As BA111OD made waves with its Tourbillon release at under 5,000 CHF last October, it continues to do so.
On a mission of transparency to show the industry just how a Swiss-made Tourbillon at this price point can be done, technology has formed a huge part of this.
In what is a world premiere, a hugely intrinsic part of the launch was the inclusion of STISS technology.
BA111OD explained that the idea of the tourbillon launch all began with the idea of creating a watch of today and combining the splendour of traditional watchmaking with up-to-date technology without intruding on the mechanical movement and compromising on aesthetics.
The brand went on to detail how this line of thought has also been shared by STISS (Swiss Technology Inside Smart Sapphire).
This Swiss company is a pioneer in the integration of NFC (Near Field Communication, a contactless communication technology between two devices in the near field, in this case, less than 1 cm) in the sapphire crystal of a watch and is already known for mastering Augmented Glass technology, which allows contactless payment with a traditional watch.
Together, they have created the world’s first watch with ID Glass technology, which improves the traceability of watches, strengthens relationships with end customers, and enables control of secondary market exchanges.
Technically, ID Glass consists of an NFC tag inserted into the sapphire crystal and thanks to a dynamic URL, the end customer can scan the watch with their smartphone (Android or IOS) to access information stored on this chip.
On this, Joé Courtine, CEO of STISS, explained: “While NFC technology is not new in watches, it is taking on a whole new dimension here thanks to the innovations developed. The internal structure of the watch remains completely unchanged; STISS’ expertise and non-invasive hardware are integrated solely into the sapphire crystal.”
While Thomas Baillod, added: “In addition to this unprecedented technology, BA111OD is the first watchmaker to use NFC with the desire to put the customer at the center.”
BA111OD subsequently turned to Selinko in Belgium to develop an exclusive software program.
It is a multi-service company, which has made a name for itself by working for brands that want to connect their products to the Internet of Things, provides the platform that manages the NFC tags produced by STISS.
By placing its NFC chip – containing a unique digital identifier that can be read using a compatible smartphone – in the sapphire crystal, Selinko has developed an authentication solution, connection to a personalized and direct exchange space with the brand, and even a detection service in case of theft.
A solution which BA111OD says “further strengthens our business model with its “contextualized services” in tune with its consumers’ needs.”
In continuing to be transparent on just how the Tourbillon at this price-point was achieved, BA111OD is successfully meeting its challenge thanks to the robust and non-intrusive link between the physical watch and the customized service for its customers while keeping the quintessence of Swiss watchmaking excellence.
As such, Chapter 4.1, The Veblen Dilemma Tourbillon differs from connected watches in its design and approach, mainly down to no intrusion to the movement or aesthetic, given tech usually being essential to a watch.
It can even be completely disabled and is also not at risk of becoming obsolete due to the longevity of the sapphire glass and the NFC tag’s lifespan of nearly 60 years.
