the thinness of the case. And the concave bezel also serves to frame the dial.

All variants of the Automatique share the same case, but there are two distinct lines of dials: Atelier Series and standard (though even standard is fancy).

Both share the same design language of a “sector” design, which makes the dials are obviously vintage inspired than the case. Still, the dial designs manage to avoid being derivative, thanks in part to the fine detailing. The dials stand out for the high quality of details, even on the standard series.

The Atelier Series employs mineral stone dials, which has become something of a signature for Biver. The Carillon Tourbillon was launched with several types of mineral stone dials, and more recently gained dials in guilloche obsidian or mother of pearl.

The Atelier Series in platinum with an obsidian dial

The Automatique Atelier Series continues the brand’s inclination towards mineral stone, but in time-only format. Obsidian and pietersite are the two options available at launch, although more stone varieties will be arriving in the near future.

Essentially a mineral stone base with applied solid gold elements, the dials share the design language of the standard series, but look more modern. This is largely due to the hour markers, which are all of equal length, and the applied railway minute track.

The obsidian dial

Notably, the sector-like design is achieved by carefully working the stone: each stone dial is a single piece with a carefully milled channel on the inner circumference to create the “sector”.

Also known as chalcedony, pietersite has a pronounced marbling

The quality of the mineral stone dials is high, but I very much prefer the solid gold dials found in the standard series. While stone dials are surely more difficult to produce, the gold dials are more appealing in terms of design and finishing. The gold surfaces allow for more nuance in the finish, while also having the extra detail of the relief railway minute track.

The rose gold model gets a rose gold dial

Despite being “entry level” for Biver, the standard series models have unusually refined dials. The standard model employs a one-piece solid gold dial that appears two tone thanks to alternating vertical and concentric brushing. With each dial section separated by a sharply-milled border, the two-tone effect is pronounced and adds to the dial’s character.

While the platinum version has a white gold dial

The dial gets more interesting up close. Also solid 18k gold, the applied hour markers are facetted and feature alternating brushed and polished faces, echoing the lugs. The hands are similarly finished and likewise solid gold.

And then there’s the railway minute track that is also solid gold with the scale in relief. The relief markings brings to mind the micro relief text employed by Greubel Forsey.

The railway minute track is a separate solid gold ring

The JCB-003

As the model name implies, the Automatique is mostly about the self-winding movement inside. The JCB-003 was developed by Dubois Dépraz, a movement and complications specialist most famous for its modules, most notably the perpetual calendar and chronograph. Its client list spans the industry, ranging from Richard Mille to TAG Heuer.

As a time-only calibre developed from the ground up, the JCB-003 is atypical of Dubois Dépraz. It surprised me, because the movement isn’t what I expected of Dubois Dépraz.

(NB: The movement pictured is a prototype that is not entirely clean or perfect, but it is still very, very good.)

The JCB-003 was conceived as a high-performance automatic with a long power reserve – 65 hours in this time-only version – that can serve as a base for complications. To that end, it was also designed to be slim, allowing complications to be added on while retaining a manageable thickness. This contributes to the thin case of the Automatique.

As expected of a slim, high-end automatic, the JCB-003 has a micro rotor that winds bidirectionally thanks to reverser gears. It’s also equipped with a free-sprung balance fitted with four regulating weights.

The balance has a relatively small diameter, but that is the norm for self-winding movements of this type due to constraints of space and power reserve. However, it has an interesting proprietary design that maximises the balance diameter, which theoretically optimises inertia and thus chronometry.

The movement, however, covers more than just the basics of a high-end calibre. It was clearly designed to incorporate maximum technical and decorative ornamentation – in the best way possible though some of it feels excessive.

One of the standouts is the grande sonnerie-style winding click that is integrated into the barrel ratchet wheel. This is the only automatic movement with this feature that I can recall. Mechanically it doesn’t do that much more than a simple click, but it adds to the visual complexity of the movement.

And the winding click isn’t implemented in the traditional manner, but instead sits under an exceptionally intricate steel bridge that manages to combines almost all the known techniques for finishing steel parts.

Another striking detail are the wave-form spokes of the going train wheels. The spokes are also chamfered, right up to the inward angles, and the faces of the wheels circular grained. These sit under finger bridges that are reminiscent of pocket watch movements.

