Biver’s New AB Is Its First Steel and Manual-Wind Watch

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Summary

Biver released its first steel manual-wind watch, the 38mm AB.

The 38mm model pairs black DLC-treated 2N gold with onyx detailing.

Its new JCB-004 calibre delivers approximately 120 hours of power reserve.

Biver is answering one of its collectors’ most persistent requests with the new AB, the independent Maison’s first-ever stainless-steel watch — and its first manually wound model. Rather than simply recasing the existing Automatique in steel, Pierre and Jean-Claude Biver approached the project as a clean-sheet exercise, developing a new case, dial construction and movement specifically for the watch.

The result is also Biver’s smallest model to date, measuring 38mm across and 9.8mm thick, with a steel bracelet and more restrained proportions intended to make the watch easier to wear every day. Despite the simpler hours-minutes-seconds format, the AB retains the brand’s highly finished approach, creating a deliberate contrast between its hard-wearing steel exterior and the level of decorative work usually associated with more precious-metal pieces.

The dial is where that contrast becomes most visible. A 2N yellow-gold dial is treated with black DLC and paired with an onyx outer ring, while the minute track itself is rendered in 18K 2N yellow gold using a metallisation technique that lays the track directly onto the stone. Matching yellow-gold hands are satin-finished and hand-bevelled, while a small-seconds display sits at 6 o’clock with Biver’s zero-reset mechanism, snapping the seconds hand back to zero when the crown is pulled for more precise setting.

At 12 o’clock, an arcing power-reserve display uses a small gold pin to indicate remaining energy. The watch is powered by the newly developed JCB-004 caliber, a twin-barrel, manually wound movement delivering approximately 120 hours of power reserve. Its PD210 white-gold mainplate and bridges – a palladium-rich alloy chosen for its resistance to tarnishing – are extensively hand-finished, including circular graining and newly introduced sandblasted bridge surfaces.

Each AB is assembled from start to finish by a single watchmaker and is supplied on Biver’s steel bracelet, with an additional Bahia calf-leather strap and steel buckle included. The case offers 80 meters of water resistance, while the JCB-004 runs at 3 Hz and uses 32 jewels. The timepiece will be available via Biver, retailing at 65,000 CHF approx. $78,700 USD).

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Text By

Zoe Leung

Editor Assistant

Mai Vo

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Zoe Leung

Zoe Leung

Senior Editor

Zoe Leung is a Senior Editor at Hypebeast, where she has been shaping the publication’s coverage of horology, art, design, and culture since 2023. Her extensive watch reporting spans exclusive manufacture visits with Maisons like Zenith, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Grand Seiko, as well as insightful conversations with industry leaders and artisans. Beyond watches, she regularly spotlights international creatives and cultural phenomena, utilizing her knowledge of global music and entertainment subcultures to deliver narratives that explore the worldwide influence of contemporary visual storytelling and cross-cultural artistry.


Watches

519

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Summary

Biver released its first steel manual-wind watch, the 38mm AB.

The 38mm model pairs black DLC-treated 2N gold with onyx detailing.

Its new JCB-004 calibre delivers approximately 120 hours of power reserve.

Biver is answering one of its collectors’ most persistent requests with the new AB, the independent Maison’s first-ever stainless-steel watch — and its first manually wound model. Rather than simply recasing the existing Automatique in steel, Pierre and Jean-Claude Biver approached the project as a clean-sheet exercise, developing a new case, dial construction and movement specifically for the watch.

The result is also Biver’s smallest model to date, measuring 38mm across and 9.8mm thick, with a steel bracelet and more restrained proportions intended to make the watch easier to wear every day. Despite the simpler hours-minutes-seconds format, the AB retains the brand’s highly finished approach, creating a deliberate contrast between its hard-wearing steel exterior and the level of decorative work usually associated with more precious-metal pieces.

The dial is where that contrast becomes most visible. A 2N yellow-gold dial is treated with black DLC and paired with an onyx outer ring, while the minute track itself is rendered in 18K 2N yellow gold using a metallisation technique that lays the track directly onto the stone. Matching yellow-gold hands are satin-finished and hand-bevelled, while a small-seconds display sits at 6 o’clock with Biver’s zero-reset mechanism, snapping the seconds hand back to zero when the crown is pulled for more precise setting.

At 12 o’clock, an arcing power-reserve display uses a small gold pin to indicate remaining energy. The watch is powered by the newly developed JCB-004 caliber, a twin-barrel, manually wound movement delivering approximately 120 hours of power reserve. Its PD210 white-gold mainplate and bridges – a palladium-rich alloy chosen for its resistance to tarnishing – are extensively hand-finished, including circular graining and newly introduced sandblasted bridge surfaces.

Each AB is assembled from start to finish by a single watchmaker and is supplied on Biver’s steel bracelet, with an additional Bahia calf-leather strap and steel buckle included. The case offers 80 meters of water resistance, while the JCB-004 runs at 3 Hz and uses 32 jewels. The timepiece will be available via Biver, retailing at 65,000 CHF approx. $78,700 USD).

Read Full Article

Text By

Zoe Leung

Editor Assistant

Mai Vo

Share this article
Zoe Leung

Zoe Leung

Senior Editor

Zoe Leung is a Senior Editor at Hypebeast, where she has been shaping the publication’s coverage of horology, art, design, and culture since 2023. Her extensive watch reporting spans exclusive manufacture visits with Maisons like Zenith, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Grand Seiko, as well as insightful conversations with industry leaders and artisans. Beyond watches, she regularly spotlights international creatives and cultural phenomena, utilizing her knowledge of global music and entertainment subcultures to deliver narratives that explore the worldwide influence of contemporary visual storytelling and cross-cultural artistry.

