Hello, today I would like to talk to you about a model from a new brand presented for the first time at the Geneva Watch Days 2023. Before discovering the first creation of the Haute-Rive brand, the Honoris 1, I invite you to learn more about Stéphane von Gunten, watchmaking engineer and founder of this independent Swiss brand.
Out of love for watchmaking and driven by a lineage of three generations of watchmakers, the Chaux-de-Fonds native and inventor Stéphane von Gunten created his own brand after working for the greats of the watchmaking industry. One of his ancestors was Irénée Aubry, a 19th-century watchmaker and inventor of the Hebdomas pocket watch, which offered an 8-day autonomy and was produced at a rate of 1,000 units per day, as well as the pocket watch created for Pope Leo XIII with a 40-day power reserve.
The name of his brand is a tribute to the name of his great-great-grandfather’s workshop located in Haute Rive, a place on the shores of Lake Neuchâtel, in Chez-le-Bart, near St-Aubin. Haute-Rive also refers to “Haute” as in Haute Horlogerie, and “Rive” as in the visible but narrow shore where excellence resides.
With this brand, Stéphane enters a new period of watchmaking expression that reflects his character and philosophy of life: sharing, with the humility that characterizes all transmission. For his first model, he presents a wristwatch inspired by Pope Leo XIII’s watch. In polished white gold, elegant, with a mysterious flying tourbillon and a grand feu enamel dial, this timepiece embodies Haute Horlogerie. Let’s take a look at the watch.
What are the features of the Haute-Rive Honiris 1 White Gold ?
Case
The Haute-Rive Honoris 1 White Gold features a case that is both portable and elegant, made of fully polished 18-carat white gold. Measuring 42.5 mm in diameter and 11.95 mm in thickness, this case is topped with a bezel with 60 concave facets and softened edges, allowing the watch to be wound counterclockwise.
Dial
The Haute-Rive Honoris 1 White Gold is adorned with a grand feu enamel dial. Here in deep black, it is crafted to the highest standards, at high temperature on an 18-carat gold plate using the champlevé technique. Interestingly, before the five consecutive firings of the dial, the plate is cut to accommodate the protrusions of the movement. This traditional aesthetic is enhanced by the two leaf-shaped hands, perfectly polished, in flame-blued steel.
Movement
The Haute-Rive Honoris 1 White Gold houses a manual winding movement with the particularity of having a 1000-hour power reserve. To achieve this, the movement contains a mainspring measuring 3 meters in length, certainly the longest ever installed in a wristwatch. To provide the smoothest possible torque, it is equipped with a slipping spring that prevents jerks and spikes. The slipping spring also protects the gear train when the mainspring is fully wound.
For daily use, every 40 days, or once a month, with a 10-day safety margin, the watch must be wound in 60 turns via its faceted bezel, controlled by a column wheel function selector.
In addition to its exceptional power reserve, this movement features a flying tourbillon, a function selector, and a power reserve indicator on the back where a peripheral ring rotates around a grained central cover to indicate the power reserve. The graduated scale goes from 0 to 1,000, with each marker indicating 25 hours, equivalent to a little over a day, allowing for simple and intuitive reading.
Strap
The Haute-Rive Honoris 1 White Gold comes with a black nubuck calfskin leather strap, hand-stitched with tone-on-tone stitching made in France. To secure everything, there is a pin buckle in 18-carat white gold.
How much does the Haute-Rive Honiris 1 White Gold?
The Haute-Rive Honoris 1 White Gold is limited to around 10 pieces per year, priced at CHF 148,000 (excluding VAT).
Haute-Rive Honoris 1 White Gold: A unique watch with a 1000-hour power reserve
The Haute-Rive Honoris 1 White Gold is simply stunning for a first model. Not only does the Honoris 1 now hold the record for the longest power reserve for a wristwatch with a single mainspring barrel (40 days) and a flying tourbillon, but it also achieves this in an extremely elegant and portable style. I would like to thank Stéphane for presenting the piece, which I believe is a very good introduction.
Haute-Rive Honiris 1 White Gold – Watch Specifications
- Brand: Haute-Rive
- Model: Honiris I
- Case Material: 18K White Gold
- Dial: Black Grand Feu Enamel, Champlevé Technique
- Functions: Hours, Minutes, Function Selector, Power Reserve Indicator on the case back
- Movement: HR01, Manual-winding, 18’000vph frequency (2,5Hz), 35 jewels and 288 parts
- Power Reserve: 1000 hours
- Water Resistance: 3 ATM
- Crystal: Sapphire
- Case Dimension: 42.5 mm (Diameter) × 11.95 mm (Thickness)
- Strap: Black Nubuck Calfskin with White Gold Pin Buckle
- Availability: Limited Production of 10 watches per year
- Retail Price: CHF 148’000 (Excluding VAT)
Did you know about this new brand in the watchmaking landscape recently? Give me your feedback in the comments.
For more information about Haute-Rive, click here.
