Vianney Halter - RETROSPECTIVE: 2000 - 2020 Geneva Sunday, November 8, 2020 | Phillips

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  • Manufacturer: Vianney Halter
    Year: 2008
    Case No: 8Y.118:CL
    Model Name: Classic
    Material: 18K yellow gold
    Calibre: Automatic, cal. VH100, 27 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Leather
    Dimensions: 36.5mm Diameter
    Signed: Case, dial movement and buckle signed
    Accessories: Accompanied by Vianney Halter fitted box, outer packaging and Certificate of Authenticity.
    Literature: Vianney Halter is featured in Masters of Contemporary Watchmaking by Michael Clerizo pp. 192-211, in Twelve faces of Time, Horological Virtuosos by Elisabeth Doerr and Ralf Baumgarten pp.106-121 and in Watchmakers, The Masters of art Horology by Maxima Gallery pp 178-189.

  • Catalogue Essay

    Vianney Halter is more than a watchmaker, he is a mélange of inventor, mad scientist and time traveler! His watches are definitely inspired by the science fiction steampunk imagery of the 19th century with their original shapes, porthole dials and riveted cases. He is considered as one of the founders of Modern Independent Creative Horology. A movement born in the late 1990s, this period saw the arrival of young talented watchmakers who completely disrupted the traditional watchmaking industry. These watchmakers, such as Felix Baumgartner of Urwerk, Denis Flageollet of De Bethune or Vianney Halter created timepieces like nobody had every seen before.

    After having taken the horological world by storm with his surprising Antiqua perpetual calendar, Vianney Halter launched the Classic in 2000. A steampunk UFO straight out of the imagination of Jules Verne or H.G. Wells, the Classic (named as such due to its round case) features a bezel with rivets on each hour marker inspired by the portholes of Captain Nemo’s Nautilus. The dial gleams in its architectural beauty, it is multileveled with an elegant mix of frosted and polished surfaces. The whole topped with flame blued hands.

    The automatic movement features an ingenious sapphire central rotor enabling a full view of the movement.

    It is important to note that every component on the dial, case and hands has been hand finished by Vianney Halter in his workshops in St Imier, Switzerland.

    The Classic was made in a total of 250 pieces in pink, yellow and white gold with different dial variants. The present example bearing number 8 in excellent condition is in yellow gold, a version rarely seen on the market and offers the opportunity to the collector of independent artisans to own an extremely coveted and hard to find timepiece.

  • Artist Biography

    Vianney Halter

    Swiss • 1994

    Vianney Halter seeks to change how we view time and creates mechanical timepieces with retro-futuristic innovative timekeeping displays. One of his most famous models, the groundbreaking Anitqua, takes inspiration from the nineteenth century with an industrial, steampunk aesthetic, using a case with four separate dial displays that wowed collectors when it was first launched in 1998. For some of Halter's creations, literature — in particular that of Jules Verne — has been a source of inspiration. Halter continues to create futuristic case designs and works with complicated movements.

    View More Works

209

A very rare and attractive yellow gold wristwatch with center seconds, sapphire rotor, certificate of authenticity and presentation box

2008
36.5mm Diameter
Case, dial movement and buckle signed

Estimate
CHF10,000 - 20,000 
€9,300-18,500
$10,900-21,800

Sold for CHF37,800

Contact Specialist

Alexandre Ghotbi
Head of Watches, Continental Europe and the Middle East

41 79 637 1724
aghotbi@phillips.com

 

Thomas Perazzi

Head of Watches, Asia
+852 2318 2031

WatchesHK@phillips.com

RETROSPECTIVE: 2000 - 2020

Geneva Auction 8 November 2020