LA CHAUX-DE-FONDS, May 2019 –
Since it was founded in 2004, HAUTLENCE has been seen as one of the originators of a movement championing a rebellion in watchmaking. Over the years, HAUTLENCE has cultivated the art of breaking rules, mixing past with future, respecting watchmaking traditions whilst circumventing them through innovative – and sometimes completely offbeat – creations. The HL2.3 PUNK is in line with this spirit, taking it to the next level. A veritable sculpture in movement, this creation boasts a unique and unexpected aesthetic, adorned with steel studs. Flying in the face of all conventions, HAUTLENCE has created a timepiece which breaks with received codes entirely, firmly rooting itself in Punk ideology.
Cementing its status as the "enfant terrible" of watchmaking, HAUTLENCE takes rebellion to the next level with the HL2.3 PUNK model. Reinterpreting the signature case associated with the calibre HL2.0, with its three sapphire crystals cut from solid blocks, HAUTLENCE has taken the unconventional step of adding 84 studs of 14 different sizes to symbolically represent the Punk ethos. Inspired by the legendary Perfecto jacket, HAUTLENCE is embodying personal liberty, daring to mix genres to create an haute horlogerie watch which boldly proclaims its individuality. Above the speed regulator which ensures that the hours display changes smoothly via the half-trailing hours chain, HAUTLENCE has replaced the traditional MOEBIUS symbol with the "Circle-A" of the Libertarian movement, which advocates for absolute freedom, denying any principle of authority and rejecting all constraints.
The HL2.3 PUNK is driven by the calibre HL2.0, which combines the jumping hour, which is half-trailing, the retrograde minute – the brand's signature – and the power reserve indication. Constructed around the retrograde minutes, the jumping hour is formed of a chain comprising twelve links. The retrograde minutes are displayed on a sector set over 180°. A clever mechanism ensures this assembly moves with control, thereby preventing any accidental impacts linked to its operation. Each hour, as the chain moves, the bridge-type movement rotates through 60°, enabling it to compensate for the effects of gravity on the regulating organ. To ensure it has sufficient energy, the main barrel, which is charged by the automatic system, winds a second barrel which drives the display complication.
With a sleek ergonomic design, featuring contemporary mechanical architecture backed with an ethos of rebellion, the HL2.3 PUNK model will certainly not go unnoticed, linking back to the brand's founding principle: to create different ways of displaying the time. The HL2.3 PUNK is a unique piece which will be available in other materials.
