The surprising new Mathey-Tissot The “1886” limited edition, designed by Eric Giroud, is causing a buzz.

Baselworld 2018. This year, the historical watchmaking brand, Mathey-Tissot, tasked the designer, Eric Giroud, with creating an icon. It marks a glittering comeback into the world watchmaking spotlight, legitimised by some newly surfaced archives and some commendable performances on eBay to boot.

Targeting access through affordability thanks to an attractive pricing strategy, the new Mathey-Tissot “1886” sets itself up as an aesthetic landmark at this year’s edition of the international watch-making fair. A story of pertinence and precision, the history of its design has been catapulted to the forefront of our attention. Indeed, while the 70s appear to be firmly back in fashion, and while many are appropriating and feeding the trend, only a few like Mathey-Tissot can truly lay claim to such absolute legitimacy, owing to the sheer wealth and consistency of its production throughout this period in the brand’s history.

The new “1886”, a celebration of design and purity of line

The famous designer, Eric Giroud, delved deep into the brand’s golden age for his inspiration. He was able not only to extract the aesthetic codes peculiar to MatheyTissot, but also transcend them artistically. Something of a mix between an encounter and a discovery, the resultant “1886” is a watch that prefers to abandon the sporty look in favour of adopting the values of universal elegance championed in the 70s. Three hands, the graphic subtlety of the date aperture, stylish sobriety. Beyond these, we have the gently rounded forms and the superfine precision of the matt sandblasted finish, transforming it into an exquisitely tactile object. And, last but not least, the gently domed crystal and winding crown nestling into the circumference of a powerfully graphical dial, its strong lines softened by the distinctive case-middle with protective horns. The geometry and light-play express, in no uncertain terms, the exquisite softness of a piece that remains nonetheless very present on the wrist.

A sudden abundance of smoky shades for the “1886” dial

The “1886”, with its soft rounded curves, contemporary visual appeal and organic touches, has suddenly and unabashedly opted for a lively colour scheme. The idea of using smoky shades would have been purely whimsical for designer Eric Giroud if Mathey-Tissot’s past had not already given them historical legitimacy. The legendary colour graduations, Mathey-Tissot’s focal palette, systematically call up and deviate from the customary Pantone colour chart in a bid to remain faithful to the bold aesthetics of the brand’s prestigious past. The smoky green, brown, blue and grey, and, likewise, the deep, reassuring black have been a feature of the brand’s DNA consistently throughout the 130 years of its uninterrupted industrial and manufacturing history. The unique new shades are all as many aesthetic sparks replete with powerful static charge and colour force to electrify the sombre darkness.

“The dials on the “1886” come in Mathey-Tissot’s hallmark smoky colours, lively and original: all as many aesthetic sparks to electrify the sombre darkness.”

Mathey-Tissot “1886” limited edition Technical data

1886 pieces with 5 different coloured dials: black, smoky green, smoky red, smoky grey, smoky blue, smoky brown

Movement motorisations: Sellita SW200 automatic mechanical calibre; EG1886A(N/V/R/S/BU/M) Swiss-made quartz calibre

Watchcase: 316L steel with matt sandblasted finish; water-resistant to 5 ATM (i.e. 50 metres)

Winding crown with pushpiece and double seal

Antireflection treated domed sapphire dial crystal, transparent back

Dimensions: 42 mm diameter; 11.8 mm thick; lug-tolug distance 48 mm

Genuine Italian leather crocodile-print strap with deployant buckle.

RRP in CHF: Mechanical version CHF 1,500.00 (ex. VAT), quartz version CHF 500 (ex. VAT)

Fiercely independent for over 130 years

As followers know, throughout its uninterrupted 130-year long history, Mathey Tissot, one of the most legitimate and prolific historical Swiss watchmaking groups, has produced numerous models, with some iconic references scoring regular successes on the pre-worn or new old stock watch markets. Models, such as the Coin Watch, the Elvis Presley, (given by the “King” to his closest acquaintances as an all-access pass to his concerts), or the Type 20 universal chronograph, an aviation-inspired tool watch, are currently performing admirably and reaching increasingly high prices on eBay and other major online sales sites and watch auction sites.

