Vincent calabrese
The watch brand that stands out
for its quest for technical prowess and aesthetics
The birth of a brand
The year 1977 marked a decisive turning point in the life of Vincent Calabrese. The creation of his first watch, far from being a simple achievement, was a creative declaration of independence.
From then on, guided by an insatiable thirst for innovation, he dared to venture off the beaten track of traditional watchmaking. He explored, experimented, and invented.
Imagination takes flight. The result was the creation of watches that pushed back the boundaries of the art of watchmaking: the Flying Tourbillon, seemingly floating in space as if by magic, Spatial Watchmaking, where technical mastery is combined with creative freedom, and the Calasys system, a technological feat that revolutionizes the very heart of the watch.
Each of his creations has been acclaimed by his peers, earning him prestigious awards and patents. Today, in his workshop, Vincent Calabrese continues to bring watchmaking masterpieces to life. Each watch is unique, handcrafted with passion and precision.
A subtle marriage of tradition and modernity, where luxury is expressed in the nobility of the materials, the audacity of the designs and the complexity of the mechanisms. Timeless creations, destined to become precious heirlooms, handed down from generation to generation.
Collections
and models
Vincent Calabrese has been revolutionizing watchmaking since 1977. Winner of a gold medal for his Spatial Watchmaking early on, he went on to produce a string of daring creations: the Golden Bridge with Corum, the “Les Personnelles” collection with personalized movements, the Flying Tourbillon for Blancpain. His “Les Symboliques” and “Philosophique” collections explore new territories. In 2020, he invents the Calasys system, freeing the watch from the hairspring. An exceptional career, marked by innovation and passion for watchmaking. Vincent Calabrese is co-founder of the AHCI, created in 1985, which currently boasts over 35 members of various nationalities.
1977
Gold medal at the Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions
Birth of my spatial watchmaking in 18-carat gold.
1980
The “Golden Bridge”
Presented by Corum at the Musée International de l’Horlogerie (International Watch Museum)(MIH) in La Chaux-de-Fonds
Still a watchmaking icon today. Exploitation of the in-line movement created in 1977, the basis of my Spatial Watchmaking. My Spatial Watchmaking, in the form of initials, letters or symbols chosen by the purchaser, is presented in gold and transparent sapphire cases highlighting the movement.
With no apparent physical link to the case, the movement is entirely assembled and engraved by hand
1982
“Les Personnelles” Collection with the “S” by Stettler, one of the best sapphire manufacturers, charmed by my Spatial Watchmaking, orders a “Personnelle” in the shape of an “S”.
He makes the first sapphire case from a single block.
When he received the watch, he put it on the cover of his catalog. This enabled me to fill many more “Personnelle” orders.
1984
“Les Personnelles” Collection
Creation of a swivel case
Gold and sapphire bracelet watch with skeletonized letter M
1985
Creation of the AHCI
Faced with the difficulty of finding buyers, without being a brand and advertising, I decided to create the AHCI, Association des Horlogers Créateurs Indépendants (Association of Independent Watchmakers Creators), to allow all independent watchmakers around the world to come out of the shadows. In May 1985, an exhibition was organized at the Château des Monts in Le Locle, NE - Switzerland. 7 other independent watchmakers were present. Today, in 2025, 40 years later, the AHCI has around 35 members from different countries around the world.
1985
“Tourbillon” Collection
First tourbillon in the collection, created to mark the birth of the AHCI
1985
Manuel Gutiérrez Trophy - Madrid
For lifetime achievement
1986
“Tourbillon” Collection with the Flying Tourbillon
The flattest and smallest Tourbillon with 8-day power reserve.
Created for Blancpain brand
1986 - 1988
Spatial Watchmaking’s “Les Symboliques” Collection
Italy, Eiffel Tower, Masonry
“Les Spatiales – Symboliques” Collection: “The Spirit”
The first “Spatial” from the Vincent Calabrese brand, the only movement with an abstract form, synthesizing the spirit of Spatial Watchmaking, but also expressing the philosophy of its creator.
1988
Creation of the first “Flying Tourbillon” in watchmaking history
1989
“Two Hands” Table Clock
Combining the immobility of a pendulum with the mobility of a tourbillon.
