Names like Voutilainen, F.P. Journe, Candaux, or Richard Mille stir desire in almost every collector. But often, they remain unattainable dreams due to their six-figure price tags. While the price is justified by the exceptional quality, it overlooks another side of independent watchmaking: brands that use more accessible base movements and add real value through design and technical creativity, delivering a unique Swiss Made identity.
Claude Meylan is one of these rare independent watchmakers. They are not alone—Baillod is another example—but Meylan stands out for his use of unconventional geometries, far from the classic round cases most others favor. That approach lets wearers express individuality and knowledge of the watch world, without sacrificing years of income.
An Ode to the Tortue
Claude Meylan’s "Tortue" collection has long embodied these values. But the big news is that, for the first time, it now features an automatic movement—at a price of just 5,500 CHF. It may not sound revolutionary at first, since automatic watches have dominated the market for over 30 years. But for Claude Meylan, this is a significant change for two reasons.
First, the Tortue collection had never offered an automatic version for men—only manual-winding models, except for a few women’s editions. The absence of an automatic in the 40mm case (though “diameter” is a loose term here, given its rounded rectangular shape) was intentional—a tribute to the traditional hand-wound watches of the Vallée de Joux.
Second, Claude Meylan is a specialist in skeletonization—not just openworked dials, but full skeleton movements. This centuries-old craft involves hollowing out every component of the mechanism to let in maximum light. It’s an intricate process that usually doesn’t go hand in hand with automatic movements, because the rotor blocks much of the view.
Hidden Winding
To maintain the integrity of the skeletonized design, Claude Meylan used two clever solutions. First, the movement is set within a solid peripheral frame. This hides half the rotor’s width and naturally draws the eye to the open center of the dial, which remains fully skeletonized.
Second, the visible part of the rotor is finished in the same tone as the rest of the movement. As a result, it blends into the grey palette of the mechanism and becomes barely noticeable. The rotor is there, doing its job powering the ETA 2892 with its 42-hour power reserve—but it’s almost invisible. In short, the new Tortue is more than just an update—it’s a quiet breakthrough. A Swiss-made, skeletonized, automatic watch from an independent brand, offered at an accessible price. It’s proof that fine watchmaking doesn’t have to be reserved for the elite.
Discover more about Claude Meylan here
