The new Petermann Bédat Reference 1825, The Indie Brand’s Take on the Three-Hand Watch

Petermann Bédat is an independent watchmaking brand based in Renens, near Lausanne. The founders, Gaël Petermann and Florian Bédat, first met at the Geneva Watchmaking School. After gaining experience at prestigious houses such as A. Lange & Söhne, Harry Winston and Andersen Genève, or restoring vintage timepieces, they decided to create their own brand. The elegant yet original design of their first two models, the 1967 Deadbeat Seconds and the highly complex 2941 Split-Seconds Chronograph, and their commitment to traditional craftsmanship, enabled them to earn recognition in the independent watchmaking scene. With their third model, the Petermann Bédat Reference 1825, the duo undertook a challenge that is more complex than one would think: creating an elegant time-only watch. 

For Gael Petermann and Florian Bédat, the idea when creating this third model was to focus on the essentials with a three-hand, time-only watch. Surely, this is also a way to somehow increase their output with a relatively simpler model in comparison to the delicate deadbeat second and elaborate split-second chronograph. 

Creating a fine three-hand watch is not an easy task, as here more than anywhere else in watchmaking, the devil is in the detail. If this new creation had to be consistent with the previous ones, it would come with several twists. The new Petermann Bédat Reference 1825 is their first watch to feature a traditional, non-openworked dial. Yet, it remains a sector dial with a well-proportioned small second indicator at 6 o’clock. Its distinctive, deep and particularly elegant shade of green is created thanks to translucent enamel, applied on a white gold base. If one single colour of enamel is used, the different finishing of the laser-engraved, textured surfaces underneath and the depth of each section of the dial enhance the visual complexity of the dial, giving it a refined, multi-dimensional appearance. It is made with Olivier Vaucher in Geneva. The delicately faceted spade-shaped hands are in the traditional Petermann Bédat style.

Measuring 38mm in diameter, the rose gold case follows the design of their split-second chronograph, with obviously a thinner profile at 10.15mm. It features sloping, individually soldered lugs, a slightly curved profile and a concave bezel. The crystal rises slightly above the bezel. Turning the watch over, the exhibition case back is secured by 6 screws. It offers an unimpeded view of the superb hand-wound in-house calibre 233. If the keyless works and the escapement are the same as for the previous movements, the rest of this calibre is entirely new, with a new gear train and a new architecture.

There again, the house style is recognisable at first glance in this Petermann Bédat Reference 1825, with refined hand-finishes: broad Geneva stripes on German silver bridges, wide bevelling, internal angles, large jewels with wide polished countersinks, mirror-polished steel parts, perlage on the mainplate… The wheels are crafted in gold. The barrel bridge is engraved with the caption Petermann Bédat Conçu et réalisé à Renens (French for designed and manufactured in Renens).

The structure is intriguing and clearly influenced by yesteryear pocket watches. One side is symmetrically arranged around the crown-wheel bridge, while the balance bridge side has a more deconstructed layout. The bell-shaped, openworked steel centre bridge is a nice touch. As expected, the duo opted for a large variable inertia balance wheel with two screws and two weights. The hairspring features a Breguet terminal curve. Surprisingly, the swan-neck regulator is purely decorative, with no functional role. The calibre 233 runs at 18,000 vibrations/hour and boasts a power reserve of 56 hours.

The Petermann Bédat Reference 1825 is paired with an alligator leather strap and a pin buckle. The model (this green dial edition and upcoming variations) will be produced for 4 years, with a target to manufacture about 50 watches per year, or 200 pieces in total. For now, preorders will be accepted only for the first two years and will later be opened to the following two years, as Petermann and Bédat want to avoid having waiting lists over too long a period. The first deliveries are announced for the beginning of 2026.

The price of this new three-hand watch by Petermann Bédat is set at CHF 75,000, excluding taxes. For more details, please visit www.petermann-bedat.ch.