Founder Manuel Neuhaus is quite an interesting man: Having dropped out of school to become a photographer, he trained in painting and design before earning his living by producing computer graphics in the early 1990’s.
Herr Neuhaus then worked as a freelance media designer, but in 2007, he discovered the facinating world of watches. Manuel Neuhaus decided in 2008 to create his own watches, but he wanted it to be something different. The company NEUHAUS Inventing Timepieces was launched in January 20110 and the first collection has been released.
The full day, from Midnight to Midnight, is divided in 24 hours. This division come from Ancien Egypt, where the night was marked by the passage of 12 stars above the horizon. Subsequently, the day was also divided into 12 hours, resulting in a total day of 24 hours.
Manuel Neuhaus wanted a watch with only one hand, but he wanted to increase legibility. He eventually came to the idea of slowing down by half doubling the rotating speed of the hand, making it complete a full circle in 6 hours instead of the regular 12 hours.
This allowed the artist to design the dial with a track that allows reading near to the minute.
Behind the clever display is a modified pocket movement Unitas 6498.
Herr Neuhaus also took attention in every other detail of the watch. The dial marking are coated with luminous materiel (most likely top-grade Super-Luminova), and the watch is available on the finest Milanese mesh brand from Hermann Staib.
The watch can be purchased with either choice of bracelet/strap on the official Website. Price for the strap version is EUR 1966.39 (VAT excl.) and EUR 2094.44 (VAT excl.) for the mesh version. This can be considered affordable, taking in account the customization the Unitas calibre goes through.
“…the idea of slowing down by half the rotation of the hand…”
Is that why it is called “Doublespeed”? ;)
I like the idea of the watch. And I like the usage of markings on the rehaut.
I am not sure if this is something I have seen before but I would like to see a watch like it but with a greater complication. A dial that flipped the hour markers or something so that only the current time was available would help with reading the dial easier.
Yes you are right, the hand is not slowed down but sped up.
I have modified the original text.