Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The 2nd-Gen Trilobe Une Folle Journée, with New Case and Manufacture Movement
New barrel-shaped case, Paris-built manufacture X-Nihilo calibre, still the same deconstructed 3D time display.
Right from the early days of the brand, Gautier Massonneau, founder of French indie brand Trilobe, had a clear idea regarding how time should be displayed. Not by means of classic central hands, but with off-centred rings turning counterclockwise around a fixed pointer. This appeared in several collections, such as Les Matinaux and the Nuit Fantastique. This signature display later evolved into an integrated sports watch, but the idea of deconstructing time culminated in Une Folle Journée, a bolder, more radical expression of Trilobe’s style. Now, the watch enters its second generation with a redesigned case in line with the Trente-Deux collection, and it also now integrates the brand’s manufacture movement, the X-Nihilo calibre.
The concept remains the same; the execution changes quite drastically. The 2nd Generation Trilobe Une Folle Journée keeps what made the original version striking and appealing, while upgrading both the design and the mechanics. This means that the floating discs that indicate the hours, minutes and seconds, respectively, as well as the highly pronounced 3D effect of the display, are still very much alive and equally audacious. The rest, however, has been sharpened.
A new case design, Same 3D display
Starting with the case, it now relies on a barrel shape with integrated lugs rather than a traditional round case with classic lugs as in the previous edition. At first, it might appear as a transposition of the Trente-Deux collection’s design, yet the case of this new Trilobe Une Folle Journée differs. It’s sharper, more angular and without protective shoulders, yet there is an undeniable connection between the two. Made of grade 5 titanium or 18k rose gold, the case measures 40.3mm in diameter and features satin-brushed surfaces, polished accents and a fluted crown. The thickness, rated at 18.25mm, is mostly due to the highly domed, 10mm-thick sapphire crystal on top, while the caseband remains relatively slender. The sapphire crystal is made in Japan using the traditional flame-fusion process, then shaped and polished in Switzerland. Lug-to-lug is given at 47.4mm, promising relative compactness.
As for the display of the time, it retains the same principle as the previous generation of Une Folle Journée, with indications that are built with a great sense of volume. Three off-centred rings hang in space, held aloft by nine polished titanium columns. Each titanium disc pairs a hollowed, polished cornice with a concave, satin-finished inner ring in DLC. The small seconds disc, positioned in the middle of this time display, appears to float in the void, since it is supported by a transparent sapphire disc. Hours, minutes and seconds turn counterclockwise around a fixed pointer.
A collection of 3 different versions
The 2nd Generation Trilobe Une Folle Journée is presented in three versions, all worn on a new, colour-matched, striped rubber strap closed by a spring-loaded folding clasp. The blue and black versions opt for a rhodium-plated mainplate for a more technical look, while the grey edition adds warmth with a 5N gold-plated movement.
Now with the X-Nihilo Manufacture calibre
The other major upgrade for the 2nd-Gen Une Folle Journée is visible through the sapphire caseback. Replacing the X-Centric calibre of the first generation, a micro-rotor movement that was produced by Le Cercle des Horlogers, the new version now integrates the brand’s manufacture movement, the X-Nihilo calibre. First seen in the Trente-Deux collection, this movement has been developed in-house. Its components are partially produced by Trilobe near Paris (mostly the bridges and plates, with the aim of increasing integration), and the movement is then assembled in the brand’s atelier in central Paris.
The back reveals an automatic calibre with a central rotor, a balance wheel with timing screws beating at 4 Hz, and a 42-hour power reserve. The movement design is unusual and appealing, with sharp, stepped bridges (a modern take on antique French watchmaking) and an uncluttered view of critical components. Coated in 5N gold, the X-Nihilo calibre is finished with sandblasted and brushed surfaces, contrasting with the diamond-polished bevels and black-polished screws.
Availability & Price
Released as part of the permanent collection and available on the brand’s website, the 2nd-Generation Trilobe Une Folle Journée is priced at EUR 23,500 (excl. taxes) in titanium. The price of the gold version has not yet been disclosed. For more details, please visit trilobe.com.