The grande sonnerie-style winding click is visible under the spade-shaped bridge

The spiral arms of the gears that make up the going train sit under finger bridges

The only aspect of the JCB-003 that I would do differently is the clous de Paris guilloche on the bridges and cock. The engine turning is outstanding, and according to Biver, done entirely by a hand-operated straight-line engine, making it all the more impressive.

But the guilloche is one decoration too many for me. The movement looks too busy, which distracts from many of the finer details, of which there are many. Conventional striping, or even more basic frosting, would create more contrast with the rest of the movement.

Despite the busy appearance, the JCB-003 still feels cohesive. Unlike other ornately executed movements that feel like a confused assembly of high-end elements, the JCB-003 is greater than the sum of its parts (and would arguably be even greater minus the guilloche).

Leaving aside the fanciest elements of the movement, the JCB-003 also does the basics well. Steel parts are either straight grained or black polished, while bridges are all bevelled along their edges. All jewels, pins, and screws sit in polished countersinks. Screw heads are polished and chamfered, while visible pins are polished.

Concluding thoughts

The Biver Automatique is a simple watch realised in the most elaborate manner possible. Many of the constituent elements are disparate, but everything comes together in a logical, appealing watch that is impressive in the hand. It does have a big price tag, but lives up to the expectations set by the cost. In fact, it exceeds expectations in some ways, which is an uncommon achievement.

Key facts and price

Biver Automatique

Diameter: 39 mm
Height: 10 mm
Material: Platinum or 18K rose gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 80 m

Movement: JCB-003
Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 25,200 beats per hour (3.5 Hz)
Power reserve: 65 hours

Strap: Leather with platinum or rose gold buckle, or five-row Biver bracelet in either platinum or rose gold

Limited edition: No, but limited quantities for the Atelier Series
Availability: Direct from Biver or at authorised retailers
Price: Starting from CHF75,000 for gold case on strap, up to CHF121,000 for platinum with obsidian dial on bracelet (prices exclude taxes)

For more, visit jcbiver.com.

Although it’s been less than two years since its founding, Biver has already launched its second model, the Automatique. Using that as the base, the brand created the Automatique “Echoes of this Moment”, a unique piece crafted in collaboration with a Swiss artist for TimeForArt, a charity auction taking place in November to benefit the Swiss Institute, a nonprofit focused on contemporary art education.

Initial thoughts

The standard Automatique is undeniably a finely executed watch, especially the micro-rotor automatic calibre within. Although the aesthetics of the regular-production model aren’t perfectly cohesive, the exquisite quality of the movement and attention to detail make it one of the most interesting new time-only creations from an independent.

This unique piece improves the aesthetics of the Automatique because it simplifies the design. The standard version has an elaborately finished dial that combines too many elements – faceted indices, brushed sectors, an engraved seconds track, and sharp polished hands. In contrast, the unique Automatique keeps the look simple, while still having a complex, artisanal dial decoration. Here the handmade dial – that’s both engraved and enamelled – can be admired for what it is, with no distractions.

An artful dial

The New York-based Swiss Institute was set up to promote contemporary art through events and exhibitions. Now in its second edition, TimeForArt was conceived to benefit the non-profit. Biver is one of several brands contributing one-off watches to the auction, with other participants including Chanel. TimeForArt will take place as part of Phillips’ The New York Watch Auction: XI on December 7, 2024.

Guillaume Ehinger with Pierre Biver

Biver’s creation for the auction is centred on a striking, crimson-hued dial conceived with the help of Swiss painter Guillaume Ehinger. Mostly abstract compositions loosely inspired by natural landscapes, his works explore the theme of fleeting memories, which is also evolved by the dial of “Echoes of this Moment”.

The dial is mesmerising, whether admired from afar or up close. It starts out as an 18k white gold base that is hand engraved with a wave-like pattern of fine ripples. The engraving is then covered in layers of translucent enamel in varied hues of red, pink, and purple, creating a shimmering, nuanced surface.

The palette is mostly red and crimson nuances, all on the darker end of the spectrum, which result in a dial that catches the light effectively. Its surface looks different depending on how the light hits, while the motif hints at a landscape of some sort but all the while remaining abstract. The dial intuitively evokes the concept Mr Ehinger’s theme of fleeting memories and the restless march of time.

