Habring Foudroyante, the horological "Sleeper" : Full review
Francesco aka "Tourbichinois", a Paneristi friend, lent me his watch during the GTG GRPF4 organized by the Paneristi France forum. While the table spewed out 47mm roaring Panerai, I had the opportunity to take a few photos and to make a video of this Habring Foudroyante.
But what is Habring? More specifically, who is it?
The Habring² Foudroyante in video.
For those who did not follow the GPHG: The Habrings are an Austrian couple, mister at the workbench and madam taking care of the business, who manufacture watches in their garage, in the Carinthia mountains... It is a local, artisanal, mountain dweller and family business, in short a "back-to the-roots" company.
The Habrings have recently been bestowed with the "Grand Prix de l'Horlogerie de Genève", in the "sports watch" category"... By default.
It is reward to be praised, because it provides a foreign watchmaker with a vast visibility, a reward that proves the judges open-mindedness and their insight, especially since Habring truly deserves it.
But it is also a frustrating decision, because Habring the watchmaker deserved better than the sports-watch trophy, where others are as excellent or even more...
So, a reward in this category tastes like a "by default trophy". Furthermore, the Doppel 2.0, a Flyback hand based on a caliber 7750 chosen in this contest is not the most interesting watch of Habring's production, in my opinion.
Even though the Doppel is very beautiful: in its blue livery, it reminds us of the insane Lange & Söhne Double split, for 6,000€, to be compared to the Double Split sold for about 100,000€...
For that matter, this Doppel 2.0 is probably the cheapest Split-Second with a Swiss movement on the market.
This moderate price is also one of the undisputed advantages of this Habring Foudroyante. But it is not its key interest.
This watch proposes a whole bunch of display complication extremely rare in wristwatches, but especially totally new in a piece without a chronograph.
So, on the one hand a dead beat second, (one leap per second like the quartz movement) and on the other hand a jumping second: one leap in one direction, and one in the other direction, based on each of the balance's movement, for a total of eight leaps per second. The watch is based on a Valgrange caliber (7750 XXL).
Paradoxically, the chronograph complication has been removed from this Valgrange; thus, you can neither count the time nor stop the hands.
Of course, you are going to say "so it is useless"... Certainly (yawn).
But what is the purpose of a mechanical watch when software allow us to tell the atomic time on a Smartphone?
What is the purpose of squandering away vast amounts of money in "Grandpa technologies"?
There are diverse reasons to do so; obviously for the life of the mechanic.
And in this case, the life of the mechanic is totally hysterical: If you tend to be stressed, it is not a good choice as your everyday watch. Instead, go for a Habring Doppel 2.0.
While the Doppel 2.0 is simply superb, the Foudroyante is outright awesome.
The fundamental concept is that where generally all the output signals from the escapement are displayed by a single large slipping second hand, this Habring utilizes two hands to do so: the large hand shows the seconds, and the seconds only, while the foudroyante displays intermediate slices of time between each second.
The only criticism I can make regarding the foudroyante's frequency is that I've never liked the 1/8th of a second subdivision: Too fast, reaching the boundaries of perception of the human eye; the 21600 1/6th of a second subdivision (as on the Duomètre) is better. In this case, without switching to another caliber, one could have imagined a 1/4th of a second foudroyante (one leap for every balance's cycle). Yet, it would have been far more impressive, but would have somewhat spoiled the complication's spirit: reflecting the operation of the escapement.
The path of the hands is crazy and unstoppable, as if you where driving on a highway at 250km/h, without exit and without brakes. The worst, or the best, depending upon the point of view but most of all on the mood.
If you are stressed, in a bad mood, or have to put up with health problems, job disappointments, or trouble in your love life, do not wear this watch!!! It will trace the ineluctable path of wasted time with a chronometric frenzy...
On the contrary, if you are in a good mood, if the weather is good, if you have a date with a magnificent woman, do wear it: its mesmerizing path will provide you with the extra-energy to lay down the beauty without superfluous negotiations.
This panel of complications is a mood amplifier, thus to be consumed reasonably.
If the display and the complication are fascinating and paradoxical, so is the look.
You can customize the watch, with three types of dials available and four different sets of hands, hence twelve possible variations, plus special orders.
Here are a few photos of the manufacturing of Francesco's watch:
Since only 12 copies are produced every year (even fewer than a Patek 5208), you will be the owner of a truly unique and customized piece, through its dial as well as its complications.
You will have noticed that on the wrist, especially this version with a grey dial and stainless steel hands without Luminova, the watch is really discreet. Because of the dead beat second, 99% of your kinsmen and even some watch lovers will see it as a worthless quartz watch, purchased at a local mall.
In fact, this design somewhat echoes the "sleepers" concept, you know, these cars with a design of soft shoes powered by dragster engines; a specialty from the 80's, when the "sports design" had not yet contaminated the whole car industry. One could name the Mercedes 190 2.3 16v, the Peugeot 309 16v, the Xantia Activa V6, Lancia Thema 8.32 and other Sierra Cosworth or Buick Regal Supercharged, the ultimate grandpa's car high on amphetamines.
Today, there's nothing under the hood, the show is on the body; in the car making as well as in the watchmaking industries. There are innumerable watches with outrageous designs (manufactured with more or less talent, one is not a "Gonzo" because you want to be), Absolutely under-powered, as much by their size as by their complication. An overdoing sometimes bordering on presumptuousness.
This Habring with its 17 lignes Valgrange and its frenetic complication, shoe-horned in a modest 42mm stainless steel case, this piece flagged "Grandpa's watch" by the ignorant, may well leave a few dumbfounded during the watchmaking dinners.
Moreover, it is a bargain: 4,850€, less than a Submariner or a decent Radiomir (for that matter, a few years ago Richard Habring had proposed a tourbillon based on a Unitas, cased-up in a "Radiomir" watchcase)...
Finally, this watch is delivered with 77 spare parts, so that your local watchmaker can maintain it. Imagine an unbranded Audi RS6 in a basic A6 body (that exists), but sold for half the price, plus free spare tires and brake pads in the trunk.
Basically, this is the concept behind this watch.
Yet, my only regret regarding this piece is the overly high frequency of the foudroyante, and I must admit that I am fond of the design of the Doppel 2.0. When will we see a Doppel 3.0 with a 1/4th of a second foudroyante?
Beyond the digressions, this watch is a must-have, as much because of the unique concept it represents (from any standpoint), as for the magical idea of a micro-manufactory cradled in the Carinthia mountains.
