Saint-Blaise, Switzerland
“I felt it was pertinent to associate technological research, which is the foundation of Only Watch, to the innovative material linked to technological medicine advances and to the beauty of an incomparable horological product,” explains Jean-Marie Schaller, CEO and Creative Director, Ateliers Louis Moinet SA.
“This watch is the embodiment of human genius through time, from the creation of a mechanism that is over 200 years old and still with us today, to the microprocessors that are shaping the future.”
Jean-Marie Schaller’s new ART-TECH brings exceptional design to the watchmaking craft—an exceptional timepiece that is stunningly beautiful, as well as captivating.
As a dial with a thousand facets, ART-TECH recently received the historic GOOD DESIGN Award for 2023 from The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design.
To create this “symphony of light and time,” the silicon wafer with its etched microelectronic circuits, making for a very special dial design.
The clear-cut, geometrical details of the microcircuits, which are highlighted by the optical and reflecting qualities of the wafers, allow light and reflections to play with remarkable intensity.
Each angle of vision makes for a dynamic and changing visual experience. The surface of the silicon interacts with light in different ways depending on its orientation. Thus, the watch comes alive with the various reflections, flashes, and plays of light.
“By harnessing the optical properties of microelectronic circuits engraved on a silicon wafer, ART-TECH creates an intense visual animation of multi-colored reflections that flash over a clear graphic design whenever the watch moves,” states Jean-Marie Schaller.
The use of silicon provides a touch of modern technology and innovation to a domain that is traditionally geared towards artisanal craftsmanship.
The latter is represented by the tourbillon, a highly sophisticated complication invented at the dawn of the nineteenth century.
This technical feat is a symbol of top-drawer watchmaking.
The hand-wound mechanism is equipped with a double barrel. The system, known as “volte-face,” places one barrels upside-down over the other.
Together, they can deliver their energy simultaneously, producing a power reserve of ninety-six hours.
This exceptional work of art is housed in a 40-millimetre case made of polished and satinated grade 5 titanium.
The curves of the case are fluid and tightly drawn.
The sapphire crystal dome, a veritable technical feat, highlights the geometrical motifs of the dial.
As for the open-worked lugs, they perfectly emphasize the smooth integration of the bracelet.
Silicon is one of Earth’s most abundant elements. It makes up over a quarter of the earth’s crust and is the second most widespread element after oxygen.
Silicon is found mainly in the form of silicon dioxide (SiO2), which is present in many common minerals, such as quartz, sand, and silica.
Thanks to its availability and its physical properties, silicon is used in many industrial and technological applications, notably in the manufacturing of silicon wafers, which serve as the base for microchips.
Electronic microchips contain millions of transistors.
They are at the core of most electronic devices we use today, including computers, smartphones, and tablets.
These electronic components are built on silicon wafers, which are part and parcel of semiconductor technology.
The wafers are a slice of mono-crystalline silicon whose thickness is measured in kilometers.
Their diameter ranges generally from ten to thirty centimeters.
Many electronic components (microprocessors, analog converters, power controllers, optical sensors) are developed on these wafers.
This is a very complex manufacturing process, involving hundreds of processing steps on the silicon wafer.
The process requires the creation of multiple layers of different materials, such as insulators, conductors, and semiconductors.
Each layer includes etched patterns that allow the transistors to be formed with all the needed connections.
Technological developments have produced increasingly powerful electronic chips. They are more and more efficient and able to execute complex tasks at a faster rate. This has opened the way to many innovations in various fields, notably technology and science.
The chip has become the “grey matter” of the twenty-first century. Only Watch’s mission is to support international research in the struggle against myopathies.
Medical research is turning increasingly to microelectronic technologies to develop significant innovations in the field of health.
These tools have a crucial role to play, be that in medical imaging, implantable medical devices, monitoring patients, or simulating and analysing medical data.
“I felt it was pertinent to associate technological research, which is the foundation of Only Watch, to the innovative material linked to technological medicine advances and to the beauty of an incomparable horological product,” continues Schaller.
“This watch is the embodiment of human genius through time, from the creation of a mechanism that is over 200 years old and still with us today, to the microprocessors that are shaping the future.”
Project: ART-TECH Tourbillion Watch
Designers: Ateliers Louis Moinet SA
Designer: Jean-Marie Schaller
Manufacturer: Ateliers Louis Moinet SA
