he inaugural Winchester collection introduced by The Unnamed Society x L’Épée was a resounding success. But what do you do for an encore? The answer was as surprising as it was self-evident: to explore the uncharted territory that lay beyond the frontier that had just been crossed!

The Unnamed Society is known for arranging unexpected meetings between art and creativity, between tradition and innovation, always at the apex of exclusivity in materials and craftmanship – to create something that in every facet is so new, precious and special that it transcends itself. “Winchester, reimagined” is the fascinating fifth chapter of a continuing journey that explores the unknown behind the known.

Chapter V of Winchester, reimagined takes exceptional refinement in the choice of materials into uncharted territory. The bold statement made by the object is now matched with the bold combination of materials, colors and textures. The sleek, powerful lines are given a genuine freshness. A new, unexpected energy from unexpected associations to evoke unexpected emotions, for an endlessly fascinating experience. Not just to behold, but also in the way it unleashes a daring note in any space.

The choice of metals allows for every nuance of self-expression: Winchester, reimagined comes in variations of steel, gold plated (3N), black chrome, as well as in a selection of bicolor (gold plated- and-steel) iterations. Likewise, the stock and forestock provide the canvas for exploring new material combinations, truly pushing the boundaries of the rare and exotic: alligator, taurus, kangaroo, snake, lamb, shark, lizard, stingray, bloodwood, walnut, rosewood, oak, ebony. The spectacular juxtaposition of materials and textures is matched only by the painstaking craftmanship that goes into the smallest detail.

In a respectful nod to the tradition of great gunsmithing, the receiver is engraved to further underscore the interplay of artistry at so many levels of perception. True to its trailblazing spirit, Winchester, reimagined also proposes an alternative to the classic arabesque motif: a modern interpretation of gun engraving by master bladesmith and knife designer Tashi Bharucha.

The original Winchester lever action repeating rifle introduced in 1866 was a gamechanger by its approach to loading ammunition, cocking the hammer and chambering the bullet in one rapid, fluid motion – with a lever actioned by the trigger hand. It allowed for excellent handling and accuracy – without prior training. Hitting your mark took only a calm hand and determination.

By 1866, the Swiss watchmaking Manufacture L’Épée had already been making precision clocks for 21 years. And yet, the Swiss manufacture would have been awed by the Winchester’s reliability and accuracy. Today, L’Épée is not just creating a unique timepiece, but recreating a piece of a unique time in its workshops in Delémont, in the heart of the Swiss Jura mountains.

The idea was never to bolt a clock to a gun. L’Épée reengineered the original’s hallmark loading and cocking mechanism to wind the timekeeping caliber and rethought its barrel system to indicate and set the time. On the original, the ammunition capacity without having to reload the magazine was 15 rounds. It is only logical for Winchester, reimagined to take 15 cocks of the lever to fully wind the mechanism, and generate a power reserve of approximately 7 days.

Says Arnaud Nicolas, CEO of L’Épée: “Working together with The Unnamed Society was a dream come true, especially in terms of finding creative engineering solutions to address the countless challenges of ‘Winchester, reimagined’. These ‘timepieces of art’ offer a unique combination of watchmaking excellence and artistic expression, one that challenges and inspires the imagination from every angle, with every reflection of light on these daring creations.”

The case is finished in the finest leather; the bespoke stand crafted from rich walnut allows Winchester, reimagined to be displayed to the fullest effect on a table, desk, mantel or wall.

Winchester, reimagined – Chapter V is a Limited Collection of 87 pieces, each one is a one-off creation with its own unique juxtaposition of precious and unexpected materials, textures, and colours.