Théo Levaltier’s leaping and chiming hour faculty watch

Faculty Watch Initiatives are an interesting perception into right now’s watchmaking academic system and a novel method to uncover gifted younger women and men which might be deeply passionate in regards to the craft and seeking to make a career out of it. Over time, we’ve seen fairly just a few very attention-grabbing Faculty Watch tasks from numerous makers and right now we’re including yet another. Following the likes of Antonin Falk, Théo Auffret, Alexandre Hazemann and others, younger French watchmaking expertise Théo Levaltier just lately defined his private faculty watch mission to us. With the task being to create a leaping hour watch based mostly on a motion offered by Arnold & Son (a calibre by La Joux-Perret), Théo went the additional mile! He not solely crafted a leaping hour mechanism however a putting hour counter as nicely! 

A Faculty Watch, or Montre d’Ecole in French, is actually a remaining examination of a watchmaking scholar’s schooling. A process that’s given to college students within the remaining 12 months of watchmaking faculty, and meant to push the watchmakers to new heights and craft a novel watch based mostly on an present calibre. Over the previous few years, we’ve seen some unimaginable examples of those Faculty Watches come alongside. Watches with a newly crafted bumper automated mechanism, leaping hours and retrograde minutes, and even tourbillons.

A faculty watch isn’t a brand new factor to do, as even historic and seasoned present-day watchmakers needed to create a Montre d’Ecole in some unspecified time in the future throughout their schooling. Even the likes of François-Paul Journe and Laurent Ferrier created a college watch of their early days. And though none of them are created with the concept of changing into a business piece, some have gone on to encourage a collection of manufacturing watches.

Théo Levaltier’s faculty watch began with the define of making a watch with a leaping hour system, from scratch, to be put in on high of the LJP6900 motion offered by Arnold & Son (created by La Joux-Perret, and a part of the Citizen Group like Arnold & Son). And as you may inform from the photographs, this watch turned out to be fairly particular! All of it begins with the design of the watch, which is impressed by historic crusing yachts and racing boats, one thing Théo is kind of captivated with. The result’s a form that flows from finish to finish and has attention-grabbing traits, to say the least.

The uniquely formed case is completed in a bronze alloy with a pure, darkish patina. It measures 43mm in diameter and is 13mm thick. Théo defined to us that the distinctive attribute of this particular alloy is that any scratch within the materials visually blends again in as it’s “crammed” with patina once more. So ding it on a door or desk, and two weeks later you’ll hardly be capable to discover it anymore! A standard crown is used to set and wind the watch, with an on/off selector for the chiming mechanism on the left-hand facet.

The whole development of the leaping and putting mechanism Théo crafted is seen underneath the sapphire crystal. It’s constructed over the bottom motion, with all of the mechanicals in plain sight. It reveals a really intriguing mixture of distinction, each in color and in supplies. The big S-shaped bridge, as an example, is made from titanium and acts as a pointer for the hours in addition to securing numerous elements in place. The whole system that strikes the hour disc might be seen in motion, in addition to the system for the putting hour complication. The glass hour disc has “patinated” numerals made with brass particles encrusted into the glass by laser-pointing. That is accompanied by a big central minute hand in blue (heat-treated in fact, not lacquered).

Surrounding all the “dial” of the watch is the gong for the chiming mechanism. That is struck by the lengthy hammer mounted within the backside part of the module. When the hour disc makes a leap on the total hour, this technique begins to chime the variety of the hour. So when it’s 1 o’clock it strikes as soon as, and at 12 o’clock it’ll strike twelve instances. The selector on the left facet of the case can put the putting mechanism in silent mode, the place it’ll nonetheless strike however an arm will maintain it towards the gong. That means it nonetheless vibrates, so you recognize the precise hour if wanted, however it doesn’t ring because it usually does. Fairly good!

All the pieces which you can see is completed utilizing conventional machines and instruments, as is widespread observe for college kids making a college watch. Certain, the design may be penned out on a pc, however many of the elements are nonetheless made on lathes operated by hand. Make a mistake, and you can begin once more. The identical goes for the ending. All accomplished by hand and utilizing conventional instruments and strategies. And as we’ve stated many instances earlier than, it’s tasks like this that consolation us in realizing the way forward for the craft is being taken care of by gifted newcomers reminiscent of Théo. The preservation of those strategies is of the utmost significance to maintain the craft alive.

Theo Levaltier has put a sailcloth strap on this distinctive and engaging watch, which is made by Jean-Rousseau, the Parisian high-end strap maker. The identical materials, used for sails within the early 1900s and nonetheless made the identical means, has additionally been used to create a novel watch pouch. It fits the nautical inspiration of the watch very properly, with its off-white color, canvas-like texture and blue stitching! Sadly, Theo isn’t planning to make this right into a business watch as of but however I’m positive some individuals are very a lot into this steampunk-esque model. Particularly with its charming leaping putting hour mechanism that sits on high of the La Joux-Perret LJP6900 motion!

You possibly can observe Theo Levaltier’s work on his Instagram account right here.