 I have waited a month between my first "contact" with the Harry Winston / Vianney Halter venture Opus 3 to write this article. I wanted to be sure that my first reaction of utter awe before this timepiece was not an ephemeral jump of the heart but a true "love affair". What exactly is the Harry Winston Opus concept? The Opus is a concept based on Harry Winston's idea of creating, each year, an exceptional timepiece in partnership with one of Switzerland's most gifted independent horological creators. What makes the concept unique is that the partners come together as equals and work in total symbiosis. Kudos should be given to Harry Winston Timepieces. In an industry where many brands use the talents of independent watchmakers to develop complications for them and no sooner the movement ready they erase any sign of the watchmaker from their records as to present these movements as their very own, Harry Winston Timepieces not only gives young independent watchmakers the opportunity to fully express themselves before a larger crowd by benefiting from Harry Winston's communication powers, but also proudly co-brands the timepiece. .jpg) Opus 1 was created with F.P Journe (pre existing Journe models set in new cases) and Opus 2 was created in 2002 by Antoine Preziuso as a very interesting perpetual calendar tourbillon. The Opus 3, created in partnership with Vianney Halter, breaks all the rules of time display and design and is produced in a limited edition of 55 pieces (25 in rose gold, 25 in platinum and 5 jeweled pieces) .jpg) "The choice of Vianney Halter was logical" said Maximilien Büsser, CEO of Harry Winston Timepieces. Mr. Büsser recalls having been struck by Vianney Halter's Perpetual Antiqua piece when it first came out in 1999 and having taken time off from work he went to visit Vianney Halter's ateliers in Saint Croix. There, the two men realized that they shared a common vision of horology. With the help of Fate the AHCI and Harry Winston booths at Basel being only a few meters apart the 2 spent some time chatting during the Basel fair 2000 and decided to go ahead and create something new together. Something that would be a total break with what had been done before in the world of haute horlogerie. The final result is the Opus 3. Vianney Halter was given full powers in creating this marvel and this, resulted in the conception of this highly unusual timepiece which is both true to the principles of fine horology and a totally new vision of presentation of time. In many ways the Opus 3 is unique. The Opus 3 is both true to the principles of fine horology and a totally new vision of presentation of time. In many ways the Opus 3 is unique. The time can be read through 6 "portholes" through which 10 discs, rotating independently display the hours (top outer portholes), the minutes (lower outer portholes) and the date (center top and center lower porthole). To avoid the dial from being too static before a change of hour or minute, the upper date aperture displays a countdown of the final four seconds of the minute!! .jpg) .jpg) The movement, which took almost 2 years to develop, comprises 2 distinct mechanisms: one for time, the other for function. The time mechanism consists of the "traditional" elements such as barrel, train, escapement etc.. whereas the function mechanism, totally independent drives the discs. These discs (of a total of 10) are linked by their axis to the time mechanism underneath. The movement of the Opus 3 consists of more than 250 components of which 98% were made by Vianey Halter himself.P> .jpg) .jpg) With such a complex movement comes a complex case, which is made up of almost 50 parts! Where most timepieces close from the back with a shallow case back, the Opus 3 is placed in the case and closed from the front so to protect the delicate layers of stacked discs whenever the timepiece is opened. For the case alone, the design team produced over 30 plans! .jpg) But that is not all. The watch also integrates a very original crown horizontally displayed that adjusts upwards and downwards to four setting levels: date (4 th notch), hour (3 rd notch), minutes (2 nd notch) and winding (1 st notch). .jpg) You may recall my first reaction about this piece in my write up on the 2003 Basel show. Well to tell you the truth nothing has changed since then. The Opus 3 remains THE most exciting watch I saw during the 2003 Swiss shows and maybe one of the watches that has had the most effect on me. Sure it is not an ultracomplication but where may try to create a buzz by putting as many complications or indications as possible the harry Winston / Vianney Halter creation is beyond horology and craft but a true work of love and art. Here we have a sculpture which happens to give time and not just a watch! By seeing and holding the watch you can almost feel the love, enthusiasm, but also toil and frustrations that Vianney Halter must have felt when creating the Opus 3! By seeing and holding the watch you can almost feel the love, enthusiasm, but also toil and frustrations that Vianney Halter must have felt when creating the Opus 3! Aesthetically the Opus 3 reminds me somewhat of a Jules Verne design or a watch worn in a Sci-Fi movies from the 50s: a time machine, an impossible invention made by a mad scientist! "The concept is not intended to be timeless" states Harry Winston "but on the contrary, to mark a specific moment in time". Vianney Halter compares it to one of his favourite machines, the Eiffel Tower, or to certain of Ettore Bugatti's cars, where the idea that it was actually built is just as important as its purpose.  This watch is a true must have for any collector: original, innovative, exquisitely made, exclusive and it looks beautiful on the wrist. The Opus 3 is a masterpiece full of contradictions: a tribute to centuries old techniques and traditions and to the digital age and pop culture. Technical Specifications
Alex G
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