A recent discussion among colleagues made me reflect on the need to clarify the concept of Concept Watch. Some journalists, in fact, still turn their noses up at watch models with strong technical content, but destined for very limited production or, indeed, never to enter mass production.
This is because watchmaking has only recently discovered this new way of presenting itself to the public, and novelties struggle to be well received in a classically traditional sector, which is also tied to a very compassionate image (despite the rivers of ink and the many laborious reports published on the great Swiss manufacturers, there are still those who believe in the myth of the 'little Swiss watchmaker' bent over the bench who creates the masterpiece of haute horlogerie from raw material... all by himself!). Borrowed from the automotive industry, the 'Concept' product allows the industry to try its hand at new technologies, at unconventional achievements and at products that fuel the dream and make the whole industry speak outside its specific environment.
So I welcome TAG Heuer's Monaco V4 and A. Lange & Söhne's Lange 31 (which has many Concept Watch features, for more on this read my post of 28 March). If the company then manages to propose a small production run, at a price that is certainly high, but which nonetheless meets the demand of a select (and wealthy) public of enthusiasts, willing to pay a more than considerable sum for an ultra-exclusive watch... welcome! Let's not forget that these in fact are always products on the side of a proposal for 'series' models that could also in the future enjoy more affordable solutions derived from the technologies fielded for the Concept Watches, increasingly enriching the watchmaking panorama.
For those interested in a further in-depth look at the subject, I would like to remind you that in this month's Chrono World (currently on newsstands) an exclusive interview with Stéphane Linder - TAG Heuer's Production Manager - clears up numerous doubts about the future of the V4.
Pictured here is the latest (working) prototype of TAG Heuer's Monaco V4, photographed at the factory a few days ago...
