As an avid lover of independent watchmaking, I’ve come to realise that some timepieces in this realm demand more than just a general appreciation for horology; they call for a deeper understanding of the nuances, philosophies, and technical thinking that shape them. The watch on offer today, the Paul Gerber Retro Second 153SP, is one such example.
Paul Gerber may not be the first name to come up in conversations about independent watchmaking—unless you're a seasoned enthusiast with your ear to the ground—but within the world of haute horlogerie, he commands a quiet reverence. Operating from his Zurich atelier since 1976 and now semi-retired, Gerber is a longstanding member of the esteemed AHCI (Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants). Over the decades, he has built a legacy defined by technical brilliance, understated innovation, and fearless creativity.
As a watchmaker, Paul Gerber has never shied away from unconventional ideas. His creations are highly technical, full of character, and often fly under the radar of the mainstream. Yet for those in the know, a Paul Gerber timepiece is a rare and compelling embodiment of independent watchmaking at its most imaginative. This ethos is perhaps best illustrated by his collaborative work with Franck Muller on the Superbia Humanitatis—recognised by Guinness World Records in 2005 as the most complicated wristwatch ever made at the time, with a staggering 1,116 components. Gerber also holds the distinction of creating the smallest wooden clock, with a movement just 2.2 cm high, and earlier on in 1997, he also helped develop the Cal. F2001-5 alarm movement for Fortis’s pioneering automatic chronograph with an integrated mechanical alarm function.
Starting with the 153SP’s well-proportioned 36mm x 8.5mm case, the case alone is an ornate work of art. Crafted from 18-carat yellow gold, it showcases a distinctive double-stepped design that extends seamlessly from the bezel onto its elegantly tapered lugs. Encased within is a dial that appears understated at first glance. Aesthetically, it straddles the fine line between classical and modern, thanks to an intricate engine-turned guilloché motif that spans across the entire dial’s surface. A finely blasted chapter ring on the top half frames the elegant Breguet numeral markers, while a cartouche bearing the brand logo sits proudly at 12:00. At the centre are a set of matching gold feuille hands, elegant in form, yet understated enough to let the dial's textures and layout take the spotlight. Finally, arguably the most distinctive feature is the 60-second retrograde seconds display positioned on the lower half of the dial—a complication that, according to some sources, Paul Gerber himself pioneered. Though minimal in its appearance, the dial offers a wealth of detail that rewards close inspection. Like the man himself, the 153SP’s design is not only impeccably refined but also quietly captivating.
Powering the 153SP from within is the Paul Gerber manual-winding Cal. 15, a heavily modified Peseux 7001. While the base Peseux 7001 calibre originally features a standard sub-seconds design, Gerber extensively reworked it to accommodate a retrograde seconds mechanism. To achieve this, he developed a unique three-part brass ring that sits atop the movement and houses the retrograde mechanism. The main ring is milled with precise cutouts, while the other two sections serve as bridges to support the rack, pinion, and spring. Once the ring is in place, the spring, rack, and cam are then carefully assembled. The hairspring, extremely delicate, is shaped and tuned to provide just the right amount of torque to snap the seconds hand back without affecting overall timekeeping. The cam is then meticulously adjusted to ensure smooth travel and a crisp, reliable reset of the seconds hand as each minute passes. Though the concept may sound straightforward when described in words, building and fine-tuning the retrograde system from scratch is incredibly challenging and time-consuming due to the intricacies of each component involved.
As mentioned earlier, the Retro Second 153SP is a timepiece that appears simple from a distance, but its true character emerges upon closer inspection. For collectors seeking a subtle-looking yet highly technical addition to their rotation, this is an opportunity to own a piece of independent watchmaking from a celebrated, yet often underappreciated, master watchmaker who infuses his work with both ingenuity and distinctive personality.
