Indie-pendence Day Update: The Latest Releases from Hautlence, Bovet, and Konstantin Chaykin

Collecting timepieces as a get-rich-quick scheme only serves to drain most of the happiness that comes with our hobby. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t a good investment, especially when you choose to put some money into an independent watch brand.

By offering alternatives to mass-produced timepieces, independent Maisons are keeping the spirit of horology alive. Indeed, brands like Hautlence, Bovet, and Konstantin Chaykin, which all specialize in small-batch, hand-made production, keep things interesting by emphasizing creativity, individuality, and craftsmanship.

This commitment to craft does come with a cost – the following timepieces are produced in limited numbers, so the waiting lists are long – but even just knowing that they are out there in the world brings us joy.

When Hautlence launched its futuristic Linear Series 1 Tourbillon in 2022, the brand called it a “foretaste of things to come.” Well, the main course has finally arrived in the form of the Helix Series 1.

Like its forebears, this out-of-this-world timepiece takes a different approach to telling time. For this limited edition, the Neuhausen am Rheinfall-based brand introduces a new take on its TV-shaped case, making its signature rectangular case smaller and sharper than ever before.
 

Machined from lightweight titanium, the Helix Series 1 not only wears light, but its shape is sculpted to become one with the wearer. Measuring in at 37mm in length, 45.10mm in width, and 11.8mm in thickness, the Helix 1’s 100m water-resistant case is much smaller than, say, the Linear Series 3, which is 43mm x 50.8mm x 12.2mm.

Another example of the Helix’s inventiveness is its domed sapphire crystal. This arch is so subtle that it reminds one of the curvature of the Earth’s horizon when viewed from a plane. This detail is so precise that, like the sky, it bends light to its will.
 

Then there’s the skeletonized dial made from rhodium-plated brass and a Grade 5 brushed titanium case. Paired with an integrated grey rubber strap with navy blue textile inserts, the watch gives off a vibe of being cool but not cold.

The best visual treat of this pseudo-Brutalist beauty is that all the design elements draw the eyes inward, toward its central cylindrical tourbillon. The Tourbillon becomes a sculpture within a sculpture. And it’s also a statement. For Hautlence, the intent of this placement was to create a display that spiraled, much like the double helix of DNA seems to twist around itself.

Flanking the tourbillon are two retrograde displays, one for the hours and one for the minutes. Their role in this cosmic ballet is to tell the time with deliberate precision.
 

To pull off this intricate choreography, the Helix Series 1 is powered by the D51 automatic calibre. Designed, developed, and manufactured entirely in-house, the D51 features a micro-rotor and 234 other components, which allow it to beat at a frequency of 3 hertz and offer a 65-hour power reserve.

Limited to 28 pieces and priced at CHF 75,000, you can learn more about the Helix Series 1 via the Hautlence website.

High-end indies are rare birds indeed. That’s why one always gets overcome with glee when one spots one in the wild, making Konstantin Chaykin’s quirky timepieces doubly delightful to see in person.

This year, the Russian Maison announced two new unique versions of its anthropomorphized Wristmon design – the “Joker Iron Mask” and “Joker Golden Mask” – both blending avant-garde design with the artistry of traditional horlogerie.
 

If you are unfamiliar with the Joker-indication module, it is literally and figuratively expressive. On these new models, the figurative elements include the bridges for the hour and minute wheels, which resemble eyebrows, and the bridge for the weekday indicator, which looks like a large ruby nose.

However, the design still relies heavily on non-figurative elements (such as the hour and minute sub-dials acting as eyes or the day of the week indication making up the smile) to create a complex yet balanced microcosmic background that drives the Joker indication.

Interestingly, this dynamic duo, featuring a mask-themed open-worked dial that reveals the mind behind the madness, was initially announced in 2023 but has only recently become available.
 

The face of the “Joker Golden Mask” is extra captivating because the dial has a frosted finish that recalls the plating on an 18th- or 19th-century pocket watch. As a result, the look of this timepiece is more “distinguished gentleman” than a clown.

Thanks to its rhodium plating, the “Joker Iron Mask” has a less fussy, more monochromatic metallic color palette more akin to the austere aesthetic of clockmaking under 17th-century Calvinism. And while they each draw inspiration from the pocket watch, they are not oversized, measuring 40mm with a thickness of 12.78mm.
 

Both models are powered by the calibre K.09-1, based on La Joux-Perret’s G200 automatic movement, which features a power reserve of 68 hours. The rotor is skeletonized and coated to match each watch’s color theme. With only 100 pieces being produced each year, you can learn more about the Joker Mask timepieces via the Konstantin Chaykin website.

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 19Thirty pocket watch-inspired timepiece, Bovet is introducing a special edition of this classic time-only model.

The 19Thirty made its debut in June 2015. Even brand new, the timepiece was an homage to the Maison’s 20th-century history, a pivotal moment when the watchmaking industry underwent a foundational transformation, as pocket timepieces transitioned to wristwatches.
 

In the 1800s, Bovet was celebrated for its divinely decadent pocket timepieces, especially in China. However, the ergonomics of the wristwatch allowed for new design freedom, which led to the creation of new mechanical functions, ultimately resulting in more specialized tool watches.

Despite continuing to innovate with mono rattrapante chronographs, when Mao effectively closed the Chinese market to Europe in the 1950s, the Bovet brand basically went dormant until the company was acquired by Pascal Raffy in 2001. It took Raffy another five years to bring production in-house.

This brings us back to the original 19Thirty, with its five-part dial, special finishings, and signature Bovet touches, such as the bow around the crown (similar to a pocket watch).
 

These are very strong signatures, but just as watchmaking faced an existential crisis in the early 1900s, modern times demand modern solutions. Thus, these special editions are undeniably minimalist. But that isn’t surprising when you consider that the Bovet team that designed these pieces has an average age of 35.

To appeal to a new audience, the 2025 19Thirty was intentionally designed to be lighter on the wrist and on the eye. Meanwhile, its crystal exhibition caseback throws light on the manual-winding calibre 15BM04 manufacture movement, which delivers an exceptionally long 7-day power reserve on a single barrel (another nod to Bovet’s historical “easel” pocket watches, which featured extractable stands so that they could double as a table clock).
 

Like pocket watch mechanisms, this calibre measures in at a generous 35mm, while the stainless steel anniversary case has a 42mm diameter with a comfortable height of 9.05mm. For further ease of wear, the bow at the top of the case is articulated so that it sits flush on the wrist. According to Raffy, “The 19Thirty collection has always been about honoring a pivotal moment in watchmaking history – the transition from pocket to wrist watches.”

The new 19Thirty is available in three monochrome lacquered dial colors – green, black, and blue – and features four big cursive Arabic numerals at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock, with baton indices in between for extra elegance. To learn more about the 19Thirty 10th Anniversary Special Editions, check out the Bovet website.