Founded by Edmond Mathey-Tissot in 1886 in Ponts-de-Martel, in the Canton of Neuchâtel, Mathey-Tissot was primarily a watchmaking manufacture renowned for its complicated calibres and prestigious customer base, including the watchmakers Breguet, LeCoultre, Piaget, Henri Moser, Ulysse Nardin, Edmond Heuer, Louis Audemars and Vacheron Constantin… In 2018, more than 130 years after its creation, the maison produces nearly 50,000 watches annually, has just signed a partnership deal with the Italian army, and is creating a buzz at Baselworld 2018 with its “1886” reference, designed by Eric Giroud and available as part of a limited edition at a highly affordable price. Affordable, Swiss made, offering flawless quality, and available in automatic mechanical and quartz versions, what more could you want?

Mathey-Tissot, the legitimacy of a brand

The surprise arrival in 2018 of the limited edition “1886”, with its iconic elegance and daring smoky colour schemes, serve as a reminder to purists and fans of Swiss watchmaking alike that you should never under-estimate an independent brand that is steeped in history and traditional values. For even while its omnipresence on the world’s marketplace could almost make you forget its consistent boldness and creativity, it manages to stay in the international spotlight.

Source: Mathey-Tissot

Frederique Constant Hybrid Manufacture

Innovation @ Frederique Constant
Innovation is one of our important Brand Values and since it’s beginning in 1988, the Frederique Constant brand continuously innovated.  We invested massively in this domain to offer creativity and outstanding technical features in our timepieces. Every year, Frederique Constant continues to add movements to its in-house collection; and this year is no exception. Designed in keeping with classical watchmaking principles, updated with innovative 21^st century techniques, the new Hybrid Manufacture by Frederique Constant combines Swiss Made fine Mechanical watchmaking with Smartwatch functionality.

Revolution in Swiss Watch Industry, Frederique Constant combines three unique technologies ever in Swiss watchmaking. Hence the 3.0, the Frederique Constant Hybrid Manufacture combines:

1) MANUFACTURE;
2) SMART WATCH FUNCTIONS,
3) CALIBER ANALYTICS.

QUOTE PETER STAS: “We were the first Swiss Watch Manufacturer to introduce the Horological Smart Watch in 2015. Now, we are the first to combine a Manufacture Mechanical Caliber with Smartwatch functionality.”

1) Manufacture
The Hybrid Manufacture FC-750 caliber is in-house developed, in-house produced and in-house assembled. The caliber is patented.

The mechanical part of the FC-750 is an in-house automatic caliber with date, set by the crown at 3 o’clock.

• Automatic winding, 28’800 alt/h
• Functions: hours, minutes, central second’s hand, date counter at 6 o’clock
• 42h power reserve

The electronic part of the FC-750 is also in-house developed, in-house produced and in-house assembled by the Brand. This electronic part of the caliber enables the Smart Functions of the Hybrid Manufacture watch.

By integrating the two technologies inside a unique caliber, the technological challenge was to delete the negative magnetic effects between the mechanical and the electronical parts. This is how our highly skilled designers and watchmakers developed and patented a unique anti-magnetic shield case.

The FC-750 Hybrid Manufacture caliber is a revolutionary new caliber combining mechanical and electronical components.

The connection between the watch and the Hybrid Manufacture App is done by the pusher button located on the left side of the watch case.

2) Smart Watch Functions 

Activity tracking: define your objective (# of steps per day) and track your step counting

Sleep Monitoring: was your sleep deep or light? Did you achieve your Sleep hours objective?

Worldtimer (2nd time zone + local 24h time)
Battery indicator
Dynamic coach

3) Caliber Analytics

Inside the caliber, we integrated our proprietary Caliber Analytics functionality, an Algorithm to measure Rate, Amplitude and Beat error. Results are communicated to the Hybrid App via Bluetooth and can be seen in the form of graphs over time.

Once per day at 4.00am, the watch analyzes automatically (no requested action from the user) the health of the mechanical movement. Inside the caliber we analyze the oscillations of the movement with a sophisticated Algorithm. 3 measures are taken and reported: Rate, Amplitude and Beat error.

The results displayed in the App. (Analytics App screen is available in the Hybrid App, on the 5^th swiped screen at the top).

Once analyzed, at the bottom of the screen a summary is displayed on the movement’s health check: green=> all is good / red => need to check the watch. If it appears that the mechanical caliber has an issue, we will inform the customers via both the App and via the Cloud.

Rotator Charger Box

The Hybrid Manufacture is delivered into a luxurious wooden winder box offering: 1) a removable charger for the electronical Smartwatch functionality and 2) a winder rotating box that charges the barrel in the mechanical caliber.

The removable charger can be taken out for traveling. By a simple USB cable, the Hybrid Manufacture watch can be charged anywhere out of its wooden winder box.

Source: Frederique Constant Press