Vianney Halter, a watchmaker known for his work in various dimensions and eras, has designed the Grand Voyageur wristwatch as a travel companion. The watch has been developed in parallel with his horological art collection and draws inspiration from the aesthetics of train travel. The Grand Voyageur is practical, legible, and reliable, using modern horological technologies that offer the highest accuracy possible. The dial of the watch uses the same aesthetic principles of modern SNCF (French Railways) station clocks, and the shape of the case is a reference to the bogie, the wheel-carrying frames under the trains.
The Grand Voyageur is available with a deep red dial. It is a tool that has been built to be worn, with a size of 40mm, and is made of stainless steel that is +3 atm waterproof. The watch has an ETA autoquartz movement, which is a hybrid mechanism using the reliability of a mechanical winding system and the accuracy of an electronic-based regulator. This movement epitomizes the portable, autonomous time instrument, providing high accuracy and virtually unlimited function. The system offers the benefit of parting with the use of batteries, making it a more sustainable and eco-friendly option. When it is fully charged, the maximum power reserve is 100 days from the last moment it is worn. This functioning time can be extended by setting the watch on sleep mode by pulling the crown to position 3. The crown was engineered to be protective whichever it’s position.
The Grand Voyageur by Vianney Halter is different from Vianney Halter's other watches. He developed this product and supervises the fabrication in parallel to his collection, which he fully imagines, develops, and crafts alone. To provide a more accessible watch, Vianney has the Grand Voyageur assembled by selected contractors. The original movement is completely redecorated and refinished with Vianney Halter style. Vianney then controls quality, finish, and assembly, which explains the signature "by Vianney Halter."
Vianney Halter's father, Elisé Halter, was a train conductor in the times of steam engines. Trains and steam engines have been part of Vianney's world since his early childhood, as he wrote novel stories about trains and clocks at the age of 11. In the early 2000s, Vianney encountered Jean-Yves Mariez, who worked for the SNCF many times, creating the signage used in several stations. The two became friends and imagined a wristwatch that drew inspiration from the aesthetics of train travel. The most important information while traveling is a precise time and date. Time and travel are tightly linked through history, one pushing its progress into the other. The Grand Voyageur is the result of this collaboration, combining the aesthetics of train travel and modern horological technologies.
