Today, I would like to talk to you about a very accessible watchmaker whose creativity is proven. You have certainly understood; I am going to talk about Vianney Halter. Before presenting one of his creations, I would like to review his career so that you can enter his universe.
Born in Suresnes, near Paris, in 1963, he was, as a child, fascinated by gears, science fiction, and everything mechanical. Indeed, he developed a fascination for machines and locomotives, thanks to his father, a train captain, who often brought home spare parts and engines. A precocious child, he acquired the first clock of his collection at the age of 11.
At 14, he became, one year ahead, a student at the Paris Watchmaking School. He prepared there by continuously collecting, disassembling, and reassembling old alarm clocks. There, he also learned various skills such as metal sculpture and worked with forgotten machine tools to cut gears, wheels, etc. In addition, he was also interested in history – the history of watchmaking, and through it, the history of the world. He is fascinated by the time masters who made the conquest of the seas possible.
Quite gifted, he obtained his diploma at 17 in 1980 and left school to join a clock restorer. He stayed there for one year, learned a lot, loved the work, and was productive. After that, he was recruited by an independent watchmaker in the 13th arrondissement, where he restored wristwatches for more than two years. Working on very complex pieces was for him an enriching and formative experience. His talent for the manufacture of complicated watches and his knowledge of the art of watchmaking undoubtedly owe much to this period, during which he, for example, made wheels for cylinder watches and cut corundum stones.
Then, at 20, he took a sabbatical year. It was a celebration. Baths, showers, Palace, New Morning, jazz clubs, Gibus… he knew Parisian nightlife by heart. From 1984 onward, in his small Parisian workshop, he began restoring precious antique watches dating from 1550 to the 1980s, thus acquiring in-depth know-how. In 1990, François-Paul Journe invited him to join him in Switzerland, in Sainte-Croix, at the company THA (Techniques Horlogères Appliquées) with Denis Flageollet, Dominique Mouret, and Pascal Courteault. They developed for important brands such as Breguet and Audemars Piguet. Towards the beginning of the 1990s, THA dissolved as they all embarked on their own ventures. Vianney Halter then created his small workshop with François Junod, poet and ingenious maker of automata, which rekindled his desire to dream. In 1994, having more and more work for brands such as Audemars Piguet, Mauboussin, Jaquet Droz, and Franck Muller, he founded his manufacture Janvier SA in Sainte-Croix. This name comes from one of the most talented watchmakers in the history of watchmaking, Antide Janvier (1751-1835).
In 1996, work slowed due to a financial crisis in Asia. He found himself unemployed. He took the opportunity to learn to play the piano – hence his interest in resonance. He also realized that he could not present any personal work. For contractual reasons, he could not show these developments and creations. Thus, in 1998, he ended up creating the Antiqua, endowed with an unprecedented perpetual calendar, which was born out of necessity. The Vianney Halter Antiqua was born from a collaboration with Jeff Barnes, an American graphic designer, and resembles a device one might find in the writings of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells. It also draws inspiration from the 19th century with an industrial and steampunk aesthetic. For him, it was a way to show his ability to imagine and manufacture movements, cases, and hands, and to demonstrate his mechanical skills as well as his virtuosity in finishing, anglage, and form. This allowed him to obtain more work, more clients for these watches, and to join the AHCI with the support of Philippe Dufour.
Vianney Halter won the Best Watchmaker Award at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) in November 2011. In 2016, he received the prestigious Gaïa Artisan-Creation Award. He has also designed and manufactured other watches such as the Vianney Halter Classic Janvier and the Vianney Halter La Résonance, and various timepieces for other manufacturers—in 2003 for Harry Winston, in 2006 for Cabestan, and Beauregard in 2023. In 2007, Vianney Halter presented the Trio, also from his Futur Antérieur collection, which represents a vision of the distant future viewed from the past. Unusual at first glance, it becomes evident that this is a very special watch, as the attention to detail, the finishing standards, and its originality elevate it from a novelty to a very serious timepiece. Now, let us move on to the presentation of this model.
Table of Contents – Vianney Halter Trio Grande Date
What are the features of the Vianney Halter Trio Grande Date?
Case
The Vianney Halter Trio Grande Date features a monolithic white gold case without lugs. Inspired by an 80-piece ingot, it has hand-polished and hand-pressed rivets adorning the crown for a better grip and for the various openings. Measuring 44 mm in length by 32 mm in width, with a thickness of 12 mm, this case is subtly curved, comfortably enveloping the natural shape of the wrist. The small detail that pleases me, in addition to the case finishing, is that the sides of the case have a polished finish which contrasts beautifully with beveled edges and a brushed finish on the rest of the case. It visually resembles nothing else, yet it is executed according to the highest standards of traditional hand finishing.
