Maitres du Temps Chapter One: A Fairytale Timepiece Which Tells A Story Of Three Watchmakers

What do you get when you unite the vision of a watch industry entrepreneur and the combined creativity of three of the world’s most accomplished watchmakers? The answer to that rather titillating question is the Maîtres du Temps Chapter One. A staggering opus of horological intricacy, the Maîtres du Temps Chapter One is as notable for the individuals behind it, as it is for its complexity and beauty.

Roger Dubuis. Peter Speake-Marin. Christophe Claret. Each of these brilliant watchmakers (posing here together) have given their creative and technical input to produce the final result, which is nothing short of breathtaking. No less than 558 hand-finished parts comprise the unique movement, whose roster of exceptional complications include a tourbillon, a monopush chronograph, retrograde GMT and date, and fabulous cylindrical moonphase and day displays, the likes of which have not been seen before. Look at this watch for its totality, and you can see elements of each creator’s personality. In the elegant and flawlessly crafted tourbillon, is the deft digital virtuosity of Christophe Claret. Roger Dubuis’ fondness for elegant and fascinating retrogrades boldly define the technique and appearance of the dial. And Peter Speake-Marin’s deft ability to join appealing elements of the traditional and contemporary strongly radiates from so many nuances of the design.

Steven Holtzman must be applauded for creating Maîtres du Temps, and from the looks of it, this “Chapter” will surely be just the beginning of a story whose pages will continue to be written. To emerge from the well-publicized legal imbroglios that have kept his name in the press over the last couple years, and go on to pursue a bold vision of this magnitude really speaks volumes about the man’s passion and determination to forge a lasting legacy of excellence in the world of haute horlogerie.