As you have probably figured out by now, my first stop once entering the fair, as it is called over in Basel, is in Hall 5 upstairs at the AHCI stand. This for me is where the truly creative geniuses in the world of horology reside, in order to show off their creations. Vianney, Marco, Thomas, Nicolas, Stepan and all the others have these 8 days to expand their world, and have collectors, enthusiasts and other people from watch world visit and get exposed what they have as their chosen path.
This year for the first time, several of the members of the AHCI, were exhibiting in a new tented area across from the Ramada Hotel under the collective banner, The Watch Factory or TWF. Here together with the likes of Max Busser, Fabrication de Montres Normandes, Alain Silberstein & Urwerk, both Beat Haldimann & Peter Speake-Marin exhibited. One great aspect of this area, was the ability to sit down in an albeit small, but comfortable booth in privacy. The light is also infinitely better than up in the AHCI area.
Back in Hall 5, the first stand I visited was Marco's where he and his team at Lang & Heyne in Dresden have created a totally new calibre housed in a 39.4mm case, the Konrad. The Cal.V is a new path for Marco and his team, combining an anteretrograde date(the hand jumps forward across the arc between 31 & 1) and a possible 1 second remontoir "Force constant", the new watch in person is stunning.
Here it is in white gold...
Also new is the bridge layout in this new calibre. In his previous 3 calibres, the use of a traditional 3/4 plate was implemented, here the trigonal main bridge anchors the main parts of the movement, whilst revealing much of the inner workings.
Now the back view in 18k rose gold:
Another feature on this watch is the hinged case-back, that one can have engraved with a personal touch. Marco tells me the watch is available with or without the remontoir, so for those collectors who don't want this little horological marvel and it's additional cost, the Konrad has options!
As Marco and his team are making almost all of the movement & case in Dresden, the annual production is still quite small. His watches will not be seen on every high street corner all over the world. Connoisseurs of his work will be happy to hear that only 30-40 watches are able to be created each year.