From the heart of the watchmaking world in Switzerland, comes the latest haute horology brand LABAILS. After a 5 year development, founder Alexandre LABAILS was able to bring to life his intellectual interest for mechanical engineering and desire for artistic beauty, to create what is one of horology’s most endearing projects of the moment. Starting from scratch, their dedicated team has built an incredible sports tourbillon chronograph wristwatch called Temerity, with the highest level of mechanical engineering pushing the limits of innovation. Made with a full sapphire crystal case, this timepiece includes a patent-pending Energy Management Optimization System, and will be produced as an edition of just 10 pieces, priced at CHF 2.2 million.
Setting the standards of the brand, every part of LABAIL timepieces, every material, every shape is designed with a purpose. In that sense their timepieces are resolutely technical, complex and engineering focused. The intricate inner workings of Temerity required extremely skilled artisans to manufacture and perfect.
Based in Le Locle, in Switzerland, the watch manufacture Chronode, led by the master watchmaker Jean-François Mojon, is the technical workshop of the brand. The fearlessness and the talent of these watchmakers are key allies in order to be able to propose such complex and innovative timepieces. In order to make the concept become real, the brand also made the choice to work hand-in-hand with a local network of expert suppliers, generally small companies or artisans who share the same passion and enthusiasm for haute horology, and who cultivate the highest level of expectations in their field of expertise. Working this way at the very beginning, with the best experts and cutting-edge technology, allows the brand not to be limited in its creativity and to push forward the limits of the possible.
According to the demanding specifications of the brand, expert suppliers will produce different parts of the watch. These parts will be decorated and finished by artisans honoring the highest standards of watchmaking tradition. Exceptional craftsmen will spend up to hundreds of hours per movement in order to reach the brand’s expectations. Each part has to meet the beauty standards defined by the brand before highly qualified watchmakers assemble the movement with the utmost care.
The primary function of the watch is to display hours and minutes. To ensure this function, Temerity regulates it via a 3Hz escapement and balance-wheel system embedded in a 60-seconds Tourbillon. This choice optimizes the power reserve (low-frequency oscillations) and limits the negative effects of the gravity on the isochronism of the function. In order to prevent possible inertia disparities during the calibration of the regulator, they call for a variable-inertia balance-wheel equipped with 4 adjustment screws. The stop-second mechanism added to the 60-seconds-Tourbillon’s cage allows the user to accurately adjust the time with a marker embedded on the cage.
Despite a high-frequency chronograph function, its unique architecture focused on the energy management combined to two barrels allows the Temerity to offer up to 5 days of power reserve for the primary function. This long power reserve is only possible thanks to the exclusive and patent-pending system developed by LABAILS called Energy Management Optimization System: EMOS.
The exclusive and innovative system developed by LABAILS, EMOS allows the user to manage how the main energy source is used via a gear switch located at 9H, which proposes two modes:
- In Eco mode (energy saving mode), the energy source is fully dedicated to the primary function. The energy consumption is low. The high-frequency kinematic chain is inactivated; therefore, the high-frequency balance wheel is motionless.
- In Sports mode, the energy source continues to supply the primary function but also supplies the secondary function. The high-frequency balance wheel is operating, allowing the user to use the chronograph to time events. The energy consumption in this mode is high so, in order to prevent the primary function from stopping, when the remaining power reserve reaches 24 hours, the high-frequency balance-wheel is automatically inhibited. We call it the main power reserve safety system.
Temerity has definitely been designed for the user’s comfort with a relentless attention to detail for ergonomics. A total expected weight of only 92 grams (without strap) for more than 600 parts gives thanks to the use of lightweight technical materials. It’s ergonomic case is designed according to the shape of a wrist including push buttons and crown providing a large support surface to reduce the pressure sensation and a slight disbursement of material to capture fingertips in the best possible way. Chronograph measurements are displayed on three different dials to enable the user to quickly and intuitively read the measured time.
Temerity by LABAILS is an extraordinary timepiece. The tremendous complexities of the movement and the sapphire case generate an extremely difficult and long production process which requires the deployment of the best watchmaking expertise throughout the process. Therefore, only 10 pieces will be produced and only upon request.
