Introducing the Hautlence Tourbillon 01 (specs & price)

If you’re following us on Instagram (@monochromewatch) or on Facebook (Monochrome), you might remember this watch, as we already showed you a preview, a prototype worn by Guillaume Tetu himself (the CEO of Hautlence). This is it now, as Hautlence is about to launch its first tourbillon – well, their first classical tourbillon, as the Vortex and the HL2 had some kind of tourbillon too. Relying on a movement manufactured by H. Moser & Cie, the brand kept its natural multi-layer design but with a more refined, dressier result. Here’s the Hautlence Tourbillon 01.

For those who are not yet aware, Hautlence is not fully independent anymore, as now owned by Georges-Henri Meylan (MELB Holding) together with H. Moser & Cie, creating a small group of high-end, bold manufactures. One has the capacity to create fully in-house movements from scratch (Moser) while the other one (Hautlence) is known for its ingenious, bold, iconic design – that is best defined by the Hautlence HL Ti. Thus, it seems quite natural for Misters Meylan (father and sons) to build synergies inside the group and to allow Hautlence to use some of the very well crafted calibers offered in the Moser catalogue. You have here the “raison d’être” of the new Hautlence Tourbillon 01, a watch designed by Haultence, like an Hautlence, with the Hautlence DNA but fitted with a movement already seen in the H. Moser & Cie collection, an automatic tourbillon dual-time – the calibre HMC 802 seen in the H. Moser & Cie Venturer Tourbillon Dual Time.

The Hautlence Tourbillon 01 is based on the classical round case of the brand, that we’re more used to see in black (with the HL-RQ 02 and HL-RQ 03) or with bright colored accents (like the Orange HL-RQ 05). However, we found back a concept dear to the brand: the combination or materials. First, we have a round central container (that holds the dial and the movement) made of grade 5 titanium, black PVD-coated with an horizontal satin-finish. On top of this container is added a beveled bezel made of polished 18k pink gold and 4 horns (screwed to the case, like in the HL-RQ 05), also made of polished 18k pink gold. This watch, like all the other round Hautlence, measures 44mm but feels smaller on the wrist, due to very short lugs that ensure a great comfort.

The dial of the Hautlence Tourbillon 01 follows the “multi-layer” rule of the brand, with a lower base composed of a black enamelled plate with Geneva stripe pattern. On top of that, we found a second layer, slightly raised. It’s made of sapphire crystal, attached by 4 gold screws (with the typical Hautlence design). On top of this glass layer are applied pink gold indexes and numerals. The hands are matching the case – and as you can see, there are three hands, but none indicates the seconds.

As fitted with the HMC 802 movement from Moser, the Hautlence Tourbillon 01 comes with the same features as the H. Moser & Cie Venturer Tourbillon Dual Time, meaning that it indicates a second time-zone, thought a smaller hand (that, when not required, can be hidden behind the main hour hand). This Calibre HMC 802 has a self-winding mechanism and a one-minute tourbillon at 6’clock with the the usual Moser interchangeable escapement. it boasts over 3 days of power reserve and it is finished with double Geneva stripes pattern and hand-chamfered bridges.

The Hautlence Tourbillon 01 is part of a numbered collection and it will be priced at CHF 88,000 (inc. Swiss taxes). More on Hautlence.com.