HANDS-ON: The BA111OD Chapter 4.1 T.V.D. is the latest watch from a young brand with big ideas
The wristwatch hobby is often full of lore and ritual, with prescribed traditions and a general consensus that old age legitimises worth. BA111OD are an incredibly young brand having been started in 2019, which would ordinarily lose them a chunk of customers were it not for their relentless challenging of misconceptions about Swiss watchmaking. The BA111OD Chapter 4.1 Veblen Dilemma Tourbillon wants to herald the end of the overpricing, overworking, overseas production and profit-driven associations that Swiss watches are famous for.
The Swiss-made label is an odd thing, simultaneously being considered the gold standard of quality watchmaking while also easily achieved by using a Swiss off-the-shelf movement, Swiss assembly, and foreign everything else. While there’s nothing wrong with that method, especially for creating affordable and respectable microbrands, some people can’t help but feel misled by the claim to Swiss originality. Having grown up in La Chaux-de-Fonds, the brand’s founder Thomas Baillod has strong roots of friendship and acquaintance throughout the Swiss watchmaking industry. When it came time to create his own watch brand, a fundamental value was placed on sourcing components from manufacturers within an hour’s travel, to give his watch a true local heart.
by Fergus Nash, Time and Tide Watches
Original language: English
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