Press release
7th April, 2014
Monitoring your environment
Weather forecasting and altimeter mechanical timepieces from Breva
“la Breva” is a warm southern wind contributing to the agreeably mild microclimate
around Lake Como in Northern Italy. And Breva, with its name derived from “la Breva”,
is also a fresh breeze blowing into the Swiss watchmaking industry. Based in Geneva,
Switzerland, Breva creates timepieces with complications to monitor your
environment. The concept begins with an idea from 2010 by Breva’s founder Vincent
Dupontreué. After three years of research and development partnered with awardwinning movement constructor, Jean-François Mojon/Chronode, Vincent Dupontreué
launched Breva with the Génie 01, the world’s first mechanical wristwatch with a
barometer for forecasting the weather and an altimeter. This first creation was
followed in 2014 by the Génie 02 monitoring our world with a high precision
mechanical altimeter.
Génie 01
The Breva Génie 01 is the world’s first mechanical wristwatch displaying time, altitude,
weather forecasting barometric pressure and power reserve. A dial side tour reveals a
plethora of easy-to-read indications to keep the wearer fully informed about current
time, altitude, remaining power in the mainspring, and a weather forecasting
barometer. Hours and minutes are displayed on a semi-transparent smoky-sapphire
sub dial at 8 o’clock, with small seconds below 12 o’clock. A 65-hour power reserve
indicator at 4 o’clock is instantly recognisable thanks to its engraved compass rose –
an icon found throughout the Breva Génie 01.
At 6 o’clock, an aneroid capsule measuring air pressure dominates the lower section,
with another identical aneroid capsule underneath it to maximise sensitivity to the
slightest change in air pressure, to drive the barometer and altimeter displays.
Barometric pressure is indicated on a second semi-transparent smoky-sapphire sub
dial at 2 o’clock, with icons providing scientifically based forecasts of likely weather
conditions to come, measured by the change of pressure in a certain period of time (a
rising pressure signifies an approaching sunny weather while a pressure drop indicates
a possible deterioration in the weather). An air valve at the crown at 4 o’clock would
allow a small amount of air to equalise air pressure inside the case with the exterior
air pressure, in order to provide a more accurate reading. A scale displaying altitude
arcs around the top perimeter of the dial.
Air pressure changes with both altitude and weather conditions. At the back of the
Génie 01, a circular scale engraved around the perimeter of the caseback provides
correlations between altitude and air pressure, to enable easy calibrations to counter
inaccuracies due to altitude changes. Much of the movement is on display through the
open dial and display back. The Breva Génie 01 is a limited edition of 55 pieces in white
gold and 55 pieces in 4N pink gold.
For detailed information and photos:
www.3trinity.hk/press/breva/1404_Basel/breva_genie01.zip
Génie 02
The Breva Génie 02 combines the stunning sophistication of a beautifully crafted
mechanical timepiece with the practicality of a fully functional, high-performance
altimeter. The Génie 02 comes in two versions: the Génie 02 Terre (in Titanium G5) and
the Génie 02 Air (in Black Titanium G5) and are both limited to 55 pieces for each
model. The dial side of the timepiece is dominated by a sub-dial at 8 o'clock displaying
hours and minutes, and the precision altimeter sub-dial at 2 o'clock. Arcing around the
top of the dial is the large-scale altitude indicator, with small seconds below. At 4
o'clock, an indicator is revealed when the air valve is open or closed. Below is the 65hour power reserve indicator.
In pride of place at the bottom of the dial, the top of one of the two aneroid capsules
measuring air pressure (from which the altitude is derived) is visible. They were
especially developed to Breva's specifications to optimise their precision and use in a
wristwatch. A complex system of gears and racks transmits the combined height of the
capsules to the two precision, large-scale altimeter indications.
At the back of the watch, the names of prestigious ski resorts and their altitudes (Génie
02 Terre) or worldwide airport codes and altitudes (Génie 02 Air) are engraved around
the perimeter of the caseback. The precise movements of the movement can be
appreciated via the skeletonised dial and sapphire crystal caseback.
For detailed information and photos:
www.3trinity.hk/press/breva/1404_Basel/breva_genie02.zip
Profile of Breva founder, Vincent Dupontreué
Breva founder, Vincent Dupontreué, was born just outside Paris in 1977. He had a precocious
entrepreneurial spirit that had him making and selling bracelets on the beach in Corsica during holidays
when just 11 years old and at 13 building and selling skateboard ramps with his brother. A job working
in a bespoke men’s clothing store at 18 led, a few years later, to the position of sales manager at
Ermenegildo Zegna. Vincent Dupontreué quickly decided he wanted to run his own boutique and when
that wasn’t a possibility – he was still only 22 years old – he set up his own fashion brand, called "Vincent
Dupontreué".
After seven successful years Vincent Dupontreué sold his fashion brand, completed an MBA in Lausanne,
Switzerland, and ran an art gallery for a couple of years.
On his 33rd birthday in 2010, a desire for a nice watch ignited his entrepreneurial spirit once again and
he decided to launch his own high-end Swiss brand. A beautiful weekend on Lake Como in Northern
Italy provided both the inspiration for the name, Breva – ‘La Breva’ is a warm southern wind contributing
to the agreeably mild micro-climate around Lake Como – and the idea of creating a mechanical
timepiece that forecast the weather.
In 2013, after three years of research and development, led by Jean-François Mojon/Chronode to his
specifications, Vincent Dupontreué launched Breva with the Génie 01, the world’s first mechanical
wristwatch with a barometer for forecasting the weather and an altimeter. This first creation was
followed in 2014 by the Génie 02 Terre and Air monitoring our world with a high precision mechanical
altimeter.
For enquiries, please contact Miss Helena Hui at +852 9534 0813 or email to
helena@3trinity.hk or contact Miss Jackie Liu at +852 3583 3300 or email to
jackie@3trinity.hk.
Distributed by Trinity International Limited on behalf of Breva
Tel: +852 3583 3100 Fax: +852 3583 1331
Website: www.3trinity.hk Email: info@3trinity.hk