Hautlence HLXX 20th Anniversary Edition: Redefining Time with Retrograde Minutes and Jumping Hours
The HLXX isn’t just a wristwatch; it’s a bold statement in the world of horology, a fusion of precise mechanics and daring design.
Hautlence HLXX 20th Anniversary Edition on the wrist (photo courtesy Sergio Galanti)
At the Geneva Watches and Wonders Show in April 2024, Hautlence presented the HLXX 20th Anniversary Edition, a limited edition of 20 pieces commemorating the brand’s founding in 2004. The HLXX features a TV-shaped case with jumping hours and retrograde minutes; it celebrates the brand’s philosophy, in which design and mechanical kinetics take precedence over pure function.
In the words of CEO Samuel Hoffmann, “The feedback we have received from collectors and customers so far has been fantastic. They appreciate what Hautlence has always represented: a non-traditional approach to timekeeping, which can best be described as mechanical art in motion.”
Hautlence HLXX 20th Anniversary Edition
The HLXX watch commands attention with its sleek, polished grade 5 titanium case. Its rounded sides and sharply faceted corners make it immediately recognizable as a Hautlence TV-shaped case, symbolizing the brand’s avant-garde mindset.
The beveled sapphire crystal adds elegance and refinement and enhances the visual appeal by catching light at different angles.
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The vertically satin-brushed dial is minimalist yet complex. On its left, it features a jumping hour display with Arabic hour numerals in Super-LumiNova.
Hautlence HLXX 20th Anniversary Edition
On its right, it features the curved retrograde minutes track; its applied numerals are crafted in Globolight, a ceramic material infused with Super-LumiNova, which Hautlence has also featured in more recent creations, such as the Linear and Sphere models.
Hautlence HLXX 20th Anniversary Edition with Globelite lume
We find the seconds dial lower on the dial between the 4 and 5 o’clock hour mark. It does not have a hand but a display of the brand’s Möbius logo: its rotation indicates that the watch is running.
The crown matches the case’s proportion; it enhances the watch’s streamlined look, ensuring that nothing detracts from its bold, modern aesthetic. The crown is adorned with the brand’s logo, and the rubber ring wrapped around its fluted contour facilitates grip during time-setting.
Looking closely into the jumping hour display, you will detect the pulsating balance spring and the escapement; they are also visible through the case back. The open parts of the dial present bridges and components that alternate satin-brushed, polished, or perlage finishing.
Inspired by steam locomotives, the open parts enable the view of a lever system that connects a snail cam with the blued retrograde minute hand and the jumping-hour switching system, allowing them to advance simultaneously at the end of each hour.
Hautlence HLXX 20th Anniversary Edition on the wrist
The Hautlence A20 caliber drives the dial’s choreography. It is a form-fitting TV-shaped manual winding movement with which Hautlence began its adventure 20 years ago.
As Samuel Hoffmann notes, “With the anniversary piece, we want to teleport people back to 20 years ago: to a time when a small independent brand was doing a lot of R&D in-house and was launching an innovative TV-shaped case watch, with a form-fitting in-house movement that drove a jumping hours and retrograde minutes complication.”
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The movement delivers 72 hours of power reserve using a single barrel, comprises 156 components and 24 jewels, beats at 3 Hz, and is water resistant to 100 meters. The A20 caliber is an authentic form-fitting movement, designed to be rectangular and not an adaptation to a rectangular case. It is evidence of Hautlence’s dedication to the highest level of craftsmanship.
Back of the Hautlence HLXX 20th Anniversary Edition
Through the sapphire case back, vertical côtes de Genève stripes and beveled and polished edges are visible, and the shape and separation of the bridges recall the brand’s Möbius logo. A screwed plaque adjacent to the ratchet wheel marks the anniversary limited edition.
Hautlence has always been a brand for the discerning collector who appreciates the artistry behind every regulator beat. “The mechanical art and the ingenuity in the design of our watches are key elements to ensure the timelessness of our timepieces. By producing small quantities, limited edition series, we are capable of concentrating time and resources to innovate and constantly evolve our design codes,” Hoffman says.
The HLXX is steeped in horological history, yet it pushes the boundaries of tradition. “Keep in mind that 20 years ago, this idea of retrograde minutes and jumping hours was rare, and they only existed in limited production series,” Samuel Hoffmann points out, underscoring the complexity involved in developing such horological features.
The jumping hour made its debut in the 19th century. Austrian watchmaker Josef Pallweber introduced the concept of a digital hour display, where the hour numeral would ‘jump’ to the next at the top of the hour. The primary motivation behind creating the jumping hour display was to improve the clarity and precision of time-telling.
The retrograde hour display emerged in the early 20th century. Swiss watchmakers, particularly those associated with the Art Deco movement, embraced the retrograde display to break free from the constraints of traditional watch design. They developed the retrograde mechanism to optimize dial space, especially in watches where multiple complications or a specific design aesthetic were desired.
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Wearing the HLXX is an experience unto itself. The titanium case sits comfortably on the wrist, its lightweight nature disguising its strength. As its real estate develops horizontally rather than vertically, without lugs, the watch may look big but sits smaller on one’s wrist.
The sapphire crystal offers a clear, distortion-free view of the dial, ensuring the jumping hour and retrograde minutes display remain the focal point.
The HLXX is more than a tool for telling time; it’s a timepiece that evokes emotion. The retrograde display, with its precise motion and sharp snap-back, reminds the wearer of the cyclical nature of life—beginnings, endings, and the continuous flow of time.
Hautlence HLXX 20th Anniversary Edition on the wrist (photo courtesy Sergio Galanti)
The watch doesn’t just sit on your wrist; it engages you, inviting you to view time through a new lens.
The HLXX will tempt you to perform the following ritual: wait for the top of the hour to glimpse the jerk of the blue locomotive-type levers, the minute hand to snap back to zero, and the hour digit to change to the next hour.
Conclusion
In the competitive world of luxury watchmaking, the HLXX stands out. It’s a watch for the connoisseur who values originality and craftsmanship. Priced in the mid-to-upper echelons of haute horlogerie, the HLXX is not just a purchase; it’s an investment in art, innovation, and the legacy of fine watchmaking.
The TV-shaped dial is a perfect window into the amount of information this watch offers and the emotion it elicits in both the wearer and the onlooker.
For more information, please visit www.hautlence.com/hlxx/
Quick facts Hautlence HLXX Anniversary Edition
Indications: jumping hours, retrograde minutes, small seconds
Case: TV case shape in grade 5 titanium
Dimensions: 37 mm wide x 45 mm long x 11.75 mm high
Movement: Caliber A20, hand wound, 3 Hz, 72 hour power reserve
Water resistance: 100 meters
Strap: rubber
Limitation: 20 pieces
Price: 39,900 Swiss francs
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