TULLOCH

Shane Tulloch is a long way from home, following his passion for watches and fine watchmaking. Shane is a trained micro engineer and has taken a dive headlong into the World of Haute Horology. Of course, he’s pushed himself into this World. Shane wants to produce not just watches, but watches featuring the utmost in traditional aesthetic details, which are provided by the best in their craft.

Shane Tulloch is a New Zealand native. The Tulloch name is not new to the World of luxury. In Tauranga, New Zealand, Shane’s mother and father operate a manufacturing jewelry store. Shane’s mother does design and design drawings for clients. Shane’s father is a gemologist and manufacturing jeweler. Shane has fond memories of his early years in the family workshop. He knew early on the pride of watching a clients face when they first lay eyes onto a custom made treasure.

Shane took a program in commerce and applied technology at University in Auckland. Later, in Switzerland, Shane went on to further his education with four years of study in  micro-mechanical engineering and CAD. Shane knew that he wanted to present a watch with aesthetics which represent his point of view on haute horology. To bring his vision to fruition, Shane collaborated with acclaimed watch designer, Eric Giroud.

The Design:

The T-01 is born from a traditional clock format, the Regulator. Shane envisioned a Regulator that breaks the traditional standard(s) of Regulator design. A regulator typically features a unique subdial for hours indications at 12, small seconds at 6 and the minutes hand off the center of the dial. Shane worked with Eric Giroud to break with tradition and create a unique asymmetric dial layout. To highlight the vision, Eric Giroud created an elegant, minimal 40mm case, framing the dial(s), while maintaining an organic feel.

The Calibre:

So, Shane Tulloch spent 3 years of painstaking collaboration with designers, engineers and watchmakers to realize the unique calibre in the T-01. Shane Tulloch engaged watchmaking engineer,Christophe Beuchat. Beuchat had just been named Director of Comblémine SA, a company owned by (famed watchmaker)Kari Voutilainen.  Comblémine SA manufactures unique parts and dials in Saint-Sulpice in the Val de Travers. Christophe  Beuchat, Kari Voutilainen and Stéphane Bépoix (a movement designer) embraced the project and supported Shane completely to bring Shane’s vision for T-01 to fruition.

The manufacture and finishing:

In a workshop in St.-Sulpice, Val-de-Travers, each calibre is produced one by one. When you first see the calibre, you instantly recognize something very special. The German silver mainplate is finished with “Black Gold”. Shane knows this finish will highlight the bespoke, dual spoked,18k white gold wheels and the unique escapement. Watch lovers will revel as your eye connects first with the two hand guilloche barrels. The barrels are each decorated with one of three possible guilloche patterns and they are striking in their symmetrical pairing. The bridges are frosted German silver which highlights the marvelous hand polished, rounded bevels and inside angles.

The escapement is also uniquely designed. A stunning, black polished balance cock draws the eye first, sitting dead center at 6. The balance wheel and hairspring have been created for the calibre via a complex computer analysis. Calibre T-01 is optimized, running at 21,600 bph. The T-01 is so interesting with an asymmetrical dial layout, contrasted by a completely symmetrical layout of the calibre once seen through the sapphire caseback.

Comblémine SA produces sterling silver dials which are finished with a radial graining, available in several color choices. Inset subdials are milled from a solid disc to yield numerals which are not applied, yet milled relief. Small frames surround each subdial, further defining the refined design. The complete package is one of a very few watches in the World, born with this level of detail. Any connoisseur will be lucky to include a Tulloch T-01 into their collection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Case: 40mm diameter x 9.7mm height – 18k red gold or 18k white gold, polished – sapphire crystal glass and case-back with double-sided anti-reflective coating – water-resistant to 30m

Movement: hand-wound movement, proprietary – 32mm x 5.2mm – 21,600 vibrations per hour – bespoke variable-inertia balance wheel with four 18k white gold timing weights – free-sprung balance spring – 96h power reserve, with two fast-rotations barrels coupled in series – 27 jewels, incl. 2 in gold chatons – 183 parts – bridges and main-plate in German silver, cantilevered balance bridge in stainless steel – regulator-type display with hours, minutes and seconds

USD$ 36,800

 

http://www.TULLOCH.com

TULLOCH T-01 (professional photos)

Three unique guilloche patterns on the barrels.

TULLOCH T-01 (my own natural light photos)