One of the most significant watchmakers of our time, Vianney Halter is a vanguard for Independent Watchmaking, and his small series portfolio generates profound interest from collectors around the world. A legacy from the maker’s Classic watch, the exceptional Art Deco Metropolis watch expresses his panache for highly original aesthetics, his finesse for finely detailed finishing and his extraordinary passion for traditional watchmaking methods. Named for the iconic 1927 sci-fi movie by Fritz Lang, a cinematic genre that continues to inspire this watchmaking maestro, the Art Deco Metropolis is the latest beguiling creation to be presented by M. Halter.

Throughout its styling, the watch evokes the sleek streamlining, sharp geometry and the glamour of the Art Deco era. The case is manufactured in-house to Vianney’s rigorous standards, and is of titanium, sized at 39.8mm diameter. Rounded and beautifully finished, the prominent golden bezel rivets and the crown are inspired by the design of the Belgian Type 12 locomotive, while the lugs elongate wonderfully, with their rigid forms and meticulously finished sharp lines capturing the essence of pure Art Deco design. The deeply beveled sapphire crystal serves to ensure a slender case height of only 8.2mm, but it also lends excellent distortion to the dial, magnifying its indications when viewed from the side.

Crafted in three parts the dial is simply sensational. At its centre, diamond cut golden rays emanate outwards, and are laid on a background of titanium that has been hand-engraved, turning the hard metal into a softened, textured shimmer. Against this, the brushed and polished steel hour and minutes hands stand out and are complemented by a slender seconds hand with Vianney’s signature overhang. Gorgeous, and endlessly charming, the white scripted numerals are seductively curvy and they, together with the railtrack scale at the perimeter, offer excellent contrast to the deep blue rehaut.

Through the sapphire case back the Calibre VH22 self-winding movement features Vianney Halter’s mystery rotor. Enabling the meticulous finishing to be viewed without obstruction, this ingenious and delightful solution of a sapphire oscillating disc, with a weight hidden from sight under the bezel, creates a horological illusion of ‘mystery winding’ Manufactured from german silver, the plates need no surface coating, and can be given a finer finish than allowed by the more commonly used brass. Beating at a frequency of 21’600 vib/h, the calibre has a power reserve of 56 hours.

An exceptional atelier crafted timepiece that boasts incredible artisanship and detailing, the Vianney Halter Art Deco Metropolis will be limited in production to 5 to 7 pieces per year.