Ludovic Ballouard

Ludovic Ballouard, a former watchmaker at esteemed houses such as F.P. Journe and Franck Muller, decided to create his own brand amidst the financial crisis of 2009. It was during this turbulent period that he created a unique way of telling time. 

In December 2009, he launched his first watch known as the Upside Down. The timepiece was created to emphasize the importance of living in the present. Its hour markers are composed of twelve rotating discs, with all but one displayed upside down, maintaining this configuration for a duration of sixty minutes. As the minute hand meticulously approaches the fifty-ninth second of the fifty-ninth minute, the preceding hour number swiftly rotates 180 degrees, inverting itself. Simultaneously, the next hour aligns right side up. This transition reveals a subtle white dot, aiding the wearer in promptly identifying the correct hour. Meanwhile, a gracefully curved feuille hand in white tracks the minutes, and a small white hand in a subsidiary dial at 6 o’clock tracks the seconds. The dial and layout of this timepiece strike a harmonious balance between simplicity and intricacy.

At first glance, the technical sophistication may not be immediately apparent. Yet, a glimpse through the transparent caseback exposes the extraordinary caliber B01, showcasing that this caliber is anything but ordinary. The present example, available only to special clients of the brand, was created in a very limited quantity, cased in platinum, and fitted with a striking blue petrol dial.