Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 3SPC.4 Watch Review
The Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 3SPC.4, executed in sandblasted titanium and limited to just five pieces, has been created to commemorate the fifth anniversary of ART IN TIME Monaco. This rare timepiece is fitted with the brand’s ingenious, highly precise COSC-certified movement incorporating a cylindrical balance spring. Angus Davies discusses watch retailing, looks at said destination boutique in the Côte d’Azur and provides an overview of this horological tour de force.
Chronomètre Ferdinand Berthoud (2015)
Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, Co-President of Chopard and President of Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud, is passionate about fine watchmaking and is an avid collector of historical clocks and watches. Indeed, the Chopard Manufacture in Fleurier is home to L.U.CEUM, a remarkable space that traces the history of time. It is this overriding passion for horological history that led to Mr Scheufele discovering 18th-century marine chronometers produced by Ferdinand Berthoud.
Image – Karl-Friedrich Scheufele
Berthoud was born in Plancemont in the Val-de-Travers region within the canton of Neuchâtel, just 5 km from the Chopard Manufacture, a building that is also the present-day home of the Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud.
The inaugural collection, released under Mr Scheufele’s stewardship of the high-end brand, was the aptly named Chronomètre FB1. I was present at the unveiling of this watch back in 2015 and can still remember its extraordinary specification: fusée and chain transmission system, stopwork system, direct drive tourbillon, power reserve display featuring a cone and feeler system, a gimbal-inspired case with portholes, etc. It was an auspicious start for Chronomètre Ferdinand Berthoud, something that was recognised in 2016 with the award of the ‘Aiguille d’Or’, the ultimate prize at the annual Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG).
ART IN TIME, Monaco
The only problem with making a highly complex timepiece is finding suitable retail partners with the technical expertise to convey the numerous intricate mechanisms and nuanced details. Some nine years after the brand was launched, it still only lists 12 points of sale across the globe.
One such haven of horological knowledge can be found in Monaco, the small principality that overlooks the Mediterranean and is home to the beautiful and the wealthy. ART IN TIME is located on Place du Casino. The premises are framed with expansive arcing windows that drink in light, bathing the assembled products with a sun-rich glow.
ART IN TIME was the brainchild of Mr Scheufele. It’s a place where horophiles can discover not only models from Chopard L.U.C and Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud, but also curated products from a further 22 Maisons. The emphasis is very much on independent watchmaking and the retail space plays host to some rare limited edition pieces. Moreover, the impressive inventory of horological delights and plush surroundings are complemented by knowledgeable service. The small team is headed by watch gallery director, Yohann Martinez.
On a recent trip to ART IN TIME, I was somewhat surprised to hear the gallery was celebrating its fifth anniversary, after all, everything looks fresh and new. Clearly, Mr Martinez has a team of cleaners and maintenance personnel on speed dial, based on the box-fresh appearance of this high-end store.
As an individual who is no stranger to a spot of mystery shopping, I felt compelled to quiz Mr Martinez on his background and casually enquired about some of the products on display. Rest assured, the watch gallery director, an industry veteran, has an intimate knowledge of each reference in his custody and as well as an impressive awareness of horological mechanisms. This combination of skills is essential when selling no-compromise creations.
While eating a modestly-sized piece of birthday cake (Mrs Davies, please note the word ‘modest’) and chatting to my fellow guests, Mr Martinez invited me to look at a limited edition model, created to mark the 5-year landmark in the retailer’s history.
Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 3SPC – a familiar friend
With a theatrical wave of the hand, I was introduced to the new Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 3SPC.4. I smiled, while I noted the model’s new colour scheme, my encounter was reminiscent of seeing an old friend. In 2023, I was shown the FB 3SPC.1 just a few months prior to its official launch and was immediately seduced by its 18-carat white gold case and sandblasted nickel silver and 2N gilded dial. This marriage of complementary hues evokes thoughts of pocket watches of yesteryear, while the topography of the dial, with its freely disclosed escape wheel and regulating organ, seems neoteric. This glorious watch remains on my grail list, albeit its no-compromise execution means it will forever be beyond my financial grasp.
