Key Highlights
- New collection named Kubera, after the Hindu god of wealth and guardian of the world’s treasures
- Sculptural steel case (36.0 x 43.8 x 11.3 mm) with layered, tiered construction and integrated bracelet
- Olive green lacquered dial with geometric relief, paired with a turquoise peripheral minute cursor
- Lajoux-Perret B60 self-winding movement with anti-magnetic escapement, plus an Agenhor-developed jumping hours and peripheral minutes module
- Minimum 70-hour power reserve, 28,800 vibrations/hour, 244 components, 28 jewels
A New Architectural Language for HAUTLENCE
Since its founding in 2004, HAUTLENCE has built its reputation on questioning how time can be displayed. Based in Neuhausen am Rheinfall and named in tribute to Neuchâtel, the cradle of Swiss watchmaking, the maison has consistently chosen the path of mechanical experimentation over convention. The arrival of the Kubera collection marks a new chapter, introducing a fresh case design, a fresh aesthetic, and a fresh movement architecture in a single, coherent statement.
The collection takes its name from Kubera, the Hindu god of wealth and the guardian of underground treasures, a deity associated with the earth, mountains and precious minerals. The reference is more than literary. It informs the watch’s tactile, sculpted surfaces and rich textures, evoking layers and contours shaped over time. From this mythology, HAUTLENCE has drawn an object that asks to be handled, turned and examined, not merely glanced at.
A Sculptural Case Inspired by Cubism
The Kubera Series 1 is housed in a steel case measuring 36.0 x 43.8 x 11.3 mm, with a layered, tiered construction that breaks the silhouette into a series of distinct planes. Each surface catches the light differently, producing an interplay of volumes and textures that gives the watch an almost monolithic, three-dimensional presence on the wrist. This fragmented approach to form is openly indebted to Cubism, where geometry and perspective replace traditional contour.
The case extends seamlessly into an integrated steel bracelet, appearing as if carved from a single block. Its links cascade in a geometric sequence, progressively decreasing in size to ensure visual continuity and a comfortable fit. A folding steel clasp with micro-adjustment and a Quick-Release system for interchangeable straps reinforce the watch’s contemporary, sporty intent.
The Dial: Geometric Relief in Olive Green
Behind an extra-hard bevelled rectangular sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment lies a brass base dial finished in olive green lacquer. Its structured surface creates a subtle geometric relief, echoing the case architecture while preserving graphic clarity. A turquoise cursor traces the minutes along a hidden rail at the dial’s periphery, providing the only true chromatic accent and a signature visual rhythm.
A Handless Mechanical Time Display
The Kubera Series 1 is driven by a Lajoux-Perret B60 self-winding mechanical movement, notable for an anti-magnetic escapement introduced for the first time at HAUTLENCE. Operating at 28,800 vibrations per hour with a minimum power reserve of 70 hours, the calibre comprises 244 components and 28 jewels.
Layered onto this base is a jumping hours and peripheral minutes module developed by Agenhor in collaboration with HAUTLENCE. The hour appears in a window and changes instantly every sixty minutes, while the minutes are read off the peripheral turquoise cursor. The result is a handless, dynamic time display that turns reading the time into a visual event, an idea that has long defined the brand’s identity.
Why It Matters
For collectors in the GCC who increasingly seek independent voices alongside established maisons, the Kubera Series 1 offers a clear proposition: a watch designed by an independent producing roughly 200 pieces a year, with ten in-house calibres in its broader catalogue and a movement architecture developed with respected partners. It speaks directly to those drawn to architectural design, alternative time displays and the quiet confidence of a strong, well-resolved object.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What movement powers the HAUTLENCE Kubera Series 1?
The Kubera Series 1 is driven by a Lajoux-Perret B60 self-winding movement featuring an anti-magnetic escapement introduced for the first time at HAUTLENCE, combined with a jumping hours and peripheral minutes module developed by Agenhor in collaboration with HAUTLENCE.
What makes the case design of the Kubera Series 1 unique?
The sculptural steel case measures 36.0 x 43.8 x 11.3 mm and features a layered, tiered construction inspired by Cubism, breaking the silhouette into distinct planes that catch light differently. The case extends seamlessly into an integrated steel bracelet appearing as if carved from a single block.
How does the Kubera Series 1 display time without traditional hands?
The watch features a handless mechanical display where the hour appears in a window and changes instantly every sixty minutes, while the minutes are read from a turquoise cursor that traces along a peripheral rail on the olive green lacquered dial.
