Premice (Platinum)

An exceptional piece of independent haute horlogerie from one of the genre’s best kept secrets, the Premice by Geneva-based Cédric Johner is truly an extension of the watchmaker’s personality — defying conventional norms with his signature hand-crafted tonneau-esque case design, and a two-sided display of captivating horological architecture that exemplifies the traits of this unique and wonderful talent. Using only traditional watchmaking techniques and manually operated tools, each and every Cédric Johner watch is painstakingly manufactured and finished entirely by hand.

Even the case of the Premice is platinum and machined into the inimitable tonneau shape that has defined every Cédric Johner timepiece since the atelier was founded in 1997. Measuring 39 mm across, 49 mm in length and 12 mm in height, the platinum case stands as a masterwork of eccentric elegance — its long, flowing lines and curvaceous surfaces sweeping seamlessly from the slender lugs over the gently domed sapphire crystal. The crown, positioned discreetly at 4 o’clock, further enhances the watch’s distinctive, balanced aesthetic.

Beneath the sapphire, the dial side is devoted almost entirely to revealing the beauty of the mechanism within. Platinum-matched hands indicate the hours and minutes on an off-centre dial in the upper right quadrant, itself crafted from precious metal with a finely guilloché centre and hand-painted Roman numerals along the hours ring. To the left, a slender hand traces the power reserve across a gracefully curved plate.

Visible from both faces, the architecture of Johner’s first fully in-house movement is breathtaking in its thoughtful layout, exquisite finishing and the hypnotic sweep of the generously proportioned balance wheel — oscillating at a serene 18,000 vibrations per hour (2.5 Hz) — while the escape wheel takes pride of place, marking the passing seconds with quiet precision.

Created in close collaboration with Julien Tixier, a prodigy in the art of haute horlogerie hand-finishing, every bridge, plate, screw and wheel is fashioned and finished to the most exacting standards imaginable. The Calibre CJ 101 manual-winding movement delivers an impressive 100 hours of power reserve.

A truly magnificent expression of contemporary independent watchmaking, the Cédric Johner Premice in platinum is presented on a premium leather strap with a tailored pin buckle, and will be produced in a strictly limited edition of just twenty-four pieces.