The Day the Seconds Stood Still
Presenting a «Dead-Beat Seconds» or “Jumping Seconds” in 2014 was certainly a gamble. Even if most interested parties where already well seasoned watch collectors, back in 2014 very few understood a complication that seemed to mimic a quartz movement (even if it predates quartz by decades),despite being present in watches above and beyond the +30k range. It was only after Habring2 wining the GPHH that this once misunderstood complication gradually came into the spotlight again. Interestingly, many «comercial» group brands followed the win by Habring2 with their version of this indication. Undoubtedly in an effort to bank on another’s success… They failed.
The once exuberant watch fairs…
All those that have been there know how time flies when you attend any of these (now defunct) watch shows. Baselword and the SIHH where intense to say the least. Most that have been there know that what starts at nine o’clock takes but a moment to be over. With time those shows evolved into more of the same, tedious presentations, longs walks, overhyped marketing efforts, less and less interesting material to discover…
Yes, I admit I am one of those that cheered the demise of that frugal waist of time and money. After years of getting “serially mugged” when consuming anything in the city of Basel… I say good riddance, karma finally caught up to you!
The weight of visiting these two watch shows made me reconsider my attitude on how to spend my time there. Luckily my last years where all about discovering, visiting and enjoying a brief moment with friends (watchmakers, brand managers, and even CEO’s…) especially independents.
So, how did we get there?
Back to our story… After visiting all friends the last stop and highlight of the fair was “Watch Factory”. The very place that saw the birth of many of the most prestigious independent watchmakers today. The tradition was to finish the day standing at the bar and enjoying an overpriced warm beer (the way the Swiss like it).
Before reaching my final destination (that eagerly awaited overpriced hot beer…) I took a moment to sit down and rest from physically a VERY long day. My back enjoyed the relief in this brief respite while my mind was going over all the visits today. I realised that I only had one “to-do” on my list. For it to have been a perfect day, I would have needed to meet Maria and Richard Habring. The thought of a Dead-Beat Seconds was haunting me for some time now… Only then did I make the effort to look at who was sitting next to me… «Excuse me. Are you Maria and Richard Habring???» That is when the CronotempVs VI by Habring2 was born as well as (unfortunately for them) a long lasting friendship…
Happy Birthday!
Tomorrow, six years ago the «VI» was delivered in a memorable weekend in Barcelona. As is customary with the club the festivities begin on a Friday afternoon and end on a Sunday night. What happens in the club, stays in the club…
The Club Watch
There is little to say about the CronotempVs VI by Habring2 other than the one I own currently runs at approximately +1 second a week. Yes, per week… not per day. Maybe its most unique peculiarity is the power reserve with a red wind-alert or indication. An indication that has been copied, sorry… presented (wink, wink…) over a year later in 2016 by A.Lange & Söhne in their interpretation of the Jumping Seconds. Just another example of how the big shamelessly steal from the small.
The Dead-Beat/Jumping Seconds
The purpose of this short article is not to explain how and why this complication came to be. I do recommend the following articles by Worn & Wound or Watches by SJX, where their writing skills far exceed mine.
As I have said many times, the Dead-Beat Seconds complication is something for the advanced collector. It needs to be understood in order to be appreciated. If at this point you need to ask what it is, then your horological journey has just really begun.
