Vianney Halter Art Deco Metropolis

Since 2017 I have been pondering about creating a tribute to the Art Deco movement. After spending the last couple of years working on my latest resonance calibers, I wanted to craft a more ornamental watch, emphasizing the aesthetics, style and design. This new piece would be adorned with 1920’s flourishes, using various materials and textures to bring the style to life.

The 19th century industrial revolution was a time for new technologies, technical discoveries, inventions and breakthroughs which in turn became the fertile ground for the future. Born out of this lively matrix was the freedom to express and explore oneself through pure and precious dynamic lines, enter the Art Deco movement.

I love the roaring twenties for the aesthetics as much as for the mindset. They exude flamboyance and allegresse, and were a complete paradigm shift from the previous era. The world became a multicultural, pluridisciplinary laboratory. Metropolises became bubbling cradles of novelties and technical progress. Strong economic growth, social change, new entertainment and communication technologies all fed the time’s carelessness and will to have fun. One was enraptured by the newborn cinema, jazz dancing, and travel made easy. This epoque was the starting blocks for modern arts, modern spirit, and modern world.

The Art Deco style got its name from the 1925 International Fair for Decorative, Industrial and Modern Arts. This artistic movement went on touching every aspect of civilization, from fashion to train locomotives. The world attuned itself to speed, thanks to faster, more elegant and comfortable liners and railway. Transatlantic travel made easier, allowed international artists to explore new shapes and bold lines. Craftsmen and stylists worked together, sharing know-how.

This period also exemplifies the care given to every detail in the design as well as in the execution, and the sharing of knowledge with one’s fellow human, which has been my own mindset since the beginning.

In the last few years the will to push forward and to break away from my earlier designs has become more and more intense. The change started with my Deep Space Tourbillon, 10 years ago. As of today, my watches follow this trend. Although the Futur Anterieur style legacy is still visible, my creativity and design style have evolved. Creating new things, full of contrast and diversity stimulates and feeds my energy.

Albert Einstein used to say that «Creativity is intelligence having fun». In my whole career I did that, but now more than ever, I want to create while having fun.

This new watch celebrates one century of the Art Deco style, the artful mindset of modernity. I gave it the name of the 1927 Fritz Lang masterpiece, one of the first sci-fi films where aesthetics elevate technology through material innovation, ornamental sobriety and sheer monumentality.

The ART DECO METROPOLIS stands as a legacy from the Classic, to which I made some deep transformations. Its Modern Streamline case and dial boast a tridimensional architecture. The lug bases became rectangular geometric ornaments. Massive gold rivets and crown reminds one of the Belgian type 12 locomotives, the epitome of futuristic speed.

The sapphire is heavily beveled – a shape that is typical from the 1920’s – enabeling the possibility to slim down the case. This configuration allows us to fully appreciate the details and volumes of the 3-part dial, for which each material texture has been worked for enhanced contrast, depth and light. The titanium center is hand engraved, to contrast with the diamond cut radiating solid gold rays. The Art Deco font is applied to the blued circle-brushed titanium ring with railway indices on the outer rim that expand thanks to the sapphire window geometry. Alternating textures on the dial create a shimmer, underscored by brushed and polished steel geometric hands.

The VH122 automatic caliber is entirely decorated using traditional methods and is made of maillechort (also called german silver), the same material used to make quality pocket watches. This metal permits a finer finishing than brass. It oxidizes very little and needs no surface coating. If needed, decorations can be redone and the beauty of the caliber will be kept during many decades of servicing.

J’espère que cette nouveauté fera pétiller vos papilles horlogères !" - Vianney

"I hope this new release tickles your watchmaking taste buds!" *

Technical specifications

Vianney Halter Art Deco Metropolis

Limited production of 5 - 7 pieces maximum per year

Case

• Material: Titanium and 18-carat gold rivets
• Diameter: 39.8mm
• Thickness: 8.2mm (11.85mm with glass)

Dial and hands

• Titanium and 18-carat gold

Movement

• Calibre VH122
• Winding: automatic, fitted with the patented VH « mysterious » winding mass
• Frequency: 21'600 vph
• Number of jewels: 30 rubies
• Power reserve: 56 hours

Functions/Indications

• Hours, minutes, seconds

Strap and buckle

• Light brown alligator strap

MSRP: CHF 84'000

For more information, please visit vianney-halter.com