Unique and unusual items certainly evoke in me a mix of envy and admiration, especially when it comes to expensive watches that only a select few can afford.
Although such things are often perceived as excessive - at times no more significant than their owners - they represent the pinnacle of design and technical execution. These are the items that make you think: "Wow." And while I've often been impressed by watch dials and details costing less than $500, it's clear that creations made without budget constraints often transcend the genre and push the boundaries of our imagination. A striking example is the Vanguart Black Hole watch with Arabic numerals, which Ariel and I saw at Dubai Watch Week 2025.
Design and Case: A Futuristic "Flying Object" on the Wrist
The Vanguart Black Hole watch is that rare specimen you want to hold onto longer, as if trying to stop time to enjoy every second. The case dimensions are impressive: it's a real UFO on the wrist. In a color reminiscent of sand, they look more like a prop from a sci-fi movie, like "Dune."
Interestingly, the manufacturer is in no hurry to reveal the exact dimensions of the case. To me, it seems the width is about 60 mm - more than is usually stated in technical specifications. However, despite the impressive size, the case's ergonomics are well thought out: thanks to the compact lug-to-lug length and sharply curved lugs, the strap attaches almost vertically, allowing even those with thin wrists to comfortably wear these watches.
Case Materials
The case is available in the following options:
- Grade 5 Titanium
- 18-carat Rose Gold
- 18-carat White Gold
Given the size, the optimal choice is titanium - it weighs only 80 grams, whereas the gold case reaches 173 grams. In gold, the watch becomes a true "heavy art object." Special attention should be paid to the left side of the case: two protruding "forks." The upper one contains a vertical power reserve indicator, while the lower one is a wide metal plate that stretches to the right side of the case and serves as the base for the teardrop-shaped movement case. This detail is adorned with hand-polished bevels and satin finishing and has openwork cutouts. It can be confidently said that this is a work of art - an element whose functionality is limited solely to aesthetics.
Note: A small fiber is intentionally left in the photo to convey scale.
Dial: Complex but Understandable
Stepping away from the case, your gaze falls on the dial, which simultaneously seems intricate and surprisingly simple. It features numbers in different directions. Vanguart could have covered the unused part of the dial and shown the time through a small window, but that would have stripped the watch of its uniqueness. Nevertheless, reading the time here is quite simple: the time is shown at the position corresponding to 9 o'clock, and a small hand pointer simplifies perception, though it isn't mandatory.
Mechanism and Complexity of Construction
The manufacturer claims that the three concentric discs work like an automaton, but they can also be compared to a sonnerie. Unlike traditional hands driven through a set of wheels, the Vanguart Black Hole mechanism uses a complex energy management system. The discs are very heavy, and their inertia combined with friction creates a significant load on the mechanism. In comparison, standard hour and minute hands require only a small fraction of the torque.
The design involves about 750 components, highlighting that simplifying the mechanism was never the goal. If you want to impress a discerning client, you must have 750 impeccably finished parts working in perfect harmony to display just three indicators: hours, minutes, and power reserve.
Experienced enthusiasts will notice the so-called "regulator" - a component often found in minutes and sonneries. It's a small rounded detail that regulates the torque supply and prevents damage to the mechanism from sudden energy surges.
Caliber T-1701: Fully In-House Development
Vanguart states that the caliber T-1701 is developed and created entirely in-house. Although many large and small brands resort to the help of external specialists, it does not diminish the appeal of the watch. Despite the absence of traditional perlage or Geneva stripes, upon closer inspection, the exceptional finish is visible: polished bevels in cutouts and around the perimeter of bridges and plates.
Crown: "Mechanical Joystick"
Interestingly, the crown is called a "mechanical joystick." In fact, it is more like a handle or potentiometer, which, when rotated, shifts the readings by one position. It is not a joystick in the classic sense used for three-dimensional control in aviation. The feature is that you can hold the crown in the forward or backward position, and time will "run" in the corresponding direction. Essentially, it's a valve that allows energy to be released from the mechanism and thus continuously rotate the dial discs.
Wearing Impressions and Visual Perception
On the wrist, the Vanguart Black Hole feels similar to many other watches costing over $300,000. They are impressive, evoke admiration, and seem alien - and this is quite expected at such a price. The sleek yet complex and organic spaceship-style case design looks mesmerizing. It's hard to predict how long the novelty effect will last, but it is undoubtedly an outstanding design specimen that should not be overlooked in favor of the complex dial and mechanism.
Dial Functionality and Engineering Solution
Watching the dial work is fascinating: the discs rotate quickly and at different speeds due to their varying diameters. The engineering solution ensuring this is unique and impressive - 750 components confirm the exceptional nature of the construction. If you want to retrieve 335,000 Swiss francs from clients who already own watches from Roger Dubuis and MB&F, this is the kind of watch that will be an excellent proposition.
