by Kyle Stults on February 23, 2010
Watch Haute Couture – Tailor Made “Roller Guardian Time”…
The watch you see here is the “RGT Punk Rock” by Ladoire Genève. It was first shown at the 2010 Geneva Time Exhibition and will be on display at Baselworld 2010. Many of you will not “get” this watch. And I don’t mean “get” as in purchase (although you won’t do this either), but as in understand or appreciate the watch. This because it is unconventional in almost every way – from the case shape (“lazy lucky horseshoe” as I like to call it) to the crown location (8 o’clock) to the way it keeps time (“RGT” – more on this below) to the funky looking strap and more – this watch defies tradition. Hey, I’m with you – I can’t say that I fully understand or appreciate the watch either, but maybe one day when I get my hands on one I will see the light. The watch is part of an ultra-exclusive offering – only 3 will be made. And 2 are already spoken for. And each one is about $150,000. So even if you do “get it”, you still probably can’t get it. Get it? Check it:
Hand-skeletonized dial, titanium case
Ladoire Genève is a new-to-the-scene (2007) elite watch brand that seems to take pride in the fact that it does not operate within the traditional paradigm of watchmaking. For example some of the features of the watch I cited above are all very unconventional. Also, Ladoire focuses on ultra-exclusive production and custom-made pieces utilizing its ”RGT” time system. RGT stands for “Roller Guardian Time” – the way it works is that the indication of hours, minutes, seconds are all made by revolving discs mounted on ceramic ball bearings. I think this is one of those things you have to see in person to fully appreciate.
That the brand’s founder and namesake Lionel Ladoire does not adhere to the “traditional” in any aspect of his watches is very clear even on the Company’s website. Ladoire’s vision is to “create a new dynamic in the watch industry: the Haute Couture Watch Dynamic.” Yea, that’s pretty cool if you ask me, and I have no problem referring his watches as “haute couture” – they seem to fit that bill quite nicely. So if its “watchmaking haute couture” that suits your fancy and you’ve got the cash to back it up, you may want to put a Ladoire on your short list.
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