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Quill & Pad
In GaryG's 30 years of “serious” participation in the watch hobby, he has met few, if any, more interesting individuals than William Massena Rohr, founder and leader of Massena Lab, and Luca Soprana, an independent complications specialist. Here, Gary reviews (and photographs) the Old School watch collaboration between Soprana and Massena Lab.
Worn & Wound
The latest collaboration between design firm Massena LAB, and Italian watchmaker UNIMATIC is well underway with their Modello Cinque U5S-ML. Like any good partnership, both parties should bring something to the table – and this timepiece is no exception. Combining the thoughtful design language that Massena has become known for, with the craftsmanship of Unimatic, the U5S-ML is nuanced, balanced and, above all, flattering for just about anyone. Most noticeable upfront is the smaller size of this reference. The Modello Cinque U5S-ML boasts a 36mm brushed stainless steel case. For those who have followed UNIMATIC, you might be aware that this smaller case size is a departure for the brand – but should be a welcome one for enthusiasts looking for a watch with a smaller footprint. The 36mm style firmly places the U5S-ML in the midsize and unisex categories, broadening the appeal to a wider and more diverse audience. The watch itself was inspired by the industrial style boom of the mid-1900’s, with reference points taken from the work of Dieter Rams and even Bavarian automobile dashboards. This is most evident in the clean lines and minimalistic dial that’s unobtrusive but nonetheless stylish and modern. Running along the matte black dial surface we have glossy white markers, and hour and minute hands that are matte black ladder phantoms (and accented in Super-LumiNova C1). The same design details are found on the caseback, which features a UNIMATIC x Massena LAB Fibo...
Worn & Wound
Now in their fourth collaboration together, Swiss brand Mathey-Tissot and Massena LAB have once again brought their individual strengths to give us the Chronograph ‘68. This vintage-inspired watch is the best of both worlds: providing a great timepiece, while also being a stylish, vintage inspired accessory for anyone looking for an upgrade to their wrist rotation. The impetus for this watch’s design comes from the tumultuous year of 1968. As Mathey-Tissot recounts the various cultural shifts during this period in history, one really has the sense that there was a dramatic change happening as the world was preparing to ring in a new decade. Mathey-Tissot and Massena cite events like Arthur Ashe’s historic victory at the U.S. Open and the emergence of “mod” culture in London as important cultural touchstones from the year, and the Chronograph ‘68 exists as a kind of tribute to a very specific point in history by adhering to particular aesthetic choices rooted in late ‘60s watch design. To commemorate this period, Mathey-Tissot and Massena LAB looked at various reference points of watches that were sold during the 1960’s. The result is an amalgamation of design elements that work seamlessly together to make a timeless watch that could easily be made today or 60 years ago. From the black dial against the 41mm stainless steel case, to the reflective hour markers, to the three colorful registers in red, white, and blue, the balance of neutral design and pops of ...
Worn & Wound
Massena LAB takes another big step this week with the introduction of a new collaboration with independent watchmaker, Sylvain Pinaud. The watch, a monopusher chronograph, is immensely impressive, shifting expectations around the collaborative space as a whole. We had the chance to meet Sylvain Pinaud in Geneva during Watches & Wonders 2022 at a space dedicated to the AHCI (The Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants), where his Origine watch made one of the strongest impressions of the entire week. The watch would go on to nab a GPHG award for Horological Revelation later that year. If you weren’t familiar with that watch, this latest effort should place him firmly on your radar. This project, done in collaboration with Massena LAB, uses Pinaud’s existing Monopoussoir Chronograph movement, and places it into a new platform with a slightly more classically designed 42mm titanium case. That case is how the collaboration began, with the new design coming at the request of William Massena himself. The process resulted in enough interest to create a limited run of 10 pieces. The watch itself makes an immediate impression, with an open dial revealing the beautifully finished chronograph works below. The movement, crafted by Pinaud, is hand wound, and features an integrated column wheel and horizontal clutch, which can be started, stopped, and rest all via the single button nestled discreetly within the crown at 3 o’clock. Turning the watch on its side reveals an...
