Quick look at a vintage Vianney Halter Antiqua Perpetual

Vianney Halter is an exceptional watchmaker. Supremely creative in his approach. His first watch to be unveilled to the world is a result of a collaboration with Jeff Barnes. The legend goes that Jeff and Vianney were having a drink, when the latter challenged the former, who is an industrial designer, to design a watch and he will build a movement to fit the design.

Responding to the challenge, Barnes designed what seemed to be an impossible design for a perpetual calendar, with 4 seperate indicators in its own dial. The Antiqua was born. Vianney got to work, and was highly successful in making th design work.

Visually, the impact of the watch is amazing. Like Captain Nemo’s submarine…

The largest of the dials is the time indicator:

The movement features an “invisible rotor”…which swiftly rotates with the smallest provocation…allowing the amazing movement, which is loosely based on the Lemania base plate. To be fair, the movement is so highly modified that it qualifies as its own caliber – none of the movement plates are shared with the original donor base. And the addition of a perpetual calendar adds to the complication

Every part is hand made and finished, including the very complex crown, made by individually screwing in each small rivert to form a ribbed surface for improved grip of the crown. Amazing attention to detail characteristic of Vianney.