Independent Watchmakers: New Escapement Technology

Key Points from the Discussion

• The new escapement is a modified dual impulse motion, drawing principles from both natural and Fasoldt escapements to resolve the non-self-starting drawback of traditional natural escapements. It aims to eliminate sliding friction, lubrication issues, energy loss, and wear.
• Despite checking many boxes for desirable features like a center seconds, offset hour/minute, and integrated balance bridge, some collectors find the watch's aesthetic too derivative of established brands like Ferdinand Berthoud and Greubel Forsey, leading to a lack of distinct originality.
• The watch, priced around $100k, is considered by some to be an impressive release and well-priced compared to ultra-high-end independents, with an initial run of 12 watches sold out and another 68 planned.
• While acknowledging the superb craftsmanship and technical innovation of the 'new old' escapement, some express a desire for more truly novel ideas in independent watchmaking, questioning if this release is just another high-priced entry in a crowded field.
• Aesthetic preferences vary, with some collectors disliking the widespread design trend of exposing the movement on the dial side, finding it unoriginal and not to their personal taste.
• The watch's 38.5mm case and fantastic hand-finishing are highly praised, with one collector expressing regret at missing out on an allocation.