Revolution
Worn & Wound
We’re back with a fresh episode of A Week In Watches, covering news from Norqain, Oris, Vulcain, and of course, Linde Werdelin. Additionally, it wouldn’t be a new week without a new collaboration to discuss, and this time it comes courtesy of our friends at Massena LAB and Revolution Magazine in the form of a new, mostly original take on the Uni-Racer Chronograph. Elsewhere, Oris returns to the baseball field to honor the great Milwaukee (okay, and Atlanta) Brave, Hank Aaron with a new colorway of their Big Crown Pointer Date. Another unique configuration of an existing watch released this week is a new Octo Moonphase from Linde Werdelin, who still have a knack for killer case architecture and open dial work. A favorite release this weeks comes from Vulcain, who is once again bringing back the Nautical Cricket, a diving alarm watch with a gnarly inner bezel which includes a full decompression table. This is a historic watch that’s more than just a novelty, it’s got some serious pedigree under its belt that dates back to the early ’60s. Plus, it offers two caseback options, a move we rarely see at this price point. Keep an eye out for more on that one coming soon. Until then, enjoy this week’s episode below. A quick note on a programming change with A Week In Watches: this series will be moving to a bi-monthly format, allowing us more time to bring you a broader selection of curated news, at an even better production quality. A lot of work goes into creating the...
Worn & Wound
The latest drop from Massena LAB is a new entry in the ongoing Uni-Racer series, a project which represented the first solo venture for William Massena’s design focused brand, which until that point had focused exclusively on collaborations. Somewhat ironically, the latest Uni-Racer is itself a collaboration between Massena and Revolution, the watch publication founded by Wei Koh. It’s honestly a bit surprising that this is the first time these two friends have collaborated on a limited edition watch – both have been at the forefront of the growing limited/collaborative watch space that has dominated the enthusiast watch world in recent years. Nevertheless, this first partnership between the two would seem to be a fitting project based on their interests and the unique type of nostalgia that Massena LAB has mined in the past, and with the Uni-Racer watches specifically. The Massena LAB x Revolution Uni-Racer 1949 is inspired by what to this point is a well understood aesthetic: the midcentury chronograph. It’s a relatively simple idea that can go in any number of far flung directions, but it boils down to a two register design, pump pushers on a circular case, and, very often, a series of scales and sectors on the dial that lend a complexity and visual interest to the watch, and help place it in a time period where physicians, scientists, soldiers and countless others might have had a real reason to use these things in the days before a smartphone could be found ...
Hodinkee
A vintage pièce unique Patek dial is the perfect inspiration for this collaboration.
Revolution
Worn & Wound
Last year’s Massena LAB collaboration with Louis Erard, a regulator in an unmistakably classic style with variants in gold and rhodium dial executions, was a success for both brands, with the watch being shortlisted for the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. This week, that release gets a follow up in the form of the new Le Chronographe Monopoussoir Louis Erard x Massena LAB, a monopusher chronograph that shifts the design language of last year’s release to a new complication. The driving force behind Massena LAB, to make a style of watchmaking typically reserved for only the most well heeled collectors accessible to anyone, is very much apparent in the new monopusher, as it takes both a complication and visual aesthetic that are often associated with a certain level of opulence and made them quite a bit more approachable. The monopusher is an interesting counterpoint to last year’s regulator. In terms of mechanical complexity, the monopusher has a clear edge, yet the design here is striking in its restraint. The regulator shows its time telling information in a busy cluster of hands and subdials, but with the monopusher we only get one additional register, a 30 minute counter at the 12:00 position. It’s a simple and straightforward execution of a complication that can often be something of an eye chart, and with the single pusher that simplicity is carried over to the chronograph’s literal operation as well. Aesthetically, we get a similar treatment on the ...
SJX Watches
Louis Erard has once again joined forces with Massena LAB for another take on a common complication. Le Chronographe Monopoussoir draws inspiration from 19th century pocket watches and continues with the styling from the first time these two brands collaborated. Initial thoughts Louis Erard’s brand identity is continually shaped and defined by its many partnerships. Its latest collaboration with Massena LAB continues this creative streak with a relatively classical complication in the form of a mono-pusher chronograph. Building upon their collaboration from last year, the latest timepiece has kept the distinctive grained dial that is industrially finished but well executed. They have opted for a more restrained design by having just a single register at twelve, deviating from the traditional two- or three-register configuration of most chronographs. Despite the minimalist aesthetic, the watch is very big at 43 mm wide and 15.7 mm thick. The thickness in particular is a lot and the size may turn some people off. The carries a substantial presence on the wrist, arguably too much for a watch of this style. One reason for the size is the movement, which is the same Sellita calibre found in all Louis Erard chronographs, including the Alain Silberstein iteration. For that reason, it also remains in the same price range, with a retail of US$4,950, making it fair value as an interesting yet affordable chronograph. At the same time, this distinguishes itself through the class...
