Mahesh's insightful post introduces SpaceOne's second timepiece, the TELLURIUM, offering a deep dive into the brand's origins and the watch's intricate complications. He highlights how SpaceOne, co-founded by F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition winner Theo Auffret, has overcome initial branding challenges to deliver neo-futuristic designs at accessible price points. Mahesh's personal experience as a SpaceOne owner for his son's first mechanical watch underscores the brand's appeal and value proposition.
Before stepping into the new timepiece, I think it is worth to dwell few minutes about their starting point.
Founded in 2023 by 2 young French men, Theo Auffret and Guillaume Laidet, the brand started as a crowd funded project...ARGON !
Theo is an independent watchmaker, movement + complications designer and the 2018 Winner of the famous F.P.Journe Young Talent Competition for upcoming watchmakers.
Within days of a very successful crowd funding (1 million euros in a day)... the team was forced to take a step-back - thanks to legal claim on the name 'ARGON'
The team came back within few days re-launching the timepiece under new brand name 'Space One'....
SpaceOne represented Neo-futuristic design at very accessible price point with strong modularity allowing the user have choices.
Personally I'm one of the happy customers, first mechanical watch for my son - a Destro version with case made of forged carbon and yes a jumping hour and rotating minutes at an affordable retail.
Today, the team is almost 1 year old and successfully launched their 2nd timepiece under the SpaceOne brand...TELLURIUM.
Tellurium in Latin refers to 'Earth' and Tellurium is also one of the rarest earth metal but found abundant in space !
When you see the timepiece, reasoning for the name choice seems obvious...the timepiece gives an 'INTERSTELLAR' vibe.
Olivier Gamiette, a professional car exterior designer who enjoys sketching watches collaborated with SpaceOne team to design the overall appearance and aesthetics.
This timepiece has some serious complications...dare I say close to Grand Complication ?!
Face of the timepiece brings in the Solar Planetary system on a Blue Aventurine background giving a 'Galaxy vibe'...
THIS PLANETARY SYSTEM IS NO GIMMICK....The Sun, The Earth and The Moon each could be set 'actual' position and rotates relative to each other.
Full rotation of the Moon around The Earth is at 29,5 days...The Earth goes around The Sun and the dial once in 365 days,
The Astral position are set by the crown and is accurate for 100 years....
At 6'O clock aperture, the Date and Month are displayed and of course we've the Hour and Minutes too ;-)
Theo Auffret has heavily modified the Soprod P024H4 base movement to bring in such high complication.
Case of the Tellurium is made of Grade 5 Titanium, with a mix of Polish, Sandblasted and Brushed surfaces.
Overall case measures 50mm (lug to lug) and 42mm wide.
I think the winding crown on the 'bull-head' position brings consistency to design but also gives practicality to wind / set the timepiece easily.
On the side view, honestly I see resemblance of the MB&F Bull-dog but on the face of the timepiece you don't carry this thought anymore !
With significantly domed sapphire, the case is 16mm tall but it wraps on the wrist flat than it visually is (and I must say very very light).
Personally have had the luck to up-close see the development of this timepiece and the team has impressed me a lot !
during purists dinner in Paris last year...I wore the 'bare shell' case
and still work in progress this February - you can see the SpaceOne team was working to put the planets on the Galaxy yet.....
SpaceOne Tellurium is exploring a new design - complication that normally was not easily accessible.
The entire movement is machined in Switzerland and the timepiece is assembled in the atelier in Paris suburbs.
I personally think, SpaceOne team has put out a very compelling offer for their 2nd timepiece...
- Neo-futuristic design language
- wonderful material choices (Titanium Grade 5, Aventurine dial) and great build quality
- novel yet accurate complication at a very accessible price point of below 3000 euros retail
Reflecting a bit broad, what the young SpaceOne team effectively did is....
- push the boundaries of design innovation
- reminds all that 'WOW effect' need not be expensive
- challenges purists that 'date' windows can be done with taste ;-)
- assures me, in future my son will be a Watchprosite member and continue the tradition !
Hope you enjoyed reading and thanks for sharing your thoughts.
TGIF & Best,
Mahesh.,
