Herbelin - History, Models and Owners' Reviews

What a pleasure to explore the lineage of my father's model - reissued under the name Herbelin Originals - which seems to be completely opposed to the Newport Carbon Titanium, while it is a subtle and delicious blend of traditions and innovations, tinged with nostalgia and anticipation... ▶️ This Newport Carbon Titanium is the worthy heir to the collection, with its recognizable case, equipped with a single lug reminiscent, no doubt, of a porthole hinge of a sailing ship from a bygone era. This configuration is also the symbol of the first pocket watches, to which buckles were welded allowing soldiers of the Great War to wear their watch on their wrist. Other illustrious models have sported single lugs, such as the Credor Locomotive, Cartier Vendôme and of course the Breguet Reine de Naples. This very characteristic handle type is the most visible distinctive sign, associating the Newport collection with the world of sailing, like a halyard with its mainsail, but not the only one… With its imposing diameter of 43 mm in forged carbon and titanium, this new version of the Newport projects the brand into the innovation of materials, as did the sailboats previously crossing the Atlantic from Plymouth (England) to Newport (USA) during the English Transat. One of the most important characteristics of forged carbon is its lightness. It is approximately 3 times lighter than titanium. Despite its lightness, forged carbon is also extremely strong and rigid, which makes it an ideal material for applications requiring high strength and low weight. In addition to sailing, forged carbon is also used in racing cars or golf clubs, areas with a strong affinity with watchmaking, allowing Herbelin to claim its move upmarket. ▶️ The "Full-Black" atmosphere personally reminds me of the "Black Magic" or New Zealand scarecrows of the America's Cup: the oldest sports trophy in the world. Again and again a story of heritage. Black is also the color of luxury and elegance in discretion and humility, one of Herbelin's cardinal values. Strong and light, with its black FKM strap resistant to aggressive fluids and very high temperatures, it meets the brand's ambition to project itself into the future with the use of highly technical materials. The folding clasp, a too classic brown, allows you to perfectly adjust the strap to your wrist. ▶️ The Newport Carbon Titanium is the link between two eras, with a sweet blend of filiation and singularity. The Newport was born in 1988, 10 years after the first Route du Rhum, the legendary solo sailing race between Saint-Malo and Pointe-à-Pitre. Canadian Mike Birch won the first event in more than 23 days during a legendary edition. To strengthen its roots in the world of sailing, the brand called on a young and talented skipper - Aurélien Ducroz - to embody the brand's ambition to project itself towards a future of performance and self-sacrifice. Like the last Route du Rhum (2024), sailed in less than 7 days with boats that have become Formula 1s of the seas, the Newport Carbon Titanium follows this same trajectory of technological innovations. Quartz at its beginnings, the entire Carbon Titanium collection is equipped with Sellita calibers, adjusted in the brand's workshops in Charquemont, in the French Jura. This black Carbon Titanium is powered by the Sellita SW220-1 self-winding movement, offering 41 hours of power reserve. Displaying the date and day, it offers two complications consistent with the duration of the Atlantic crossing, now less than a week. The lightly smoked case back - an unusual idea that adds to the singularity of the model - allows you to discover the rotation of the oscillating weight. ▶️ The sailing analogy does not stop there, with the textured dial inspired by nautical charts and the foreshore of the Bay of Saint-Malo, well known for its very large tidal range. The bezel, meanwhile, is equipped with 5 screws whose heads - seen from afar - evoke "Torx", world-renowned for their tightening performance. Stop there, my friend! The screw heads seem to come straight from the imprint of the cranks used to manipulate and trim the sails with a winch… This Herbelin Newport Carbon Titanium illustrates with sincerity and serenity that a watch is a matter of subtlety in the details and historical anchors: mine with my father's watch, and that of the Herbelin family at the helm of the brand since its creation… ▶️ The Herbelin Newport Carbon Titanium is offered at €1,999 (January 2025), in black on a black strap or in blue on a yellow strap, recalling the color of the seconds hand. The main technical specifications are specified below. All the specs are available on the brand's website. My "Mood Board" with this Newport Carbon Titanium: Movie: All is Lost (2013) with Robert Redford Boat: Tricat 25 Evolution Location: Cap Fréhel (Brittany, France) XS

