Independents

BaselWorld 2018 - Phenomen

To start off my BaselWorld reports this year I would like to show you the watch of a new French brand Phenomen.
Phenomen is based in Besançon the old French watchmaking capital not far from the Swiss bourder in the departement Doubs.
With an esthetique designer coming from the automobile industry (PSA) an a movement designer coming from one of the recently most prolific and creative companies La Joux Perret (Arnold) Phenomen has all the prerequisites for success.
Their first watch,the Axiom, appears to me to be a good omen for the future.
The Axiom is audatious with forms obviously coming from the automobile domain and not watchmaking.
The form is flowing, almost aerodynamic and although it is rather high, I think it is an eminently wearable watch.
It also makes for a very readable timepiece with its two retrograde hands, the balance wheel at the top of the movement animating the whole.
Take a look:

login to reply

Reminds me of ....

By: Cpt Scarlet : March 27th, 2018-01:17

another watch manufacturers product, I will think of the name in a minute.... probably just a coincidence.

+1 I thought it was an Urwerk at first sight 😕

By: Alkiro1 : March 27th, 2018-01:35

Best wishes Alkiro

In person its a nice watch and wears nice as well but its a bit to much

By: Watchonthewrists : March 27th, 2018-01:50

Urwerk and MB&F (HM4) imho

When you develop/make a new watch, you must offer to your clients your own and unique identity. Easily recognisable. Here, it’s definitely not the case unfortunately

By: Alkiro1 : March 27th, 2018-01:55

Best wishes Alkiro

A lot of watches are round with hands centered in the middle

By: Arie - Mr Orange : March 27th, 2018-02:18

😜

For sure but you won’t make a mistake between a Rolex and a KV 😉

By: Alkiro1 : March 27th, 2018-02:42

Here the case has such a special shape easier to get it mixed up with at least one or two well known other brands 😏 Best wishes Alkiro

hahahaha

By: Gelato Monster : April 11th, 2018-18:24

Rolex and KV is a different class from different world

That’s the one ! [nt]

By: Cpt Scarlet : March 27th, 2018-02:48

Easy to guess 😁

By: Alkiro1 : March 27th, 2018-02:57

Best wishes Alkiro

I think the phrase is “sand bagging”

By: Cpt Scarlet : March 27th, 2018-03:00

(That’s what I was doing)

True

By: Alkiro1 : March 27th, 2018-03:05

Best wishes Alkiro

Me too! (nt)

By: Ronald Held : March 27th, 2018-13:28

Nt

Too bad for me to see such a timepiece ☹️

By: Alkiro1 : March 27th, 2018-14:26

Best wishes Alkiro

Yes I agree [nt]

By: Cpt Scarlet : March 28th, 2018-08:30

Not the only one in this case unfortunately. What a lack of creativity

By: Alkiro1 : March 29th, 2018-07:45

Best wishes Alkiro

Meh

By: Arie - Mr Orange : March 27th, 2018-02:21

But I’m not a fan of the Urwerk and Mb&F’s with those weird lay outs either. Despite finding the technically cool and interesting.

I agree, good design for me is when you get the subtle things right. Going overboard in an attempt to achieve a USP is not always right. [nt]

By: claes_t : March 27th, 2018-03:01

Former Eastern Bloc states version Urwerk - terrible

By: brauner : March 27th, 2018-03:58

see e.g. the hands.

I thought the MBF & UrWerk forms have a loose connection to a watch from the 70’s

By: Joepny : March 27th, 2018-04:05

I think a quartz digital. So this new brand using that form is not an outright copy, maybe they can mature and offer a new perspective at a reasonable price point compared to MBF & UrWerk. However I have a problem with the minutes retrograde and having to...

Too close to MB&F and Urwerk

By: piccolochimico (aka dsgalaxy1) : March 27th, 2018-04:51

I don't understand these new creations because an independent should try to be unique, with his own design. I agree that both Urwerk and max Busser has revealed their inspirations from past design, but there are so many variations to choose amongst

Seems like a tough crowd here so far

By: Brandon Skinner : March 27th, 2018-08:58

Although I too was reminded of the MB&F Horological Machines, I applaud their effort and wish them luck!

I'm not the target market, but...

By: vitalsigns : March 27th, 2018-09:40

...it would be an immediate pass for me. Looks way too much like Urwerk. Why an independent would spend all that time, money and effort to make something in the mold of another very distinctive independent boggles my mind. Cheers, John

Somewhere out there an URWERK 202

By: NickO : March 27th, 2018-09:55

is running around asking every MB&F HM4 to take a DNA test to find out who the father is. NickO

I am sort of perplexed by these responses, I guess that my pictures must be poor ...

By: DonCorson : March 27th, 2018-11:58

I am sort of perplexed by these responses, do we respond as such to a new round watch being released? There have been many more round watches to copy. I guess that my pictures must be poor. Except that the watch is not round I do not see the big resemblan...

Totally agree, Don

By: Brandon Skinner : March 27th, 2018-14:30

Someone's heart and soul (not to mention considerable amount of $$$) went into making this. It's not an everyday piece in a classical form, but it's not Invicta either. Surely they know they have narrowed themselves to a very narrow potential customer bas...

Automotive designer: you can see the design cues that MB&F or Urwerk also copied

By: MTF : April 13th, 2018-04:14

Don, I saw a distinct difference from some of the observers here. The tailfins of automobile from the 1950s/60s that themselves were copies from the Space science fiction. The case shape like the Star Wars movie speeders and air craft. People forget that ...

Its interesting in concept and has a lot of things I like about it..

By: andrewluff : April 13th, 2018-06:39

but at what price point are they pitching it at Don? It doesnt seem to have the same degree of finishing that the other high level indies have, but if it is priced at that, then perfectly OK. I do see some influences from other brands, but enough individu...