Desder D001: A New Italian Watch Brand Launches with a Triple-Axis Tourbillon

Desder begins in Modena - not in watchmaking, but in cars. Conceived by two Italian entrepreneurs rooted in the automotive world, the project follows a clear, almost dogmatic premise: to build a machine entirely through Italian vision. For execution, they turned to Luca Soprana for the movement and Mo Coppoletta for the design. The result is an attempt to transpose automotive thinking into horology.

The D001 is their first object.

At its core is a triple-axis tourbillon conceived by Soprana, a figure respected for his work in high-complication watchmaking. Around the triple-axis tourbillon with GMT and power reserve, 465 components are organized across the multi-level movement, with 63 jewels mediating friction points. Twin mainspring barrels deliver torque measured at 12 N/mm, stabilizing energy distribution across the 45-hour power reserve. The frequency is set at 21,600 vibrations per hour, which may sound conservative, but is consistent with the inertia and energy demands of a multi-axis regulator.
 

Materials are selected with intent. German silver for the main plate and bridges introduces stability while showcasing the elegance of using traditional hand finishing. Titanium reduces mass where rotation and structural span demand it. Phynox addresses elasticity and resistance in critical components. The ensemble suggests a movement engineered for equilibrium. And yet, equilibrium is visually disrupted.

Time indication is displaced from the center and reassigned to two rotating cylinders. One governs jumping hours, and the other “flowing” minutes. The result evokes a futuristic dashboard, a theme deeply embedded in Coppoletta’s design brief. The reading is neither purely digital nor fully analog. It sits in an intermediate register - legible, but requiring calibration by the wearer.

The automotive influence is not subtle. Coppoletta references the sculptural language of icons such as the Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic and the work of Figoni & Falaschi, translating their aerodynamic teardrop forms into a three-dimensional case structure. The watch is conceived almost like a “casquette” object - low, elongated, and directional - more akin to a streamlined instrument.
 

A very important point is dimensions: rather impressive 46 mm in diameter and 24.8 mm in thickness (for the reference MB&F’s HM9 is 57 x 47 x 23 mm).

The case is structured around three distinct axes. Movable lugs - referred to as “defender” elements - add both ergonomics and conceptual depth, subtly echoing mechanical articulation found in automotive suspensions. Whether this is functional necessity or aesthetic storytelling is open to debate, but it reinforces the watch’s identity as a hybrid object.
 

Materially, the D001 continues this dialogue between craft and performance. Brushed titanium forms the primary structure, contrasted by polished moldings that frame the “dashboard” elements. Anglage is applied not only to the movement but also to external components such as the lugs and frontal architecture.

Production is restricted to six pieces, each with minor variations and featuring a brown lizard leather strap. This level of limitation places the D001 outside conventional market logic. It becomes less a product than a controlled series - six iterations of a single idea, which, we assume, will ultimately be defined by the client.
 

The price is available upon request, but expect a six-figure territory.

In horology, complexity is never the point. It is the receipt. The real question, inevitably and slightly unkindly, is what it actually buys you.
 

Desder arrives as a new name in an already crowded ecosystem, where the meeting point of Luca Soprana’s mechanics and Mo Coppoletta’s vision is always a delicate balance: a watch must prove it belongs, while simultaneously acting as though it never needed permission in the first place. The D001 chooses the latter posture. Boldly. Almost theatrically.

For more information, please visit the Desder website