This is where I truly belong, working in my Atelier. Over the last few years, I have focussed on designing my own movements and complications, for instance, I developed a timepiece featuring 38 timezones, another timepiece with a 3-axis tourbillon with a globe with 24 timezones setting, a 24-hour alarm and a 3D moon. This in-house creation is nearly ready for delivery to a very exited customer. During this time, I also designed the worlds most complicated timepiece, boasting over 50 complications. Although this project is currently on hold due to customers circumstances, I remain committed to it, as it involves numerous innovations to accommodate those 50+ complications within a 43×14.5mm case.
The invention I am most proud of
Of all these complications, the invention I am most proud of is my perpetual calendar module, which seamlessly drives the date, day, month, year, moon phase, moon position, season indicator, sun rise, sun set and running equation of time, all self-configuring with just a simple date setting using the crown, no correctors needed.
The project of my dreams
Inspired by this work, I then embarked on a deeply personal project: creating the most user-friendly perpetual calendar timepiece ever made. I have called it very simply my Easy Perpetual.
Now I am ready to bring this dream to life. With a quick-set the date function, you’re done. The day of the week, the month and the year (displayed on the back) will always remain in sync and accurate. There’s no need for adjustments, pushers, correctors, or tools – just quick-set the date via the crown and the timepiece will handle the rest!
And no other brand has achieved such ease with a perpetual calendar.
If you accidentally set the date too far ahead, simply go back as much as you like. Setting the time through midnight, or even backwards through midnight: no problem, the calendar will adjust accordingly. There is no risk of damage; you can’t set the date incorrectly or halfway: the crown function will stay in date-setting untill the date is fully set.
The people
These magnificant timepieces will be crafted with the help of some good friends: Kaj Korpela, Julien Tixer and Philippe Narbel. As the project is too big for me to handle alone, and, most importantly: watchmaking thrives on collaboration and relationships with the collectors!
This collaboration ensures that I have the right craftsmen on board, guaranteeing phenomenal finishing.
The timepiece
This timepiece embodies my years of dedication, perseverance, emotion and passion. It features my signature case shape with open lugs, an in-house movement, crafted from conventional materials, and the perpetual calendar that I take great pride in. After many months of design and calculation, I can finally begin building it alongside you.
The date hand will skip the two prisms in the dial at 2 and 4 o’clock to avoid obscuring these important elements. On the back, you’ll find the day and month indication, as well as a leapyear indicator.
The best part? With no need for pushers or correctors, this space can be utilized for something innovative: prisms that display the month and day of the week on the side of the timepiece – a world’s first and truly exiting feature!
The day-night indicator on the dial, with aventurine skies, will show whether it’s day or night, whil the winding indicator on the left will signal you when it’s time to wind your timepiece. But with 90+ hours of power reserve, that won’t happen too often.
A nice little detail: the minute hand will read the outside track, whilst the opening in the tip will read the inside minute trakcs near the prisms.
The 21,600 bph free-sprung balance floats 0.15 mm beneath the sapphire balance bridge, appearing to hover in mid-air, clearly visible through the sapphire. You will be able to see the moving gears with beautifull anglage and circular graining, along with the mirror-polished pinions and their long clock-like shafts, as well as the triangular pallet fork in blued steel, another innovation for enhanced efficiency.
The crown stem has a reversed stem system, which is much stronger than regular winding/setting systems and offers greater versatility. This design includes safety features that make it virtually impossible to damage the movement by mistake).
Finishing
With the expertise of Philippe Narbel and his team will focus on crafting the
components while they handle much of the finishing work. Our goal is to
achieve high-end finishing, featuring Côtes de Genève, mirror-polished anglage,
black-polished screws, and a black polished bridge over the calendar discs,
adorned with gold chatons around the rubies and black-polished parts in the
winding system.
The Subscription
We will produce just 12 pieces, with number 0/12 being auctioned for local charity. This
initiative allows us to support our community, including the athletics club,
sports organisations and nature preservation efforts (such as De Veluwe and Van
Meurs Park).
Once we have 6 confirmated subscriptions, we can kick off the project and
create a memorable experience, culminating in an incredible timepiece!
As a subscriber, you will receive updates, photos and video’s throughout the
process. Whatsapp and Signal will be our preferred communication channels.
You won’t just witness the creation of your timepiece; you’re also invited to the
Atelier to help craft a component for your own timepiece! You’ll follow the
entire process and have the opportunity to make choices regarding decoration,
aestethic finishing and overall design. Here, you’ll learn some of the secrets of
watchmaking!
The timepiece will come with a service manual, so every experienced
watchmaker will be able to service the timepiece in the distant future.
Download subscription form here
Download the subscription form above to view more options and secure your place in this exclusive project! Please send your subscription to info@hulsman-timepieces.com. Don’t hesitate to contact me on +31-655842672 have any further questions. I’m excited to share this extraordinary adventure with you.
Machiel Hulsman
Dutch master of independent watchmaking and complications 