Sensing Air Pressure to Display Instantaneous Speed

BREVA is currently a workshop brand drawing considerable attention, arguably a storm in the watchmaking world. Founded in 2010, it released its first model to the market in 2013. While still a new independent maker, its originality is overwhelming.

The first model, the "Génie 01," applied a mechanical aneroid barometer that detects air pressure using a capsule filled with anaerobic gas, integrating this weather-indicating function with a mechanical watch. It captivated attention at that year's Baselworld. In '14, the "01" was refined into the "Génie 02" with an enhanced altimeter function, and further announcements hinted at the development of more unique measurement capabilities.

The long-awaited watch equipped with this new measurement function has finally landed in Japan. The "Génie 03" can, astonishingly, measure instantaneous speed.

When thinking about measuring speed with a watch, the tachymeter on a chronograph comes to mind. This allows calculation of average speed by stopping the chronograph upon reaching 1000 meters, but it requires the start and stop of the chronograph.

However, with this watch, a literal speedometer is set at the 2 o'clock position. Pressing a push-button on the case side causes the speedometer to rise about 6mm, releasing its internal mechanism and immediately beginning speed measurement. Beneath the speedometer is a hemispherical anemometer, a Robin's egg cup mechanism, which detects wind speed. Based on this detected wind speed, it displays the speed of the wearer's movement, ranging from 20 km/h to 200 km/h (or 10-125 mph, and 5-65 knots for the limited edition).

This allows users to know their speed during sports like running, cycling, or boarding, simply by wearing the watch. The limited edition features speed displayed in knots, making it suitable for boat or yacht racing.

With a Grade 5 high-quality titanium case and a 70-hour power reserve, the movement offers impeccable performance. The exterior and mechanism are also crafted to a high standard for a luxury watch. It is an ideal new mechanical watch for those who wish to use their timepiece sportingly.