A Watch Enthusiast’s Guide to Ataelier Haute Complication
The creations of Vladimir Victor Negault combine deep technical expertise — honed and perfected at F.P.Journe — with an artist’s imagination and creativity.
I first saw an example of the Dual Time, the debut model from the young indie brand Atelier Haute Complication (AHC), in mid-2023. It was one of 19 subscription pieces owned by a seasoned collector who visits Geneva frequently. The brand’s creator and founder, Vladimir Victor Negault, was a longtime employee of F.P.Journe, and the watch clearly reflected the influence of the top independent brand.
The following production run was a 99-piece limited edition priced at CHF 8,000 — a value proposition that almost sounded as good as the first watch by Pascal Coyon. No surprise, then, that by the time I saw this intriguing travel watch in the metal, all 99 pieces had already been claimed.
At the time, AHC was still a niche brand, but it gained much broader exposure with Christie’s “Rare Watches Including Watches for ELA” auction on November 11, 2024. A unique AHC Dual Time in a stainless steel case created for charity sold for a final price of CHF 47,880.
Unlike most brands that closely guard their product plans, Vladimir Negault openly declared his five-movement long-term roadmap. Some renderings of the high-complication pieces have already been released, and they are absolutely mind-blowing. I thoroughly enjoyed researching the founder and his creations, and I’m excited to share my findings with you.
A Brief History of the Brand
Vladimir Negault worked in the R&D department of F.P. Journe in Geneva from 2008 to 2018, after spending four years as a contractor for the brand in Paris. There, he gained hands-on experience in movement development and other aspects of watchmaking.
Negault considered himself a disciple of François-Paul Journe, under whose guidance he mastered the highest level of watchmaking expertise. As a tribute to his mentor, he named his son François-Paul.
Several top-tier independent watchmakers, including Ludovic Ballouard and Rexhep Rexhepi, honed their skills at F.P. Journe before launching their own brands. Following in their footsteps, Negault founded Atelier Haute Complication in Geneva in 2018.
Much like the "PayPal Mafia" in Silicon Valley, these alumni in the Vallée de Joux maintain close ties and support one another. Ludovic Ballouard purchased the #1 Dual Time subscription piece — his first watch purchase in a decade — as seen in the picture below. Negault had previously worked as a constructor for Ballouard, even helping design some hands.
Following the Dual Time, Negault announced the Tourbillon à Sonnerie, offered as a 9-piece subscription and a 69-piece regular production. He also unveiled a groundbreaking third creation—the world’s first Perpetual Weekly Calendar.
While many young independent watchmakers focus on simple three-handed watches, Negault is clearly aiming for high complications, perhaps following the path of F.P. Journe. AHC is an emerging brand that no indie watch enthusiast should overlook.
The Dual Time Models
A dual-time watch, or GMT, has seen numerous designs over the years. It is remarkable that Negault managed to create a novel design that is both easy to read and operate. The home time, or second time zone, is displayed via a rotating disc at the top of the dial. It’s hard to find a more intuitive 12-hour display that clearly distinguishes between day and night.
The in-house movement features a unique architecture with a well-balanced layout. The components are not overly decorated — if you're looking for internal angles, you probably won’t find any. However, the movement is still beautifully finished by hand, including beveling and sandblasting. Perhaps this approach is another ethos inherited from F.P.Journe?
In addition to the stainless steel models limited to 99 pieces and 69 sets of day/night pairs, there are also versions available in titanium and platinum cases.
Influence from F.P.Journe
AHC watches undeniably carry the brand’s authentic signatures across different models — they are bold, playful, colorful, and highly recognizable. Yet, various design elements can be traced back to F.P. Journe. For many collectors, this connection is part of the charm of Vladimir's creations—after all, he was a disciple of François-Paul.
Here, we can observe some of F.P. Journe’s influences. First, the engravings on the case are executed in a very similar manner. The use of curved spring bars is another notable example. While F.P. Journe engraved “Made in Geneva” on the movement, Vladimir chose to engrave “Geneva” directly on the bezel.
The design of the Dual Time dial reveals further similarities. The overall layout, with an off-center sub-dial and an arc display, is reminiscent of the now-discontinued F.P. Journe Octa Calendrier. Even the use of screws to affix the sub-dial closely mirrors Journe’s approach.
Tourbillon à Sonnerie
The Striking Tourbillon is designed to remind its owner of the passing half-hours by striking once automatically at the half-hour and twice, on two distinct tones, every hour. This timepiece will offer enjoyment for both the eyes and ears.
As an owner of the Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto, I know firsthand the wonder of hearing time’s passage every hour. Time flies too fast, and the chimes encourage us to treasure each moment and make the most of the time we have with our loved ones. Now, the Tourbillon à Sonnerie takes this experience a giant step further.
Perpetual Weekly Calendar
Believe it or not, the most-read article on my newsletter is my review of the Patek Philippe Weekly Calendar 5212A-001. Most of the traffic came from Google, showing strong interest in this rare complication. The 5212A is an excellent timepiece, but its weekly calendar has a notable quirk.
On its dial, there is a 53rd week, yet most years have only 52 weeks. This means the owner must manually skip the 53rd week in years that don’t require it. Vladimir, however, is determined to develop a weekly calendar that handles this transition automatically — in other words, a true perpetual weekly calendar.
When this watch ships, it will be the world’s first weekly calendar that requires no manual adjustment over the years. It’s an incredible achievement — just take a look at the movement!
Final Words
When AHC’s Dual Time was first unveiled in computer renderings, many people were unsure about it. But over time, as the watches were delivered and found their way onto owners’ wrists, appreciation grew. I’m in the same boat — I’d love to have this piece in my collection one day.
Vladimir is a talented guitarist and an artist in every sense. His red logo cleverly incorporates all the letters in "Atelier." What a brilliant design! His timepieces combine deep technical expertise — honed and perfected at F.P.Journe — with an artist’s imagination and creativity.
If you’d like to explore further, here are AHC’s website, Instagram account, and its distributors, The Limited Edition and Independent Watcher.