Independents Taking on Tantalum
In November 2023, our Editor-in-Chief Vivek Amarnani checked out three beautiful pieces from independent watchmakers, all crafted in the rare metal tantalum – the J.N. Shapiro Infinity Tantalum LE, F.P. Journe Chronometre Bleu, and the Urwerk UR100-TTH.
Rarer than gold and harder than titanium, precious tantalum is seldom seen in watchmaking due to the sheer difficulty of machining it. Audemars Piguet, Omega, and Panerai have all experimented in its use, but tantalum is only truly present in the high luxury independent space.
Every month, we’ll be taking a look at distinct, notable watches (from any era) that we are obsessed with, exploring their story and showing off some of our favorite references. By spotlighting these watches, we aim to bring attention to great watchmaking wherever we can find it.
J.N. SHAPIRO INFINITY TANTALUM LIMITED EDITION
Artisan Josh Shapiro is one of very few independent watchmakers in the entire United States of America. Based in Inglewood, California, Shapiro specializes in bringing extreme detail to classically inspired watches, and his work on the J.N. Shapiro Infinity Tantalum is an excellent display of his brand ethos.
Delivered in a brushed-finish 39mm tantalum case meeting brushed lug caps and a polished sloped bezel, the Infinity Tantalum LE features a striking dial defined by its several complimentary guilloche patterns. Elegant barley corn lines the outer edge, surrounding the palladium-backed hour track, with a classic basket weave pattern in the center and Shapiro’s own “Infinity Weave” in the small seconds display at six o’clock. The presence of tantalum extends to the dial’s chapter rings, complimented by unique pointed Breguet-style hands.
The Uhren-Werke-Dresden Uwd Caliber 33.1 beats at 3 Hz with a 53 hour power reserve. Hand wound and definitively German in its appearance, the calibre is defined by its sharply angled corners, straight brushed surfaces and bridges, and polished beveling that surround the exposed gear-train, which is asymmetrically arranged across 33mm. A chamfered gold plate indicates the timepieces’ limited status – only 26 examples will ever be produced across three different dial configurations.
F.P. JOURNE CHRONOMETRE BLEU
From renowned independent watchmaker, the F.P. Journe Chronometre Bleu is horology’s most famous tantalum timepiece. Despite its hefty $37,000 price tag, the Chronometre Bleu is the definitive entry level Journe watch though it still features all the brand’s hallmarks.
The name bleu applies two-fold, for both the deep chrome blue dial and the blue-grey hue of the timepiece’s polished tantalum case. Cream colored Arabic numerals and tapered hands are centrally mounted, both in Journe’s signature style, and a small seconds subdial seated between 7 and 8 is finished with concentric circles within. Otherwise empty, the dial’s beauty lies in its fluidity as sunlight reflects over its surface, and in its ability to complement the luster of the tantalum bezel and case.
In classic Journe fashion, the movement within is made of 18 karat rose gold. Beating at 3 Hz and powered by twin mainspring barrels, the manual-wound calibre offers 56 hours of power reserve. Polsished screw heads and extraordinarily deep Geneva stripe-decorated bridges appear as caverns over the baseplate, decorated with guilloche and engraved lettering.
URWERK UR105-TTH
The final piece of the UR-105 collection and produced in a limited 12 examples, the UR105-TTH is one of the brand’s most special releases. Crafted in a ‘soap bar’ style case of titanium and tantalum with a distinct tantalum ‘protective shield’ on the front side, the UR105’s aggressive futurism is a perfect match with the dark luster of precious tantalum.
The wandering hours mechanism features four beryllium bronze satellites of three numbers each, while most wandering hours timepieces, such as the Audemars Piguet ‘Starwheel’ and even the Urwerk UR-100v, feature a more common triple satellite configuration. As the present hour reveals itself from underneath the protective shield and moves in turn with the minute track, the beauty of the wandering hours complication becomes clear. Simultaneously digital and analog in nature, the fluid orbit of the Geneva cross satellites retains the familiarity of analog movement while breaking all its rules.
Lifting up the titanium hull displays the openworked UR 5.03 calibre. Masked within the complex carousel-style movement, power reserve and small seconds subdials complete the front side of the timepiece. Urwerk’s engineering prowess becomes apparent with the twin turbines located on the case back, meant to regulate the self-winding calibre. The timepiece is controlled by the dual-position crown and a highly utilitarian control lever on the backside, used to change the winding rate between three settings depending on the lifestyle of the wearer. The automatic winding functionality can be lessened or even entirely disabled, converting the timepiece into a manual-winding watch.
