Worn & Wound
Sartory-Billard Introduces a Pair of New References on the SB04 Platform
Micro-indie brand Sartory-Billard, founded by Armand Billard and his friend Ludovic Sartory in 2015, is well-known for its custom bespoke timepieces. In a shift from its usual practices, the brand is set to release two new fully fleshed-out models featuring its standard SB04-E case: the Ruby Platinum, which will be a limited series, and the Tantalum Hand-Engraved, which will enter regular production. Both models aim to showcase the brand’s craftsmanship and expertise, a goal they seem to have achieved based on these brand supplied images. The Ruby Platinum watch features a dial centerpiece made from genuine ruby sourced from a responsibly harvested boulder in Tanzania, Africa. The ruby is crafted into dial inserts in Germany, just an hour away from the Sartory-Billard workshop. Because of the unique nature of the material, no two dials are identical; each displays distinct textures. Completing the dial is a fumé sunray-textured platinum-plated outer ring. Tantalum is one of the most challenging metals to work with due to its remarkable density and hardness. Engraving a delicate design on its surface requires great skill, which is exemplified in the intricate feather-like engraving found in the center of the Tantalum Hand-Engraved dial. Like the previous model, this one also features a surrounding ring; however, this one is made of solid tantalum and finished with a fumé sunray effect. Both watches have a 39.5mm diameter case, measuring 46mm from lug to lug and only 10....