The entire movement is housed in the minute hand and the tourbillon at the end of the same hand.
1990
“Les Philosophiques” Collection with the “Commedia”
I wanted to denounce the poor profitability of jumping-hour mechanisms, so I created my own on a quartz movement.
The dial remains attached to the movement, and a window reveals a message, while the hour and minute hands indicate the current hour and minute. The first watch in this collection, entitled “Commedia”, has a dial representing a theater curtain half-open to reveal the comedy being performed. At every sixtieth minute, the curtain opens to reveal the rest of the sentence or the chosen images.
1991
Commissioned by: Maurice Lacroix, watch manufacturer by Saignelégier (JU)
Watch with jumping time and date, day/night, two time zones
1991
Commissioned by: “Le Baladin” for PinKo, Italian fashion house.
Watch without hands. Combination of analog and digital displays.
A rotating dial with a window through which the current time is displayed. At the same time, the minute can be read from its position. When the aperture reaches the sixtieth minute, the next hour is displayed. This mechanism is called “Wondering Hours”.
Exhibited at the Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions, I am awarded the Silver Medal.
1991
“Les Philosophiques” Collection with the “Mona Lisa”
Cultural watch dedicated to women’s “liberation”, with jumping images every hour.
1992
Commissioned by: Sarcar, Geneva
Watch with “power reserve” mechanism.
“Les Techniques” Collection with the “Power”.
First watch in the series, with multi-plan dial.
A beautiful aesthetic innovation, with the flattest “power reserve” ever made.
1992
“Les Techniques” Collection with the “Transworld”
With two hour and minute displays, one in the center of the dial that indicates time zones when traveling, and the other, between 10 and 12 o’clock, that continues to display the home time.
Two watches in one! With the added advantage of being able to read even special time zones - such as in India, where in some places they are only 20 minutes apart. The watch is wound and the position of the hands changed solely by means of the three-position crown
1993
“Les Techniques” Collection with the “Daily”
With power reserve, two time zone, date, indication of days of the week and their periods
1994
“Les Techniques” Collection with the “Mobil”
With power reserve, two time zone, date, original 24-hour indications
Commissioned by: “L’Exécutive” for an Italian transport company
With power reserve, date, rotating bezel with two windows, “Private” displayed at noon and watch number at 6 o’clock. Rotating the bezel 90 degrees, displays the owner’s name at 9 o’clock and the first name at 3 o’clock.
1994
Commissioned by: The “Janus” for the 100th anniversary of Universal Genève
Double-sided watch with simple hour and minute display on the front and jumping hours, minutes, day or night and date on the back.
1995
“Les Techniques” Collection with “Night & Day”
AM and PM hours were adopted following the introduction of universal time in 1884.
The Night & Day, with its 11-window dial, displays AM hour markers in Roman characters from midnight to 11 AM, and PM hour markers in Arabic characters from noon to 11 PM.
1996
“Les Ludiques” Collection with the Baladin
The Baladin, after its acquisition by Pinko (see mandate 1989), became the first watch in the series.
Gaïa Prize
Created by the Musée International d’Horlogerie (International Watch Museum) (MIH) in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1993, this prize was awarded to me for my contribution to the watchmaking industry.
1996
“Les Techniques” Collection with the “52”.
In honor of my 52nd birthday! Two time zone, power reserve, date, day and periods of the day, week, month. All modifiable only by the crown. Delivered with instructions for use!
“Les Spatiales – Symboliques” Collection
with Japanese Archipelago and Equus
“Tourbillon” Collection with Le Regulus
Tourbillon watch with regulator
1998
“Les Ludiques” Collection with the Horus
With a uniform dial, no index, and a large central seconds hand. A satellite dial rotates on the periphery, remaining perfectly vertical, indicating the minutes and, in its center, a small hand indicating the hour.
