IS TRILOBE A HIT OR MISS?

When it comes to the watch industry, everyone on the spectrum makes the same style watches, divers, pilots, and integrated bracelets, though there are these few brands that have broken the unspoken rule and introduced to market crazy watches, for example MB&F or Greubel Forsey , but for these watches you pay a lump sum.

Then there is the brands that have been “out of the box” watch brands, with innovative watches, in standard style cases like round or rectangular, like BOVET or Arnold & Son they have made different types of dials, on standard size casings, and they are truly remarkable.

Today i’m speaking about Trilobe , at first glance you see thousands of new startup watch companies, with more than half of them failing writhing 36 months, and even the ones that do succeed most of them are completely vanilla style, copying the same style design as everyone else, why should this company be different?

I started to delve in deeper looking at the origins of the brand, I was very impressed to be honest, Gautier Massonneau started the brand in 2016 after not finding the watch he wanted, after two years of working on the watch, in 2018 Gauthier came out with no less than three collections of watches, super beautiful and out of the box watches.

All the watches are in two sizes of 38mm which is sits beautiful on women and smaller wrists, 40mm for men or bigger wrists, and the movement is no joke, Gauthier partnered with one of the most prestigious companies in the world which invents movements for watches just like these and much more, Chronode SA, Manufacture d’horlogerie invents movements for MB&F, HYT Watches which are very complicated.

The first collection is “Nuit Fantastique” the watch is a time only watch, with no hands at all, the has one marker that turns showing the time, it has a minute window, with a rotating second dial, this is very innovative in design and also in functionality needing to build three different systems for everything.

The watch starting point of 10,000 Euros, and for rose gold 20,000 Euros, this watch is everything that you want with a indie price tag like H. Moser & Cie. , although I’m not comparing each other, they are in the same category of exclusivity, the only concern I have is if the company fails, who will service the parts, if its so difficult to make one.

The second collection is “Les Matinaux” the watch three rings, each ring represents hour, min, second, with each one has a marker, and the rings turn towards the markers, which they also make a lot of variations in dials and metals, which starts by 9,000 Euros, and more for gold.

The amazing thing about smaller brands is you can choose a bunch of types of dials, and metals, and sizing nothing is un doable they work with you, unlike the bigger brands which is very hard to get anything customizable, another great product is “the secret collection” these are the same watches from the other collections but with sky dials and stars, at a aprox 2,000 more, which given the amount of work its not a lot.

Last but not least the third collection is “Une Folle Journée” this watch is truly a piece of art, it has as well three rings, which all of them have, but this is totally different with a dome shaped crystal, the rings are skeletonized hanging in the air, and the watch looks like a flying saucer, this watch is Truly inspired by aliens and what not, I truly love it, though not so much the price starting at 20,000 Euros, and 30,000 Euros for Gold its steep, but comparing this watch to other in the industry of what you are getting, its really reasonable.

This collection is very unique and I can see it shaping the industry to get out of their comfort zone and change a bit from the original three hands dials, though I’m disappointed and hope that Trilobe will be able to eliminate the crown as well, then the watch will be transformed into a real new concept which is not seen (besides for RESSENCE , which soon I will write about them) and then it will be a true flying saucer.

To end off as I said earlier, I love the concept of being original and flexible to customers needs and requests, Trilobe even offers Une Folle Journée With full of diamonds though I don’t know the price, and you can make semi customizable your watches at all, which is truly unique with only a handful of watch com pansies can do.

In conclusion I am super impressed by the company and all their ability’s.

What do you think?

See you next week

BH