Introducing: The Biver Automatique Japan Edition

February 25, 2019

When Biver launched to great fanfare in 2023, the debut watch displayed watchmaking maximalism at its finest. Father and son Jean-Claude and Pierre Biver must have asked themselves, What if we turn everything up to eleven? The young brands second model, the Automatique, dialed things down somewhat. Still, it looked distinctly intricate and truly Biver-esque. Todays new Biver Automatique Japan Edition takes a different approach. Watchmaking maximalism meets aesthetic minimalism.I usually refrain from sharing my opinions until the end of an introduction article, but allow me to make an exception. This formula works for me - these are my favorite Biver watches yet! Lets have a closer look!The Biver AutomatiqueFirst, lets jump back to last years release as these new models are, in essence, new dial variants of the original Automatique. While Bivers inaugural model, the Carillon Tourbillon, paired a minute repeater and a tourbillon, the second model offered hours, minutes, and seconds - nothing more. I felt that the initial model was a statement of intent: Watch out, watch world; the Bivers are back! The second model probably told us more about the aesthetic going forward. The Automatique looks like a great platform on which to build.Seeing new variants today isnt all that surprising, then. What is surprising is the design restraint practiced, inspired by Japanese watchmaking. These two new versions are exclusives for Bivers Japanese authorized dealer, The Hour Glass.We see the same 39mm case with its 10mm thickness and 47.6mm lug-to-lug. The steeply angled lugs accommodate 19mm alligator straps in black or brown. The case also features an exhibition back and an ample 80m water resistance rating. Inside ticks the automatic micro-rotor caliber JCB-003 at 25,200 vibrations per hour. Biver specifies a 65-hour power reserve for this movement. Of course, bare specifications do not do a caliber of this level justice, so lets have a slightly closer look.The Biver Automatiques caliber JCB-003The 30.6mm 4mm movement inside the Biver Automatique Japan Edition is a watchmakers feast. Beyond the stop-seconds, zero-reset, and bidirectionally winding micro-rotor, it might seem simple. It is anything but. A closer look reveals some of that maximalism I hinted at earlier.Bivers philosophy is simple: It doesnt matter what it costs; if it can make the watch better, lets do it. This means every last surface is finished to the highest levels. Of course, all polished surfaces are black-polished, and you will find guillochage, anglage, and perlage in spades. I imagine this is what you would get if you ticked every box on your watchmakers order form.On to the dials - the heart of the matterWhen I first opened the press pack for the new Biver Automatique Japan Edition, I had to blink for a second. Was this really a new Biver watch? It was so clean and simple. It looked so restrained. Now, I associate many things with the Biver name, but restraint is not one. Still, here we are.Dont be fooled, though, because the watchmaking maximalism continues behind the scenes. These deceptively simple enamel dials take 10 hours to layer on top of an 18K white or 22K rose gold blank. It then takes another six hours to polish them to a perfect sheen. I would love to see the process because I know from experience what it takes to create an enamel dial. The level of detail you must go into for it to take two full working days must be crazy.It is notoriously hard to mount applied indexes on an enameled surface. You run the risk of cracking the enamel. To counter this, Biver left tiny spots enamel-free to facilitate a gold-on-gold connection. Again, knowing how to enamel, I can attest to how complicated this is to get right. With the slightest mistake, the delicate marker would sit crooked or show imperfections in the enamel.Closing thoughts on the Biver Automatique Japan EditionTaking such a maximalist approach to a minimalist watch comes at a cost. The rose gold model with the black dial comes in at CHF 89,000, and the platinum model with the white dial costs CHF 92,000. Biver will make a limited - though not specified - number for the Japanese market only.I would love to go hands-on with one of these watches, but I d love to see the craftspeople working on them even more. Having handled my fair share of high-end watches, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Biver certainly pulls no punches, pricing these several times higher than (specs-wise) comparable watches from, say, Breguet, A. Lange & S?hne, and Patek Philippe. I find it impossible to judge whether that difference is tangible in the product from press materials alone.This also makes me a bit reluctant to be overly opinionated. One thing I can judge from a distance is design. To me, Biver practicing some restraint works very well. The Biver Automatique Japan Edition blends classical minimalism with a distinct character. Thats no mean feat!What do you think of the new Biver Automatique Japan Edition? Let us know in the comments below!Watch specifications Brand Biver Model Automatique Japan Edition Dial Black or white enamel with faceted, polished, and brushed applied indexesCase Material 18K rose gold (black dial) or platinum (white dial)Case Dimensions 39mm (diameter) 47.6mm (lug-to-lug) 10mm (thickness)Crystal SapphireCase Back Display case back Movement Biver JCB-003: automatic bidirectional winding with hacking seconds and zero-reset, 25,200vph (3.5Hz) frequency, 65-hour power reserve, 36 jewels, 22K gold micro-rotor, guillochage, anglage, perlage, brushing, and black polishingWater Resistance 80 metersStrap Black or brown alligator with nubuck lining, 19mm widthFunctions Time (hours, minutes, seconds)Price CHF 89,000 (rose gold) / CHF 92,000 (platinum) - ex. local taxes and dutiesWarranty Four years