THE NEXT DIMENSION

In 2004, Renaud de Retz and Guillaume Tetu founded this luxury watch manufacturer with headquarters in Neuchâtel, which the name "Hautlence" is an anagram of. Both the founders have previously worked with renowned brands like Longines, JaegerLeCoultre, LVMH, and TAG Heuer

HAUTLENCE'S latest Linear Series 1 (Ref AD50-ST00) is a perfect example of challenging traditional concepts in watchmaking. On the dial of the 43mm stainless steel TV-shaped case, there is a small blue and white pointer at the end of a linkage that indicates the hours on a vertical scale. With a jumping hour or retrograde display, once the 12th numeral is passed, the snail disengages the probe in the watch’s movement, to release the accumulated energy, making the linkage jump and return to 1. A separate sapphire dial features 3D Globolight minute markers, which sit on top of a base in rhodium-plated brass. Minutes are read via a blue- white hand.

The watch’s face is built in different layers, exposing the movement's certain parts, apart from the flying tourbillon at the traditional 6 o’clock.

The partially open dial also makes way for the visibility of the minute cam that completes the minutes hand. The 28-piece, limited edition Linear Series 1 is powered by an in-house self-winding D50 movement with a 72-hour power reserve.

The watch comes with a satin-finished and polished steel bezel and a polished steel crown with an engraved Hautlence logo at 3 o'clock. The watch sits on a blue rubber strap with a stainless steel clasp, and has a water resistance of 100 metres. ₹50 lakh (approximately)