Dial
The Vianney Halter Trio Grande Date is adorned with several steampunk-style dials that are partly inspired by the technology of the steam era. The perimeters of these dials have a circular brushed finish with polished white gold rivets set in the shape of a porthole. With its separate functions arranged on individual dials, it resembles the gauges of an old industrial boiler and constitutes a magnificent demonstration of free-form watchmaking. In descending order of diameter, one can read: Hours/minutes plus day/night indicator, small seconds, and the grand date in two distinct portholes.
Positioned so that the dial is slightly recessed, the hours/minutes dial features a sector-style minute track resembling a railway line, followed by an Arabic numeral chapter, both filled with hand-applied black enamel paint. The watchmaker’s initials and the brand logo are also rendered in the same manner. Unique blue-tinted arrow-shaped hands complete the look, adding a touch of colour to the silver tones of the piece. Added to this is the outer rim of the dial in a circular satin finish and the inner dial which features a frosted finish. The bezel is mirror-polished, perfectly reflecting the details of the dial while giving it additional depth. It is surrounded by a brushed step-lapped bezel with 12 rivets corresponding to the Arabic hour track and inspired by a ship’s porthole.
The subdial for seconds and the date windows are positioned lower on the surface, with the seconds subdial in a style very similar to the main dial. One of the most remarkable features of this model is its Grand Date complication, a two-disc display system that enhances its readability. Unlike traditional designs, Vianney Halter’s innovative approach allows, thanks to a specific gear configuration, a quick date adjustment using the crown, without the need for an external correction pusher. Adjusting the time does not affect the display of the date; the two functions are completely independent. When the crown is in the neutral position, the date jumps automatically at midnight. The day/night indicator on the main dial shows whether the time should be read as “am” or “pm” and also allows for precise time adjustment, thus avoiding accidental date changes at noon.
Movement
The Vianney Halter Trio Grande Date houses the VH205 automatic calibre, entirely developed and manufactured in-house. Visible through the ovoid opening in the case back, it is composed of an impressive 390 components with 42 jewels distributed throughout the movement. When fully wound, it offers a power reserve of 70 hours and beats at 21,600 vibrations per hour.
Proud of his work, the meticulous details of the components are fully exposed through the sapphire case back. And if the absence of any visible winding mechanism is surprising, it is because the patented “mystery rotor” is made of sapphire, thus practically invisible and giving the impression of a manually wound watch. Each component of the mechanism has been handcrafted, decorated with Geneva stripes, anglage, circular graining, perlage, black polishing, and assembled by Vianney himself in his own workshop.
Strap
The Vianney Halter Trio Grande Date is supplied with a calf leather strap that follows the curvature of the case and is fastened by an 18-carat white gold tang buckle bearing the watchmaker’s initials.
What is the price of the Vianney Halter Trio Grande Date ?
The Vianney Halter Trio Grande Date was produced in only 10 exemplars in white gold, with a price approximating 123,000 CHF.
Vianney Halter Trio Grande Date: a watch that will take you on a journey
The Vianney Halter Trio Grande Date is a watch with a unique and timeless design that wears exceptionally well on the wrist. Eccentric, disconcerting, and fascinating at the same time, the style of this watch has earned it the reputation of being one of today’s most creative independent watchmakers. For me, this watch transports me to new worlds and symbolizes freedom and the breaking of dogmatic societal rules.
The Trio is intended for collectors seeking a timepiece that breaks away from traditional stylistic codes while maintaining exceptional finishing. It could be part of a very eclectic collection for a collector who loves watches with heritage and philosophy. Every detail and finish is meticulously executed by hand according to Vianney Halter’s quality standards, ensuring that each piece is remarkable and unique. Annual production is limited to only a few dozen pieces, and the fortunate ones must exercise patience before wearing their masterpieces.
Vianney Halter is more than just a watchmaker; he is a blend of inventor, mad scientist, and time traveler! His watches are undeniably inspired by the steampunk sci‑fi imagery of the 19th century with their original shapes, porthole dials, and riveted cases. He is considered 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 revolutionized the traditional watchmaking industry.
I would like to warmly thank K2 Luxury for allowing me to discover this watch at their private salon in Geneva. You can also visit their private salon at DIFC Dubai.
Vianney Halter Trio Grande Date – Watch Specifications
- Brand: Vianney Halter
- Model: Trio Grande Date
- Case : 18k White Gold
- Dial: White
- Functions: Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Date
- Movement: VH205, Self-Winding, 21’600vph frequency (3Hz) 390 parts and 40 jewels
- Power Reserve: 70 hours
- Water Resistance: 5 ATM
- Crystal: Sapphire
- Caseback: Sapphire
- Case Dimension: 32 mm (Width) x 44 mm (Length) × 12 mm (Thickness)
- Strap: Calf Leather with White Gold Pin Buckle
- Availability : Limited production of 10 pieces has been made
- Price: CHF 123,000
Have you enjoyed the universe of Vianney Halter? What is your perspective on these watches? Share your thoughts in the comments.
For more information about Vianney Halter, click here.
