MAD About The Watch

Since the days of the pocket watch, a man’s connection to a handmade timepiece has never faltered and the more luxurious, unique and collectible, the better. What was once a passed down family heirloom has become an modern obsession and whether you like a traditional Swiss made or a customised piece, luxury watches are one of the few items in the modern world that hold their value and are in a word…timeless.

From James Bond’s Omega to Floyd Mayweather’s $18 million Jacob & Co, watches appear to be more of a status symbol than a fast car. We may not be an international spy or the highest paid athlete in the world but we do share their love of a unique timepiece which is why we introduced MAD Paris watches to Browns. 

Creating watches like no other, MAD take iconic Rolex, Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe models and rework them entirely. Respecting each model’s unique construction, MAD’s watch makers carefully reconstruct each piece, hand painting every detail and coating them in diamond like carbon.

You may already have an impressive collection of chronometers and are in search of a rare piece or are on the hunt for your first luxury wrist companion. To give you a head start on picking out your new watch, Browns have selected the must have MAD Paris timepieces.

The first diver’s watch that’s waterproof at 100 metres depth, the Rolex Submariner was introduced way back in 1953. A breakthrough in timepiece mastery, the Submariner has set the standard for all diving watches that have come since. Engraved with a 60 minute graduation, the diver can safely monitor decompression and time spent beneath the waves. This MAD Paris iteration features a dark grey DLC coating with hand-painted red details on the bezel. 

From automotive to aviation, the GMT Master was designed to aid professional airline pilots, showing two time zones simultaneously during international flights. It was named GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) to reference the solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London where the original meridian was used to calculate the different time zones around the world. The MAD Paris iteration comes with a black DLC coating, green numbered bezel and hand painted white dials.

Minimal but mighty, the Milgauss model was created with a scientific approach, testing the mechanics to the limits. Most watches will cease to work if exposed to a magnetic field of 50 to 100 gauss but the Milgauss is capable of withstanding up to 1,000 gauss (mille is French for one thousand). If you are a part time nuclear scientist or just prefer the more understated style, the MAD Paris Milgauss features a camouflage print DLC coating with subtle hand painted detailing to the face and dial.

For that added bit of insight, our junior buyer Thibaud Etcheberry paid the MAD Paris studio a visit where he had the chance to ask a few questions about the creation of these luxury watches…

What was the inspiration behind the creation of the first Mad Paris watch?

The idea was to have a watch that is different from the rest. As watch collectors, we were starting to get bored to always buying the same watches. This is where the idea of customization came from. Having a quality watch, from a recognized brand, but with our own touch on it that makes it unique.

How long does the process of creating a classic Mad watch take?

We don’t have any rules at MAD. Each watch takes the time it needs to be completed, it can be a few days for a classic and small customization but it can also take months of developing, researching, testing, trying, back and forth with the customer. If we were to make an average, we’d say around four to six weeks from the order to the delivery.

What made you decide to use diamond like carbon (DLC) as the Mad signature material?

 For now, DLC is the best process we know to have this cosmetic use and for the technicity to be used as we do.

Can you tell us a few names of your famous clientele?

Of course we can’t! But have a closer look on a few famous wrists on Instagram…

Which model would you say is the must have watch for any collector?

The Daytona is probably the hit watch from Rolex. But when we come to the customization element, each model can be the grail, as it becomes your own watch that is designed by you, for you.

 

SHOP MAD PARIS

 

Date: 5th February 2019

Category: News