HAUTLENCE Vagabonde Tourbillon Series 4 and 5

At the recent Geneva Watch Days, HAUTLENCE introduced two new models that continue its tradition of reinterpreting horological displays: the Vagabonde Tourbillon Series 4 and the Vagabonde Tourbillon Series 5. These timepieces are not merely updates to an existing collection but are assertive statements on how the flow of time can be visualized and experienced. By merging the mechanically complex wandering hours complication with a one-minute flying tourbillon, HAUTLENCE offers a kinetic sculpture for the wrist, framed by architectural dials that challenge conventional aesthetics.

The introduction of these models was further contextualized through a collaboration with contemporary artist Via Lewandowsky. This partnership underscores the brand's core philosophy: time is an abstract concept given meaning through perception and context. The mechanical precision of the watch provides the structure, while the artistic and architectural designs of the dials invite a more poetic interpretation. It is this synthesis of technical watchmaking and artistic expression that defines the brand's unique position in the landscape of independent horology.



Since its founding in 2004, HAUTLENCE, its name an anagram of its home city Neuchâtel, has carved out a niche by deliberately moving away from the traditional three-hand method of telling time. The brand has consistently been lauded by collectors for injecting a fresh dynamism into fine watchmaking. Rather than simply housing a movement in a case, HAUTLENCE creates integrated systems where the display of time is an integral part of the overall mechanical and visual narrative.

In 2022, the brand initiated a new phase in its development, adopting a more contemporary and sporty direction without abandoning its avant-garde roots. This evolution is supported by MELB Holding, an independent family watchmaking group that provides strategic resources and fosters synergies with sister companies. With an exclusive annual production of approximately 200 pieces, HAUTLENCE maintains a high degree of rarity and focuses on developing in-house calibres, which now number nine, while also collaborating with external partners for specific movements. This structure allows the brand to push creative boundaries while ensuring a solid foundation of horological expertise.

The Vagabonde collection exemplifies this philosophy. The core mechanical concept revolves around the wandering hours complication. Instead of a central hour hand rotating once every twelve hours, this system uses three satellite discs that display the hours. These discs rotate on a central carousel, and as each hour disc approaches the top of the dial, it points to the current minute on a 60-minute track. This creates a constant, fluid motion where the current hour "wanders" across the minute scale.



In the Vagabonde Tourbillon Series 4 and 5, this already intricate display is paired with a flying tourbillon positioned at the six o'clock mark. The tourbillon, a mechanism designed to counteract the effects of gravity on the escapement, adds another layer of visual complexity and serves as a testament to the watch's technical prowess. The constant rotation of the tourbillon cage provides a hypnotic counterpoint to the slower, deliberate journey of the wandering hours, resulting in a dial that is perpetually in motion. This combination of circular movements within the brand's signature rectangular case creates a compelling visual tension.

Both new models are housed in HAUTLENCE’s distinctive rectangular case, which measures 43.0 mm by 50.8 mm with a thickness of 11.9 mm. Crafted from steel, the case is coated in a deep midnight blue PVD, giving it a modern and sophisticated appearance. The finishing is a study in contrasts, with broad, satin-finished surfaces set against finely polished angles that catch the light and define the case's bold geometry.

A key design feature is the complete integration of the strap, which eliminates traditional lugs. This allows the case to flow seamlessly into the strap, creating a cohesive silhouette that enhances wearability. Despite its substantial dimensions, this design makes the watch sit comfortably on the wrist and gives it a visually smaller profile than its measurements might suggest. Further adding to its practicality is a water resistance of 10 ATM (100 meters), a notable technical achievement for a non-circular case shape, which is inherently more challenging to seal against water ingress.

The Vagabonde Tourbillon Series 4 (Ref. AD30-ST02) draws its inspiration from the angular forms of Cubism and the structured logic of contemporary architecture. Its dial is a multi-layered construction that plays with geometry and light. The base dial, made of blue PVD-coated brass, features a 3D-printed tessellation of cubic structures. The lower levels of this structure are sandblasted to create a matte finish, while the top levels are polished, resulting in a dynamic surface that changes its appearance with the angle of view, much like the glass façade of a modern skyscraper.



This architectural base is overlaid by an intermediate dial in rhodium-plated brass with a black PVD coating, which frames the wandering hours mechanism. The uppermost layer is a sapphire disc, onto which the minute numerals and track are applied using Globolight®, a ceramic-based composite containing Super-LumiNova® that can be molded into three-dimensional shapes. The final effect is a dial with immense visual depth, where straight lines and sharp angles create a structured yet ever-changing composition. It is a piece of wearable sculpture that interprets time through the language of form and structure.

In contrast, the Vagabonde Tourbillon Series 5 (Ref. AD30-ST03) takes its cues from more organic architectural forms, such as parametric façades and load-bearing lattice structures. The dial is imagined as a "living pavilion," a framework that both contains and reveals the mechanics within. The base dial is brass with a 3D-printed organic web-like structure, finished in blue PVD.

