With its ethereal aesthetics, immaculate hand finishing and meticulous attention to detail throughout, the debut piece from independent watchmaker and master of metals Philippe Narbel and his newly established independent watch company is a seductive proposition indeed. This could be love…

There’s a word which crops up in watchmaking media communications with such regularity that it has almost become a cliché, and whose meaning in the literal sense has become devalued, and more than occasionally, even rendered meaningless. That word is “passionate”. It’s everywhere. There are times however, when there really is no alternative, and when talking about an individual craftsperson whose days and nights are frequently consumed by obsessing over the most molecular detail, or getting a mirror polished gleam out of that most impossible inwardly kinked angle, then “passionate” is the only adjective which is applicable.

Which takes us onto the subject of a newly unveiled watch, from a newly established company, and produced by a watchmaker whose name, if it has not yet become recognised among the wider realms of independent watchmaking enthusiasm and collectors, I have little doubt that it will.

The watch in question has been christened ROOTS, although truth be told, until literally halfway through the day of its launch the initial idea was that it wasn’t actually going to have a name at all. That’s because what it represents is not just this new watch in itself, but a complete 360º philosophy, through which watchmaker and company founder Philippe Narbel aims to nurture and inspire others, by putting in place an ecosystem where new watchmaking talent can benefit from a ready-made infrastructure, which is there to take care of the business end of things, and leaving its creatives to concentrate on, well, being creative.

Philippe explains; “in the same way as the proverb says that it takes a whole village to raise a child, well we could say that it takes a whole ecosystem to allow an artist to blossom. With so many specialised aspects of business in which the artist often finds him or herself trying to manage everything on their own, we have put together a team with the necessary skillsets to provide the best possible support for our artists.”

Based in the Vallée du Joux village of L’Abbaye that he calls home, he thinks of his company, Narbel & Co, as being more akin to a book publisher than a watchmaking company, offering guidance and advice on matters such as financial and technical management, communication, marketing, and even tapping into a sales network.

The company’s first artist is, of course, Philippe Narbel himself, and his new watch showcases his mastery in the art of meticulous hand finishing, which is a skill he has refined over the past twenty years, from his early days as a jewellery maker and master of crafting his art on metal surfaces. Having set out his watchmaking career with Audemars Piguet circa 2005, in more recent years he has built his reputation as a finisher to numerous watch companies, as an independent craftsman.

All of which brings us to the watch he unveiled a few days ago (early November 2021), a watch which even on the day of the reveal still had no formal name, other than the working title it had been provisionally given. It is also a watch with no obvious outward facing branding on its dial, but people do demand something to latch on to, and so the working title is now the official name: ROOTS.

It’s a watch that has surprised me - although not that it should have particularly - because it has not only exceeded any expectations I might have had once I knew it was soon to be unveiled, but has transfixed me now that it has, and it’s one which has very quickly found itself joining a select handful of others on a very short personal list of most desirable watches. Of course matters of the heart are always subjective, and even though I haven’t seen yet it in person, from what I have seen, I do think it’s that special.

Measuring 40mm x 40mm, and standing only 10mm high, the watch is manufactured in either 5N 18ct rose gold or stainless steel, and features contrasting brushed graining and immaculate polished finishings. The distinctive off-square is accentuated further as it has no lugs, but rather a lobe at both the 12 and 6 ends of the case, onto which the strap attaches. It’s a design which successfully combines a blend of flat surfaces, pronounced angles and convex curves in a strikingly symmetric TV screen shape; a recurring theme which echoes in proportionally decreasing scale from the outer lines of the case, through the bezel, and in to the very centre of the dial, where a panel of sterling silver gives the watch a fingerprint, which is unique to each example - and the reason behind its name.

Speaking of names, or lack thereof, you’ll not find any trace of outward branding on the dial either. In fact the only identifying mark to be found anywhere on the watch is hidden away around the back, where Narbel has engraved his name on a plate which covers the ratchet and crown wheels. There is a sound reasoning behind this anonymity too of course, because in the eyes of its creator, ROOTS is as much the expression of an artist as an item

Beneath the sapphire crystal, the dial is manufactured in solid German silver, which has been finely sandblasted and treated with a grey-black PVD coating. It has a dish-like curvature around its periphery, which seems to make the black hour indices stand out even more against the evenly textured monochrome background. At the centre, a panel of sterling silver has a veined pattern, which is the result of a process discovered by the watchmaker in his jewellery making days, and which is unique both to the individual watch and the material itself, as well as being completely random in how the pattern’s striations form on the silver.

The hands are delicate and beautiful, skeletonised before tapering to long, slender ends, and gold plated, which adds an element of contrast. Like the crown, a squat bulb shape with deep fluting, which is also a thing of beauty, the thought and effort which have gone into these little details emphasise the originality of the watch.

Underneath, a sapphire exhibition caseback reveals a manual winding movement which has undergone a remarkable transformation, from a reliable, but unremarkable calibre first seen in 1971, to a spectacular piece of hand crafted haute horlogerie, boasting uncompromisingly superb finishing throughout. What began life as a humble Peseux 7001 movement has been entirely stripped down to its component form, before being reimagined and rebuilt, transforming from its original round form, into a bespoke cushion shape, tailor-made for the case, using custom hand crafted parts, such as the main plate, bridges, ratchet and crown wheels, which have been manufactured in German silver, and meticulously finished by the watchmaker.

Inspiration for the movement’s new architecture comes from the traditional construction of classical pocket watches, and its three bridges, which replace the original single bridge, are elegant and ornate, with a finely sandblasted finish contrasting with deep chamfers for the screws and rubies, mirror polished curved edges and tight interior angles which are so notoriously difficult to access. The balance cock features a graceful swan neck regulator, via which the hairspring is adjusted, while the balance wheel itself is manufactured in German silver.

Only on the plate which covers the crown and ratchet wheels does the watchmaker’s signature adorn his work, engraved in italic, and the adjacent surface has been left for personalisation, where the owner can request an inscription of initials or a short motto.

Fully wound, the movement has circa forty-two hours of power reserve, and it beats at 21’600 vib/hr, or 3Hz.

Currently the two options available are 5N 18ct rose gold, which is priced at CHF 57,123, or stainless steel, at CHF 44,095. Other bespoke elements such as strap colour or materials are also possibilities for further personalisation. At the time of writing, Narbel envisages a production of twenty examples over the first year, and continuing beyond that.

In every way, ROOTS is a standout debut from a watchmaker who has taken a somewhat deviating route to arrive at this point, and a watch which leaves a lasting impression. The attention to detail, and unwavering pursuit of the perfect balance of curvature, angles and proportions combine to create a striking aesthetic purity. His company, and what he hopes to do with it, is also more than just being a vehicle to promote his own work, but for others too.

For more information and to order, visit Philippe’s Instagram page (website currently under development) or www.thelimitededition.co.uk

Fact File: Narbel & Co ROOTS by Philippe Narbel

Reference: ROOTS
Manufacturer: Narbel & Co
Case: 5N 18ct rose gold or stainless steel
Case dimension: 40mm x 40mm, H 10mm
Dial: Grey-black PVD, skeletonised gold hands
Features: Unique sterling silver centre panel
Movement: In house reconstructed Peseux 7001 manual winding calibre, 21’600 vib/hr
Functions: Hours, minutes
Power reserve: 42 hours
Caseback: Sapphire glass
Water resistance: 30m
Strap: Choice
Price:
- ROOTS 5N 18ct rose gold - CHF 57,000
- ROOTS stainless steel - CHF 44,000