How to convert 5,000 pages of Ferdinand Berthoud’s notes into a contemporary wristwatch

Image
How to convert 5,000 pages of Ferdinand Berthoud’s notes into a contemporary wristwatch - Editorial
1 minute read
Designing the FB1 chronometer, the Tour de France by different means, orange watches and the world of dance.

Most watch designers work on entire collections for brands whose DNA has been entrenched for decades and, in some cases, centuries. But what happens when you are launching a new brand based solely on the legacy of a single person – one who never even made a wristwatch – and that this person’s legacy has to be distilled into a single wristwatch that has to be absolutely perfect. Such was the challenge facing Guy Bove when he embarked on the project to produce the timepiece that Ferdinand Berthoud would have produced were he alive today. Read how he approached this delicate task in my interview today.

The Tour de France was once again in the news for all the wrong reasons this year, with allegations that some competitors were using smart watches to operate hidden motors in their back wheels! We avoid the controversy this week by looking at a different Tour de France – one which is done at sea under the power of the wind. Quentin Mayerat focuses on the exploits of double world champion freeride skier turned sailor, Aurélien Ducroz, an ambassador of Alpina watches, on this year’s Tour de France by yacht.

A few weeks ago, I decided to take a look at some of the watches on the market that use orange – a colour that is both striking and unusual in the world of luxury. Little did I know that by the time it was published, orange would be in the news as the dominant colour on maps showing the stifling temperatures in Switzerland and the colour of storm alerts in the country over the past couple of weeks. See the selection on Thursday.
 
Later this week Michèle Brunner looks at the partnership between Emile Chouriet and the world of dance. It’s another unusual association, with only a handful of watch brands active in this area. Read all about it on Friday.

Featured brands