Marking their sophomore venture into the watch industry, the Berneron family’s latest brainchild hits yet another home run! The independent brand derestricts horology once more with this brilliant take on the annual calendar.
Independent haute horlogerie has been on the rise for the past few years, and more than just watch nerds like myself have begun to notice. However, not many other independent brands have made quite the splash Berneron has over the last two years of operation. In fact, those have been their only two years, with the brand founded in late 2022 by Sylvain Berneron, former Chief Product Officer at Breitling, and Marie-Alix Berneron, a reputable architect with experience in Chanel’s horology division.
It was this union of powerful creatives that prompted the launch of their first timepiece – the Mirage – in 2023/2024, an unusual watch with an asymmetric movement that fit perfectly into the case. It was more than just unusual, though, as the extreme levels of craftsmanship quickly caught the attention of the industry at large, with collectors practically tripping over themselves to place a bid on owning one. While I certainly didn’t have the money to do so myself, I was swept up in this aspirational hurricane, naming the Berneron Mirage as one of my favourite watches of last year.
With Geneva Watch Days casting a long, exciting shadow, the time has come for Berneron to enter their latest chapter. After weeks of teaser shots, the dam of excitement finally broke when they announced their second timepiece ahead of the prestigious event. This, of course, was the Berneron Quantième Annuel: a watch that differs drastically from the Mirage’s sculptural asymmetry and minimalist mechanics. Instead, the Quantième Annuel embraces balance, complexity, and practicality. It is the first in what will become a family of calendar and high-complication timepieces, designed not only to impress aesthetically but also to simplify the experience of wearing and setting a complicated watch.
Measuring 38mm in diameter, 45mm lug-to-lug, and with a slim 10mm thickness, the Berneron Quantième Annuel’s 30m water-resistant case dimensions are versatile and universally wearable. However, don’t let the svelte silhouette fool you: it is crafted from 950 platinum, allowing the modest frame to pack a serious punch. While the primary case construction uses this prestigious metal, the Quantième Annuel also employs a special protective system with six separately attached components in 904L stainless steel, covering the bezel, crown, and lugs — areas most susceptible to wear. This “armour” accounts for just 15% of the watch’s total mass, but protects it in dire situations. Most importantly, these components are easy to replace, allowing for quicker turnaround times for repair. The contrasting finishes between the platinum and steel highlight the layered architecture, offering a refined yet technical expression of the classic round watch.
As mentioned, the Berneron Quantième Annuel does not find beauty in abstract form, but instead in complete symmetry and balance. This extends to the dial, which is presented in two configurations: silver with blue accents, or lacquered black with grey and silver accents. Both dials start with an 18k gold base, ensuring that the dial subtly glows beneath each colourway.
Unlike a traditional layout for a timepiece, where all time is read from the centre, time on the Quantième Annuel is read vertically. This is thanks to a large jumping hour aperture at 12 o’clock, central minutes, and small seconds at 6 o’clock with a small day/night indication. The calendar, on the other hand, unfolds horizontally: day and month are displayed in windows at 9 and 3 o’clock, while the date is tracked by a retrograde hand along the inner dial. This layout allows the wearer to scan time from top to bottom and the calendar from left to right, reinforcing both legibility and logic. The package is completed with either a black or grey Barenia strap for the silver/blue and black/grey references respectively, with both fitted with a stainless steel buckle.
Flipping over the case, you might think that Berneron opted to hide the movement from view – a puzzling choice, given how gorgeous the Mirage’s movement was. Well, it seems that Berneron thought it was a puzzling choice too, as the reverse side is actually protected by a hinged officer’s caseback, which opens via a discreet button integrated into the crown. Allowing for opportunities for hidden engraving as well as a tactile, playful approach to revealing the movement, the officer’s caseback is a beautiful rarity in the watch industry. The caseback gives way to reveal the movement, Calibre 595, behind the sapphire crystal. A manual-wind movement, the Cal. 595 runs at 3Hz (21,600VpH) and is underpinned by an impressive 100-hour power reserve. Like the Mirage’s Cal. 233, its bridges and plates are made entirely from 18k gold, and the movement showcases finishing techniques including anglage, guillochage, cerclage, and black polishing.
As the name of the watch suggests, the Quantième Annuel’s defining feature is Berneron’s unique take on the annual calendar complication, while still demonstrating a commitment to mechanical precision. Using what they call ‘cross architecture,’ two regulators independently control timekeeping and calendar functions, with energy distributed across four storage points. This system powers four instantaneous jumping apertures, two hands, and a retrograde date display, including the complex simultaneous changes at midnight on 31 December.
That’s only half the battle, though, as the annual calendar functions have been made remarkably easy to use. Time and date are adjusted via the crown, while two flush pushers at 4 and 8 o’clock advance the month and day, respectively. A built-in safety system prevents setting errors: for instance, pressing the month corrector on 31 January automatically advances the calendar to 1 February rather than an invalid 31 February. This ensures intuitive use while protecting the mechanism, allowing more time to marvel at the watch itself rather than scratching your head wondering how it all works.
My Thoughts
There are some watches in the world that oftentimes get lost in the artistry of it all. Don’t get me wrong, I love artistic watches as much as the next person, but the fallacy lies in when brands overdo the art of watchmaking without consideration for the science. Though a watch is now an anarchistic luxury accessory, it’s still important to celebrate the many eras when they were used as practical methods of capturing time. If we didn’t respect and appreciate that culture, we’d probably be custom-engraving our smartwatches right about now.
Thankfully, a balanced appreciation for both the artistic and scientific aspects of watchmaking are still alive and well today. nowhere could this be more apparent than in the Berneron Quantième Annuel. a symmetrical, mechanically complex calendar competing with watch brand steeped in heritage, Berneron proved they’re more than just a Mirage with this showcase of remarkable engineering. Moreover, the Quantième Annuel inaugurates yet another dedicated collection within the brand’s catalogue, envisioned as a platform for annual calendars, perpetual calendars, and other high-level complications. With the brand already teasing future additions to this family, slated for release from 2028 onward, there’s no doubt that the future looks bright for the Berneron team, and for haute horlogerie in general.
References: N/A (Berneron Quantième Annuel – Silver / Black)
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 38mm case diameter x 45mm lug-to-lug x 10mm thickness
- Case Material: 950 Platinum
- Dial: 18k gold base in Silver & Blue / Black
- Movement: Manual Wind Cal. 595 with officer-style opening caseback, annual calendar (day/retrograde date/month indicators), small seconds, & digital jump hour complications
- Power Reserve: 100h
- Beat Rate: 3Hz (21,600VpH)
- Water Resistance: 30m (3bar)
- Strap: Black / Gray Barenia leather strap with steel buckle