“Born in La Chaux-de-Fonds, a town in the northwest of Switzerland that has served as the global center of haute horology for more than a century. Instead of sitting idly, many entrepreneurs took advantage of the lockdowns caused by the pandemic to unleash their ideas and bring them to life. We’ve seen this happen in the watchmaking industry. Recently, we highlighted the rise of the Atelier Jalaper brand, whose watches are crafted with a plate taken from the hood of an Aston Martin DB5. Now, we introduce H992, another newcomer to the Swiss factory scene.
Born in La Chaux-de-Fonds, a town in the northwest of Switzerland, which for over a century has served as a global hub for high-end watchmaking, many iconic brands such as Tag Heuer, Ulysse Nardin, and Cartier still maintain their manufactories there. For locals, it’s simply “La Chaux.” Situated at 992 meters above sea level, the town inspired the name of the new brand, with “H” symbolizing the shape of the city’s streets. It also stands for horlogerie (watchmaking in French), heure (hour), and humanité (humanity).
Behind the brand is an independent and experienced team from the watchmaking world, who prefer to let the watches speak for themselves and stay in the background. The models they’ve created are mechanical, released in a limited series of 992 pieces, and priced affordably at 992 Swiss francs (approximately a thousand euros), whether crafted in stainless steel or steel with black PVD coating. The creators claim their watches fit any event, “from high-society cocktail parties to the darkest underground scenes.”
H992 watches are large, with a 42 mm case, and feature a small seconds hand at 6 o’clock. They are powered by an automatic movement from supplier Sellita, the SW260-1 caliber, offering a 38-hour power reserve and certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), the highest authority in Swiss watch precision. This certification lends them credibility and reliability. The movement, which includes a date function displayed in a window at 3 o’clock, can be admired through the sapphire crystal case back. The nine models in the H1 line come with an integrated steel bracelet, appealing to modern watch fans, or a black rubber strap.
There are four dial options: black, blue, green, and silver, and all H1 models are water-resistant up to 100 meters. The concept behind H992 is that all upcoming collections will be limited editions, with the next one already announced to feature a smaller size. The watches are sold online and at select retail locations in Switzerland.
H992 watches compete in a challenging price segment with stiff competition from brands like Tissot, Seiko, and many others. However, their simple yet captivating design might win over the market. Time will tell.”