A big fan of watches with integrated bracelets, I share with you my impressions of the Herbelin Cap Camarat Square in automatic version… A watch that smells good of sea trips in Brittany, aboard a Cap Camarat 750, for a ride in the sun or a wakeboarding expedition for teenagers. A watch with a sporty temperament, with its 39x39 mm square case directly inspired by shaped watches, one of the brand's specialties since its creation in 1947. The oldest among us still remember the references 676 or 2276, with their terribly 70s "TV Dial" cases. ▶️ I am very attached to the figurative dimension of a watch, but I must admit that it is also important to understand a watch literally. So, this Cap Camarat is indeed "Square", as its name suggests, and is a variation of the "initial" Cap Camarat with a more circular shape. It is an imposing watch, both literally and figuratively! Fans of Pythagoras will remember that the diagonal of a square - equivalent to the radius of a circle for a watch - is greater than its sides! The Cap Camarat is an imposing watch and will appeal to lovers of beautiful presences on the wrist. It may be less appealing to smaller sizes... or vice versa, because everyone sees noon at their door. ▶️ The overall aesthetic of the watch is very balanced and gives it a discretion that is the opposite of an ostentatious Sport-Chic. It is a bit like the meeting between the deep-water port of Piriac-sur-Mer and that of Saint-Tropez... Two very different worlds where everyone can find their happiness. The straight lines of the case, the vertical brushing and the grooves of the dial know how to remain sober while capturing the light. Its black dial and its 316L steel tend towards full black under certain strong lights. Here is a watch that knows how to be dazzling in the sun while remaining sober, discreet and humble, like the siblings at the head of this brand from Charquemont, in the French Jura. Note the variation of the dials on the automatic or quartz references: green, blue, and a sublime burgundy "wine lees" style that we would have liked to see on the automatic version... ▶️ This Cap Camarat Square is supplied with a choice of a very successful steel bracelet, which is unlike any other... except that of a Herbelin! This is another factor of authenticity, illustrating the commitment of the teams to offering unique, relevant, even impeccable products... like Michel Herbelin's first watch, simply called "Impec". Personally, I only wore the rubber strap (FKM) with pleasure, for its flexibility and its aesthetics reminiscent of the steel bracelet. Easier said than done, so many other brands are content to deliver a standard Tropical strap without any customization, for perfectly correct accuracy. ▶️ On the engine side, you don't need a 150 HP Yamaha to go wakeboarding ;-) The Swiss Made Sellita SW200-1 caliber does the job asked of it, no more and no less. Reliability is undoubtedly there, with a level of precision more than sufficient for the price positioning of the model. The brand does not specify what finish is done on this caliber, but we can imagine - given the very attractive price - that this is the entry-level version of Sellita in terms of decoration. The announced power reserve is 41 hours. Be careful, however: alternatives, also well positioned in terms of price, offer movements with more modern architecture with power reserves exceeding 60 hours. So what, you might ask? Very good question, my captain… which I will answer when I return to port. ▶️ Buying a Herbelin means buying a historic French brand, surely the largest French watchmaker, a family business rooted in the Jura arc, from Morteau to Charquemont via the Maîche plateau. Buying a Herbelin Cap Camarat Square — despite the experts’ comparisons — means acquiring a watch that is “impeccable” in terms of finishing, with a beautiful presence while remaining discreet despite its proportions. The Herbelin brand is the quiet strength of a family business attached to its roots. The Cap Camarat Square Automatic is a fine illustration of this, among other emblematic models of the brand, such as the Herbelin Newport. ▶️ The Cap Camarat Square Automatic is available for €899 (December 2024) on a rubber or steel strap. A very well-placed offer on the market, with an impeccable quality-price ratio ;-) Perfection does not exist, it would be useful to offer the watch on a steel bracelet while offering the FKM bracelet, or at least offer it as an option on the brand's website. And let's be crazy, why not a 36 mm version? My "Mood Board" with this Cap Camarat Square Automatic: Movie: Plein Soleil (1960) by René Clément, with Alain Delon and Maurice Ronet Car: Peugeot 204 Cabriolet Location: Deep-water port of Piriac-sur-Mer (France) All the technical specifications below or on the brand's website. XS

I am going to part with this pretty watch and I couldn't do it without leaving a review on it. This watch was my first 'real' watch purchase out of interest and I really liked it. This Herbelin is simple but so pleasant to wear on a daily basis. It offers quite ideal dimensions and does not interfere with wearing it at all. It is a very thin watch and you forget it is on your sleeve. Forget it, yes, except when you look at its pretty sunray dial, which has a beautiful effect. It is a timepiece without many pretensions but ideal for everyday use.