Independents

It's been 12 years since Vianney Halter launched the Classic. The Classic derived it's styling from the successful Antiqua but it's simple 3 hander look hides the complexity involved to produce it.

In 2006, Vianney Halter  announced the news to cease production of it so that he can concentrate on other projects. The work on Classic stopped in 2007 ending the last few orders. In the short span of 7 years, 250 were produced (36 Classic per year mathematically  averaged out)

Combinations of Classic

Within these 250, there were 5 official versions ( info from VH website)

1) White gold case with yellow gold dials and rivets

2) Yellow gold case with white gold dials and rivets

3) White gold case with white gold dials and rivets

4) White gold case with red gold dials and rivets

5) Red gold case with white gold dials and rivets

Straps

Straps that accompanied the Classic ranged from the alligator or goat leather with a tang buckle matching the case.

Movement

The Classic uses the VH 100 and it is actually a Lemania 8810 and there were 2 versions used in the production. The latter version used the in house bridge made by Janvier and this was more pleasing to the eye. 

Dial

While most of the Classic have the frosted center dials, later version of it have a silver oxidised dials like those on the Goldpfeil/Janvier. 

Unique features

The patented mysterious rotor design allows an almost unobstructed view into the movement and it spins ever so effortlessly.

The rivets on the case and crown are labour of love and painstakingly constructed into the watch

I love the hands on the Classic and find this to be the best feature of the watch. The finish and blue hue is just mesmerizing.

A picture tells a thousand words and here are pictures to help me tell beyond what a million words could not do.

Pardon the poor photography from my old Lumix FZ20.

cheers

PAt

Do you know how many of each of the 5 combinations were produced?

in terms of production rarity according to metal

1) Yellow gold (less than 30 I believe)

2) White gold

3) Rose gold

Again the numbers need to be verified with VH.

cheers

PAt

115pcs in RG, 34pcs in YG & 101pcs in WG.

cheers

PAt

I'm trying to find out how many of the WG/PG rivet and PG/WG rivets were produced as well. No biggy but just curious.

YG - 33 This message has been edited by Hororgasm on 2012-07-21 13:12:43

I have one of those combinations that Vianney himself was unsure about - whether or not it would "work".  This message has been edited by amerix on 2012-07-15 11:01:28 This message has been edited by amerix on 2012-07-15 11:07:16

Agree the hands are not just the attractions. all of it is.

cheers

PAt

is the use of YG rivets in the greyish brushed WG case and crown. The part of the dial face with the numerals and indices is of a lighter hue than most red or rosè gold that have a higher copper content  (here R2 or R3?) that could easily be mistaken for unreflecting brass, as in some ship chronometers, where you don't want to be distracted or blinded by the sun (in those days they didn't have anti-reflective coating). The VH and Vianney Halter logos are brightly polished and have a deeper red. They are set over a background of grain-finished WG.