IntroducingThe Massena LAB x Vianney Halter 'Old Soul'

Finding a cache of new old stock movements is like catnip to any head of a watch company these days. Brands like Nivada Grenchen and others have put them to good use with near period-correct revivals of older models, but when Massena LAB discovered a batch of Minerva 17'22 caliber, first developed in the 1920s and used in pocketwatches until 1942, the brand took a different route. Teaming up with the independent watchmaker Vianney Halter, known for his retro-futuristic steampunk style (like his famous "Antiqua" perpetual calendar) these new watches are something distinctly new and old at the same time.

Going far beyond a basic three-hand watch, the manually-wound movement (running at 2.5Hz with 36 hours of power reserve) is used to power an interesting regulator-style mystery display. The hours are shown on a subsidiary dial at three o'clock, with the seconds on the nine o'clock subdial. There's a minute track on an outer ring, with an arrow on a rotating sapphire disc creating a "mystery" effect of a hand seemingly floating in mid-air. The rest of the aesthetic is signature Vianney Halter style, with his own design of Arabic numerals, three-dimensional dial design, engravings, and faux-rivets that blend beautiful finishing (like the graining on the dial and snailed subdials) with an elevated industrial quality. Finally, the names of the collaborators are printed on the interior side of the sapphire crystal rather than directly onto the dial itself.

The movement looks stunning in the way that only vintage time-only movements can. Large, swooping bridges with Geneva stripes, anglage, black polishing, and features the original movement numbers and Minerva signature. There's the light addition of a double emblem with the insignias of both Vianney Halter and Massena LAB. The watch is cased in stainless steel, measuring 42mm by 12mm, with 30m of water resistance. The case has a more sloping form, from the concave bezel to the stepped lugs. The crown has the studs as found on the dial, for a full cohesive design. Finally, between the lugs is a fine engraving: "Time is the Fire in which we burn," borrowed from the American poet Delmore Schwartz and popularized in the 1994 science fiction film Star Trek Generations.

The 'Old Soul' by Massena Lab and Vianney Halter is priced at CHF 37,000 inclusive of all taxes and tariffs.

I hate to say the tired old phrase "they don't make them like this anymore," but when you see something like this, it's hard to resist. That's not to say that people aren't making beautiful movements, but I just wish there were more of them. The lengths that Vianney Halter went to modify this (very tastefully) into a creative mystery dial make it a pretty cool combination of the best of a vintage lover's dream and something for a collector who appreciates the impact that Halter had on the early independent scene. 

While the "steampunk" qualities of Halter's designs have never been my particular cup of tea, that's personal taste more than anything. The price tag actually seems remarkably fair for the creativity, design, and materials that went into this release, and I'm hoping to take a closer look in person when I head to Geneva for Geneva Watch Days next week.

Brand: Massena LAB x Vianney Halter
Model: 'Old Soul'

Diameter: 42mm
Thickness: 12mm
Case Material: Stainless steel
Dial Color: Three-dimensional, multilayered silvered dial with time in a regulator display
Indexes: Hours displayed on subsidiary dial at three o'clock. Seconds at nine o'clock. Minutes on the outer chapter ring. Mystery minute display. Arabic numerals in Vianney Halter signature typeface.
Lume: None
Water Resistance: 30m
Strap/Bracelet: Midnight blue with tone-on-tone stitching. Made in Italy. Stainless steel Massena LAB pin buckle.

Caliber: Vintage Minerva caliber 17'22
Functions: Hours, mystery minutes, seconds
Diameter: 39.25mm
Power Reserve: 36 hours
Winding: Manual
Frequency: 2.5 Hz
Jewels: 17 jewels
Chronometer Certified: No
Additional Details: Double signed "Vianney Halter" and "Massena" – signature etched into sapphire crystal. Côtes de Genève, hand-finished anglage, rhodium plating. Black polishing.

Price: CHF 37,000, including all tariffs and duties
Availability: Old Soul by Vianney Halter and Massena LAB will be available for order, starting today, August 26, 2025 by submitting an inquiry via the product page at MassenaLAB.com
Limited Edition: Yes, 47 pieces.

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