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The Bleeding Edge of Haute Horologie: 10 Crazy Watches
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Most watches are designed to appeal broadly and to be worn daily, or nearly so.
But as watch cognoscenti know, there are micro-brands (and some not-so micro-brands) that produce timepieces that embody a unique vision and innovative aesthetics. These watches are often technological marvels, redefining the assumptions of watchmaking and pushing both design and engineering to new heights.
They’re not designed for everyone, and they most certainly don’t follow horological trends, lean into homage styles, or regurgitate design cues.
So without further ado, let’s dive into some very special timepieces.
MB&F HM7 Aquapod
Maximilian Büsser & Friends got off to a strong start in 2005 when Büsser, formerly CEO of Harry Winston Rare Timepieces and a senior executive at Jaeger-LeCoultre, founded his own brand. Enamored by the horological avante-gard, Büsser wanted to push the limits of timepiece design – and clearly he succeeded.
The HM7 Aquapod draws its design cues from a jellyfish, and MB&F chose to highlight the aquatic elements of this timepiece in keeping with that origin.
The unidirectional bezel floats above a large, 53.8mm platinum case, framing the central dome and the floating, flying tourbillon at the top. Two rotating discs display the time: the outer ring marks the hour, while the inner tracks the minute. And you read the time by referencing those numbers against a red marker on the domed crystal.
Inside, you’ll find a vertically-engineered in-house automatic movement offering 72 hours of reserve when fully wound.
Big, bold, and content to defy convention, the HM7 Aquapod is perfect for collectors and enthusiasts looking for a timepiece that can match their own iconoclasm. If you march to the beat of your own drum, this watch can be yours for $165,000.
Ressence Type 5 Diver
Ressence reimages the diver from the dial down, crafting a watch driven by out-of-the-box thinking. The result is both stunning and practical.
The Type 5 Diver starts with a 46mm Grade 5 titanium case that’s as light as it is durable. And Ressence chose the ETA 2824/2 automatic movement to power this watch, a conventional choice – and the last of them for the Type 5.
That movement drives a series of rotating discs which are submerged in non-compressable oil. The effect is that the discs, marking the time, appear to be on the surface of the dial, legible in a manner that needs to be seen to be believed. Ressence calls this proprietary tech its Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS), and it’s as attractive as it is novel.
Underwater, there’s no reflection on the dial concealing the time, nor is there a crown to allow high-pressure water to enter. Instead, the time is set via the caseback, leaving the case uncluttered.
And the constantly changing visuals catch and hold your eyes as the hand-less dial marks perfect time.
Definitely not a watch for every wrist, the 100m-capable Ressence Type 5 Diver retails for $37,900.
Urwerk UR-210
Known for its mechanical complexity, attention to detail, and boundary-pushing aesthetics, Urwerk has been manufacturing the cutting edge of horology since 1997. Their UR-210 showcases Urwerk’s design philosophy, and for enthusiasts or collectors who are drawn to high-mech design, this is as close to a grail watch as you’ll find.
Urwerk starts with a titanium and stainless case that’s been carefully machined to reveal angular, almost mechanical lines. The dial is skeletonized, revealing the movement beneath and the wandering, satellite hour hand and minute pointer. As the minutes tick away, the red minute indicator at the bottom of the hour complication indicates the minute, snapping back to zero at the start of each new one.
This unusual method for displaying time is mesmerizingly machine-line, offering aesthetic as well as horological innovation – such as the winding-efficiency indicator that displays how effectively your wrist movement is keeping the UR-210 wound.
And speaking of winding, Urwerk relies on the in-house automatic Caliber UR-7.10 movement, a self-winding, Swiss-lever escapement design that allows its owner to set its winding efficiency, with full, reduced, and stop positions available.
While clearly not a watch for every wrist, Urwerk’s UR-210 is an amazing example of horolology, available – when it can be found – for more than $85,000.
Devon Tread 1F
American watchmakers aren’t leaving all the fun for Europe, and Devon’s Tread 1F, inspired by racing aesthetics, really sets the bar for what counts as “new” and “unique.”
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The Tread F1 is big: the DLC-coated stainless case measures a full 53.3mm wide, rising 19mm from your wrist. That space is absolutely necessary, as the Tread F1 uses a belt system to tell the time.
At its core, you’ll find an electro-mechanical hybrid movement, powered by a lithium-polymer rechargeable battery. That engine drives a series of belts through markers, allowing the hours, minutes, and seconds to be read by indexing them with bracketing details on the dial.
That’s definitely not something you see every day, and the utilitarian yellow on gray/black color scheme really leans into the automotive visual cues.
Devon claims that the Tread F1 is accurate to within a half-second per day, though the power draw required to measure the seconds continuously can shorten battery life substantially. Recharging is accomplished by leaving the watch on a charging pad, and a battery-saving power mode is available that stops the second belt.
At $19,950, Devon’s Tread F1 offers a fascinating evolution of racing-inspired horological design.
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