In the heart of Geneva, an all-new watch-making brand announces itself to the world. Taos combines the exceptional talents at Atelier Olivier Vaucher, the renowned Genevan dial maker, with the expertise of watchmaker Olivier Gaud.
The watchmaker’s introductory collection comprises seven one-of-a-kind watches. Each dial, a work of art, and their mechanical movements, a canvas for the engraver’s chisel. According to the Taos, over 200 hours of work go into making a single dial, and over 100 hours of engraving into each movement.
The seven inaugural pieces feature evocative titles: Ondes, Floréal, Euphorie, Kaléidoscope, Broderie, Envol Bleu and Envol Rouge. These pieces do not merely tell time, they embody the creativity of the crème de la crème of Geneva’s Métiers d’Art.
Atelier Olivier Vaucher, established in 1978 by Olivier Vaucher, is renowned for its expertise in Grand Feu enamel, engraving, miniature painting, mosaics, and gem-setting. The Atelier has created the faces of some of the rarest and most sought-after timepieces in the watchmaking industry. Taos is the result of the shared passion and vision of Olivier Vaucher, his wife Dominique Vaucher and Olivier Gaud.
“Bringing TAOS to life with the benefit of the support and involvement of one of Geneva’s most distinguished watchmaking artisans from the very start of our journey has been an extraordinary adventure,” says Olivier Gaud, the CEO of Taos. “Never has a brand been so privileged to have such a wealth of skills across the various Métiers d’Art from its inception.”
“I’ve always dreamed it would be this way,” adds Olivier Vaucher. “To create independently for individual collector clients, and in the process to continue pushing ahead in our research and the various forms of expression, it gives a sense of fulfilment that I fully share with Dominique and our entire team.”
Born from the shared passion and vision of the two Oliviers and Dominique are the seven timepieces of the first Taos collection. Broderies d’Émail (Enamel Embroideries) features hundreds of strands of molten enamel laid out as segments of silk on lace.
Envol Bleu and Envol Rouge (Blue Flight and Red Flight) both feature engraved feathers covered in enamel, and at their centre, a flower-like silver-leaf paillon encircled with diamonds. Multiple layers, firings, details, and micro-engravings amplify the blooming of a delicate rosace pattern.
Floréal offers a bouquet of mother-of-pearl flowers, miniature-painted in subtle shades of pink. They rest on a canvas of paillonné enamel, sprinkled with blue cloisonné enamel petals, neatly arranged in a composition highlighted by diamonds.
Kaléidoscope reveals a rhythmic alternation of hardstone mosaic pieces, arrayed in the shape of a heart around a central, raised mother-of-pearl relief. Ondes (Waves) transcends its monochromatic appearance to harmonize mechanics and art. The mother-of-pearl dial is engraved layer upon layer, seemingly endlessly to create memorising patterns.
All seven timepieces house the same movement. The self-winding calibre VOP318 was produced exclusively for Taos by the Swiss movement manufacturer Télôs, under the supervision of Olivier Gaud. Fully wound, it has a power reserve of around 72 hours.
Its bridges were designed to be a canvas for the engraver’s chisel. As a result, the inside of each watch offers a spectacle on par with what can be seen on the dial side. The movement’s components are individually engraved, chamfered and satin-finished by hand at Atelier Olivier Vaucher.
Engraving a single complete calibre takes between 80 and 100 hours of meticulous work by a single craftsperson, who is responsible for the piece from receipt to delivery of the fully finished piece.
Each timepiece comes in a case that is 38 mm in diameter and 10 mm thick, and is either made of 18K white gold or 5N rose gold. Also, depending on the dial’s theme, some are set with diamonds. Its slimness enhances the watch’s elegance, complementing the dial’s aesthetics. The detailed lugs, precise angles, sloping bezel, and curved case back all combine to showcase each creation, allowing the design to first stand out and then subtly recede.
Taos is part of a recent trend in the luxury watch industry which has seen several micro artisanal brands come into existence, each focused on a specific area of watchmaking. At Taos, the focus is clearly on Métiers d’Art, on unleashing creativity to realise its full potential.
“There has always been a nurturing atmosphere at the Atelier,” says Dominique Vaucher. “We’re surrounded by wonderful people. Every talent is given a voice, each expressing their uniqueness and sharing their particular savoir-faire. It’s through dialogue that we get the best out of each technique. That’s how we sustain our passion for the craft, through the ‘lifespark’ of each and every one in the team.”
