Philippe Dufour from the film "Timepiece"

‘Time Piece’: If You Only Watch One Short Film On Independent Watchmaking, Watch This One – Reprise

The short documentary film ‘Time Piece’ features two of the world’s best living watchmakers, Philippe Dufour and Vianney Halter, and provides insight into what makes the watches by these masters so special.

Object of desire: Contemporaine Phase de Lune/Jour by Vianney Halter (photo courtesy Horlogerie-Suisse.com)

How Not to Buy a Watch: My Misadventure

In 2006 GaryG spotted two objects of desire at a California dealer: Vianney Halter’s dramatic Antiqua and Contemporaine timepieces. They were out of his reach, but in 2007 he found a Contemporaine in white gold offered at a price that was about one-third its original retail value on eBay. What could possibly go wrong?

Alain Silberstein De Stijl

Is Independent Creative Horology Dead? WMMT Thinks It Was Until 1998 And . . . (Archive)

In the early 1990s, WMMT was facing the same dilemma as today: modern or vintage? Problem was that modern watches actually all looked vintage, right down to the sizes. There was something lacking. Enter Vianney Halter in 1998 with the Antiqua Perpetual. And then what happened next: the birth of ICH (“Independent Creative Horology”).

Bought pre-owned: the author’s Vianney Halter Antiqua

Why I Bought It: Vianney Halter Antiqua (Archive)

A long-term keeper for GaryG is the wonderful Antiqua by Vianney Halter. He fell for the Antiqua when he first saw one more than a dozen years ago; while many of his friends will freely confess that at the time they were at first put off by its looks, Gary was smitten from the start. But that’s not all that he loves about this watch.

Philippe Dufour from the film "Timepiece"

‘Time Piece’: If You Only Watch One Film On Independent Watchmaking, Watch This One (Archive)

The short documentary film ‘Time Piece’ features two of the world’s best living watchmakers, Philippe Dufour and Vianney Halter. It provides insight into what makes the watches by these masters so special.

Complex titanium case of the Vianney Halter Deep Space Tourbillon

Why I Bought It: Vianney Halter Deep Space Tourbillon (Archive)

GaryG bought a Vianney Halter Deep Space Tourbillon and hopes that you will find his commentary on a collector’s mindset and the motivations, delights, and possible misgivings interesting and helpful.

Side by side: two examples of Vianney Halter’s Antiqua in pink gold

Behind The Lens: Twice The Fun With Two Vianney Halter Antiquas

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Vianney Halter and his work. I strongly believe that one of the defining moments of my development as a collector was taking the plunge and buying an example of his landmark Antiqua in pink gold. But how do two of these rare watches look side by side under the unforgiving lens of my camera?

Going upmarket: the author’s Vianney Halter Deep Space Tourbillon

Why I Bought It: Vianney Halter Deep Space Tourbillon (Archive)

I hope you’ll find this commentary on a collector’s mindset and the motivations, delights, and possible misgivings behind why I bought a Vianney Halter Deep Space Tourbillon interesting and helpful.

Philippe Dufour from the film "Timepiece"

‘Time Piece’: If You Only Watch One Film On Independent Watchmaking, Watch This One Featuring Vianney Halter and Philippe Dufour

The short documentary film ‘Time Piece’ features two of the world’s best living watchmakers, Philippe Dufour and Vianney Halter, and provides insight into what makes the watches by these masters so special.

Foundational piece: the author’s Vianney Halter Antiqua

Why I Bought It: Vianney Halter Antiqua

A piece that for me is a long-term keeper, is the wonderful Antiqua by Vianney Halter. The truth is that I fell for the Antiqua when I first saw one more than a dozen years ago; while many of my friends will freely confess that at the time they were at first put off by its looks, I was smitten from the start. But that’s not all that I love about this watch.