louis vuitton watch prize
Being named a finalist for the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize marks a defining milestone in Bernhard Lederer’s independent journey.
This distinction places Lederer among the most forward-thinking creators in contemporary watchmaking, recognizing a relentless commitment to innovation, integrity, and chronometric performance.
CIC 39 Racing Green
The CIC 39 mm represents a bridge between three centuries of horological science.
Inspired by Breguet and George Daniels, Bernhard Lederer brings to life the first fully functional Dual Detent Escapement in a wristwatch.
Refined in size yet uncompromising in performance, the CIC 39 mm embodies elegance on the outside and radical innovation within.
The CIC 39 mm represents a bridge between three centuries of horological science. Inspired by Breguet and George Daniels, Bernhard Lederer brings to life the first fully functional Dual Detent Escapement in a wristwatch. Refined in size yet uncompromising in performance, the CIC 39 mm embodies elegance on the outside and radical innovation within.
Bernhard Lederer has been developing for over 40 years an experimental approach to watchmaking, where each creation is based on a rigorous analysis of mechanical laws, horological history, and chrono-metric principles. He stands out through a constant commitment to reconciling historical knowledge with innovation, implementing an engineer-researcher methodology while honoring the foundations laid by master watchmakers such as Abraham-Louis Breguet and George Daniels.
At the heart of the CIC 39 mm lies Lederer’s patented Dual Detent Escapement with two remontoirs d’égalité. Composed of 212 hand-finished components, the calibre reveals its double gear trains and constant-force mechanisms through the open caseback. Each detail is polished, beveled, and decorated by hand, reflecting a pursuit of precision rarely achieved in modern watchmaking.
Entirely crafted in-house, the dial of the CIC 39 mm embodies the philosophy of LEDERER : discretion, precision, and elegance. Its design is defined by a single, meticulously executed aperture, offering a refined glimpse into the patented escapement, a window into the watch’s mechanical soul. The layered architecture of the overlapping sub-dials, with their inverted seconds, introduces both technical intrigue and poetic rhythm, allowing time to be read as much as it is felt.
Available in Deep Blue, Nordic Silver, Black Rhodium, or Racing Green, the CIC 39 mm offers a spectrum of personalities. Nordic Silver embodies purity and light, Black Rhodium conveys contemporary depth, Racing Green radiates bold vibrancy, while Deep Blue reflects serenity and timeless elegance. Far beyond mere color variations, these expressions reveal multiple identities of the same timepiece, each a distinct reflection of LEDERER’s artistry and horological mastery.
As the refined sibling of the CIC 44 mm, it preserves the elegance and artistry of its predecessor while offering a more compact and sophisticated expression.
Measuring 39 mm in diameter and only 10.75 mm thick, the case harmonizes graceful proportions with durability. Available in 904L steel, white gold, or 9N rose gold, it features domed sapphire crystals on both sides, treated with double anti-reflective coating. These curved surfaces invite the eye to linger on the beauty of the dial and the intricacy of the movement, transforming every glance into an experience of discovery.
Sleek, comfortable, and versatile, the CIC 39 mm case not only safeguards its groundbreaking movement, but also ensures timeless wearability, embodying LEDERER’s philosophy of elegance in every detail.
BERNHARD LEDERER
A Life in Pursuit of Mechanical Truth
Bernhard Lederer’s life is a tribute to curiosity, independence, and the relentless pursuit of mechanical truth. Born in Germany in 1958, he discovered watchmaking not as a trade, but as a calling, one that would lead him to challenge conventions and explore the very limits of timekeeping perfection.
For over four decades, Bernhard has combined deep technical mastery with a philosophical approach to watchmaking. His creations express a lifelong fascination with the science of time. This timeline offers a window into his world : a world where mechanical innovation, artistic sensitivity, and human passion converge to redefine what true Haute Horlogerie means.
The Central Impulse Chronometer (CIC) has been recognized twice by the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, awarded the Innovation Prize in 2021 and the Chronometry Prize in 2024.
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Our savoir-faire
Nestled in Saint-Blaise, our manufacture is far more than a place of production : it is a space dedicated to research, precision, and transmission. Here, every component is conceived, crafted, decorated, and adjusted in-house, reflecting a rare commitment to absolute independence.
OUR MANUFACTURE
Surrounded by centuries of horological heritage, Neuchâtel remains one of the few places where time is still considered an art form. It is here that ideas, talent, and tradition converge in a region that has shaped the very meaning of perfection.
For LEDERER, being rooted in Neuchâtel is not a matter of geography, but of spirit. It is the promise to uphold a legacy of excellence, to preserve authenticity, and to continue writing the story of fine watchmaking with integrity and vision.
Design and Creative Vision
Every creation begins as a question : how can time be expressed with greater purity and emotion ? At LEDERER, design seeks harmony between function and form, reducing the unnecessary to reveal the essence of beauty. Each line is deliberate, each proportion meaningful. The result is timeless, human, and profoundly sincere.
Engineering and Technical Development
From vision to mechanism, every idea is translated into reality through rigorous engineering. At LEDERER, innovation is born from mastery, shaped by German precision and Swiss refinement. Each component is conceived with purpose, calculated to the micron, and perfected until precision becomes effortless harmony.
Machining and Component Production
In-house production is at the heart of LEDERER’s independence. Every bridge, wheel, and pinion begins as raw material and becomes a work of mechanical architecture. The pursuit is not speed, but perfection. Each surface cut, each tolerance measured, until matter itself reveals precision.
Finishing and Decoration
Beyond function lies beauty revealed through the patient touch of the artisan. At LEDERER, every bevel, every grain, every polish reflects devotion to perfection. On a single component, dozens of hours may be spent until the desired result is achieved. Nothing leaves the manufacture until it meets the highest standard : flawless, luminous, and alive. Each finish becomes a dialogue between human hands and time itself.
Watchmaking and Final Assembly
This is where all elements come together, where the invisible becomes visible, and the heartbeat of time takes form. At LEDERER, each watchmaker assembles their creation from start to finish, a process requiring exceptional patience and skill. Every adjustment, every oscillation is observed until perfect harmony is achieved. Only when a piece meets the highest standard of precision and soul does it earn the right to bear the name LEDERER.
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Machining
Beneath every exceptional timepiece lies an invisible architecture shaped to micron-level exactness. In our machining atelier, the finest alloys are sculpted into components of uncompromising precision, the very foundation upon which true chronometry is built.
Watchmaking
Here, every component finds its purpose. Our watchmakers bring life to the calibre through a dialogue of balance, force, and motion. A meticulous process where the CIC architecture and its dual gear trains take shape under the hands of dedicated artisans.
Finishing
Finishing is the final signature of our work. From hand-polishing to beveling and frosting, each gesture enhances the beauty of the mechanism and preserves a centuries-old tradition, transforming precision into emotion.