Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps: the time of the future
The Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps, commonly known as MCT, is a sheer moment of happiness at the heart of the watchmaking world now looking for a second wind. Zoom.
By Vincent Daveau
Contributor
MCT always highlights the contrast between astonishing, shifted and diffracted time reading. This year, that contrast stood out even more at Baselworld, since most brands played it safe by introducing relatively conformist watches. MCT is a young entity currently verticalizing its industrial assets. Its CEO, François Candolfi, confided to us recently MCT is all about pure passion as everything is done based on crushes.
However, in order for that crush to happen, we need to be given the chance to come across the timepiece with which this inexplicable chemistry might occur.
MCT is thus undoubtedly one of those small firms that constantly evolve throughout the years amidst the watchmaking nebula. It is also true that this manufacture –initially established by Denis Giguet– has been through ups and downs, just like many young and talent-filled brands. Today, these rocky starts are ancient history. At the helm of the company, François Candolfi managed to identify what makes it a rare pearl and convinced a team of professionals of it. MCT is now turning a new page in its history in order to preserve its assets and project itself into the future.
The art of telling the time differently
The brand new, elegant Sequential Two S 200 is another exceptional timepiece, as all timepieces produced by the brand seem to be. François Candolfi points out that the association, or rather the union, of technology and graphic elegance has to cause a stir. We must admit that the display mode chosen for this watch –today in a round case– that transmutes the values of the first model in the same fashion we transmute genetic codes, is intrinsically endowed with powers of fascination.
The evolving layout of the time on this piece’s dial is magical and it makes us want to keep on looking at it. The famous hour display on four distinct modules, each comprising of five prisms that one cannot help but admire, is what gave MCT notoriety.
An adept of fine mechanics, whilst maybe unable to grasp all the subtleties of the system, can indeed see its complexity. The structure displays three different hours during a half-day. The hours can be seen on four hour modules located at 3, 6, 9 and 12 o’clock. The decoration of the dial follows the numerals’ progression to make it easier to spot the right module.
Seeing the future through the prism of time
The Sequential Two S 200 is not just a simple concentrate of pure elaborated mechanics. It is a work of art worthy of that name, since we can appreciate every line of its volumes, as we would do with a sculpture. This wonderful watch is kinetic and its production is becoming more and more verticalized. Even though some one hundred models are produced annually, its balance has already made a buzz. Through sapphire crystal, the case middle is the distinguishing feature in this powerful but light watch. The watch expert will appreciate the ray of light inserted into the movement with the use of a sapphire protective coating on the side of the case middle.
The watch expert will also approve of the almost symmetrical treatment of this 44, 6 x 14, 5 mm case available in red or white gold. The Sequential Two S 200 is, in a way, a materialization of a “Golden Section.”
The movement – visible through the transparent back – is the driving force that brings the Divine Proportion to watchmaking. The carefully developed in-house MCT-S2 caliber gives a view on the micro-rotor, which guarantees the watch a 40-hour power reserve once the barrel is completely wound. The caliber –the heart of the watch – is hand-finished and houses 507 components including 85 rubies. It is also equipped with the latest technical watchmaking advances. Thus, in order to noticeably improve the piece’s mechanical results, its gear train houses pinions that feature teeth with optimized profiles.
