At the Geneva Watch Week in spring 2024, BΛ111OD is set to unveil a new interpretation of its Tourbillon model. After experimenting with an offset time display in its first in-house complication, the CHPTR_Δ AGIL (pronounced “Chapter Delta Agil”), last February, the young brand is returning to a more traditional aesthetic, but with its signature twists. These include the crown at 4 o’clock, the tourbillon at 7 o’clock and a remarkably affordable price of CHF 6,500 for this Chapter 4 Tourbillon model with a meteorite dial. There’s no time to lose: online pre-orders are now open.
A horological UFO
When BΛ111OD, a brand born in 2019, introduced the Tourbillon in 2022, it made the prestigious Swiss-made tourbillon mechanism accessible to a wider audience thanks to its astonishingly affordable price of 4,440 francs. The project was an immediate success, and the first 220 pieces quickly sold out. So, how did they achieve such a reasonable price? The brand’s founder, Thomas Baillod, wanted to prove it was possible, not by cutting corners in production, quality or horological value, but by eliminating the cost of marketing. BΛ111OD’s sales model is based on word-of-mouth, a highly unusual approach in the sector, but one that has proven successful in other industries. Tupperware is probably the most well-known example. By cutting out the middleman, the customer becomes a “consumactor”, and is able to sell the product simply because they love it. BΛ111OD takes pride in offering highly desirable and appreciated products. Its customer-sellers form a growing community of “influendors” (influencer-ambassadors). For each watch purchased, the buyer can sell four and, potentially, receive one for free. The project started off with non-Swiss made models, after which Thomas Baillod took up the challenge of Swiss made and, finally, the high-end Swiss made segment, by tackling the iconic tourbillon! In a rather mischievous move, this model that some believed could never exist is called “The Veblen Dilemma”, in reference to the theory posited by economist Thomas Veblen, which suggests that an object’s high price is what makes it truly desirable.
Fascinating meteorite
Not only is the Chapter 4 Tourbillon modestly priced, but it’s also extremely versatile and open to many variations, particularly on the dial. Recent versions have featured dark onyx, and now, meteorite. By showcasing this metallic stone from space, each slice of which has its own unique natural patterns, BΛ111OD taps into a contemporary aesthetic embraced by such prestigious watchmakers as Rolex, Zenith, Jaquet Droz, Parmigiani Fleurier, Piaget and even Omega, with the “Grey Side of the Moon”. The material, which quite literally fell from the sky, is made up of iron and nickel, arranged in a crystallised structure called “Widmanstätten patterns” or “Thomson structures”. These distinctive patterns, created when minerals cool rapidly, are revealed on the dial once the block is cut, polished, cleaned and treated with citric acid.
BΛ111OD offers this new variation of the Chapter 4 Tourbillon Meteorite in a steel case on a steel bracelet, giving the tourbillon mechanism – a mainstay of watchmaking tradition – a sportier, more modern look. Visible through the transparent sapphire caseback is the skeletonised mechanical movement, created by watchmaker Olivier Mory, which boasts an impressive 105-hour power reserve.
