VAGABONDE X BLACK BADGER

Presented in a limited series of only 28 pieces, the Hautelence Vagabonde X Black Badger merges Haute Horlogerie with the visual wizardry of lume artist and craftsman Black Badger. For this special edition, the endlessly fascinating Hautlence wandering hour display has been enhanced by contemporary métiers d’art elements and the proprietary luminescent materials of James Thompson also known master of lume ‘Black Badger’. The results of this exciting collaboration is a beautifully crafted sports wristwatch by day, which transforms into a stunning spectacle when darkness falls.

Measuring 50.8mm across and 43mm end to end, the Hautelence Vagabonde X Black Badger edition carries a TV-screen watch case, so-named as it recalls the profile of retro television screens. Secured via a fully integrated rubber strap, the watch has a water resistance of 100m, conforming to the sports characteristics of the model.

The bezel of the Hautelence Vagabonde X Black Badger edition's case is stepped and has been topped with bevelled sapphire crystal which when viewed side-on enhances the unique aspect of the dial. Evocative of vintage arcade games, maze-like 3D elements seemingly placed at random, create an artwork in miniature which surrounds the sapphire disc for the time indications at the centre dial. Rendered in vivid orange, and with a liberal application of James Thompson’s proprietary Badgerite® luminescent composite, these colourful elements offer a striking contrast to the frosted, darkened dial surface beneath them.

The minutes are indicated on the Hautelence Vagabonde X Black Badger edition on a sapphire disc via brilliant white numerals and markers. Rotating in a clockwise direction, the minutes disc is elevated above a trio of hour satellites, each nuanced with vivid blue accents. As the current hour is revealed within its window, its numeral is accompanied by an arrow pointer for the minutes, thus the time can be read instantly and intuitively.

In low light conditions, each 3D structure comes alive, as together with the Badgerite®-enhanced minute indices and the Super-LumiNova-coated hour numerals the elements glow giving an outer-worldly appearance to the dial.

Careful consideration during the design process ensures that the significance of the mechanisms for the wander hours is not lost, instead the artwork perfectly complements the technical architecture of the watch, with enough empty dial space to enjoy each aspect, whether by day or by night.

The compelling dial side panorama of the Vagabonde X Black Badger by Hautelence is achieved by an equally impressive mechanical movement, the in-house B30 automatic movement, which is revealed through a central sapphire section in the caseback. Beating at a frequency of 21’600 vib/h (3Hz), and with a reserve of power of 72 hours, the movement is entirely modern in its arrangement, with dark grey rendering on the plates and bridges and with a darkened, partially openworked rotor embellished with the brand’s signature logo.

Released in a limited series of 28 pieces, the Hautlence Vagabonde X Black Badger watch comes presented on a blue rubber strap secured with a steel pin buckle.