Balzac once wrote, “Time is the only wealth for those whose sole fortune lies in their intelligence.”
This sentiment resonates profoundly with Trilobe, a young brand founded just five years ago by Gautier Massonneau, which has little in the way of capital. What it does have is complete independence and a reliance on skill, ingenuity and intellectual acuity to navigate the high-stakes world of watchmaking, where industry titans clash with billions of francs in their arsenal.
Trilobe manoeuvres with agility, dodging, weaving and reappearing where you’d least expect it, rejuvenated and playful. It’s reminiscent of the early 2000s narrative, when young upstarts dared to play David against the Goliaths of the industry. They were the MB&Fs, the Urwerks and the De Bethunes. The rest, as they say, is history.
A spotless record
Will Trilobe follow the same trajectory? It’s too early to say. But for now, its record is spotless. The innovative handless time display, the sophisticated shapes, the in-house movement, the superb craftsmanship, the originality fused with humility: Trilobe ticks all the boxes. Last year, this audacious journey culminated in a prestigious award at the GPHG, in the “Petite Aiguille” category – a deliciously ironic accolade for a brand built on dials... with no hands.
Mending time
For Only Watch 2023, Trilobe has embraced the Japanese art of Kintsugi. This method involves mending the cracks of certain broken objects, like vases, with gold. Rather than concealing the ravages of time and the accidents of daily life, it elevates them – a beautifully unique and elegant approach.
The marriage of watchmaking and Kintsugi is a tale that’s been unfolding for several years now. Our colleagues at Europa Star dedicated an issue to it in June 2020. Audemars Piguet showed interest in 2021. But no timepiece had ever truly embodied the technique of these Japanese masters. Until now.
Original creation
Trilobe has supported the Only Watch charity auction for three editions. OW founder Luc Pettavino welcomed the brand when it was just one year old – a powerful testament to the faith he placed in the newcomer. Since then, Trilobe has endeavoured to honour this trust by crafting an entirely original creation each year, rather than simply refreshing an existing model with a new logo, colour or strap.
“Reconciliation: la Folle Journée” will be no exception. It pays tribute to the brand and the auction with a creation of rare distinction. Both the dial and movement side bear visible traces of component fractures that have been subsequently mended with fine gold in the purest tradition of Kintsugi. The base model is an all-black Folle Journée (PVD treated titanium) chosen to amplify the contrast with its gilded fractures. The minute disc, which has been literally shattered, is breathtaking. The movement, too, reveals its own fissures, beautifully overlaid with a sheet of gold.
Imparting meaning
Beyond the technical prowess, this timepiece embodies a clear philosophical dimension: time is interrupted by life’s mishaps, and continues to flow; the wounds of existence become scars; the healing process is celebrated, because that’s what enables us to move forward. These metaphors encapsulate the deeply humanistic ethos of the watch industry’s only charity auction.
