Favre Leuba is the 2nd oldest Swiss watch brand, with an enduring heritage dating back to 1737. Throughout our illustrious timeline, the vision of the brand has been to push the boundaries of watchmaking innovation. Engineering high-quality timepieces with a definitive Swiss-made reliability, built to accompany pioneers throughout all domains.
In the modern era, Favre Leuba’s passion for innovation grows. Our timepieces have further evolved into true instruments of exploration. Precise and enduring, purpose-built mechanical tool watches. Developed to provide its companion with live situational information in any arena. Our mechanical indicators support the critical decision-making of those exploring the mountains, oceans and land in between. Allowing them to know when to push on or turn back and conquer frontiers another day.
In 2019 our team of ambassadors set out to push their boundaries, conquering personal and natural frontiers, by exploring the far reaches of our world. Adrian Ballinger, Florian Fischer and Chris Brinlee set out with their reliable Favre Leuba companions to explore Higher, Deeper and Further.
Explore Higher
The mountainous regions around the planet evoke a deep inner drive to explore higher. Rugged, but yet awe-inspiring terrain. Where jagged rocky lines punctuate the horizon and nature’s moods are felt so strongly. Vast alpine regions hold an eternal ability to inspire those with a passion for vertical environments. Driving them to find their limits and push beyond their boundaries.
Adrian Ballinger is an accomplished and seasoned mountaineer with 12 years of experience climbing in the Himalayas. During those seasons he summited Mt Everest 8 times. Furthermore, in 2017 he reached the summit without the use of supplemental oxygen. This feat stretched Adrian beyond all of his previous limits. Two years on, his motivation and mental stamina to continue exploring higher in the extreme alpine terrain of our world had returned. In July 2019 Adrian commenced his mission to climb K2 without the support of supplemental oxygen. Selecting the Bivouac 9000 to provide key data, he was able to select base-camp placements based on altitude. He could then track real-time trending weather information and consider to continue moving upwards on the mountain. Finally, he was able to understand the moment when he entered the death zone above 8000m. Assessing how long he could spend in this extreme environment. Adrian succeeded in his mission on K2, continuing his lifelong passion for exploring higher.
The Raider Bivouac 9000 is built for those who bear a desire to explore higher. The Alpine tool watch is engineered with an in-built barometer. As the climber ascends the mountain, the lowering air pressure is recognised by the watch. In turn, an altitude dial on the face of the Bivouac begins to rotate. Allowing the wearer to gauge their altitude throughout the ascent. Furthermore, fluctuations in air pressure can signal a new weather system could be approaching and the time to consider your next move is upon you. Assessing the length of time to reach your current altitude, distance from the summit and safe zones. As well as remaining day-light is also indicated on the dial of our Bivouac 9000.
Raider Bivouac 9000
MOVEMENT – Hand-wound FL311 movement based on the EMC 3903M calibre, specially designed mechanisms for altimeter and power-reserve indicator, power reserve of 65 hours
FUNCTIONS – Hours, minutes, small seconds, central hand to display altitudes of 3,000 m per full rotation, subdial for displaying altitudes of up to 9,000 m and air pressure in hPa, power-reserve indicator, date display
CASE – Titanium, Bidirectional rotating bezel with anodized aluminium insert, screw-in crown, sapphire crystal with antireflection coating on both sides, screwed and aligned case back, diameter 48 mm, water-resistant up to 3 bar/30 m
DIAL – Black, applied indexes, luminous indexes and hour and minute hands, red hand for altimeter
Explore Deeper
95% of the vast open oceans on our planet are yet to be seen by human eyes, while 99% of the ocean floor is still to be discovered. This unchartered sphere drives a curiosity for many to explore deeper in a wilderness where few ventures and relatively little is known. Yet, oceans cover 70% of the earth’s surface and hold an abundance of over 1.98 million species of plants and animals. Our nature to explore the unknown is set free when diving deeper beneath the water.
Florian Fischer explores deeper in the world beneath the surface of the ocean. As a professional marine photographer, he captures the imagination with stunning footage of creatures most of us will rarely see in the wild. The role of a nature photographer is crucial in the protection of marine habitats and their species. Earlier in the year Florian ventured to the Island of Faial accompanied by the Favre Leuba Raider Harpoon. He spent days diving near the Condor Bank, a submarine mountain rising 1800m from the seafloor. This volcanic underwater region is rich in nutrients and teeming with sea life. Florian was here to photograph the Blue Shark. An iconic creature that when filming, could easily see the diver lose track of time. A brief glance at the Raider Harpoon and its uni-directional rotating diving bezel and Florian would be reassured about his remaining oxygen and time underwater.
In this foreign domain beneath the ocean, we must use specially designed diving apparatus to thrive. Carrying only the bare essentials to enable our existence. Using the ethos of simplifying technology. Favre Leuba engineered a patent-pending time-telling system for divers to reference their dive times at a moment’s glance. On a normal watch face, the diver must reference two hands to site hours and minutes. In some cases, these hands can overlap causing difficulty. Whereas the Raider Harpoon is designed with a single-hand system to indicate the minutes and hours. An efficient and pioneering step in watchmaking engineering.
Raider Harpoon
MOVEMENT – Automatic FL301 movement based on the Sellita SW200 caliber, a patented mechanism for hour display
FUNCTIONS – Time display by minute hand and hour indicator, running seconds disk at the centre for function control, helium valve
CASE – Stainless steel, Gunmetal PVD coating, Unidirectional rotating bezel made of anodized aluminium, screw-in crown, sapphire crystal with antireflection coating on both sides, screwed and aligned case back, diameter 42 mm, water-resistant up to 30 bar/300 m
DIAL – Black, appliquéd index marks, luminous (blue emission) index marks and hour indicator, minute and second hands, markings under seconds disk
Explore Further
As humans, we have an innate desire to explore further. We have all felt the drive to look beyond the horizon, to see what lies in the distant lands and uncover new experiences to quench our thirst for adventure. Our paths often seek authentic, rich and diverse encounters. We dream of discovering moments of awe, that conjure the deep feeling of being alive and free.
Chris Brinlee, a professional adventure photographer, has spent his life dedicated to exploring further the isolated and wild lands around our planet. Furthermore, his passion to explore is part of his nature. Earlier this year his adventuring curiosity took him to the South Island of New Zealand. Wearing the Favre Leuba Sky Chief Chronograph, he toured 1,600 km across tarmac, gravel and dirt-track terrain to uncover new sights to capture. He camped on the side of roads, in wild fields and beneath the canopy of sheltering wild forests, with a view to staying connected to the elements. His authentic overlanding journey delivered a deep feeling of adventurous content. An emotion rarely found, but perhaps lives in a place where one pushes their boundaries to explore further.
The Sky Chief Chronograph was crafted to fit within your world, but inspire the mind to explore further beyond. The classic urban design blends seamlessly into the professional domain, while its sleek curves and glinting face emanate a commanding sense of quality. Yet this timepiece lies in wait for adventure, the build is solid, enduring and engineered from high-quality steel. Its mechanical chronograph stopwatch powered by a Swiss automatic movement, seamlessly tracks the time while you transition between professional and outdoor terrains.
Sky Chief Chronograph
MOVEMENT – Automatic ETA Valjoux 7753 movement
FUNCTIONS – Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph with 30-minute counter, date display
CASE – Stainless steel, rose gold bezel, Screw-in crown, curved sapphire crystal with antireflection coating on one side, screwed and aligned case back, diameter 43 mm, water-resistant up to 10 bar/100 m
DIAL – Anthracite, appliquéd index marks, luminous index marks, hour and minute hands
