NO GODS, NO MASTERS

Having spoken to Guillaume Tetu, the CEO of Hautlence, on numerous occasions both at home and abroad in Baselworld, I would like to consider myself fairly versed in the ins-and-outs of the brand. However, during our most recent meeting, Hautlence once again demonstrated a seemingly unending capacity to inspire wonder though its creations.

For those unfamiliar with Hautlence, it’s an independent watchmaker that was founded in 2004 by Tetu and his merry band of “Gentlemen Rebels”. Having spent a number of years working for other watchmaking companies, he was looking to bring something sophisticated and out-of-the-box to the world of horology; hence the moniker. In contrast to the other brands operating under the umbrella of groups such as LVMH, Swatch or Richemont, independent watchmakers tend to work on a much smaller scale, are run by their founders/owners and are self-financed. Rather than naming the brand after himself, Tetu chose to christen it by the region it was founded in, with the name “Hautlence” being a rearranged version of Neuchâtel, a canton of Switzerland historically associated with watchmaking.

Since its founding, Hautlence has become well known for the strong architectural themes in its timepieces, which frequently make use of a 3D TV-shaped case with indices – homestyle positioned in such a way that they appear to be suspended in thin air, as seen with its Invictus and Destination timepieces. Hautlence also boasts an impressive Concept d’Exception collection, which was launched five years ago and is a series of timepieces catering to connoisseurs who wouldn’t bat an eye about buying a watch that costs as much, if not more, than a hypercar. To put these timepieces in context, they would be the horological equivalent of a Lamborghini.

The Vortex is the latest entry to Hautlence’s Concept d’Exception collection. It is no exaggeration to say that it is truly one of Hautlence’s most impressive pieces to date. With its grade 5 titanium case clocking in at 52 x 50 x 17.8 mm, the Vortex makes for a bold and ballsy statement on the wrist, and that is precisely the sort of reaction Tetu is aiming for. “We want people to go ‘wow’ when they see the Vortex,” Tetu says with a grin. However, he concedes that the Vortex is “no Piaget Altiplano” (a timepiece known for its thinness), but, rather, it has been designed to be worn with relative ease on slimmer wrists. This has been achieved by equipping the Vortex with specially designed lugs and positioning it in a linear manner on the wrist to improve its ergonomics. Couple this with the airy lightness of the titanium case, and the Vortex actually does wear with an enviable degree of dexterity. But don’t expect to slip discreetly under your cuff. “The Vortex is a big watch,” Tetu admits. “It has a big movement and it’s a big piece of art.”

And art, or more specifically, “kinetic art”, is the term that best describes the Vortex. While its size is impressive, the meat of this timepiece is the movement, the in-house HLR2.0 automatic calibre, which is a souped-up iteration of an older calibre, the HR2.0. At the turn of every hour, this movement flares to life as its main regulating organs rotate by 60 degrees in an impressive display of mechanical prowess. This system is driven by two mainspring barrels, one which operates the timekeeper and a second powering this dramatic dance of mechanical art so that neither function interferes with the other. Such is the complexity of the movement that it holds three patents to its name; an extremely impressive feat that few independents can dare lay claim to.

“The Vortex is the culmination of all the partnerships, skills and patents we’ve built up over the last decade,” says Tetu. The advanced design and architectural theme of the Vortex is a result of Hautlence’s collaboration with the Berra Blanquer Design Consultants (BBDC), a Parisian design studio that has been the brains behind numerous award-winning timepieces since 1996. With the Vortex, the BBDC was primarily involved in its design, such as its layout on the wrist andthe transparent nature of the case that allows the wearer to fully appreciate the movement from every conceivable angle.

“This whole endeavour with the Vortex, which began in 2007, was a team effort from the start,” Tetu explains. “As an independent, I believe it’s very important to be transparent. So when it’s my design, I say it’s my design. But when we work with an external party, we fully acknowledge their contribution. I’ve known the team from BBDC for over 15 years and they are just as proud of the Vortex as I am.”

While the design elements of the Vortex were outsourced, the heart and soul of the timepiece, the movement, was conceived completely in-house. “There are elements in our production process that require us to work with a third party, but everything to do with creativity is still in-house because that’s the most important element to us,” says Tetu.

This stance stems from the real fear that if big brands were to suddenly acquire the third party supplier, Hautlence would suddenly be left in a rut. “We could have gone to Renaud & Papi or Christophe Claret to help us with the movement, but I like to have full control over this crucial aspect,” explains Tetu. “If a third-party supplier were to be bought over by one of the big groups, we would be in very big trouble.”

It has been this strategy that has allowed Hautlence to not only survive, but thrive in the dog-eat-dog world of independent watchmaking. While ensuring the crucial elements of creating a timepiece are done in-house results in a slower development process, especially for small independents tight on resources, it does make them resilient to external shocks. This is what Tetu is counting on as crises grip economies around the world, including Malaysia. “We’re not so affected by the devaluation of the Yuan as our presence in China is still small. The weakening Malaysian Ringgit is a worry for us, but my main concern is Russia,” says Tetu. “The Ukrainian crisis and sanctions against Russia have really hurt us as these regions are our most important markets.”

Despite the bleak outlook, Tetu remains optimistic. “I’ve been in the industry for a long time and have seen many a boom-bust cycle come and go. There was the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, 9/11 and the 2008 Global Financial Crisis; all of which brought many watchmakers to their knees. For now, Hautlence must be realistic and not expect huge profits, but we must continue to build the brand steadily and quietly.” In line with this thinking, Tetu intends to expand Hautlence into the United States, a market that remains relatively untapped by most independent watchmakers.

As our meeting wound to a close, it brought to mind a conversation I had with Tetu three years ago at a time when Hautlence was just dipping its toes into Malaysian markets. Then, Tetu had declared in his booming voice: “I want the world to know that the world of independent watchmaking is alive and well!” While that may not be the case for every independent watchmaker today, it would be safe to say this holds true for Hautlence. For an independent with no gods and no masters to be beholden to, the largest obstacle it faces is the limits of its own creativity. Having followed the brand’s journey over the course of the last decade, The Peak can say with certainty that this is one element Hautlence has in abundance.