Vianney Halter
Case Rose gold case 750/1000, 12 yellow gold dots on the bezel, crown at 3 o'clock with 24 rose gold pins, with a sapphire caseback Strap Original black Alligator leather strap, with 18k rose gold pin buckle Dial Silvered dial with black Arabic numerals, railway track & sandblasted center, blued hands, signed "Vianney Halter" Movement Rhodium-plated automatic movement with Geneva stripes, transparent rotor Cal. 100 Ref. 98R.308.CL D= 36mmlot
38
Vianney Halter
Rose Gold Classic
This lot has a reserve price
Starting bid
CHF 20 000
Location
Office, Zurich
Timed Auction stars in
1 day(s)
Buyer’s premium will not be charged
Register to bid
Specification
Case
Rose gold case 750/1000, 12 yellow gold dots on the bezel, crown at 3 o'clock with 24 rose gold pins, with a sapphire caseback
Strap
Original black Alligator leather strap, with 18k rose gold pin buckle
Dial
Silvered dial with black Arabic numerals, railway track & sandblasted center, blued hands, signed "Vianney Halter"
Movement
Rhodium-plated automatic movement with Geneva stripes, transparent rotor
Cal.
100
Ref.
98R.308.CL
D=
36mm
Condition report
Case:
Good, little signs of wear
Strap:
Good, little signs of wear
Dial:
Mint condition
Movement:
All functions working properly (low amplitude service recommended)
Amplitude (Dial on top/Lift angle 52):
Approx 230°
Accuracy (Dial on top):
Approx +20 sec/day
Details
An extremely fine,
very rare and attractive
rose gold wristwatch of Vianney Halter, the Swiss independent watchmaker of French origin, who founded his Janvier SA atelier in 1994. Production period:
2000–2010.
Case in
18k rose gold,
numbered 98R.308.CL, diameter 36mm, case and winding crown with
white gold rivets,
T-bar (Vendôme) lugs, sapphire caseback. Solid
white gold dial,
two-level, central zone with frosted finish, circularly brushed chapter ring, blued steel hands. Caliber VH100, self-winding,
‘mysterious mass’ patented rotor,
power reserve up to 40 hours. Functions – indication of time in hours, minutes and seconds. Black leather strap, rose gold Vianney Halter pin buckle with white gold rivets.
Lot essay
The ‘Classic’ is
the
first time-only
three-hand Vianney Halter wristwatch, introduced in 2000. This watch is one of the designs created in collaboration with
American designer Jeffrey Barnes.
Initially, three designs which may be classed as
retro-futuristic
were intended for watches to be produced under the Halter Barnes brand. However, soon after the 1998 presentation of the Antiqua perpetual calendar watch, the new brand’s inaugural project, the partnership ended. Further watches were produced under the Vianney Halter brand name.
‘Classic’ watches were
produced until 2010
in yellow, pink or white gold. According to Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Phillips, in total the production was
limited to 250 pieces.
Some sources indicate a bigger number, noting that it was a limited production of 300 pieces in total. Reportedly, there were 115 examples made in rose gold. In any case, ‘Classic’ watches represent a substantial part out of
about a thousand – and possibly fewer
– timepieces bearing the Vianney Halter signature ever produced, making this an extremely rare collectible watch.
It is no coincidence that Vianney Halter names the worlds created in his imagination after the works of the writers Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, who are sources of inspiration.
Hand-set
white gold rivets
decorate the intricately designed rose gold case. The solid white gold dial is embellished with
hand-engraved numerals
and text filled with
black fire enamel,
giving the watch the inimitable look of a valuable handcrafted antique, an ancient scientific instrument or a marine chronometer. It is no coincidence that Vianney Halter names the worlds created in his imagination after the works of the
writers Jules Verne and Herbert George Wells,
who were sources of inspiration. The use of dials made of precious metal, the shade of which differs from the colour of the metal from which the case is made, is one of the traditions of the Vianney Halter collection. This design principle has been used since the very beginning of the brand, giving Vianney Halter a
special charm
and raising its collectors’ status highly.
The VH100 caliber, seen through the sapphire caseback, was developed by Vianney Halter from the
self-winding Nouvelle Lémania
8810 double-barrel movement-blank. Vianney Halter modified this caliber by applying the surprising
‘mysterious mass’ winding rotor
patented by him in 1999 (patent No. WO9957613; patent protected since 1998). The winding rotor is almost entirely made of transparent sapphire glass, meaning the rotor leaves an open view of the movement and which, as a result, looks similar to a manual winding movement, thus revealing its beauty to the observer.
Reasons to buy
The present watch is a fine purchase for the collector thanks to its unique design, excellent and extremely
elaborate hand finishing
of the case, dials and movement, as well as the rare and spectacular ‘mysterious mass’ feature. The Vianney Halter Classic Rose Gold No. 98R.308.CL would be an excellent purchase for the collector who looks to obtain a rare and charismatic wristwatch from a
world-famous independent watchmaker.
The Vianney Halter Classic is one of the iconic watches of modern haute horlogerie and a symbol of the independent watchmakers’ motion. Its easily recognisable and instantly memorable and
unusual retro-futuristic design
is sure to move a person who strives to show independence in creating their own style.