Ferdinand Berthoud cylindrical balance spring
Beyond its coquettish smile, the FB 3SPC.1 is blessed with a mechanical intellect that few other watches can rival, save for its FB siblings. Most notably, the movement features a cylindrical balance spring. In the 18th century, Louis Berthoud (Ferdinand Berthoud’s nephew) created a pocket chronometer featuring a cylindrical balance spring. When contrasted with a flat counterpart, the cylindrical balance spring conferred superior precision. This impressive chronometric performance was based on the balance spring being in a horizontal position ie the situation with a pocket watch. Unfortunately, when the balance spring is in a vertical position it does not perform very well; an issue for a wristwatch that will be subjected to a myriad of positions.
Nevertheless, despite the technical challenge of using a cylindrical balance spring, Chronomètre Ferdinand embarked on a process of research and development. Since the Maison was revived back in 2015, every watch it has produced has been chronometer-certified (COSC). There was never any chance that Mr Scheufele would countenance an FB that did not have the independent body’s seal of approval. I talk at length about the various obstacles the brand surmounted in my article, ‘Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud cylindrical balance spring‘ – a must-read for fellow watch obsessives.
Ultimately, FB 3SPC was, with some fanfare, declared the ‘first and only wristwatch with a cylindrical hairspring that has been officially certified as a chronometer by the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC)’. The sheer brilliance of the Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 3SPC was recognised in 2023 with the award of the ‘Chronometry Prize’ at the GPHG.
Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 3SPC.4 – ART IN TIME
Returning to my recent visit to ART IN TIME, the Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 3SPC.4 shares much in common with the prize-winning model of last year, albeit, it does have a distinctive personality of its own.
The case is formed of sandblasted titanium, a material that is becoming increasingly popular within the watch industry due to its low mass, strength and resistance to corrosion. Moreover, titanium is hypoallergenic, a welcome attribute for those individuals who may be sensitive to nickel-rich grades of stainless steel. Holding the watch between forefinger and thumb, the FB 3SPC.4’s lightweight characteristics are very noticeable, while the softly-spoken nature of the sandblasted titanium serves to accentuate the fascinating dialscape.
In this instance, Chronomètre Ferdinand Berthoud celebrates its blue period. Thermally blued hands sit alongside cerulean-hued numerals and markings. These tinctures of blue grace the minutes and seconds tracks which are dressed in semi-matt white varnish. Every element coalesces beautifully.
Turning the watch over reveals the supremely refined hand-wound movement courtesy of an exhibition caseback. The mainplate and bridges are presented in sandblasted nickel silver and enriched with some of the finest finishing on the planet. This is a watch for discerning souls who are able to appreciate such subtle refinements. Indeed, it’s these nuanced touches that confer lasting ownership delight. Encircling the pane of dorsal glazing, the case bears three inscriptions: ‘Art in Time’, ‘5th Anniversary’ and ‘One of Five’.
The Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 3SPC.4 is supplied with three interchangeable straps: blue alligator, grey alligator and blue rubber. At the time of my visit, the model on display was fitted with the latter strap, endowing the watch with a becoming, contemporary mien.
Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 3SPC.4 – closing remarks
The Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 3SPC.4 is a sublime example of ticking art. Its no-compromise specification and painstaking execution make it a worthy means of marking ART IN TIME’s fifth anniversary. Moreover, based on my visit to the watch gallery, I suspect the retailer will be celebrating many more anniversaries in the years to come.
But ultimately, I have to return to Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud, a brand that has amassed numerous awards since it returned to the watchsphere in 2015. The company’s watches are the product of passion and skill, something that is manifest with the FB 3SPC.4. While not wishing to detract from ART IN TIME’s anniversary celebrations, I cannot help wondering what the team in Fleurier has planned for next year, the 10-year anniversary of Ferdinand Berthoud.
Further reading
https://www.ferdinandberthoud.ch/
Technical specifications
- Model: Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 3SPC.4
- Case: sandblasted titanium, diameter 42.3 mm, height 9.43 mm, water resistance 3ATM (30m), sapphire crystal to the front and exhibition case back.
- Functions: Central display of hours and minutes, seconds at 6 o’clock and power-reserve indication at 2 o’clock
- Movement: Calibre FB-SPC, hand-wound movement, frequency 21,600 vph (3 Hz), 47 jewels, power reserve 72 hours, 230 components, chronometer-certified (COSC)
- Strap: three interchangeable straps: blue alligator, grey alligator and blue rubber strap. Sandblasted titanium pin buckle with blue varnish logo
- Price on application
- Limited Edition: 5 pieces