We pick Bertrand Meylan's brain to find out more about Hautlence, what he thinks of Singaporean collectors, and what's next for the brand
Hautlence is one of the more radical independent watchmaking brands available in the market today, known for its bold aesthetics and innovative movements and materials. Its watches are not meant for the quiet.
It excels at combining inspirations and technologies from many different disciplines. For instance, the brand's Vortex Gamma Tron, introduced at Baselworld this year, was inspired by the sci-fi fashions and flashing lights of the much-beloved movie Tron. Despite this pop culture provenance, however, the watch is no technical slouch. Its case is crafted from a combination of clear sapphire glass and HL LightColour, a composite material that hails from the aerospace and automotive industries. The material is highly resilient, but is four times lighter than titanium, and can be made in any colour of the rainbow. In the Vortex Gamma Tron, this material is made in white and blue, with strips that are luminiscent in the dark to echo the glowing lines so characteristic of the original movie.
(Related: What Do Independent Watchmaker Hautlence And Michelin-Starred Restaurant Labyrinth Have In Common?)
To find out more about this facinating brand, we caught up with Bertrand Meylan, the owner of Hautlence and CEO of Melb Holding Asia. (Melb Holding, owned and run by the Meylan family, also has sister brand H. Moser & Cie. under its umbrella). He shared his thoughts on the brand's cachet, the watch collecting savvy of Singaporean collectors, and what he saw in Hautlence's future. To find out more, watch the video below.
(Related: H. Moser & Cie.’s Endeavour Perpetual Moon Concept's Stunning Moon Phase)