Since launching in 2017, independent Swiss watchmaker Vanguart has taken a bold, design-driven approach to high-end timepieces. Its newest creation, the Orb, is its most daring yet: a futuristic watch that fuses modern engineering with traditional craftsmanship.
Led by a powerhouse team of industry veterans, Vanguart is focused on making complex watchmaking - designed to highlight the mechanics, not hide them.
CEO Axel Leuenberger and Chief Technical Officer Jérémy Freléchox bring decades of experience crafting movements for brands like Audemars Piguet, Richard Mille and Chanel. Chairman Mehmet Koruturk, with a background in private equity and Formula 1, brings a strategic edge, while Creative Director Thierry Fischer, who has designed for several major watchmakers, shapes the brand’s artistic identity.
The Orb channels its combined expertise into a sleek, sculptural form. Described by Fischer as “a harmonious shape that evokes relics of the past and visions of the future,” the watch is designed to be both visually captivating and technically advanced. Every surface of the case is hand-finished through sandblasting, satin-brushing, and polishing to create a contrast and texture that shifts with the light. Available in titanium or rose gold, the Orb features quick-change leather or rubber straps that reflect its minimalist design ethos. Its silhouette subtly nods to Fischer’s long-standing interest in sci-fi design.
But the real innovation lies within. At its heart is a new flying tourbillon movement, visible through the open worked dial. It also houses one of the most unusual winding systems on the market: a small titanium mass, set with a diamond, that circles the dial in automatic mode. Activated by turning the crown, this mass appears to float - gliding around a sloped, black PVD-treated track like a planet in orbit. Inspired by F1 aerodynamics, the mechanism locks into place when switched to manual mode.
While the movement is technically advanced, its functions—such as switching between manual and automatic modes—are designed to be straightforward to operate. Everything is designed to foster a tactile connection between wearer and watch. “For the Vanguart Orb, we consciously took the time to refine every detail,” says Leuenberger. “Our ambition was to merge futuristic aspects with traditional finishes and techniques into a harmonious, coherent design.”
Though just 10.5mm thick, the 41mm case creates a layered sense of depth, revealing the inner workings from multiple angles. Time is displayed via luminescent hands and markers, framed by a matte-finished titanium bezel. At 6 o’clock, the flying tourbillon rotates in full view - a tribute to traditional Swiss horology - while the upper half of the dial reveals the main power source. The Orb is water-resistant to 30 metres, and both the front and caseback are protected by sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating.
The Orb contains 395 components and offers a 60-hour power reserve, reflecting its technical complexity. But it’s the movement - the tourbillon and orbital mass - that brings the design to life. Vanguart limits production to retain complete control over the process and ensure every detail is finished to the highest standard. The bridges and bevels inside the movement are also finished by hand, using satin brushing, circular graining, and mirror polishing.
Away from digital distractions, the Vanguart Orb offers something rare: a quiet, kinetic object that invites you to slow down—and experience time in a more deliberate, meaningful way.