The polished and brushed hands pair well with the dial, without drawing attention away from the decoration

A great calibre

Underneath the dial is the brand’s in-house micro-rotor movement, JCB-003. The movement is practically identical to that in the standard model, except for the 22k gold micro-rotor. Here the micro-rotor coarsely brushed and engraved with Ehinger’s signature, along with the year and name of the piece. 

The rest of JCB-003 is otherwise unchanged, meaning it is extensively elaborate. The bridges are covered with a deep clou de Paris guilloche, while steel parts are extensively polished and the bevels sharply cut. The movement is almost over-engineered, with a complex click wheel for the winding system and a shock absorber for the escape wheel.

The JCB-003 runs for 65 hours on a single barrel and beats at the unusual rate of 3.5 Hz with a free-sprung balance.

Similarly, the 39 mm case is almost identical to that of the regular production version. In a first for the Automatique, the case is in steel, emphasising the fact that the focus is fundamentally the dial. And it is finished differently from the standard model: the concave bezel and top of the lugs are brushed rather than polished, and the case back is discreetly engraved with “Time For Art”.

Key facts and price

Biver Automatique “Echoes of this Moment” Unique Piece

Diameter: 39 mm
Height: 10 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 80 m

Movement: JCB-003
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 25,200 beats per hour (3.5 Hz)
Power reserve: 65 hours

Strap: Fabric and Alcantara strap with steel buckle

Limited edition: Piece unique
Availability: To be sold at TimeForArt on December 7
Price: Estimate of US$60,000-120,000

For more, visit jcbiver.com.

Founded by the namesake father and son duo, Biver has just debuted its second model, the Biver Automatique. Though a simple a time-only watch with central seconds, in contrast to the preceding Carillon Tourbillon, the Automatique is equipped with an elaborately executed movement that’s arguably the most impressive recent automatic.

Besides decorative touches like guilloche on the bridges, the JCB-003 also features details like a grande sonnerie-style winding click. The calibre is paired with a comparably elaborately constructed dial with solid gold appliqués that’s available in a variety of materials, including mineral stone like Pietersite.

The JCB-003

Initial thoughts

The Automatique is clearly meant to showcase the brand’s ability to create a highly finished and refined time-only watch that can compete with more established producers, both in terms of the movement as well as habillage (namely the dial and case).

The highlight of the Automatique is the JCB-003 movement. Developed in partnership with movement specialist Dubois Depraz, the JCB-003 is quite possibly the most refined micro rotor movement on the market today. Though it is functionally simple, the movement boasts decorative and technical details along with a high level of finishing.

The over-engineered caliber is meant to serve as a base for future complications, which makes sense considering the high cost involved in constructing such a movement.

Amongst the calibre’s notable details is the grande sonnerie-style winding click, which is perhaps the first and only time it’s been implement in an automatic movement. Another is the finger bridge holding the escape wheel that not only features a black polished steel cap, but also a shock absorber for the jewel, well over standard practice for both decoration and function.

Decoration wise, the JCB-003 not only employs the requisite anglage, black polishing and graining, but even guilloche.  In fact, the JCB-003 is thoroughly decorated, almost to the point of being excessive. Similarly, the aesthetics of the movement are perhaps too elaborate, to the degree that the styling loses cohesiveness, but that can be overlooked since the calibre is impressive in all respects.

Like the movement, the dial is expensively executed, with practically every element being solid 18k gold. But on the other hand, the aesthetics are more cohesive. Though the Automatique retains the same design cues as the Carillon Tourbillon, the styling works better here because of the thin, compact case and cleaner dial. The case in particular has almost ideal proportions, unlike the Carillon Tourbillon that was just a bit too thick.

The Biver Automatique starts at CHF75,000 before taxes in gold. It is by no means affordable, but the price is competitive in the rarefied segment of high-end time-only watches from independent brands. And it stands out for being automatic, since it sits in a segment where self-winding movements are rare.

Biver style

The Automatique is presented in the same design language that was first seen on the Carillon Tourbillon. The vintage inspired case sports angled, soldered lugs that bring to mind the Patek Philippe ref. 1579 anse a ragno, or “spider lugs”. The polished, concave bezel accentuates its thinness and highlights the sapphire crystal and dial.

