Cleguer Horology Inspiration One Souscription

With a philosophy rooted in precision, depth, and mystery, Cleguer Horology makes its debut with the Inspiration One Souscription — a technically ambitious, architecturally expressive time-only watch that reimagines the natural escapement.

Cleguer Horology officially debuts with the launch of its first timepiece in the Inspiration Collection. Dedicated to advancing mechanical precision and contemporary watch architecture, this independent Swiss brand was founded by watchmaking engineer Mathieu Cleguer. The Inspiration Collection is a series of time-only watches introducing escapement advancements, constant-force mechanisms, and other solutions dedicated to enhancing chronometric precision. The inaugural release, the Inspiration One Souscription, made in titanium, is limited to 12 pieces, all pre-sold, with deliveries scheduled for the second half of the year.

Designed with a careful consideration of the elements that should be highlighted and those that should be concealed, the Inspiration One was conceived to create a sense of depth, mystery, and intrigue.

For me, what is important is to create volume inside the watch, to highlight what deserves to be seen and to hide what should remain a mystery,” says Mathieu. “When you leave something to the imagination, it keeps people engaged — it makes them return to the piece again and again.”

The movement’s architecture accentuates this sense of depth, descending in tiers from the central seconds to the barrel bridge, and finally down to the mainplate. The Inspiration One strikes a balance between presence and wearability with a titanium case measuring 38.5mm in diameter and 12mm in thickness. Designed for clarity and precision, it features an expansive, open construction that selectively reveals key elements, such as the proprietary innate escapement, an oversized 12.9mm balance wheel and the power reserve indication on the front of the watch, and the gear train, ratchet click system and Maltese Cross stopwork on the reverse. The mainplate and bridge are crabed from nickel silver, finished in a combination of champagne and rhodium plating.

At the heart of Cleguer Horology’s debut piece is the innate escapement, a reinterpretation of the natural escapement. It resolves the non-self-starting limitation inherent in a traditional natural escapement by drawing on principles from the Fasoldt escapement, combining the dual escape wheels of the natural escapement with a tangential impulse delivered through a lever, as in Charles Fasoldt’s creation. This underscores Mathieu's commitment to chronometric performance and technical refinement.

Additionally, the integration of a stopwork mechanism atop the ratchet-click system is a rarely seen approach in modern watchmaking. This system limits power reserve to 36 hours and improves the chronometry by also limiting the variation of torque delivered.

The aspect I love about the watch is the winding and click system, creating a mystery motion with the integration of the crown wheel concentrated on the second wheel and an oversized ratchet that seems to connect to nothing,” says Mathieu. Although the escapement lever remains largely hidden, its design is also intricate and distinctive.

The decentred champlevé Grand Feu enamel subdial, which displays the hours and minutes, subtly conceals some of the mechanical complexity beneath, while the elongated central seconds hand adds to the visual intrigue. Inscriptions have been kept to a minimum to maintain a clean dial. The brand name is only engraved on the inner flank of the case and the power reserve numerals are visible on the front, while the numbered edition, collection name, and number of jewels appear on the reverse.

Cleguer Horology’s distinctive color palette is another defining characteristic. The Souscription series of 12 reflects Mathieu’s affinity for dark purple, a color that will continue to represent the brand. It is a shade often associated with creativity, depth, and regal refinement.

It has a feminine touch, which is interesting in watchmaking — a traditionally masculine field — so it feels like a perfect balance for me,” he explains.

A history enthusiast with roots in Brittany, France, Mathieu has subtly incorporated elements of his Celtic heritage into the watch’s design. Discerning collectors may recognize a reference to the Breton flag behind the 12 o’clock marker. This 12 o’clock marker with his three dots also symbolizes the three keys elements visible on the front of the watches: the barrels as the source of energy, the dial as the display of time, and the balance wheel as the heart of chronometry.

Beyond the first 12 pieces in titanium, Cleguer Horology will produce the Inspiration One in batches of 12 in four additional case metals. To complete the planned production, 20 movements will be reserved for bespoke creations. Complementary dial and leather strap colors will be unveiled in due course.

A collaborative effort

To realize his vision, Mathieu has partnered with some of the finest craftsmen in the industry:

• Lee Yuan-Rapati (@onehourwatch) — watch designer involved since 2017, working on the movement, dial, and case design.

• Christophe Beuchat (Horocrab SA) — responsible for machined parts, including the mainplate, bridges, springs.

• Dogan Yildiz — supplier of turned components such as pinions, axes, wheels, and balance staff.

• CIMD — manufacturer of precision jewels and pallet jewels for the proprietary escapement.

• Atokalpa — provider of the hairspring and double roller.

• Blandenier — master of métiers d’art, responsible for the exquisite enamel dial.

• Majku Gafurr — with three decades of watch finishing, he takes charge of the decoration

Independent and collector-focused

Cleguer Horology operates independently, funded through a subscription model rather than external investors. This approach ensures creative autonomy and fosters a direct relationship with collectors.

Instead of working with investors, I did a subscription,” says Mathieu. “I pre-sold 12 pieces to raise the funds for the prototype—this was the best way to bring my vision to life.”

With an uncompromising approach to movement design and an architectural philosophy that balances visibility and mystery, Cleguer Horology is poised to evolve with each new creation. Only 80 Inspiration One watches will be produced, a decision that preserves exclusivity while also accounting for the long-term lifespan of each piece. As Mathieu explains: “I’m ordering 100 times each component, and it was important for me to keep 20% of the stock to cover mistakes and aber-sale services”

About Cleguer Horology

Cleguer Horology, founded by watchmaking engineer Mathieu Cleguer, will debut its first sculptural mechanical timepiece in March 2026, featuring a proprietary innate escapement. With a career spanning movement development and engineering consultancy, Cleguer has worked alongside industry leaders like Christophe Beuchat, honing his expertise in intricate complications and movement design.

Blending traditional horology with modern engineering, Cleguer Horology creates high-end timepieces that embody technical mastery and artistic expression. The brand’s inaugural piece introduces the Inspiration collection, a playground to explore new ways to enhance chronometry, escapement architecture, and power delivery. Produced in limited numbers, each watch reflects Cleguer’s vision of horology as both a science and an art — shaping the flow of time through sculptural mechanics.

Technical specifications

Cleguer Horology Inspiration One Souscription

Limited edition of 12 pieces, all sold-out

Case

• Material: Titanium (Souscription)
• Diameter: 38.5 mm
• Thickness: 12 mm
• Water-resistant to 30 meters

Dial and hands

• Decentred champlevé Grand Feu enamel

Movement

• Manual winding movement by Cleguer
• Balance wheel: 12.9 mm
• Frequency: 18'000 vph
• Inertia: 50 mg.cm
• Number of jewels: 31
• Power reserve of 36 hours
• Mainplate and bridges: Nickel silver, champagne and rhodium plating

Functions/Indications

• Hours, minutes, seconds
• Power reserve indication

Strap and buckle

• Leather strap and pin buckle

MSRP

• CHF 56'000 for souscription models
• CHF 95'300 for future precious metal versions

For more information, please visit cleguer.com