The evolution of an icon does not always come through excess; sometimes it lies in the accuracy of a proportion. Within the CHPTR_Δ collection, the adoption of this new 40 mm diameter on the AGIL and MDP models redefines the look of the piece, offering it a more contained balance and a more universal vocation. This refined silhouette does not renounce any of its mechanical identity or its unique display. On the contrary, it aligns with a broader trend: a return to controlled dimensions without sacrificing a gram of horological personality.
An original display
At the heart of this piece is the element that defines the brand’s signature: an unconventional display, driven by a caliber containing Baillod’s first in-house module, developed by Olivier Mory.
The time is not read here in a circular manner. It progresses along a triangular trajectory, advancing at a variable speed: fluid on the straight lines, then noticeably slowed as it approaches the angles. A perfectly controlled illusion, which sometimes gives the impression that time hesitates, lingering for a moment before moving on.
Some moments pass by without us noticing, others seem to stretch, gaining intensity… while the second hand continues to beat with rigorous impartiality. Isn’t that, in the end, the only reading of time that is truly faithful to us?
How does it work?
Behind this visual impression lies a precise mathematical concept: the cycloid.
In simple terms, a cycloid is the path traced in space by a point fixed on a rolling circle. Imagine a tiny glowing point on a bicycle wheel valve moving through the night: as the bike moves in a straight line, the glowing point traces a series of graceful arches that seem to “bounce” on the ground.
Studied as early as the 17th century by Galileo and Huygens, this “Helen of the geometers” combines aesthetic beauty with remarkable physical properties. Its isochronism constitutes a true horological Grail: a ball released into a cycloidal cup reaches its center in the same amount of time, regardless of its starting height, a remarkable property given its consistency!
The cycloid also traces the fastest path between two points under the effect of gravity. Contrary to intuition, this curve, called the “brachistochrone,” outperforms the straight line thanks to a steep initial drop followed by optimized acceleration, thus forming the fastest slide in the world.
In the BA111OD caliber, this geometry is no longer just a theory. By moving a satellite wheel within a fixed wheel, one does not merely move a hand; one literally sculpts the trajectory of time, transforming a monotonous circular rotation into a complex geometric dance, capable of drawing triangles with gentle angles.
For the most precise of readers, the curve used here is a deltoid!
Far from being a mere stylistic exercise, this display exploits the natural alternation of fast and slow phases inherent to the cycloid: while the hand follows a geometrically constant trajectory, its projection onto a triangular shape generates a sensation of changing speed. This apparent slowing at the peaks is not a flaw, but the direct consequence of a chosen geometry that manages to influence our perception of time, without altering its rigor or precision.
A size reduction, not a lack of ambition
With this 40 mm version, Baillod does not merely offer a more compact alternative. The brand refines its message, enhances the legibility of its concept, and demonstrates that technical complexity and measured elegance can coexist perfectly.