Worn & Wound
At the end of last year, Massena LAB had an unexpected hit with a pair of limited edition Type XX chronographs signed by Mathey-Tissot. Those watches were inspired by a watch in Massena LAB founder William Massena’s personal collection, and that’s also the genesis of his latest project bearing the Mathy-Tissot name. This time, the watch in question is the Mergulhador Skin Diver, a watch that you’d be forgiven for being enamored with based on name alone. “Mergulhador” means “diver” in Portuguese, and as you’d probably guess, the original version of the watch was marketed to the Portuguese market in the 1970s, and was aimed at both military and civilian customers. It’s a bit obscure, but that’s what’s fun about it, and why it makes sense for someone with Massena’s knowledge and background to bring it to a larger audience. The main attraction here is the dial, which is a rich amber fumé that gives the appearance of being weatherbeaten for decades. The amber color is complemented by bright orange hour markers and an orange minute track against a black background that feels right out of the 1970s central watch casting. The dial also features oversized white lume plots at each hour, the size of which is certainly in keeping with the general 1970s aesthetic. I think Massena LAB deserves credit here for resisting the urge to use a “faux-tina” tone for the lume. That might have been the obvious way to go for such a vintage influenced watch, but the to...
Revolution
Worn & Wound
For the latest Massena LAB limited edition, William Massena’s boutique brand specializing in tasteful remakes of classic pieces with real watch nerd pedigree is reaching back to the 1960s, and showcasing a different type of tool watch. The collaborator for this edition, Angelus, is a historic Swiss brand known largely for their excellent chronographs, and the limited edition seen here is based on a deep cut made specifically for physicians. The Chronographe Médical x Massena LAB is the first watch in Angelus’s new La Fabrique collection, which will specialize in recreating important Angelus watches in small batch limited editions. The principle behind a “doctor’s watch” is fairly well known. These watches were typically chronographs that incorporate a pulsation scale at the perimeter of the dial or within a bezel, making it easy for a doctor to quickly calculate the heartrate of a patient. Their operation is simple: start the chronograph, count ten heartbeats (or the number the scale on your watch is calibrated for), and then stop the chronograph. The chronograph seconds hand will be pointing to the number of heart beats per minute. You can imagine that the practicality here for a doctor, particularly when watches like this were being made in the 1950s and 60s, was off the charts. Even for the average person, it could be argued that a pulsation scale would be more useful day to day than something like a tachymeter or a telemeter. The Chronograph Médical lim...
Hodinkee
The two brands dug deep in the archives to revive an incredibly rare, fascinating, and specialized watch. It's just what the doctor ordered.
Worn & Wound
Airain, the heritage watch brand that made a triumphant return in 2020 with their Type 20 reissue, is back with a new spin on the popular (and historic) chronograph that gives it a sleek and under the radar look. Airain, you might remember, is one of the original French manufacturers of the Type 20 chronograph, the military aviator’s watch issued to French pilots in the 1950s and 60s. Several watchmakers were contracted by the French Ministry of Defense to produce the watches to spec, including Mathey Tissot, Dodane, and, most famously, Breguet. Vintage examples of the Type 20 are highly collectible, and Breguet of course still produces a variety of excellent chronographs under the moniker. Brands like Hemel and Massena LAB have also gotten in on the Type 20 action recently, which might harken a boom in interest in these very specific chronographs. The specificity, I think, is part of the charm. Like other watches built for military purposes, the Type 20 was made to a certain standard, with certain key features, regardless of the manufacturer that actually produced it. In the case of the Type 20, those requirements included a black dial with registers at 3:00 and 6:00, giving the wearer the ability to time events up to 30 minutes in duration, along with a 38mm case diameter, a rotating 12 hour bezel, lumed hands and Arabic numerals, and accuracy to within 8 seconds per day. The other key feature was that the chronograph needed to have flyback functionality, a requireme...
Quill & Pad
In GaryG's 30 years of “serious” participation in the watch hobby, he has met few, if any, more interesting individuals than William Massena Rohr, founder and leader of Massena Lab, and Luca Soprana, an independent complications specialist. Here, Gary reviews (and photographs) the Old School watch collaboration between Soprana and Massena Lab.
Hodinkee
The Magraph is Massena Lab's most ambitious – and successful – watch yet.
