Independents

"Joke", "marketing",  "buzz", many things were said when we discovered this thing with some friends at Baselworld, even if I get this opinions I liked it.

The watch itself

Aesthetics
Haldimann make beautiful watches, the H2 is for some amators the holy grail.
Platinum case with concave sides, nice proportions, charming classical straight lugs , beautiful "dome" sapphire, and a black dial making contrast with the case.
This watch is objectively beautiful.

Caliber
The central tourbillon similar to H1 and H8.
But it doesn't tell time, and worse contrary to the H8 you don't even see the mechanics, it is just a black hole.


Watch that doesn't tell time

It is not the first watch like that, Romain Jerome in april 2008 launched a double Tourbillon "Day and Night" that didn't tell time.
I am not a fan of Romain Jerome creations in general or whatever Yvan Arpa did, but that one was one of the most interesting of the Romain Jérôme, it wasn't a watch any more but a mechanical object that doesn't give time, sure it was to make buzz, to shock, but it began to be more interesting than other titanic imho .
Problem is that between Day, Night and Titanic I didn't see the coherence, but a bit like some modern art you put whatever you want there.

Back to Haldimann on the first H1 and H2 Tourbillons are in front of you above the dial and hands, time is under, secondary. Priority is given to the mechanics
The H8 come a bit later after the Romain Jérôme, Haldimann call it "sculpture" , this watch doesn't tell time, everything is focussed on the flying tourbillon  accented by the black dial under. It is a bit a H1 that finally reached is goal,  hours is finally gone, only mechanics, a beautiful "mobile".
You actually don't need a watch to have time, computer, phone, car... it is everywhere...
I can't give a link but there is a nice articles by Valentin blank on this watch.


All the rest
An interesting point on Haldimann corner is that  H1/H2 and H8 were together and H9 was in another window alone.
The H9 is somewhere else, you even do not see the mechanics.So what's the point except buzz and marketing (which is one aim clearly)?
Why putting a movement then? and tourbillon moreover? That's where is all the intellectual pleasure.
It is a "watch" that you feel, that you wind up, that you hear and that you admire. A little dispointment there by the way, the wind up is a bit strong like Journe, I would have prefered a smoother one, imho that has to be corrected on such a watch.

You connot avoid a "philosophical" view on it. Everyone will have a different one.

First what is a watch?
In the sixties it has to gave time.
It had to be precise, reliable, robust and elegant, on of the best example is the Rolex Datejust, a best seller that had all these qualities.

Today what is a watch? Do you need it to tell you time? Not really, especially in high end watches.
A social thing, a pleasure for the owner who wants a beautiful object, a solitary pleasure or with other amators, that what makes us read and post here.
So what does this Haldimann H9 offers? a beautiful object and an intellectual and narcissistic pleasure .

What do you see? nothing? no much better,you see your reflect! Yourself with your vanity, your mental tortures of collector.
Ther is a "Hipster" side here, a guy who dreams himself as different and intellectual and I more or less recognize myself there (hipster not intellectual).
This watch doesn't focus on itself or ist mechanics but on its owner.  Ultimately narcissistic.

Crazy ?shocking? stupid ? maybe... but so human.

So yes I did really like this "watch"





my 2 cents

Francois

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NT

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one I would not get! I can't understand a man as talented as Haldiman going for this kind of hype! A hype his clients are probly averse to

 

There is surely a marketing effect there but it is still limited. It is an intellectual pleasure above all here.

Your RJ is definitely something I will never get Alex

Francois

And I gleefully hope that there is.

You can't take risk on that .

(completely out of subject, I read again and again your article on the Lange 1815 , so long ago now )

Francois

Nt

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Well said. I missed Valentin's previous article when he posted it and only caught it later. I'd like to say that I share both his and your viewpoints. As for me, among all (yet certainly a limited number of) watches that I know of, only the Simplicity, H8 and H9 provoke such a "philosophical" view.

I must say that for sure I personally would not spend my money on either H8 or H9, and I really doubt anyone other than the super rich would, but I truly admire these two "watches" and their master creator.

Warm Regards,

-Song

 

If you are "tickled" by this watch, I suppose a wealthy person can be too.
Great taste with this one and the simplicity !

cheers

Francois

First:



Then:



Now:




Next ?

Thanks a lot for your report Cisco!

Fx

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You show nicely the evolution and the interest of Haldimann to go around this controversial subject. My personnal impression is that the H9 is a bit apart, because the first two were focussed on the mechanics, the H9 focus on sensation and owner.

That also gives him an image on his work. It is not only beautiful Tourbillons. Journe years ago, Christian Klings, Daniel Roth with Jean Daniel Nicolas, "newcomers" from Japan, and others make beautiful independant tourbillons. But Haldimann add an intellectual research. You can hate it, but for me it gives something more and a better spot on all his work.

cheers

Francois

watchless wrist.  I'm a big fan of the H1 but this thing that Haldimann is trying to do or not do really puts me off.

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his dial maker and hands maker were angry with him and the only device he could deliver at Basel was a watch missing some critical components....

I am with Alex and some others above, why would I get this?  If I wanted to demonstrate wealth and spend frivolously there are other ways to do it.  If i wanted some mechanical art form, find the nearest MAD Gallery........

Happy (not)Watching....

justindependent

to spend your money. But like modern art comparison done before, you can find it stupid, useless, etc but some can also find that brillant for some reasons.

In the case of the H9, some will find it brillant (I do), some will find it stupid.

the H9 must be viewed in the context of what the creator did with his previous creations to see the " proper" progression/meaning / intention in art speak. I use one example from the Art world, the slash paintings by Lucio Fontana. If you merely look at his monochrome paintings with slashes made by a sharp blade, you may wonder , what is all the fuss ( record prices at auctions ) , I can create one too. Only by looking at his previous extensive body of work would one get a better idea of his slash paintings and his progression.

If I am a rich man ( dreaming ) , and I have his other earlier creations , I would not have any hesitation in getting the H9 to complete my collection. It is a watch for me alone to enjoy ( who cares if it viewed indifferently by others ) and it cannot tell me the time . I already know what his tourbilllons looks like, the perfect finish and this piece will just be a wearable piece of art on my wrist for my enjoyment.

Cheers,dreamer

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... to Cisco's original thread and then I came to your reply and I completely agree. The H9 has to be seen in light of the watches that came before it. If it was Haldimann's first watch we would dismiss it as ridiculous. But we KNOW what beats inside and that's what makes it compelling. No, I wouldn't own it alone, but in a series of pieces it has a place and a role. And it got us all thinking and talking about the meaning of time, watches and art in horology. Bravo Mr Haldimann.

Andrew

... things start to be blacked out...

I'd say the next version the case and buckle is blacked out.

The one after that, it comes with a black sleeve the watch wearer will put on.

Then finally, it'll come with a black latex suit. Perfect watch for Cat Woman.

This message has been edited by sidneyc on 2012-03-13 19:32:04

Having said that, it is all about integrity. Without it, the H9 falls apart.

Does BHaldimann strike you guys as somebody who's frivolous? Is he about hype? I cannot say because I do not know him.

But I would like to give him and his vision the benefit of the doubt and perhaps a more open mind. Perhaps I am too naive, but I would like to think that somebody who can make an H1 has something to say; a vision to express.

I like the watch. As part of a series that Fr. Xavier posted.

Of course, I would not wear it in public. It would be such a drag for somebody to ask you for the time and whip out your Nokia instead