Limited to just 12 pieces, this Scriptura* is an eccentric yet subtle watch that demonstrates the breadth of watchmaker Vianney Halter's interests, as well as his dedication to his craft. Introducing historical, rather than futuristic elements, the watch also features the work of several collaborators. Further to this, despite their visual similarities, the watch is powered by the VH122, an entirely different movement from the VH100 found in the Classic, with no two parts the same.
BECOMING VIANNEY HALTER
Existing somewhere between the past and the future, between reality and fiction, Vianney Halter has created watches over two decades which challenge our traditional notions of what horology should look like.
If you were to visit his workshop, without even meeting the man himself, it would quickly become apparent that Halter is no ordinary watchmaker. On the shelves, you can find scattered photographs of astronauts, dramatic science fiction film posters and intricate clocks dating back hundreds of years. Sitting on a hanger, you’d find his watchmaker’s apron, stitched with the profile of a cartoon character from the television series Futurama. Above it all, Halter has suspended a broken airplane, which he once flew through a storm and crashed, after being struck by lightning.
Halter’s first watch – the Time Machine Perpetual Calendar Antiqua – stands out for the inventiveness of its concept and design, at a time when watchmaking was much more conservative than it is today. It draws upon many different influences, from an early submarine prototype to steampunk aesthetics. The design was heavily inspired by the work of Jules Verne, a French novelist from the 19th century, which has sometimes been described as the “father of science fiction”. The overall aesthetic of watchmaking cemented by Halter came to be described as the “Futur Antérieur”, or “Past Future”, which depicts a vision of the future as seen from the past.
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