Not every watch aims to shock with size or flash. Some pieces, instead, redefine what elegance and mechanical intelligence can mean. The new Berneron Quantième Annuel belongs firmly to that second category. On the surface, it looks restrained, but beneath lies a construction that challenges the conventions of how a calendar watch should function.
The spirit of Berneron
Berneron is not a brand that follows the mainstream path. Its first releases already showed a clear desire to stand apart, balancing artisanal finishing with modern engineering. The Quantième Annuel continues this trajectory. Rather than making complication a spectacle, it focuses on clarity, proportion, and a very Swiss kind of ingenuity.
A case that protects and lasts
The Quantième Annuel comes in two versions — Silver and Black — both housed in a 38 mm platinum case just 10 mm thick. Beyond its elegant round silhouette and refined stepped lugs, the case introduces a clever hybrid construction: a platinum core shielded by six protective components in 904L steel — the bezel, four lugs, and crown. Each element is removable and replaceable, ensuring the piece retains its pristine look over decades of wear. Adding to the sense of permanence, Berneron fits an officer-style case back, a nod to pocket watches that both protects the movement from shocks and UV exposure while also leaving space for a personal engraving.
A new take on the annual calendar
At the heart of the watch beats the Caliber 595, a movement that pushes the annual calendar to new heights. Its cross architecture integrates a double regulator — one for timekeeping, one for the calendar — coordinating a complex dance of four instantaneous jumping apertures, two swiping hands, and a retrograde date. On rare occasions, such as midnight on December 31st, up to five jumps occur simultaneously, a feat that required rethinking energy storage.
To achieve this, Berneron devised a double-barrel system with power accumulated across four cycles (12 hours, 24 hours, 7 days, 31 days) to ensure seamless jumps without disturbing the amplitude of the balance. The result is an annual calendar that needs adjustment only once a year, at the end of February, yet operates with remarkable fluidity.
A movement built like haute couture
The Caliber 595 measures 30.00 mm across and just 5.95 mm thick, with a total of 476 components and 33 jewels. Its main plate and bridges are crafted in solid 18k gold, a rarity even in high-end watchmaking. The balance is free-sprung, beating at 21,600 vibrations per hour, and the movement boasts a generous 100-hour power reserve. Finishing techniques include berçage, black polish, guillochage, anglage, and nuagage, all executed to standards one would normally associate with storied maisons. Here, however, it comes from a young, independent brand willing to challenge them on their own ground.
Who is it for, and at what price?
The Quantième Annuel is not aimed at casual buyers. This is a piece for collectors, connoisseurs, and professionals who value originality and craftsmanship as much as tradition. Its restrained look makes it wearable every day, yet every detail speaks to an uncompromising approach to watchmaking.
Pricing reflects both its exclusivity and its construction: the official retail is CHF 140,000 (excluding VAT). But Berneron has chosen to reward early adopters with a graduated launch price — CHF 120,000 in the first year, CHF 130,000 in the second, before stabilizing at CHF 140,000 from the third year onward. It’s a rare gesture of gratitude toward those who believe in a project from the very start.
A quiet statement
The Berneron Quantième Annuel is not about chasing trends. It is about engineering that serves elegance, about pushing a classical complication into new territory without losing sight of wearability. Some may be reminded of Patek Philippe’s early annual calendars, but here the concept has been reinterpreted with modern boldness. In its mix of restraint, innovation, and craftsmanship, this watch embodies what makes independent watchmaking so compelling today…and somewhat reminds us of the incredible Voutilainen 28 Kohan !
