In the past few years we’ve witnessed a number of new brands emerging onto the scene of “alternative” haute horlogerie. One such brand is the Geneva-based Breva, a brand focusing on implementing meteorological and other barometrical complications into mechanical watches.

Their debut watch from last year was the Génie 01, dubbed the world’s first watch with a mechanical barometer, allowing the wearer to basically predict the weather based on atmospheric pressure. Sounds simple enough, yet the technology that goes into it required 3 years of development to successfully implement within a mechanical watch, and I’m not just talking about the movement.

Glancing at the open dial you can immediately tell that you’re looking at something quite extraordinary. The off-centered hours and minutes tinted glass dial is fairly orthodox. But that’s the only thing you could call normal about the Génie 01.  At 2 o’clock you have the barometric dial with a hand indicating the weather forecast.

For the barometer to work, the watch requires two pieces of information: altitude and air pressure. The altitude can be set manually by the crown/pusher at 2 o’clock and is indicated on a peripheral hand running between 10 and 2 o’clock.

Calculating the ambient air pressure is where things get interesting. Visible at 5 o’clock is an aneroid capsule (actually there’s two of them stacked on top of one another) composed of capsules that are void of air and made of a patented “memory metal”, which expands and contracts under different air pressures.

High air pressure generally means clear skies, while lower pressures mean clouds and precipitation. As my high school geography teacher once taught me, there’s no such thing as universally good or bad weather.

To let the air in, you simply push the button at 4 o’clock. There’s a Teflon membrane within the valve that Breva have incorporated to keep moisture out, so water-resistance shouldn’t be a cause for concern. But just in case, there’s an indicator near the crown marked “SEALED” to let you know if the valve is open or closed.

The movement was conceived by none other than Jean-Francois Mojon of Chronode, who has a knack for integrating watch movements with alternative technologies as he did with HYT’s H1. With a modern dark grey galvanic treatment and a pretty original layout and decoration on the barrels, the movement provides a power reserve of 65 hours.

So after such a unique watch concept, what comes next from Breva?

During SIHH last month, Breva took the opportunity to unveil their second creation, the Génie 02 Terra. Perhaps made to coincide with the ski season, the Génie 02 is a watch fitted with an accurate mechanical altimeter. No weather station here.

It uses the same aneroid capsule to determine altitude (calculated from air pressure), albeit more precisely than on the Génie 02. You’ll notice the top dial-side aneroid capsule has an arm that multiplies the expansion and contraction of the capsules by high-precision arm multiplying by 200 times, and is thus able to provide both precision and large-scale altimeter indications.

The round case here is made of Grade 5 Titanium, with an overall sportier look and lugs that give the impression of an integrated metal bracelet. It definitely works better to my eyes in producing a more coherent and original case. The base movement is the same Chronode movement as the Génie 01.

My biggest concern with Breva is their price point. I appreciate the technology that goes into these watches and the fact that a new brand has stepped onto the scene with a totally new concept. But with price tags of well over 100k USD for either of the two models, they’re up there with other “concept” watches like the hydro-mechanical HYT H2 and pieces from Christophe Claret. Granted, this is a completely unique proposition in the world of high-end watches, and I have no doubt that some will find these watches intriguing enough to buy. For the man who has everything and wants a watch that is totally different, it might be worth considering a Breva.

More information on www.breva-watch.com