The Antiqua was the watch with which Vianney Halter announced his independent brand to the world during Baselworld in 1998. It was the first of the Futur Antérieur collection that imagined a future seen through the visions of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells. The Antiqua perfectly encapsulates the whimsy and wonder of the era for a future that would never come to pass.

This example, forged from rose gold, like all other examples of the Antiqua, is an early example designed and constructed in Halter’s Janvier SA workshop in Sainte-Croix, Switzerland. Underpinning the irregular shape of the watch face is a perfectly traditional 36mm round base. Also traditional is the complication it houses – a perpetual calendar.

The innovative design of the Antiqua was created by Halter in collaboration with Jeff Barnes, an American graphic designer, with a longstanding interest in horology. It is understood that Barnes had envisioned a wristwatch with four different sub-dials, which integrated steampunk influences and spoke to Halter’s own aesthetic sensibilities. The watchmaker suggested integrating a perpetual calendar complication within the design, pushing its innovative character even further.

Each visual representation of the passage of time has been separated into its own display. The one expressing the hours and minutes is visually dominant in its scale, followed by the display that indicates the month; this window also incorporates the leap year indicator. This is followed by date indicator while the smallest aperture shows off the digital date. Viewed in profile, these registers reveal their heights to be in the same order of priority as their overall diameter. Both the hand-engraved numerals and text on the dials are filled with indelible black enamel. The hands are all heat blued.

The windows are designed to bring to mind riveted portholes on the sides of ships or submarines. Four similar rivets appear in the rest of the non-functional spaces on the dial side. The rose-gold case is comprised of 30 different component types (making up almost 100 pieces in total), with no fewer than 104 machined-gold rivets throughout. The porthole motif continues to the crown. On the left hand side, on the flank of the case are two pushers to manipulate the calendar complication.

This particular Antiqua Perpetual benefits from a later technical upgrade of the self-winding calibre VH198, carried out by the watchmaker's workshop in 2014. While based on the Lemania 8810, it was extensively redesigned by Halter. Although the VH198 shares many of the same impressive mechanical elements as the Cal. 8810 (balance-wheel, anchor, escape-wheel and gear wheels), the unique bridges and baseplate are designed by Halter. Visible though the sapphire display back, the VH198 calibre is fitted with a patented ‘mysterious mass’ winding rotor. Using this system, the oscillating mass is hidden behind a peripheral ring, with no apparent link to the central rotor. This allows for an uninterrupted view of the beautifully finished movement. The visual motif of the rivets continues here as well. The self-winding VH198 calibre oscillates at a frequency of 28,800 A/h, with a power-reserve of 35 hours. Running around the vdisplay caseback is a satinated rim with details such as the reference number and country of origin hand-engraved in an elegant calligraphic typeface. This is a detail only seen in the earliest examples of the Antiqua, with later pieces wearing engraving obviously done by machine.

Accompanying the watch is an original wooden winding box, which displays the watch through its own riveted porthole. The elements inside are thoughtful, matching the moving parts which are designed to always render the watch in an upright position when the box is stopped. The original paperwork is included, alongside a movement manual and a hand-sewn Vianney Halter burgundy alligator strap, secured by a matching rose-gold, pin buckle.

If sold within the United Kingdom, this Vianney Halter Antiqua Perpetual Calendar will be subject to 20% VAT

Closer look

Condition

This Vianney Halter Antiqua Perpetual Calendar is in excellent overall condition. The brushed and polished finishing to the case and lugs has been well preserved and shows virtually no signs of wear throughout. The dials, hands, and movement are free from any signs of imperfections. The hallmarks and engravings found on the caseback and buckle are crisp, well defined, and equally well preserved.

Warranty

The watch has been serviced on two previous occasions by Vianney Halter and comes with a two-year warranty from A Collected Man, alongside a lifetime guarantee of authenticity.