The history of time measurement begins in parallel with that of astronomy. Two inter-dependent worlds, united by the notion of time-space which so greatly fascinated the pioneers of astrophysics and many mathematicians. Antoine Preziuso nurtures this same fascination. Leafing through the catalogue provides an eloquent demonstration of this passion evoked by collection names such as Moonlight, Starmoon or Fireball.

The T21, the object of this test bench article, embodies the supreme culmination of spatiotemporal union, through the encounter between the infinitely large and the infinitely small, masterfully orchestrated by the daring and ever-present curiosity that continues to light up the eyes of the Geneva watchmaker who is celebrating his 25 years of independence this year! The numerous world firsts already accomplished by the watchmaker in Arare, or the abundance of projects stemming from the creativity of Antoine Preziuso would undoubtedly provide enough material for a sizeable book, but the product speaks for itself, and I want to get right down to details.

The exterior
It is here that the cosmic spirit of this watch is most clearly apparent, making it an eloquent witness of eternity – and that is no exaggeration! The brand workshops are indeed the only ones to produce watches featuring a case carved from the raw mass of a meteorite. Meteorites may be mineral or ferrous. The cases crafted by Antoine Preziuso are of the ferrous kind. After several models made from fragments of celestial bodies discovered in Namibia (Gibeon meteorite), the T21 is the first watch made from a meteorite discovered in Sweden and evocatively named Muonionalusta, of which the first fragments were discovered in 1906. The meteorite is composed essentially of iron, but it also contains nickel, carbon and extra-terrestrial metallic elements. The distinctive feature of this cosmic alloy is that its molecular structure is frozen when the asteroid fragment enters the atmosphere in fusion, revealing an octahedrite structure known as the Widmanstatten pattern, characterised by an interwoven structure of totally straight lines. The inclusions present in this raw material mean that the case cannot be stamped, but instead requires complex machining techniques which are of course a jealously guarded secret. Its round shape measuring 40 mm in diameter, together with its generously sized bezel and sides, enable one to admire the magic of this celestial atomic alchemy. The three-quarter dial is also crafted in meteorite and adorned with large Arabic numerals and the broad Superluminova-coated leafshaped hands which have become a brand signature. The impeccable proportions mean that this watch can be easily worn by either a man or a woman. The upper sapphire crystal harmoniously follows the curve of the bezel, while the one beneath reveals the marvels of the movement.

The movement
The STT base of this tourbillon is unrecognizable. One has to actually check the centering of each wheel and pinion to guess the origin of the blank. This is mainly due to the magnificent design of the bridges, a worthy ambassador of the “Geneva” quality which also reminds us of Antoine Preziuso’s talents as a restorer. Two series-coupled barrels supply the energy to an extremely efficient going-train, which in turn powers the rotations of the tourbillon carriage. The latter is of the flying kind and turns in one minute on a ball-bearing mechanism; the carriage has also been redesigned by Antoine Preziuso. This exclusive execution features a finely bevelled index-assembly and balance-spring, thus enhancing the rating qualities. The balance oscillates at a cadence of 28,800 vph, which is a high frequency for a tourbillon. The sturdiness and reliability of this movement are thus in no way detrimental to the aesthetics. The bridges and steel parts are hand-bevelled and polished, and the movement is decorated with a hand engraving depicting a poetic and artistic vision of planets, stars and asteroids. On the dial side, the tourbillon stands out from the dial in an original way under an elegant bridge-bar serving to absorb the shocks sustained by the tourbillon carriage and not as a pivoting point.

The tests
To wind the two springs of this hand-wound movement and guarantee its 110-hour power reserve, its designers have opted for a strongly reduced mechanism. Some may think that the number of turns of the crown is too high, and there are indeed quite a few, but this enables a smooth and easy winding which is thus gentle on each of the gears. The final adjustments are fine and tight. The high frequency of the balance considerably reduces any possible unbalance of the carriage. When fully wound, the amplitude is superior to 300° in both vertical and horizontal positions. The loss of amplitude in the vertical position is less than 10°! The measure ratings are chronometric and stable. Ranging between 0 and +10 sec/day, the delta is no great than 5 seconds. The twin barrel and the efficiency of the gear-wheel maintain this rating with incredible constancy for the 72 first hours of the power reserve. On the fourth day, the amplitude drops significantly to the 220° mark (95 hours into the power reserve) and the ratings follow the same downward curve until the watch stops (indicated after 110 hours of power reserve and measured until 114 hours). My curiosity when faced with such an object was to observe the influence of magnetic fields on a watch with a case essentially composed of iron, along with its resistance to corrosion. A question that Antoine Preziuso naturally addressed, since while the complete watch has a measurable magnetic charge, the movement outside of its case revealed no trace of this, surrounded by an extremely effective casing-ring. Corrosion will find no easy target in the meteorite protected from the attacks of oxygen by a surface treatment which will also remain mysterious… On the wrist, the T21 proves as pleasant to wear as it is to look at!

By way of conclusion
Few new watches could immediately be described as museum pieces. Due to the phenomenal interest it arouses, the T21 could legitimately claim a place in a museum dedicated to watchmaking, but also in natural history, science or art museums. In addition to its technical qualities, the T21 represents a talking piece that inevitably leads to deep and fascinating discussions and, on an even simpler level, inspires dreams. Dreams of space, of eternity, of the infinitely large and the infinitely small. With the T21, Antoine Preziuso has once again succeeded in offering us the gift of a good time!