Recently, someone asked on our YouTube channel about the process of creating a new watch. As we near the end of 2024, we thought it would be the perfect time to share how we brought the Helicon Master to life. This post marks the start of a series diving into the design and development journey behind our timepieces.
The heart of Helicon
At Helicon, watchmaking is more than just a craft—it’s the fulfilment of our dreams and aspirations, honed over years of passion and dedication. Our watches, including the Master, are the culmination of ideas that have been simmering for years before coming to fruition.
As a husband-and-wife team, Danielle and I (Jonathan) share an unshakable love for watches. Our different tastes and influences bring depth to every project, while our mutual understanding allows us to anticipate each other’s creative visions. Over the years, we’ve developed a unique rhythm, where each of us refines and matures our ideas before presenting them for collaborative editing. If we both agree on a decision, we know it’s the right one.
The spark of inspiration
The Helicon Master’s story began in September 2013 during a visit to a Swiss manufacturer. In their archive, we discovered a watch case with a bezel that immediately captured our imagination. We acquired the components and built a one-off working prototype. To our delight, everyone who saw or wore this watch loved its dimensions and timeless appeal.
This prototype bridged the gap between vintage and contemporary designs, feeling “just right”. Inspired, we began dreaming of creating our own brand. Although industry projects kept us busy, we officially founded Helicon Watches in 2018.
Bringing the Master to life
The Master’s development combined vintage aesthetics with modern engineering. From the beginning, we focused on making every detail perfect:
- Case Redesign: Danielle refined the case, adding subtle curves for a comfortable fit and recessing the crown into the case for a sleek profile.
- Crystal Upgrade: We replaced the original hesalite crystal with a custom double-domed sapphire crystal featuring interior AR coating.#
- Bezel Refinement: The bezel evolved from friction to a 120-click unidirectional mechanism, with a polished coin edge for easy grip, even with dive gloves. The ceramic bezel insert was customised with unique finishes and colours developed in collaboration with our ceramic partners.
- Dial Craftsmanship: Danielle designed six stunning dial colours, inspired by the world around us. Each dial is hand-finished by a skilled artisan, making every piece unique.
- Indices and Hands: We created custom rhodium-plated indices and hands, filled with our unique Swiss SuperLumiNova C3 formulation for exceptional visibility.
- Roulette Date Wheel: Danielle’s custom font and colour design ensured maximum clarity without the need for magnification.
- Bracelet Innovation: After testing three iterations, we developed female end links for the bracelet, ensuring a seamless fit for wrists ranging from our own 5.75 (Mrs) to 6.75 (Mr) inches.
The team behind the craft
Over the years, we’ve built strong relationships with some of the world’s finest specialist watch manufacturing partners. These collaborators, who also work with prestigious brands, understand our exacting standards and help us achieve the level of quality we demand.
Passion in every detail
Condensing a decade of development into one blog post is no small feat, but we hope this gives you a glimpse into how we approach our craft. For us, Helicon is not just a business—it’s a labour of love.
If you have questions or special requests, you’ll be speaking directly with us, the founders. It’s always our pleasure to connect with fellow enthusiasts.
What’s Next?
We’re excited to share that several new projects are in the works for 2025. Join our mailing list to stay updated on exclusive news and early access to upcoming releases.
If you enjoyed this post, we’d love to hear your thoughts. Let us know if you’d like us to document future developments in real time.
Thank you for being part of our journey!.