1999
Commissioned by IKEPOD, watchmaking company in Bassecour, JU
Chronograph watch with two time zones
2000
“Les Ludiques” Collection with the “Vincent” phonetically Vingt-Cent
Or 20 times 100 equals 2000, in connection with the year 2000
Variant of the Baladin, but with optical effect
Commissioned by PAMP - Gold Supplier
Watch with jumping hours and minute display
“Les Techniques” Collection
with the 2 T (Two Time Zone)
Watch with double hour and minute display, large date window, and weekly calendar
2001
Commissioned by the French brand “Bell & Ross”
Watch with jumping hour in a window at noon and “power reserve indicated by a window at 6 o’clock”.
Commissioned by the German brand “Goldpfeil”
Series watch with jumping hour in an aperture at noon, minute hand in the center and date indication in an aperture at 6 o’clock.
“Les Ludiques” Collection with the “Sun-Tral”
Watch based on the one-off made for Goldpfeil, with the same mechanical characteristics.
2004
“NHC” Collection with the following 4 watches
Vincent Calabrese reinvents watchmaking by showcasing the beating heart of the watch - let yourself be surprised by these exceptional timepieces
Classic hour and minute display, date and day/night windows, central 170-degree “power reserve”.
- The “Beauty Fuel”
Two time zone, travel time display in the center, original time on counter at 2 o’clock, days of the week and their periods on counter at 10 o’clock, date and “power reserve” on 180 degrees. - The “Analogica”
Wandering time and date display. Seconds hands in the form of the NHC logo. The “Ottica”
Wandering time display and sapphire crystal with optical effect. Seconds hand in the form of the logo.
The “Central Power”
Classic hour and minute display, date window and day/night window, central power reserve with display on 170 degrees
2005
“ORA” Collection
Mechanism consisting of a jumping dial with an aperture through which an image or message appears.
Every hour, the dial moves 30 degrees to reveal another image or message.
Creation of 4 watches with this mechanism: the “Colora” with colored indexes, the “Fly’Ora" with butterflies, the “Flo’Ora” with roses, and the “Avventora” with indexes from different cultures.
2006
“Les Philosophiques” Collection with « Cala-sutra »
This is the story of a couple getting to know each other. It starts with the talking, then goes as deep as possible.
End of the NHC adventure
Commissioned by SELLITA, movement manufacturer in La Chaux de Fonds (NE)
Creation of a special movement
Sale of my company to Blancpain
2007-2011
Collaboration with the “BLANCPAIN” watchmaking house - Creation of the “CARROUSEL” watch
9 patent applications filed, plus many future projects for this company.
2012
Resumption of independent activities with the works of JEAN KAZES, clockmaker in Carouge (GE).
Corum ambassador to promote the Golden Bridge
Relaunched by the brand after a long hiatus.
2013
Creation of the HORA-NOVA brand
2014
Commissioned by Maison l’Epée in Delémont (JU)
Creation of a clock based on the “Two Hands” model created in 1989
With a tourbillon rotating in one hour, housed in the minute hand, and a second classical tourbillon, at the end of the same hand, performing a revolution in one minute...and a 40-day power reserve.
2015
“ORA” Collection with the Stone
Dial watch typical of this collection, with different precious or semi-precious stones in each time window.
2016
Hora Nova’s “Les Ludiques” Collection with the KRONOS
Allegory of passing time, based on a work by Japanese surrealist painter Shinji HIMENO
Watch with dial, wandering hour, representing the god of time, Kronos, holding in his hand an hourglass turning in one minute, and pursued by Youth trying to stop time.
2017
“Les Spatiales-Symboliques” Collection with the “Pegasus”
Two yellow and white gold watches in sapphire cases
2018
Hora Nova’s “Les Ludiques” Collection with the “Griffe”.
Watch with wandering hours.
The indexes represent a “paw” with a claw.
2020-2021
Research into a new mechanism: the Calasys.
Replaces the hairspring in mechanical watches.
Invention already internationally patented.
2023
The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix) 2023
Special Jury Prize for the founding of the AHCI in 1985
2023
Gold Medal at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva
For the creation of the Calasys
“L’Esprit d’entreprise” Prize
Awarded by the Cercle des Dirigeants d’Entreprises de Genève
THE collections
Explore the many facets of watchmaking through the Hora Nova collections. Each collection reveals a unique vision of time, reflecting the expertise and passion of Vincent Calabrese.