It’s not easy creating your own watch brand from scratch. It’s even harder when you’re on a tight budget and you’d like to do it all on your own without any partners or investors.
More than just another independent watch brand, VicenTerra is a story of one man and his vision to create unique timepieces. Vincent Plomb is a name you’re unlinkely to have come across in watch magazines and online publications, but suffice to say that he’s one of the industry’s many talented figures, responsible for 2D and 3D constructions for various watch brand over the years.
My encounter with VicenTerra was an odd one. A few weeks ago I met up with a local watch collector whom I hadn’t seen in years. It just so happened that he was sporting his VicenTerra GMT-3 “T1” edition watch, which I immediately shared on Instagram here. A neo-classical watch with a pretty darn cool 3D globe indication on the dial. It definitely caught my attention.
That brings to me to one of the more interesting aspects in the creation of the VicenTerra brand. Because Vincent wanted to make sure that there were enough people interested in actually buying the watch before starting production on VicenTerra’s first model, the GMT -3 T1 with a silver dial, he made the first 100 pieces available on a subscription basis at a very attractive price. We’re talking about 5’000 CHF versus 10’800 CHF for the current “T2” version with a slightly modified black dial.
Spherical/three-dimensional complications and displays are rare enough as it is, usually reserved for watches above the $100k mark. This is exactly where VicenTerra fills a niche: offering such complications at a much more accessible price-point.
The globe on the GMT -3 is indicated by a Roman “V” hour markers, and shows where noon is on the globe. Finished in blue-painted and satin-brushed metal (not sure if it’s steel, titanium or brass), the globe can be advanced by the pusher at 4 o’clock. The tonneau case also has a sapphire glass window on the side allowing you to admire the globe from a different angle.
Obviously the GMT-3 gets its name from the GMT complication, implemented as on off-centered GMT dial with 24-hour markings. A dedicated pusher at 8 o’clock allows quick adjustment of the second time-zone.
There’s a day/night indicator disk at 12 o’clock to help keep track of time back home when on transcontinental voyages, done with a sun and moon pattern.
The watch also comes with a retrograde date complication, where the retrograde mechanism on the proprietary VicenTerra module is visible through an aperture on the dial.
The watch comes in a polished tonneau case that measures a whopping 44,60 mm by 54.50 mm. Definitely a big case even by my standards, but that’s not to say it’s unwearable. The short lugs certainly help in making for a snug fit, as does the curved caseback.
The caseback is done in satin-brushed steel, with two apertures revealing a portion of the modified ETA 2892 movement and custom rotor, as well as a second window showing the opposite side of the earth. Even though the base movement isn’t particularly fascinating, the proprietary module is what meeks the GMT-3 such a spectacular piece.
All in all Vincent Plomb has proven with VicenTerra that you don’t have to invest millions in brand building and marketing to successfully launch your own brand. What I’m particularly looking forward to is the next VicenTerra piece, the aptly named “Luna” that features both a revolving earth as well as a spherical moon phase complication. This however requires that enough people pre-order it to justify production.
More information on www.vicenterra.ch