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  • 519

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Text By

Zoe Leung

Editor Assistant

Mai Vo

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Watches
Text By

Zoe Leung

Editor Assistant

Mai Vo

Share this article

Watches

519

0 Comments

Prefer Hypebeast on GoogleSave

Summary

Biver released its first steel manual-wind watch, the 38mm AB.

The 38mm model pairs black DLC-treated 2N gold with onyx detailing.

Its new JCB-004 calibre delivers approximately 120 hours of power reserve.

Biver is answering one of its collectors’ most persistent requests with the new AB, the independent Maison’s first-ever stainless-steel watch — and its first manually wound model. Rather than simply recasing the existing Automatique in steel, Pierre and Jean-Claude Biver approached the project as a clean-sheet exercise, developing a new case, dial construction and movement specifically for the watch.

The result is also Biver’s smallest model to date, measuring 38mm across and 9.8mm thick, with a steel bracelet and more restrained proportions intended to make the watch easier to wear every day. Despite the simpler hours-minutes-seconds format, the AB retains the brand’s highly finished approach, creating a deliberate contrast between its hard-wearing steel exterior and the level of decorative work usually associated with more precious-metal pieces.

The dial is where that contrast becomes most visible. A 2N yellow-gold dial is treated with black DLC and paired with an onyx outer ring, while the minute track itself is rendered in 18K 2N yellow gold using a metallisation technique that lays the track directly onto the stone. Matching yellow-gold hands are satin-finished and hand-bevelled, while a small-seconds display sits at 6 o’clock with Biver’s zero-reset mechanism, snapping the seconds hand back to zero when the crown is pulled for more precise setting.

At 12 o’clock, an arcing power-reserve display uses a small gold pin to indicate remaining energy. The watch is powered by the newly developed JCB-004 caliber, a twin-barrel, manually wound movement delivering approximately 120 hours of power reserve. Its PD210 white-gold mainplate and bridges – a palladium-rich alloy chosen for its resistance to tarnishing – are extensively hand-finished, including circular graining and newly introduced sandblasted bridge surfaces.

Each AB is assembled from start to finish by a single watchmaker and is supplied on Biver’s steel bracelet, with an additional Bahia calf-leather strap and steel buckle included. The case offers 80 meters of water resistance, while the JCB-004 runs at 3 Hz and uses 32 jewels. The timepiece will be available via Biver, retailing at 65,000 CHF approx. $78,700 USD).

Read Full Article

Text By

Zoe Leung

Editor Assistant

Mai Vo

Share this article
Zoe Leung

Zoe Leung

Senior Editor

Zoe Leung is a Senior Editor at Hypebeast, where she has been shaping the publication’s coverage of horology, art, design, and culture since 2023. Her extensive watch reporting spans exclusive manufacture visits with Maisons like Zenith, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Grand Seiko, as well as insightful conversations with industry leaders and artisans. Beyond watches, she regularly spotlights international creatives and cultural phenomena, utilizing her knowledge of global music and entertainment subcultures to deliver narratives that explore the worldwide influence of contemporary visual storytelling and cross-cultural artistry.


Watches

519

0 Comments

Prefer Hypebeast on GoogleSave

Watches

Watches

519

0 Comments

Prefer Hypebeast on GoogleSave

Summary

Biver released its first steel manual-wind watch, the 38mm AB.

The 38mm model pairs black DLC-treated 2N gold with onyx detailing.

Its new JCB-004 calibre delivers approximately 120 hours of power reserve.

Biver is answering one of its collectors’ most persistent requests with the new AB, the independent Maison’s first-ever stainless-steel watch — and its first manually wound model. Rather than simply recasing the existing Automatique in steel, Pierre and Jean-Claude Biver approached the project as a clean-sheet exercise, developing a new case, dial construction and movement specifically for the watch.

The result is also Biver’s smallest model to date, measuring 38mm across and 9.8mm thick, with a steel bracelet and more restrained proportions intended to make the watch easier to wear every day. Despite the simpler hours-minutes-seconds format, the AB retains the brand’s highly finished approach, creating a deliberate contrast between its hard-wearing steel exterior and the level of decorative work usually associated with more precious-metal pieces.

The dial is where that contrast becomes most visible. A 2N yellow-gold dial is treated with black DLC and paired with an onyx outer ring, while the minute track itself is rendered in 18K 2N yellow gold using a metallisation technique that lays the track directly onto the stone. Matching yellow-gold hands are satin-finished and hand-bevelled, while a small-seconds display sits at 6 o’clock with Biver’s zero-reset mechanism, snapping the seconds hand back to zero when the crown is pulled for more precise setting.

At 12 o’clock, an arcing power-reserve display uses a small gold pin to indicate remaining energy. The watch is powered by the newly developed JCB-004 caliber, a twin-barrel, manually wound movement delivering approximately 120 hours of power reserve. Its PD210 white-gold mainplate and bridges – a palladium-rich alloy chosen for its resistance to tarnishing – are extensively hand-finished, including circular graining and newly introduced sandblasted bridge surfaces.

Each AB is assembled from start to finish by a single watchmaker and is supplied on Biver’s steel bracelet, with an additional Bahia calf-leather strap and steel buckle included. The case offers 80 meters of water resistance, while the JCB-004 runs at 3 Hz and uses 32 jewels. The timepiece will be available via Biver, retailing at 65,000 CHF approx. $78,700 USD).

Read Full Article

Text By

Zoe Leung

Editor Assistant

Mai Vo

Share this article

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