Vianney Halter announced his independent brand to the world during Baselworld in 1998. The watch he chose for the occasion was the Antiqua. It was the first from his Futur Antérieur collection that imagined a future seen through the vision of the likes of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells. The Antiqua encapsulates that era’s whimsy and wonderings about a future that would never come to pass.
Underpinning the irregular shape of the watch face is a perfectly traditional 36mm round base. Also traditional is the complication it houses – a perpetual calendar. The innovative design of the Antiqua was created by Halter in collaboration with Jeff Barnes, an American graphic designer, with a longstanding interest in horology. It is understood that Barnes had envisioned a wristwatch with four different sub-dials, which married steampunk influences with the marine chronometre-style layout Halter favoured.
This particular example, forged from platinum with platinum registers, is understated and the most superlative configurations of the reference. This is because in the context of classical, fine watchmaking, platinum was widely viewed as the noblest of metals and reserved for the finest and most finite examples references. As such, only a few examples of the 100 Antiquas Halter made over 18 years of production were created with platinum cases. It's believed that fewer than five were made with matching platinum dials. This makes this particular example of the Antiqua one of the rarest within a very finite series.
Crafted in his Janvier SA workshop in Sainte-Croix, Switzerland, this watch benefits from Halter’s upgrades to the self-winding calibre VH198. The extensive list of improvements includes – but is not limited to – the new date jumping spring and jumping wheel assembly. The result is a more precise transition from one day to the next. The date jumping wheel assembly required a near wholesale reshaping of surrounding bridges. The improved calibre also features open work hours and minutes wheels, where there were solid disks in earlier iterations. The month corrector mechanism in the new calibre is also improved. The result is a future-proof Antiqua built to contemporary tolerances.
Each unit of time is separated, it’s footprint commensurate with how often the wearer would consult during normal wear. They are framed by windows that are designed to bring to mind riveted portholes on the sides of ships or submarines.
The one expressing the hours and minutes is visually dominant in its scale, followed by the display that indicates the month; this window also incorporates the leap year indicator. This is followed by date indicator while the smallest aperture shows off the digital date. Viewed in profile, these registers reveal their heights to be in the same order of priority as their overall diameter. They feature a circular satinated outer chapter with numerals and text filled with indelible black enamel. The month display holds within it a secondary register for the leap year indication. Similarly, the date wheel wears circular satination and is optically magnified to aid readability. The hands are all heat blued.
Like on the registers, rivets appear in the rest of the non-functional spaces on the dial side. The platinum case is comprised of 30 different component types (making up almost 100 pieces in total), with no fewer than 104 rivets throughout.
The porthole motif continues to the crown. This is used to set the time and quickset the date. On the left hand side, on the flank of the case are two correctors to manipulate the calendar complication. The concealed lugs are 20mm apart and come furnished with a black, wide-grained leather strap secured by platinum signed pin buckle.
As is to be expected, this Antiqua features the upgraded self-winding calibre VH198. While based on the Lemania 8810, it was extensively redesigned by Halter on launch and the watchmaker has continued to improve on it over the years. This example accrues the benefits of the watchmaker’s work over the last two decades.
Although the VH198 shares many of the same impressive mechanical elements as the Cal. 8810 (balance-wheel, anchor, escape-wheel and gear wheels), the unique bridges and baseplate are designed by Halter. Visible though the sapphire display back, the VH198 is fitted with a patented ‘mysterious mass’ winding rotor. Using this system, the oscillating mass is hidden behind a peripheral ring, with no apparent link to the central rotor. This allows for an uninterrupted view of the beautifully finished movement. The outer mass and central part of the rotor feature yellow gold rivets.
The mainplate is adorned with Geneva striping with the brand mark and serial number. The self-winding VH198 calibre oscillates at a frequency of 28,800 A/h, with a power-reserve of 35 hours. Running around the display caseback is a satinated rim with details such as the serial number, country of origin, brand mark and precious metal hallmarks.
Accompanying the watch is the original wooden winding box, which displays the watch through its own riveted porthole, as well as the original certificate of authenticity.
There is an artistic tension at the heart of the Antiqua. It is an avant-garde design clad in metals that were the preserve of classical watchmaking. In its all-platinum form, the tension between these two characteristics is further heightened. With the most updated version of the calibre VH198, it is perhaps the ultimate iteration of this seminal reference by one of the earliest and most original independent watchmakers.
