New brand? Check out the Vicenterra GMT-3
Vincent Plomb, a Swiss watchcase constructor, launched a new project that looks very interesting. Check out the Vicenterra GMT-3.
I just stumbled across this information about the Vicenterra GMT-3. Most information i can find is in French, except for a information leaflet on the Vicenterra Watch Facebook page… for the rest I haven’t heard of Vincent Plomb before.
This Viceterra looks very nice i must say. It’s one of the watches that made me looks twice… and again. However, the pictures are only computer renderings, so no real watch or photos yet. The project will start when at least 100 persons committed to buying one. They will get it for 5,000 CHF. After the special edition of 100 numbered watches, the GMT-3 will be available for 15,000 CHF.
This mechanical watch tells the time, has a GMT hand, a day & night indicator, a date and…. something that triggered me to look again. A spherical Earth that rotates around it’s axis and it looks cool.
When looking at the dial we see not only an hour, minute and second hand. On the dial there much more to see and even from the side of the case we get to something interesting. Above the hour, minute and second hands telling the time, is a day & night indicator with a classical sun and moon. Roughly around the 2 o’clock position is a date indicator with a retrograde hand. In the middle of the date index, the dial is open showing a small part of the ETA 2892 movement.
But than the really interesting part begins… At the 5 o’clock position is a spherical Earth that rotates around it’s axis in 24 hours. A detail that I really like is that the spherical earth is also visible through holes in the side and back of the case. It looks like it’s almost floating in the case, besides the dial.
Moving a bit further towards the 7 o’clock position, we see the GMT hand with a 24 hour index. At the top is the 12 position and at the bottom 24; 6 AM and PM are at the left and right, where usually 9 and 3 are. The GMT hand can be set via a pusher at the left side of the case, at 9 o’clock.
The movement is called REA-GMT-3, which is based on a caliber ETA 2892. This is of course a well known, very reliable which is used by many other watch brands. On top of that is a module developed by Vicenterra. Since the ETA 2892 tells the time and date, the module probably has all the gears for the second timezone, the day & night indicator, the retrograde date and the spherical Earth revolving in 20 hours.
All together the design looks classic with a modern twist. Unfortunately there’s no information about the size of this watch, so I hope it will remain within wearable size ranges. The case will be made of stainless steel and it’s supposed to have two strap choices, leather or rubber.
The Vicenterra GMT-3 starts as a watch with a subscription. The first 100 subscribers who support the project by Vincent Plomb will reserve the Vicenterra GMT-3 for 5,000 CHF (around € 3,800). After the first 100 pieces are sold the price will be 15,000 CHF (or € 12,300). Subscribers will even get some shares in the share capital of the new company to build VicenTerra Watch SA. Well, if you’re interested, take a look at the Viceterra Watch Facebook page.
I think this is an amazing way to start up a new company and with a beautiful and beautifully complicated watch as well.
6 responses
What a great idea to start a project like this.
Usually early adopters do not get the xtra’s given away later on,
but in this case the early adopter is well rewarded.
Smart!
GEO
15,000CHF for a timepiece from an unknown brand powered by a slightly modified ETA movement hidden inside a stainless steel case? Good luck.
@Evgueni… It might seem a high price for a watch with an ETA, but there are plenty of examples out there of more expensive watches with ETA or using other well known movement ebauches. The most expensive parts to create are the case and spherical earth… absolutely nothing you can just buy from any case maker.
Here is the site http://www.vicenterra.ch
Best Regards
@Evgueni. OK, there’s an ETA 2824 inside. But… that’s the basis, about more than 50% of special made pieces are needed to add all the others functions to the mechanism.
All were created from scratch. The case is complicated to made too, and 4 special glasses have to be set in it.
All this has a price, and for early birds, 5.000 CHF is more than a bargain. And even at 15.000 €, this remains a fair price for an innovative and beautifully designed watch.
Sorry for the caliber, it’s a 2892 and not a 2824.
@Evgueni. OK, there’s an ETA 2892 inside. But… that’s the basis, about more than 50% of special made pieces are needed to add all the others functions to the mechanism.
All were created from scratch. The case is complicated to made too, and 4 special glasses have to be set in it.
All this has a price, and for early birds, 5.000 CHF is more than a bargain. And even at 15.000 €, this remains a fair price for an innovative and beautifully