Since its establishment in 2004, Hautlence has always distinguished itself with its avant-garde watch designs. For once, it has therefore decided to radically change its style. However, while it has drawn inspiration from the past for its Retrovision ’47, this one displays a look never seen before in the watchmaking industry! In short, once again, the Neuchatel brand (the anagram of Hautlence) demonstrates that it never does anything like the others. And this creation did not go unnoticed at the last Watches & Wonders fair…
What if the Hautlence brand was born in the 1940s?
Hautlence, Swatch, the same fight? In any case, the two Swiss brands have always wanted to break the codes of traditional watchmaking with daring creations. A few months ago, Swatch wondered what would have happened if its first watch had featured a square case. Today, Hautlence follows the same logic by wondering what its first watch would have looked like if it had been born in the 1940s… even though it was not launched until 2004!
In its 20 years of existence, Hautlence has captured the attention of watch enthusiasts around the world with its daring creations. We can mention in no particular order, its Vortex Gamma Magma equipped with an ultra-light and colorful case or its Linear Series 2, seen at Watches & Wonders (already!) and which revisited (already!) the TV case.
With a limited annual production of about 200 pieces and 9 in-house calibres, the brand continues to push the boundaries of traditional watchmaking by merging innovative mechanical solutions with an aesthetic universe borrowed from design, architecture, and movement. Conceived as true works of art, Hautlence watches must also “tell a story”, two criteria that the new Retrovision ’47 fulfills perfectly.
The Retrovision ’47, a watch that completely reinvents the TV case
In the aisles of Palexpo, the Hautlence stand clearly isn’t the most impressive, but its small display inevitably catches the eye. As its Retrovision ’47 gets a nice staging.
Like LIP and Mido in recent months, it comes with a rectangular case with rounded edges, that evokes the old TV sets. But rather than the 1970s, Hautlence has chosen to incorporate elements of the design of the radio broadcasting receivers of the 1940s into its watch. The specific model that inspired the Retrovision ’47 is the Model 5A5 from the General Television & Radio Corp. of Chicago, characterized by its dial and a separate speaker.
The watch itself is designed with remarkable attention to detail. The case is hand-painted, reproducing the style of the green and white marbled bakelite of the original radio receiver. This gives the watch a both retro and luxurious look. The white fastenings that resemble carrying handles and the crown at 6 o’clock preserve the symmetry of the case, while the red leather strap adds a distinctive vintage touch.
From a technical standpoint, the Retrovision ’47 is equipped with a three-dimensional dial in brass and 2N gold, adorned with an embossed Möbius ring, the logo of Hautlence. The left side of the case hosts a grid under which a 60-second flying tourbillon whirls, adding a kinetic dimension to the whole. The back of the case is inspired by the rear facade of the radio receiver and allows one to admire the automatic caliber ED20-SP00, which provides a power reserve of 72 hours.
A work of art and a real timepiece, retro yet futuristic, this Retrovision ’47 would have everything going for it. One can only regret that it was only produced for the special installation presented at Watches & Wonders. But given the responses generated by this watch, why not imagine Hautlence offering a “mass market” variant?