This intricate, crystalline lattice creates areas of negative space that are filled with white Super-LumiNova®. This design choice transforms the watch in low-light conditions, as the entire structure illuminates to create a glowing web. The interplay between the solid blue lines and the luminous voids gives the dial a sense of transparency and lightness. Like its sibling, the Series 5 features a rhodium-plated intermediate dial with blue PVD and an upper sapphire dial with Globolight® numerals, but its overall aesthetic is one of flowing, interconnected curves rather than rigid geometry. It is a testament to how the same mechanical concept can yield a completely different emotional and visual response through design.

Driving both timepieces is the calibre D30, an in-house automatic movement that is the mechanical heart of the Vagabonde. Visible through a sapphire display back, the movement is a showcase of modern watchmaking. It incorporates a bidirectional pawl winding system for efficient energy generation, delivering a robust power reserve of at least 72 hours, or three days. This ensures the watch will continue running accurately even if not worn for a weekend.



The centerpiece of the movement is the one-minute flying tourbillon. This intricate device features a double hairspring, with the hairsprings themselves being produced by HAUTLENCE’s sister company, Precision Engineering AG. The ability to manufacture hairsprings in-house is a capability shared by only a handful of watchmaking entities worldwide and is a significant indicator of the brand’s technical independence and horological mastery. The final assembly of this complex calibre is entrusted to the expert watchmakers at H. Moser & Cie., another highly respected brand within the same independent group, ensuring the highest standards of quality and finishing.

The calibre D30 is composed of 217 components and beats at a frequency of 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations per hour). The view through the caseback reveals a modern architecture, with clean lines and a prominent, skeletonized rotor. The open bar-shaped carriage of the tourbillon is on full display, allowing an unobstructed view of the escapement's mesmerizing dance. Engravings on the caseback denote the brand, water resistance, and its Swiss origins, framing the mechanical spectacle within.

Completing the striking aesthetic of both the Series 4 and Series 5 is a clean white integrated rubber strap. This choice provides a bold contrast to the deep blue PVD of the case, accentuating its architectural lines. The strap tapers smoothly from the case and is fitted with a matching blue PVD-coated pin buckle, ensuring a secure and comfortable fit. The use of white extends to details on the notched crown, creating a cohesive and contemporary color scheme that highlights the interplay of volumes and textures across the watch.

The collaboration with artist Via Lewandowsky is a crucial element in understanding the identity of these new releases. By placing Lewandowsky's conceptual works, which challenge perception and explore the meaning of passing time, alongside the watches, HAUTLENCE frames its creations as more than just instruments for timekeeping. They are presented as catalysts for thought, mechanical objects that prompt a deeper reflection on our relationship with time itself. This alignment with the art world reinforces the brand's identity as a creator of horological art.



HAUTLENCE’s approach is about uniting design, architecture, and movement to create novel ways of displaying time. The brand consistently explores the dimensions of space and time, inventing timepieces with unique contours and depths while respecting the craftsmanship involved in their production. This philosophy is evident in every detail of the Vagabonde Tourbillon models.

The HAUTLENCE Vagabonde Tourbillon Series 4 (AD30-ST02) and Series 5 (AD30-ST03) are both offered as limited editions of just 28 pieces each. This exclusivity ensures that owners possess a rare example of the brand's creative output. The retail price for both models is set at CHF 59,000.

HAUTLENCE Vagabonde Tourbillon Series 4

Case: Steel with blue PVD coating; Rectangular Horizontal shape; Dimensions 43.0 × 50.8 × 11.9 mm; Satin and polished finishes; Water resistance 10 ATM (100 meters).

Movement: Calibre D30; In-house automatic movement with bidirectional pawl winding; Wandering hours complication and one-minute flying tourbillon with double hairspring; 72-hour power reserve; 3 Hz frequency; 217 components.

Dial: Multi-layer construction; Blue PVD-coated brass base with 3D printed cubic structure; Rhodium-plated intermediate dial with black PVD coating; Sapphire upper dial with applied minute numerals and rings in Globolight®.

Strap: Integrated white rubber strap with a matching blue PVD-coated steel pin buckle.

Price: CHF 59,000.00

Reference Number: AD30-ST02

Notes: Limited to 28 pieces. The movement features in-house crafted hairsprings from sister company Precision Engineering AG and is assembled by H. Moser & Cie.



HAUTLENCE Vagabonde Tourbillon Series 5

Case: Steel with blue PVD coating; Rectangular Horizontal shape; Dimensions 43.0 × 50.8 × 11.9 mm; Satin and polished finishes; Water resistance 10 ATM (100 meters).

Movement: Calibre D30; In-house automatic movement with bidirectional pawl winding; Wandering hours complication and one-minute flying tourbillon with double hairspring; 72-hour power reserve; 3 Hz frequency; 217 components.

Dial: Multi-layer construction; Brass base with a 3D printed organic structure in blue PVD coating; Hollows in the structure are filled with white Super-LumiNova®; Rhodium-plated intermediate dial with blue PVD coating; Sapphire upper dial with applied minute numerals and rings in Globolight®.

Strap: Integrated white rubber strap with a matching blue PVD-coated steel pin buckle.

Price: CHF 59,000.00

Reference Number: AD30-ST03

Notes: Limited to 28 pieces. The dial's 3D-printed organic lattice structure is filled with Super-LumiNova®, creating a glowing effect in low light.