844Σ︎
Haldimann
Ref. H11/12
Central Balance
An incredibly well-made and distinctive pink gold wristwatch with central balance, small seconds, certificate and presentation box
Estimate
HK$400,000–800,000
€43,600–87,100
$51,300–103,000
Live 30 May, 12 PM Hong Kong SAR China Time
Manufacturer
Haldimann
Year
Circa 2020
Reference No
H11/12
Movement No
20-88-03
Model Name
Central Balance
Material
18K pink gold
Calibre
Manual, cal. ZEN-H11, 19 jewels
Bracelet/Strap
Leather
Clasp/Buckle
18K pink gold Haldimann pin buckle
Dimensions
39mm diameter
Signed
Case, dial, movement and buckle signed
Accessories
Accompanied by Haldimann certificate stamped Takashimaya Watch Maison Tokyo, dated 11 November 2020, additional crocodile strap, fitted presentation box and outer packaging.
Full-Cataloguing
Good To Know:
- Exceptionally rare in pink gold as most models are encased in stainless steel or platinum
- With full set of accessories
- Haldimann offers a lifelong service for the watch
In the rarefied sphere of haute horlogerie, where time is rendered not merely legible but deeply felt, few names command the quiet reverence accorded to Beat Haldimann. A Swiss watchmaker of singular vision and uncompromising craft, Haldimann operates outside the current of industrial production, working by hand in his atelier overlooking the lake of Thun. There, no CNC machines hum; only the measured patience of human hands, employing techniques passed down through generations, yields only a handful of watches each year.
His journey into watchmaking began in 1991, animated by a conviction that timepieces of soul could only be made without recourse to automation. In 2000, he completed his first resonance clock, and soon after discovered a lineage he had not anticipated: a Haldimann family watchmaking tradition dating to 1642. This revelation deepened his already profound sense of custodianship, leading to a lifelong commitment—every watch bearing his name is restored and serviced free of charge by his own hand. Remarkably, this makes Haldimann the oldest family-run independent Swiss manufacture still owned by the family that founded it.
Haldimann's creations have never followed fashion. His early work explored the architectural poetry of complications—repeaters, single and double tourbillons, resonance mechanisms—but always with a philosophical undercurrent. The H3 placed a central tourbillon in a case without hands, offering the spectacle of timekeeping without the means to read it. The H9 obscured its own dial behind a darkened crystal, holding time in confidence. These were not provocations but meditations: time as presence rather than measure.
In 2013, Haldimann distilled his philosophy into two new expressions: the H11 and H12 (both models are now referred to as H11, with or without the small seconds). Stripped of extraneous gesture, they returned to the fundamentals of hours, minutes, and seconds, yet revealed a movement of unexpected richness. The full plate is hand-frosted, its surface luminous and textured, punctuated only by the centrally placed balance and its cock, the crown wheel, ratchet wheel, and click. Every surface is finished by hand; every angle considered.
The present example, a H11/12 from circa 2020, is housed in an ultra-rare pink gold case as the model is typically encased in stainless steel or platinum. Its rhodium dial carries a delicate frosted finish, against which hand-engraved Roman numerals and hollow spade hands evoke the quiet elegance of another century. It is an object of profound simplicity, yet one whose making required the full measure of a master's skill.
The present timepiece is an ode to simplicity and craftsmanship from one of the most elusive independent watchmakers. Haldimann does not build for auction records. He builds for the collector who understands that a watch, properly made, asks nothing of its owner but to be worn, and promises, in return, a lifelong service for his watches. This reminds us: a Haldimann watch is never truly sold. It is only entrusted.
- Exceptionally rare in pink gold as most models are encased in stainless steel or platinum
- With full set of accessories
- Haldimann offers a lifelong service for the watch
In the rarefied sphere of haute horlogerie, where time is rendered not merely legible but deeply felt, few names command the quiet reverence accorded to Beat Haldimann. A Swiss watchmaker of singular vision and uncompromising craft, Haldimann operates outside the current of industrial production, working by hand in his atelier overlooking the lake of Thun. There, no CNC machines hum; only the measured patience of human hands, employing techniques passed down through generations, yields only a handful of watches each year.
His journey into watchmaking began in 1991, animated by a conviction that timepieces of soul could only be made without recourse to automation. In 2000, he completed his first resonance clock, and soon after discovered a lineage he had not anticipated: a Haldimann family watchmaking tradition dating to 1642. This revelation deepened his already profound sense of custodianship, leading to a lifelong commitment—every watch bearing his name is restored and serviced free of charge by his own hand. Remarkably, this makes Haldimann the oldest family-run independent Swiss manufacture still owned by the family that founded it.
Haldimann's creations have never followed fashion. His early work explored the architectural poetry of complications—repeaters, single and double tourbillons, resonance mechanisms—but always with a philosophical undercurrent. The H3 placed a central tourbillon in a case without hands, offering the spectacle of timekeeping without the means to read it. The H9 obscured its own dial behind a darkened crystal, holding time in confidence. These were not provocations but meditations: time as presence rather than measure.
In 2013, Haldimann distilled his philosophy into two new expressions: the H11 and H12 (both models are now referred to as H11, with or without the small seconds). Stripped of extraneous gesture, they returned to the fundamentals of hours, minutes, and seconds, yet revealed a movement of unexpected richness. The full plate is hand-frosted, its surface luminous and textured, punctuated only by the centrally placed balance and its cock, the crown wheel, ratchet wheel, and click. Every surface is finished by hand; every angle considered.
The present example, a H11/12 from circa 2020, is housed in an ultra-rare pink gold case as the model is typically encased in stainless steel or platinum. Its rhodium dial carries a delicate frosted finish, against which hand-engraved Roman numerals and hollow spade hands evoke the quiet elegance of another century. It is an object of profound simplicity, yet one whose making required the full measure of a master's skill.
The present timepiece is an ode to simplicity and craftsmanship from one of the most elusive independent watchmakers. Haldimann does not build for auction records. He builds for the collector who understands that a watch, properly made, asks nothing of its owner but to be worn, and promises, in return, a lifelong service for his watches. This reminds us: a Haldimann watch is never truly sold. It is only entrusted.