convergence of craftsmanship and innovation unfolds as Massena LAB announces its latest release – the Chronograph Monopoussoir Sylvain Pinaud x Massena LAB. Crafted in collaboration with independent watchmaker Sylvain Pinaud, this handcrafted monopusher chronograph, a limited edition of only ten pieces, is set to excite connoisseurs and collectors alike.

Years before his win at the 2022 GPHG (Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève), where he was awarded that year’s “Horological Revelation” Prize, Sylvain Pinaud crossed paths with William Massena at a collectors event in Geneva. Pinaud’s avant-garde monopusher chronograph, ensconced in titanium, instantly caught Massena’s imagination.

Reflecting on their first meeting, Massena fondly recalls: “When I held Sylvain’s chronograph, it was pure horological magic. Hearing Sylvain recount the timepiece’s origin story - and how he had crafted it to compete in the prestigious Meilleurs Ouvriers de France (MOF) competition - only sealed the deal.”

“If you live outside of France, you may not be familiar with the MOF, but inside France, it is famous. About every four years, a competition is held to honor the best of the nation’s craftspeople, or ouvriers, in French. Entrants compete in various categories ranging from the culinary arts to metal and stoneworking. When Sylvain won his MOF with his Chronograph Monopoussoir, it almost instantly elevated him to his place among today’s most talented and exciting independent watchmakers. His win at the GPHG in 2022 only cemented this position.”

After seeing the watch in the metal, Massena asked Pinaud if he could place an order for himself but with a revised case design. What started as a personal commission turned into a professional project when many of Massena’s friends in the collector community expressed interest in acquiring a similar watch from Pinaud. The spark of collaboration ignited, and the Chronograph Monopoussoir Sylvain Pinaud x Massena LAB was born. From a personal muse to a shared project, Pinaud’s ingenuity and Massena’s vision coalesced into horological artistry.

Technical marvel meets aesthetic elegance in this timepiece, crafted almost entirely by hand in the atelier of Sylvain Pinaud in Sainte-Croix, Switzerland. The watch is powered by a hand-wound movement with a fully integrated, column-wheel chronograph with a horizontal clutch, which can be started; paused; and reset using a single pusher located discreetly at the crown. The movement’s integrated chronograph complication, hand-finished by the watchmaker himself, is left exposed on the dial side and is a delight to observe.

The dial, created by Comblémine SA - the dial manufacture owned by the renowned watchmaker Kari Voutilainen - is a fusion of modern design with vintage aesthetics inspired by maritime chronometers. Sapphire windows on the sides of the titanium case, as well as a sapphire caseback, invite glances from almost every angle - a glimpse into the careful labor and artistry which characterise a Sylvain Pinaud timepiece.

The partnership between Sylvain Pinaud and Massena LAB represents more than just a watch. The Chronograph Monopoussoir Sylvain Pinaud x Massena LAB is an ode to independent watchmaking and its constant evolution. As Massena LAB grows, it continues to support independent watchmakers by first seeking out and shining a spotlight on new talents in the independent watchmaking space. As they have done previously for makers including Habring2; Luca Soprana; and Raúl Pagès, Massena LAB continues to champion the independent makers who represent an important and ever-growing sector of contemporary watchmaking.

The Chronograph Monopoussoir Sylvain Pinaud x Massena LAB is now on MassenaLAB.com and is available for viewing by appointment only at Geneva Watch Days. Production is limited to three pieces each year, with deliveries taking place over three years – a testament to its rarity and refinement. Price available upon request.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

● Model: Chronograph Monopoussoir Sylvain Pinaud x Massena LAB

● Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, monopusher chronograph with 45-minute counter.

● Movement: manual-winding, single pusher column-wheel chronograph with horizontal clutch. 18,000 half oscillations per hour (2.5 Hz), power reserve of 45 hours. Hand-finished to the highest possible degree.

● Dial: A broad plate dominates the upper half of the dial, which is hand-frosted with hand-beveled edges. Bearing the name of the watchmaker, a subdial at 12 o’clock displays hours and minutes and is also hand-finished, a frosted inner sector with a beveled edge and circular graining of the hours and minutes sector track. Forty-five-minute counter at 3 o’clock. Small sends at 9 o’clock. Black and white indices. Blued steel chronograph and counter hands are easily distinguishable from the hour, minute, and second hands in stainless steel. The bottom half of the dial is left exposed so that the gears and bridges of the chronograph movement, which are also hand-finished, remain visible.

● Dimensions: 42mm case; thickness: 11mm.

● Crystal: Sapphire crystal.

● Case: Titanium. Polished bezel with grained lugs for visual contrast. Sapphire crystal window panels on the sides of its titanium case, allow for the dial to be viewed from additional angles.

● Water resistance: 3 ATM (30 meters).

● Case back: Sapphire crystal.

● Strap/Bracelet: Alligator, made in France by Jean Rousseau Paris for Massena LAB.

● Lug Width: 20mm.

● Limited to 10 pieces.

● Price available on request.