Isn´t she lovely, isn´t she wonderful (Stevie Wonder)

What a surprise, what a discovery

I first became aware of Lundis Bleus watches electronically in January 2021, when Bastien Vuilliomenet, Dan Spitz and Johnny McElherron talked about Lundis Bleus watches, craftsmanship, the work of independents, enamel, design and artisanship in episode 32 of my favourite podcast ‘In The Metal’ (YouTube). This legendary podcast is uniquely entertaining due to its unusual and wacky style of moderation and dialogue.
The following year I finally went to Neuchâtel to discover enameling, the artistic craft and special territory of Bastien Vuilliomenet, owner and proprietor of Lundis Bleus. I saw the watches and the watchdials of the special color spectrum collection and I met Bastien at the Time to Watches event in Geneva. Since our first meeting I couldn’t get the Lundis Bleus dials out of my head. My only problem was to decide on a particular color. The series 1120-watches from Lundis Bleus have automatic movements (Sellita caliber 300-1 premium quality) and a very special stainless steel case with the elaborately designed case back, the Lundis Bleus logo, and the very special design of the free-standing horns.

Nothing is more beautiful than enamel

For me, the great attraction of Lundis Bleus watches is definitely the art and design of the enamel dials. As far as I see it, dials or casebacks made of or decorated with enamel were and are basically the greatest thing I can imagine. The work of Lundis Bleus is more the artistic and aesthetic (dial) side of independent watchmaking.
We all usually look at our watches from the dial side first, so it stands to reason. The dials of the watches from Lundis Bleus are crafted in Grand feu enamel in many colors (such as red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and violet over silver leaf). Today, Lundis Bleus offers very artistic dials with Guilloché patterns, Cloisonné designs or very special engravings. As I mentioned above – to decide on a specific dial color from the collection was not easy for me: they are all too beautiful. Back in the days in the end, I decided on the color blue, a color that has played an important role for us in other projects ever since. Over the last months we decided to change the hands of the watch and reduce their number to two hands only for hours and minutes.

You come for the watches and stay for the people

Since 2021, I’ve been visiting Bastien whenever I’m in Neuchatel, but at least once a year, and since then we’ve met again and again for various smaller or larger projects. How could it be otherwise, these projects always involve enamel, l´émail est le plus maximal des Arts (J. Closset, Master Enameller).

Yes or No?

If you flip through the following criteria, you might find the answer to the “Is-a-watch-from-Lundis-Bleus-the-right-watch-for-me-Question”:
1 you admire Grand feu enamel
2 you like small and independent makers
3 you like a watch made in Neuchatel
4 you like to support a rare craft and its maker
5 you have much admiration for this type of craft
6 you know that this is rare
7 you especially like the deep blue translucent enamel
8 you sing “isn´t she lovely …”
9 you keep on singing “isn´t she wonderful …”
10 you are convinced that no one needs an argument for enamel, it is the best one can acquire

Pros:
– grand feu enamel in many color options

– rare handcraft

– time only watch, no date, no unnecessary information

Cons:

– no pocket watches available from Lundis Bleus (so far)

– too beautiful to decide on only one dial and watch

– the buckle of the leather bracelet and the winding crown is too large for my taste

Quality
90

Style
90

Value
90

Wearability
90