Alan Birchall Pièce d’Essai Prototype

SALMANPK · 2026-05-03T22:44:29Z

Explore Alan Birchall s Pièce d’Essai prototype, a testament to independent watchmaking with 80% handmade components. Discover his journey and unique design philosophy.

Alan Birchall's "Pièce d’Essai" prototype offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of independent watchmaking, showcasing a dedication to traditional craftsmanship. SALMANPK's post highlights Birchall's journey from a seasoned repairer to a creator of highly handmade timepieces. This article delves into the intricate details of his first prototype, emphasizing the watchmaker's philosophy and the impressive extent of his in-house production.

Alan Birchall is a French-English watchmaker who spent over 16 years repairing and servicing watches in Britain and Australia.

He moved to Tajimi in the Gifu Prefecture of Japan in 2020 and two years started work on his first Prototype "Pièce d’Essai" with a 35.40mm case.

French and English watchmaking inspires him and he likes the design of the watch to reflect the tools used to make them.

The parts not made by him are the crown wheel, Crystal, Jewels, Hairspring, Mainspring, Gasket train wheels (from center wheel to escapement wheel) and the balance staff. On this prototype, approximately 80% of the watch is handmade.

Source: Instagram, Monochrome, Google Images

www.isochrono.com

The Discussion

quattro

May 4, 2026

just not my aesthetic. Best, Emmanuel

KMII

May 4, 2026

Thanks for bringing this up 🙏🏻

SALMANPK

May 4, 2026

😁👍 Source: isochrono

Derreck

May 4, 2026

thanks for sharing. The design seems pretty nice.

KMII

May 4, 2026

If your incomings are coming in the same order as the posts? 😂😉👍🏻

Meadia

May 4, 2026

My favourite of the moment, thanks for sharing

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