It’s no secret that I believe that independent brands are soul of the watchmaking industry. It is where most of the interesting avant-garde design is happening not only in movement technology but also in overall timepiece conception. A quick round at the AHCI (Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants) or the independent hall at Baselworld confirms this statement quickly. But the question is can a big brand also expose such interesting, off the beaten path, designs and movements? Can big brands also have souls? Well, I may have found one in the name of Ateliers deMonaco.
I’ll be up front, Frederique Constant (FC) does not make many watches that pique my interest. At this point in my collecting “career” I am not looking for affordable watches nor connected hybrid timepieces, which seems to be the bread and butter of FC. However, the FC Group has an subsidiary called Ateliers deMonaco which seems to hit all the right notes and designs to make this collector’s heart sing. And this is exactly what I want to talk about after my second time spending time with the brand's Master Watchmaker and Co-Founder, Pim Koeslag, during COUTUREtime 2018 in Las Vegas.
To understand Ateliers deMonaco I believe you can simply take a look at three new offerings they showed me in Las Vegas. First, the hand enameled Calatrava-like pieces with the Geneva lake and jet stream of water on dial appropriately named in the French: Poinçon de Genève Jet D’eau de Genève. These are simply some of the most gorgeous metier d’art watches I have seen. Easily rivaling similar works of arts for the wrist from Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin, and at less than a 1/2 of the price.
Of course, like any art, the theme and colors and hues have to elicit some emotion as these grand-feu, champlevé and cloisonné enamel dial did for me. So I invite you to see the original photographs herein and if not enough hopefully you get a chance to see the watches in person. It’s not clear if deMonaco can create a bespoke version of these with any motif of your choice, however, they do have a bespoke service to ask. And, of course, if you are from Geneva or the lake has special meaning to you, this should be in your bucket list. The metier d’art watches from deMonaco start at $66,500.
The next watch Mr. Koeslag showed me is not my favorite but it also represents what deMonaco stands for in spades. It is a sportier hand-sculpted dial of the Monaco Grand Prix course with car on a finely finished in-house movement also appropriately named: Grand Prix deMonaco 1968. Unlike the hand-enameled dial watches, this one is designed to be bespoke and is a piece unique. However, using the bespoke service from deMonaco, you can work with the atelier to create your own unique circular graining, lozenge pattern engraved watch using a motif that is dear to your own heart.
The final watch is the most affordable starting (in stainless steel and DLC) at just under $16,000. It is a chronograph titled: Admiral Chronographe Flyback Prato. The watch includes a rather unique dial of carbon fiber and gold and a movement created with circular satin-finishing, circular graining with Côte de Genève finishing. The Automatic dMc-760 caliber with a flyback chronograph also uses a patented ‘’direct return to zero’’ mechanism, this is an interesting chronograph that is sporty with a very different uncommon dial.
While I don’t think every big brand should have an independent arm, I like that Frederique Constant does. Instead of letting some of their top watchmakers leave and create yet another eponymous brand and thus lose their expertise; they have allowed Mr. Koeslag and colleagues to create an “independent” subsidiary, while at the same time create a soul machine for the brand. By keeping their prices somewhat to earthling levels, they are also encouraging their parent company's customers to have something to aspire to, and stay in the family as their tastes are refined and they move up market for their next timepiece acquisition. atelier-demonaco.com
The Tudor brand of watches is interesting. Not only because they are the watches from the “little sister” brand to the mighty Rolex, but because they have a design language onto themselves that many like and many don’t. While I don’t own a Tudor watch and not many of their models sing to my sensibilities and aesthetic, I always like to see what novelties they produce every year.
At the COUTUREtime show in Las Vegas, I had this exact opportunity. It’s not clear I left with a lust for any of their new watches, but what Tudor showed me was streamlined, strong, well priced, and overall desirable. Let’s take a closer look.