Logical One, 'Byzantine' Pièce Unique, Titanium

This is the ‘Byzantine’, a pièce unique and magnum opus Logical One made in 2020. The most intricate and storied elements lie in the craft and people involved. The blue dial is a specific hand-frosted grand feu enamel made by Anita Porchet, who is also responsible for many of the greatest Patek Philippe enamel dials. Engraving on the gold baseplate of the dial was performed by Yasmina Anti, of Simon Brette fame. This is a masterpiece work which Mr. Gauthier himself describes as a ‘Museum Piece’ in a letter included with the sale. Perhaps best summarized by Mr. Gauthier, he states there that Byzantine ‘represents my philosophy and vision to preserve and promote human value and talents.’

Yasmina invested over 100 hours of hand-engraving the gilded, frosted main plate and going-train bridge. The motif draws on Byzantine ornament, itself shaped by geometric design. It is cut in relief, so the raised pattern catches light against the frosted ground while framing the chain and snail cam, with very well resolved edges under loupe. SJX likened it to the Régence Circulaire pattern on F.P. Journe’s final Tourbillon Souverain when it was featured on SJX in 2020.

The core of the Logical One is its highly-technical movement, which won Best Men’s Complication at the 2013 GPHG. Instead of a conical fusée, Gauthier uses a flat snail cam on the same plane as the barrel, so the chain always pulls in a straight line. That permits a shorter chain with larger, stronger links on synthetic-ruby rollers (a first of its kind); 26 of the movement’s 63 jewels serve the chain. The mainspring sits between sapphire plates to cut friction, a pusher at nine o’clock winds it in about 40 presses for the full 46 hours, and a triangular pallet lever replaces the usual T-shape.

The calibre has 359 components and receives roughly 90 hours of hand-finishing outside of the unique work performed on the Byzantine. On a 2015 workshop visit, Quill & Pad reported single parts taking 15–20 hours for the barrel bridge, 20 for the balance bridge and 25–30 for the titanium upper constant-force bridge. Gauthier’s owner’s manual sums it up: years to design, months to make the components, weeks to finish by hand and days to assemble and regulate. 

The Byzantine represents the ultimate conclusion of this exacting philosophy. Few watches exist with the total level of human-hours invested as seen here, let alone its beautiful and technically accomplished base in the Logical One. The Byzantine lies easily amongst the greatest work Romain Gauthier has ever created, a symphony of very human, very talented craft. 

This Logical One presents in exceptional overall condition. Its case is well preserved with only minimal signs of having been worn. Its calibre is running well in specification on our timing equipment. It comes with its full set including a letter from Romain Gauthier.

This example is modelled on an average-sized 7-inch wrist.