In 2004 Franc Vila established his own brand of uniquely styled timepieces. It is clear that he was driven by passion & nostalgic memories of his childhood. The end result is the development of brand deeply embedded in the luxury watch market. Vila originates from Valencia, in eastern Spain a place normally not associated with fine watchmaking. Fundamentally it’s his passionate interest in art that has motivated him to design these highly original timepieces. Each of these incredible watches is limited to a mere 8-88 pieces. On that basis it’s really exciting to have the opportunity to review a new model. The Va5 ‘Grand Sport’ World Timer with Calendar definitely doesn’t disappoint.
On first glance it’s instantly apparent why these beautiful and exclusive watches are so coveted. The bold architecture of the sculpted case epitomizes elegance and sophistication. At 50mm x 42mm x 16mm the Va5 is a pretty substantial piece and probably won’t cater to all tastes. Personally I was enticed by the watches bold and curvaceous good looks. Basically this piece felt very comfortable to wear even though the styling is visually chunky. This is down to innovative “esprit unique” shape, which is now synonymous with the Vila brand. Also the use of titanium in the construction of the case makes this a viable watch to wear for any occasion.
Aesthetically the fusion of traditional and contemporary elements is pivotal to the success of the design. I love the Black carbon fibre dial, with anthracite guilloche and white numbers. Also the open worked polished steel hour and minute hands have an understated charm. These intricate details work in perfect symmetry and make the design really cohesive. The amount of detail on the dial is pretty phenomenal. Not only does the Va5 have a date window and GMT function displaying a second time zone it also boasts a world city display window, which in my mind is pretty awesome. Like all of Vila’s designs the juxtaposition of all these component work in harmony. I found all this complexity pretty mesmerizing to look at.
Ultimately with a beautiful timepiece like this you would expect a formidable engine under the bonnet. It definitely delivers on that front as well. The Va5 is equipped with a self-winding mechanical movement that is hand assembled and decorated. Vila states that all their callibre’s are collaborations between themselves and some of Switzerland’s finest watchmakers. Each timepiece includes a Swiss-made winding box and share the ‘Exclusive Gold Concept Rotor’ composed of 6 pieces (5 of them in gold) that maximizes the efficiency and the protection of the mechanism. All this is visible through an exhibition Sapphire crystal case back.
The price for the exquisite Franc Vila Va5 ‘Grand Sport’ World Timer with Calendar is $26,900.
http://www.francvila.com/
