Old Soul by Vianney Halter and Massena LAB

Massena LAB partners with the legendary independent watchmaker Vianney Halter to create Old Soul, a limited-edition wristwatch that marries his otherworldly vision and technical mastery with William Massena’s encyclopedic knowledge of watch history. Blending the science fiction of steampunk with watchmaking references from the early 19th century, all the while powered by a vintage Minerva movement, Old Soul is a timepiece that is somehow untethered from our current timeline.

To explain the concept of Old Soul by Vianney Halter and Massena LAB, one must begin with the Soul. In the case of Old Soul, a limited-edition wristwatch from the imaginations of Vianney Halter and Massena LAB, the soul in question is of course the movement: the animating force of a wristwatch which represents not only its heartbeat but also an intangible essence and individual character. After all, a soul is an immortal entity, meant to outlive the physical vessel that contains it.

The development of Old Soul began with an exciting discovery: a cache of new old stock vintage movements from celebrated watchmaker Minerva. This Minerva 17’22 caliber, first developed in the 1920s and used in pocketwatches until 1942, would be reimagined and revived in 2025–transformed into an object that is mysteriously neither past nor present.

Old Soul by Vianney Halter and Massena LAB features a three-dimensional, multilayered dial with notable steampunk influences—a Vianney Halter calling card—as well as vintage and mid-century design inspiration from William Massena and Massena LAB. Old Soul displays hours, minutes, and seconds on three separate registers: hours are shown on a subsidiary dial at three o'clock, seconds are displayed on the subsidiary dial at 9 o'clock, and minutes are tracked on the outer chapter ring, which is radially brushed and rhodium-plated. The dial’s Arabic numerals, rendered in Vianney Halter’s characteristic typeface, reinforce the watchmaker’s individual touch. The chemin de fer, or railroad track styling on all three registers, recalls legendary vintage watches from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, though the execution here is distinctly modern. Through Vianney Halter's technical mastery, Old Soul employs an ingenious mysterious minute disc system that creates the illusion of a blued arrow orbiting in space, floating magically above the dial's silvered surface.

The signatures of Vianney Halter and Massena are printed on the interior side of the sapphire crystal rather than directly onto the dial itself. This subtle layering accentuates the dial's three-dimensional design and casts a subtle, pleasing shadow across the dial's surface. These signatures are framed by one final layer: a three-dimensional stainless steel shield that rests atop the sapphire crystal. Engraved with concentric circles to complement its hourglass shape, the shield is dotted with stainless steel studs that further evoke Vianney Halter's signature steampunk aesthetic.

Old Soul is housed in a 42mm stainless steel case, which features a stepped lug design that anchors the watch more firmly to vintage tradition. The case artfully mixes polished and brushed surfaces for elegant contrast, with the polishing flowing seamlessly from the concave bezel down to the stepped lugs—a distinctly mid-century touch. The crown, which mirrors the same motif as on the dial shield, is dotted with functional studs that not only enhance the steampunk aesthetic but also improve tactility for easier winding and time setting.

While a soul is typically believed to be invisible and immaterial, the movement of Old Soul is on full display through a pane of sapphire glass, which has been treated with an anti-reflective coating for excellent visibility. This original Minerva caliber 17’22, crafted entirely by hand well before the invention of CNC machines, is hand-finished with elegant stripes of Côtes de Genève, anglage, and black polish finishing. Its mainspring barrel is engraved with the signature of the original movement maker, Minerva, alongside the classic arrow motif–a direct link to the brand’s storied heritage. Beating at a frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour (2.5Hz), its unhurried pace of the movement recalls its past life at the heart of a pocket watch. 

The caliber is then modified to incorporate a transparent minute disc used to achieve the mystery dial complication—marking the first time a vintage movement has been used in this way. The movements retain their original movement numbers and authentic character, touched lightly by the addition of a double emblem bearing the insignias of both Vianney Halter and Massena LAB.

The caseback of Old Soul is signed with the signatures of both Vianney Halter and Massena LAB as well as a unique serial number. At the top of the case, between the lugs is a fine engraving: “Time is the Fire in which we burn,” borrowed from the American poet Delmore Schwartz (1913-1966). The line, taken from the poem Calmly We Walk through This April's Day was popularized in the 1994 science fiction film, Star Trek Generations. In the film, the line is uttered by the actor Malcom McDowell in his role as the villain Tolian Soran, the murderer of Captain Kirk. Fans and collectors of Vianney Halter will undoubtedly be familiar with the watchmaker’s appreciation of science fiction and his enthusiasm for the Star Trek series in particular. 

Old Soul follows the release of Old School, a collaboration between the independent watchmaker Luca Soprana and Massena LAB. Both projects, conceptual in nature, belong to a series of thematic collaborations with independent watchmakers that Massena LAB calls its "Old Masters" series. While Old School explores the beginning of a watchmaker's journey, Old Soul explores its end: mortality, immortality, and the persistence of mechanical objects.

Old Soul by Vianney Halter and Massena LAB will be available for order, starting today, August 26, 2025 at 10:00am EDT by submitting an inquiry via the product page at MassenaLAB.com.

The watch will be available for viewing at Geneva Watch Days 2025 starting Thursday, September 4. Interested collectors in the Geneva area may reach out to Massena LAB directly to schedule a viewing.

Limited edition of only 47 pieces. Price available upon request. 

Technical specifications

Old Soul by Vianney Halter and Massena LAB

Limited edition of 47 pieces

Case

• Material: Stainless steel
• Diameter: 42mm
• Thickness: 12mm including crystal
• Glass: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
• Exhibition case back also with sapphire crystal and antireflective coating
• Concave bezel, polished, with stepped lugs featuring mixed polished and brushed surfaces to accentuate details
• Studded Vianney Halter steampunk style crown adorned with Vianney Halter “VH” signature
• Water-resistant to 3 ATM

Dial and hands

• Three dimensional, multilayered dial with time in a regulator display, split between three independent registers
• Hours displayed on subsidiary dial at three o’clock. Seconds at nine o’clock. Minutes on the outer chapter ring
• Mystery minute display. A rotating sapphire disc with blued steel arrow gives the illusion of a floating minute hand
• Arabic numerals in Vianney Halter signature typeface
• Double signed “Vianney Halter” and “Massena” – signature etched into sapphire crystal

Movement

• Vintage Minerva caliber 17’22
• Diameter: 39.25 mm
• Frequency: 18'000 vph (2.5Hz)
• Number of jewels: 17
• Power reserve of 36 hours
• Breguet balance spring
• Côtes de Genève, hand-finished anglage, rhodium plating. Black polishing.

Functions/Indications

• Hours, minutes, and seconds

Strap and buckle

• Midnight blue with tone on tone stitching. Made in Italy.
• Stainless steel Massena LAB  pin buckle.

MSRP: Price upon request

For more information, please visit massenalab.com