For some time, Massena LAB, a design studio created by William Massena, a watch collector and industry veteran, has mainly focused on collaborations with quite renowned independent watch companies such as Habring², MB&F, or Ming. There have also been watches of their own design, like the Uni-Racer, but today's project is quite different in execution and concept, and since it is aimed at the history of watchmaking and traditional techniques, it is something we certainly had to explore in more detail. Based on the idea of montre d’école (translated from French as "school watch") and crafted by renowned watchmaker Luca Soprana, this new and quite desirable model is the Massena LAB Old School.
Behind this project are two people. The first is William, head of Massena LAB, responsible for the concept and design of these new watches. The second is Luca Soprana, a talented independent watchmaker some of you may know from his work on Jacob & Co. watches, mainly on the impressively complex Astronomia concept. Similar to watches recently created in collaboration with Habring² and Josh Shapiro, Massena once again wants to bring back traditional manufacturing and decoration techniques.
The idea of creating the Old School watch was an experiment with the concept of montre d’école. Also known as school watches, these were "designed and made by a watchmaking apprentice." The finished montre d’école watches were then assessed to determine if the apprentice could call themselves a true watchmaker. All Swiss watchmakers created their own montre d’école. Some of these school watches are so complex that working on them can take a whole year, and some apprentices go as far as creating their own movements. And today, Massena LAB asked Luca Soprana to return to the concept of montre d’école… after 20 years of work as a master watchmaker.
One important aspect of school watches for the apprentice is the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and talents in traditional finishing and decorating techniques. The Old School model from Massena LAB x Luca Soprana is no different in this respect, paying homage to the high horology of the German school of watchmaking.
Let's start with the movement. The LS-01 caliber, created based on pocket watch ébauches, showcases a classic hand-wound architecture - certainly familiar to vintage watch enthusiasts, with a well-known layout of elements. Bridges and plates are made of German silver (or maillechort) with a typical three-quarter plate, finger bridges, and a balance cock. The watch is equipped with a blued steel balance spring, swan-neck fine adjustment, and a micrometric screw, as well as a bimetallic balance wheel operating at a slow frequency. The power reserve when fully wound is about 40 hours.
More than the technical specifications, the finish is impressive. Indeed, every part has been decorated by hand using traditional techniques, such as finely sanded bridge surfaces (known as traits-tirés), contrasting with polished gold chatons and screws, a black polished escape bridge, hand-applied anglage on the edges of the bridges, including even sharp internal angles. Additionally, this movement uses a blade spring, and all engravings are done by hand, giving this highly desirable caliber an exceptional human touch. Note that the movement is certified as a chronometer by the Horological Society of New York.
Reducing the Old School watch by Massena LAB x Luca Soprana to just the movement would not fulfill expectations of unparalleled craftsmanship. The case, made of matte and polished steel, measures 41.5 mm in diameter and 11 mm in thickness, is deliberately devoid of finishing to emphasize the movement and dial. The watch is worn on a midnight blue alligator leather strap from Jean Rousseau Paris with a stainless steel buckle.
The dial is another detail of these watches worthy of attention. Like the movement, it is entirely hand-crafted using traditional techniques and materials. Designed by William, it is inspired by antique marine chronometers - keeping in mind Breguet - and classic sector dials of vintage chronometers - a recurring theme for Massena, who has already done this in numerous Habring2 collaborations.
The base of the dial is a hand-frosted German silver plate, which is then coated with 2N yellow gold. Around the periphery are stepped segments, also done in maillechort technique, but this time with rhodium plating. The subsidiary dial at the "9 o'clock" position, indicating seconds, is signed with midnight blue inscriptions of Massena & Co. and Vaumarcus, indicating the castle in Switzerland where Soprana has his atelier and where Massena LAB Old School watches are made. The watch hands, again of traditional shape, are made of blued steel with hand-filled lume. Even the crown is hand-crafted.
AVAILABILITY AND PRICE
The Old School watch by Massena LAB x Luca Soprana is available today as a limited edition of 11 pieces. It is priced at $39,500 USD and will be exclusively available on the massenalab.com website.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS - OLD SCHOOL BY MASSENA LAB X LUCA SOPRANA
Case: diameter 41.5 mm x height 11 mm - stainless steel case, matte and polished - sapphire crystals front and back - water resistance 30 m
Dial: hand-made German silver dial, matte center with yellow gold plating, rhodium-plated chapter ring, blued steel hands
Movement: caliber LS-01 - 39.5 mm - HSNY certified as a chronometer - hand-wound - screw balance with blued steel hairspring - power reserve 40h - hours, minutes, small seconds
Strap: midnight blue alligator leather strap from Jean Rousseau Paris, steel tang buckle
Availability: limited to 11 pieces, exclusively on massenalab.com
Price: $39,500 USD