Practically every external element is identical to that on the Carillon Tourbillon, but scaled down. At just 39 mm in diameter and 10 mm in thickness, the Automatique is a properly-sized dress watch – but still water resistant to 80 m. The reworked proportions make the Automatique significantly more elegant and appealing, at least size-wise.

The Pietersite dial

The Automatique is being launched in two formats, “standard” and Atelier Series. Both share the same movement and design, with the difference being the dials.

The standard models sport solid-gold dials that match the case metal. The gold dials are finished with circular and vertical brushing. The outer minute track is raised and angled, and more usually features a minute scale in relief.

The applied indices are in blackened 18k gold, as are the hands, which are finished like a movement component with straight graining on their tops and polished along their edges.

The Atelier Series, on the other hand, will be produced in limited numbers for a fixed period. Watches in the series feature mineral stone dials, either frosted obsidian or Pietersite (otherwise known as chalcedony). 

Sandblasted obsidian

The stone dials share the “sector” design found on the gold dials, but with baton indices all around while also doing away with the raised minute track.

Stone dials are typically left smooth due to the difficulty of engraving stone, but both the obsidian and Pietersite dials have an engraved border around the centre of the dial to form the “sector” design, reflecting the attention to detail.

Pietersite

A new calibre 

While only being a time-only movement, the JCB-003 is complex in technical terms and layered in aesthetics. The calibre was developed with the help of Dubois Depraz, the outfit best known for its complications modules though the firm has recently started to offer its own series of calibres.

The JCB-003 has hour and minute hands, along with a zero-reset centre seconds. When the crown is pulled to set the time, the seconds hand resets to zero for synchronisation with an external time reference.

Like many thin automatic movements, the JCB-003 relies on a micro rotor. It’s large, bi-directional, and in 22k gold that’s decorated with guilloché done on a hand-operated machine. Next to the rotor sits the barrel, which is concealed by the large winding works under an open-worked steel bridge – with a tubular arm and gold chaton no less – that reveals the grande sonnerie-style click wheel and ratchet pawls.

The bridges and balance cock are finished with a deep, clous de Paris guilloche that is also done the old-fashioned way by hand. To frame the guilloche, the bridges have raised borders around their edges that are brushed, while the edges are rounded and polished.

The elaborate nature of the movement goes deeper than the bridges. The wheels in the going train have wave-shaped spokes with beveled edges. The visible steel components are either black polished or straight grained. The barrel cover is solarised while the base plate is finished with perlage.

The JCB-003 runs for 65 hours on a full wind and features a free-sprung balance beating at an uncommon 3.5 Hz, or 25,200 beats per hour, a frequency most often encountered with silicon hairsprings (which this is not).

Key facts and price

Biver Automatique

Diameter: 39 mm
Height: 10 mm
Material: Platinum (Pt 950) or 18K rose gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 80 m

Movement: JCB-003
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 25,200 beats per hour (3.5 Hz)
Power reserve: 65 hours

Strap: Leather with platinum or rose gold buckle, or five-row Biver bracelet in either platinum or rose gold

Limited edition: No, but limited quantities for the Atelier Series
Availability: At authorised retailers
Price: Starting from CHF75,000 for gold case on strap, up to CHF121,000 for platinum with obsidian dial on bracelet (prices exclude taxes)

For more, visit jcbiver.com.

Established two years ago by Jean-Claude Biver and his son Pierre, Biver has just named the first outsider to its management ranks with James Marks as chief executive officer. The longtime head of Phillips Perpetual, the auctioneer’s watch boutique headquartered in London, Mr Marks is now based in Zurich for his new role; he remains a consultant to Phillips. (Pictured above, from left: James Marks, Jean-Claude and Pierre Biver.)

Now 74 years old, the inimitable Jean-Claude Biver is something of an industry legend for having resurrected Blancpain and Hublot, but his eponymous brand is the first venture that is his own. Or more specifically, a Biver family affair: his youngest son Pierre, who is turning 25 this year, was cofounder of the brand. Mr Marks, who is 44 years old, will both help lead the brand as well as manage the transition from one generation of Bivers to the next.

