Hazemann & Monnin School Watch: The Birth of an Exceptional Timepiece Blending Tradition and Audacity
<p>The <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hazemann_watches/">Hazemann</a> & Monnin School Watch is far more than just a graduation project. It
The Hazemann & Monnin School Watch is far more than just a graduation project. It is a timepiece that commands respect, combining technical mastery, rarity, and absolute authenticity. Created by two young French watchmakers, Alexandre Hazemann and Victor Monnin, this unique piece in today's horological landscape proves that it is still possible to design a mechanical watch with complex complications by hand, with passion and patience, in a completely independent setting.
The timepiece is built on a highly ambitious set of specifications for a graduation project: to create a watch featuring an instantaneous jumping hour and a passing chime. In other words, a watch capable of displaying the hour through a digital aperture, with a sharp, precise hour change at every transition from 59 to 00, while distinctly chiming each passing hour. Few major watchmaking houses venture into this territory, as these two complications are already difficult to master individually. Combining them in a single piece is a true tour de force.
And that is exactly what they have achieved. The movement is based on a heavily reworked La Joux-Perret LJP 6900 caliber. The jumping hour is sharp, instantaneous, and without hesitation. As for the chime, it strikes the hour precisely and without fail, using a discreet, perfectly integrated hammer positioned at 6 o'clock on the dial side. This hammer releases a clear, crisp sound that is both subtle and satisfying, requiring no manual activation: everything happens automatically, at the top of the hour
Visually, the two proposed versions are very different yet complementary. The AH.02, signed by Alexandre Hazemann, is a skeletonised, modern, almost technical watch. The open dial reveals the inner workings of the timepiece, with a highly graphic layout of the hour aperture, the hammer, and the movement bridges. It is an architecture of contrast, designed to highlight the handcraft, the finishing, and the complexity of the mechanism.
The Immortale, imagined by Victor Monnin, is more classic in appearance but equally refined. The partially closed dial features a malachite insert—a green, veined semi-precious stone that adds an artistic dimension to the piece. The hour aperture blends into this natural composition, while partial skeletonisation offers a glimpse of the mechanics in motion. It is a watch that is both poetic and technical, rich in symbolism and materials.
Both models share a 39.5 mm steel case with a restrained thickness of 10.9 mm. The proportions are ideal: contemporary enough to make a statement, yet classic enough to remain elegant for daily wear. The finishing is done entirely by hand, from polishing and beveling to the internal decoration of the caliber. This attention to detail is all the more remarkable given that it was achieved without the backing of a major group or the help of an industrial production line. Each watch is assembled, regulated, and checked in their own workshop.
And to emphasize the exclusive nature of the project, each of the two watches is limited to just 10 pieces. Not one more. These are extremely rare timepieces, handcrafted from start to finish with a 100% artisanal approach. It is a pure, sincere endeavor that speaks to passionate collectors as much as to enthusiasts of independent watchmaking. The kind of watch you do not see twice.
Conclusion
The Hazemann & Monnin School Watch is not just a demonstration of talent; it is already a collector's piece. It ticks every box: a cohesive design, demanding complications, hand-finishing, an ultra-limited production, and an authentic story behind each piece. Born on the benches of a French watchmaking school, this project proves that with audacity, expertise, and immense personal dedication, it is still possible to create something truly different. A watch that deserves to be seen, worn, and passed down.
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