For fans of tourbillon, Chapter 4 of BA111OD is a watch to discover. Particularly because with its current price of around €6500, it is more “affordable” (or less “inaccessible”) than many prestigious timepieces. On the sidelines of Geneva’s watchmaking week, it comes in a new variant more desirable than ever, with a meteorite dial.
The Veblen dilemma embodied in a watch
The first time we talked about Thomas Baillod on Masculin.com, it was in 2020. He then introduced us to more than just a simple watch, a watchmaking concept inspired by his surname, BA111OD.
In just a few months, the one who wants to “shake up the Christmas tree” and, more concretely, the traditional Swiss watchmaking, has unveiled several new watches that have had the merit of breaking the codes. This is how Chapter 4 arrived in the fall of 2021 in the form of a swiss made tourbillon offered for less than 4000 euros. While the price has unfortunately inflated since, the different iterations offered all have a certain charm, whether it is the 4.3 Eclipse Tour of 40 mm in black and gold, the 4.6 GMT 1920 in limited edition or the 4.7 with its onyx dial blacker than black.
Since its launch, this tourbillon watch has been associated with another concept seemingly far removed from the world of watchmaking: the Veblen dilemma. Named after the economist and sociologist Thorstein Veblen, this theory is more commonly referred to as “the snob effect”. More concretely, it refers to this behavior whereby a luxury product is all the more desirable the pricier it is. And conversely, an accessible product can only be of inferior quality. Hence the dilemma raised by Thomas Baillod: could his affordable luxury watches only be junk?
Faced with the success that the brand has enjoyed since its launch and the (praiseworthy) comments that most of its models generate, we would be tempted to answer in the negative. And this new Chapter 4.9 Tourbillon Meteor only reinforces our impressions.
A unique dial for each Chapter 4.9 Tourbillon Meteor
The innovations unveiled in Geneva for Watches & Wonders highlight some of the major watch trends for the year 2024: gold and titanium are essential materials; as for the watch dials, they are increasingly featuring natural stone (aventurine, malachite…) or meteorite. And it is precisely this latter that gives its name to the new member of the BA111OD family.
The iconic Widmanstätten patterns of this celestial material appear at the heart of a 40mm diameter stainless steel case. Refined and rounded, it is distinguished by the off-center position of its crown, at 4 o’clock.
On the dial, the tourbillon also appears in an unusual position, at 7 o’clock. The cage allows to admire some of the components of the manual winding movement BA.01 made by watchmaker Olivier Mory, which gives this Chapter 4.9 no less than 105 hours of power reserve. Such a caliber should be able to be admired from all angles, which is why the case back is completely transparent.
A leather bracelet could have added an extra touch of sophistication to the watch, but BA111OD chose to go for a steel model that accentuates the “mineral” look.
The first 15 pieces of this Chapter 4.9 Tourbillon Meteor are offered at the rate of €6900, with delivery expected in July 2024. More copies could be produced later… but probably at a higher price. To buy or not to buy? That is the new dilemma raised by Thomas Baillod and his teams.
