From the atelier of Byrne, the independent watchmaker renowned for its original designs and playful horological animations, emerges a new celestial marvel: the Byrne Star Worldtimer. Drawing inspiration from a historical Vacheron Constantin pocket watch lovingly restored by John Byrne himself over two decades ago, this timepiece presents a fresh and innovative take on the worldtimer complication. Priced at CHF 32,500, the Byrne Star is a testament to the brand’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of horological design while paying subtle homage to the rich tapestry of watchmaking history.
Byrne, a relatively young brand having debuted in 2021, has quickly garnered attention for its distinctive approach, most notably through its signature Gyro Dial complication. This ingenious mechanism allows the cuboid indices at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock to rotate instantaneously at the stroke of midnight or on demand with a simple twist of the crown, adding a delightful and customizable element to timekeeping. The new Byrne Star builds upon this foundation, seamlessly integrating a worldtimer function into its already captivating display.
The Byrne Star is presented in a meticulously finished 38mm case crafted from grade 5 polished titanium, featuring a distinctive hollowed midsection with a sandblasted texture. With a slender profile of 11.4mm and a water resistance of 50 meters, it strikes a harmonious balance between wrist presence and everyday practicality. Sapphire crystals on both the front and back offer a clear view of the watch’s intricate mechanics and unique display. The crown is positioned at 3 o’clock, and while details remain to be fully explored firsthand, it is likely that a pusher for the time zone selector is discreetly integrated, perhaps on the left side of the case.
The signature Gyro dial remains a central feature, divided into four distinct sections by the rotating cubes positioned at the cardinal points. The central part of the dial serves as a time zone locations disc. The space between the cubes exhibits a sunray brushed finish, while screw-head-like indices mark the hours not indicated by the rotating cubes, adding a layer of subtle detail.
In this new model, the cubes are integral to the “Time Flow” complication, with each face bearing the name of a prominent global city. The cube at 12 o’clock displays Hanoi, Paris, Rome, and New York; the 3 o’clock cube features Male, Tokyo, Baku, and Rio; the 6 o’clock cube presents Taipei, Hong Kong, Oslo, and Bern; and finally, the 9 o’clock cube showcases Doha, Sydney, Noumea, and Dubai. These cubes cleverly function as day/night indicators for their respective cities, with coloured backgrounds – blue for early morning, turquoise for noon, dark blue for evening, and a starry sky for night – providing an intuitive visual representation of the time of day across different locations.
The 12-hour worldtime central disk features two concentric rings of city names. The outer ring displays locations spaced by a 2-hour difference, including London, Athens, Abu Dhabi, Dhaka, Macau, and Brisbane. The middle ring follows the same principle with Midway, Juneau, La Paz, Havana, Brasilia, and Azores. Notably, Brisbane and Midway are rendered in gold to indicate the sequence for reading the time zones. Skeletonised yellow gold hour and minutes hands elegantly sweep across this dynamic display, indicating the local time. To ascertain the time in other locations, one consults the locations disc in the order suggested by the design, requiring a refresh of one’s geographical knowledge and an understanding of the indicative cities that fall between the 2-hour spacing.
Powering the Byrne Star Worldtimer is the manually wound Caliber 5558, a movement comprising 274 components and operating at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour, providing a robust 66-hour power reserve. The watch is offered with a sophisticated blue alligator leather strap secured with a pin buckle, with a folding clasp available as an option. The Byrne Star Worldtimer is a captivating blend of historical inspiration, playful design, and sophisticated horological engineering, offering a unique and engaging way to track time across the globe. It is a testament to Byrne’s innovative spirit and a worthy addition to the collection of any discerning watch enthusiast who appreciates a touch of whimsy alongside exceptional craftsmanship.