The movement of the one-off Biver Catharsis Minute Repeater Carillon

Mr Marks is a longtime watch enthusiast who was a fund manager before he joined the watch industry six years ago. Soon after he set up Perpetual, a then-novel concept for an auction house where watches were available for sale year-round and not only during auction season. One of his earliest hires was Pierre Biver as an intern.

Both an industry insider and outsider, Mr Marks is expected to bring a new perspective to Biver. Although the brand has only sold a few dozen watches to date, it has garnered volumes of praise and criticism beyond its scale due to prominent personalities behind it. Praise for the appreciably high level of finishing and construction across the watch, and criticism for the design, which has been a mixed bag to date.

[Editor’s note: As an aside, I have worked with Mr Marks on several occasions at Perpetual, as a buyer, seller, and participant in events. I don’t know if he can design a watch, but I know he’s a straight shooter and someone I would do business with.]

Biver concludes the 50-piece run of its flagship Minute Repeater Carillon Tourbillon with a striking pair featuring its first guilloche dials.

Instead of the conventional engine turning on metal, the dials are either black obsidian or white mother-of-pearl, both finished with three-dimensional guilloche. Inspired by the links of the brand’s bracelet, the guilloche forms a terraced geometric patterns in dial centre that’s elegantly accentuated by baguette-cut diamond indexes.

Initial thoughts

Despite being neither a watchmaker, engineer, nor constructor, Jean-Claude Biver is an individual who personifies the Swiss watch industry – and he isn’t even Swiss. In his career so far, he revived two brands, Blancpain and then Hublot, and in between the two turbocharged Omega, in the process becoming one of the most influential and respected personalities in watchmaking.

So when Mr Biver announced that he and his son Pierre would be starting their own brand, everyone was paying attention. The brand’s inaugural watch, the Carillon Tourbillon, is a grand complication executed to an impressive degree of quality. The design, however, was debatable. Consequently the brand got off to a tough start, particularly on social media where the criticism of its design was free flowing.

With a one-off created for charity auction Only Watch, Biver eliminated the dial, resulting in a striking, appealing watch. Here the brand has retained the dial, but with new materials and decoration.

The guilloche dials enhance the aesthetics by a large margin. More like engraving than typical engine turning, the three-dimensional guilloche is unusually intricate, made up of pyramids in progressively smaller sizes arranged in concentric rows. Interesting, the guilloche dials feel more balanced, even though the proportions of the various elements remain largely identical.

Pyramid guilloche

Limited to 50 pieces, the Carillon Tourbillon is now in its final ten examples, which are being offered with either of the new guilloche dials, both of which sport baguette-cut diamond indices.

The first is black obsidian, which is actually volcanic glass that resembles rock. The central section features pyramid guilloche, while the chapter ring is polished obsidian. This is matched with a rose gold case, resulting in a high contrast aesthetic.

The chromatic opposite is the version in mother of pearl, which has a mother of pearl dial paired with a titanium case. Here the dial is similarly made of two parts, with a pyramid guilloche centre and polished chapter ring.

Dials aside, the final edition Carillon Tourbillon is identical to the earlier variants. Featuring distinctive soldered lugs that are a key element of its design, the case is 42 mm in diameter and 13.7 mm high.

Below the see-through back is the JCB.001, a self-winding movement with a micro-rotor. Developed with the help of  Le Cercle des Horlogers, the movement specialist that’s a sister company of Speake-Marin, the JCB.001 beats at 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz) and offers 72 hours of power reserve.

The minute repeating function is notable for being a carillon, meaning it is equipped with three instead of the usual two sets of hammers and gongs, so the repeater strikes a high note for the hours, triple note for the quarters, and a low note for the minutes.

Key facts and price

Biver Minute Repeater Carillon Tourbillon
Ref. Black Obsidian
Ref. White Mother of Pearl

Diameter: 42 mm
Height: 13.9 mm
Material: Titanium (mother of pearl) or 18K rose gold (obsidian)
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 50 m

Movement: JCB.001
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, tourbillon, and minute repeater
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 72 hours

Strap: Alcantara or Buffalo leather with folding clasp

Limited edition: 10 pieces across both dials
Availability: At authorised retailers
Price: CHF560,000 for mother of pearl; CHF630,000 for obsidian

For more, visit jcbiver.com.