Revolution
SJX Watches
Continuing with the vintage-inspired aesthetic that has informed many of its recent models, Habring² is elaborating upon its single-button chronograph. Now the brand’s flagship model, the Chrono Felix Perpetual is self-explanatory – a hand-wind Felix chronograph with a perpetual calendar module. As is typical for Habring², the Chrono Felix Perpetual (CFP) approaches the double complication in a practical and affordable manner. It’s powered by the brand’s own A11 base movement, while the calendar is the familiar and reliable Dubois-Depraz module. The CFP is making its debut in two variants: a “salmon” dial with Breguet numerals as well as a striking black-and-silver version for Massena Lab. The “salmon” dial model available from Habring² Initial thoughts Although Habring² introduced a split-seconds chronograph with perpetual calendar three years ago, the CFP feels like an all-new product. And it is, in fact, new in most tangible respects. The case is smaller while the movement has been dressed up and even incorporates an in-house escapement and balance assembly. The CFP is a handsome watch with surprisingly compact proportions. In fact, the CFP will feel like the standard Habring² Felix chronograph, since they share the same case middle with the CFP having a thicker bezel. The Massena Lab edition While both versions of the CFP have the same dimensions, they are aesthetics opposites despite both being vintage inspired. Habring²’s edition is a warm,...
SJX Watches
Having made collaborations a habit, Louis Erard’s latest joint venture is with Massena Lab, an American brand that is equally adept at collaborations. Together the two have put together the Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Massena Lab. In contrast to its recent abstract or Bauhaus collaborations, the Louis Erard’s new regulator is resolutely classical. It takes inspiration from the aesthetics of 18th century timepieces, which were all brass, steel, and frosted gilt, explaining the colours and granular dial finish. Initial thoughts Demonstrating Louis Erard’s versatility when it comes to collaborations, the Massena Lab regulator is basically a new dial style for the brand’s signature model yet it manages to look different enough that it’ll please someone who already owns a Louis Erard regulator. Although the grained dial is produced with industrial methods, it is a good approximation of a traditionally frosted dial and looks good on the wrist. Between the two I favour the gold-plated dial for its contrast, though the large case size means the rhodium version is appealing for its restrained palette. But because the new pair are essentially the standard regulator model at heart, they also has the dimensions of the standard model, which is bigger than would be ideal, especially in terms of thickness. At the same time, the two watches are priced in an accessible fashion typical for Louis Erard – just under US$3,900 in this case – making them well-priced propositions...
Time+Tide
Back in October, we covered the Old School by Massena LAB x Luca Soprana – a montre d’école inspired limited edition crafted and assembled by master watchmaker Luca Soprana. The watch was a limited edition of 11 pieces, and, considering all the hand-craftsmanship that went into building each watch it expectedly carried quite a price tag … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: Louis Erard x Massena LAB team up to debut two frosty Le Régulateur limited editions appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Deployant
Introducing the fourth Louis Erard collaboration for 2022 - the Louis Erard x Massena LAB Le Régulateur, available in two dial variants.
Revolution
For Revolution USA’s editor-at-large, the defining watch of 2021 is one that has elicited a rollercoaster of mixed emotions.
Revolution
Massena LAB and Italian watch manufacturer UNIMATIC presents the U1-MLB, inspired by the West German Navy’s dive watches of the 1970s.
Revolution
Devoid of excess, Old School is solid, sober and austere, a simple time-only watch that brims with precision in reading and hand-crafted detail.
SJX Watches
Following a slew of affordable, vintage-inspired watches, with several made by Habring2, Massena Lab has moved decidedly upmarket with the Old School. The time-only wristwatch retains a typical of the American watch-design studio – once again vintage inspired with a sector-like dial – but boasts a significantly more refined finishing. The model name is a play on words – a reference to its classical design but also the watch is meant to evoke a montre d’école, or “school watch” in English, the graduation project of a watchmaking student. Despite the academic inspiration, the Old School is the work of an experienced watchmaker, Luca Soprana, who cofounded Ateliers 7h38, the complication workshop best known for the Jacob & Co. Astronomia Tourbillon. Initial thoughts Massena Lab founder William Rohr is an industry veteran – amongst other things he’s been managing director of Antiquorum Switzerland and consultant to Bonhams – who has cultivated a sharp eye for design an details. Mr Rohr also has a finger on the current pulse of watch collecting, and the Old School unsurprisingly encapsulates what many enthusiasts currently desire. The design and movement feature traditional elements that are popular now. It’s not meant to be an intriguing or creative product – it is old school after all – but instead a simple watch executed well. One element that illustrates Mr Massena’s keen eye is the dial. The simple design has just enough flair to make it attrac...
Time+Tide
Once upon a time, I applied for a very prestigious and selective watchmaking school here in the USA. Sadly, I did not make the cut, which was probably fair given that I do not have the steadiest hands. A silver lining to this story is that, after my time working as a watch specialist for … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Old School by Massena LAB x Luca Soprana appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
GaryG turns his attention and camera to three watches developed by collector and industry veteran William Massena, two of which are co-branded collaborations and the third a piece with origins in a conversation among a bunch of friends.
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