Borna Bošnjak High-End Independent teams up with 47 limited edition Massena Labs using the Nos Minerva pocket watch movement. It is 42mm in size and features a regulator dial with a distinctive steampunk style and mystery style from the Halter. This move appears in all its glory via the caseback, with pricing being requested.
What would you do if you encounter the movement of vintage pocket watches from the 1920s? Well, if you’re William Massena or Vianny Halter, you’ll certainly make a limited, hand-to-hand batch of watches that blend the styles of two homes. I imagine that the story of the origin of the old soul sounds like that. The first looks more complicated than it actually is thanks to the Halter’s intricate steampunk aesthetic, with many overlapping features, exposed screws and brushed metal. It may not have any immediate effect that Halter’s other works like Deep Space Resonance have exactly that, and that other works from Halter have exactly that, but it has exactly that.
The reality is simpler, the complexity achieved through clever design and the use of mystery dials. Old souls have regulator displays. In other words, hours, minutes and seconds are all on separate axes. There was time on the 3 o’clock sub-dial, and seconds were opposite diameter at 9 o’clock.
The remaining dials are primarily composed of sculpture design elements. The next layer is a mystery sapphire disc, shown by a blue diamond, pointing to the outer railway tracks. To finish it all, the central shield-like shape is actually on top of a flat sapphire crystal, shaped to fit around the subdial, with cutouts that allow you to read the halter and macena branding.
Due to the origin of the movement of the pocket watch, the case is very large, measured at a width of 42mm and thickness of 12mm. Halter and Massena treated this somewhat with a subtle concave bezel and stepped rug, finished with a co-branded crown depicting the former signature stud design. From this angle you can also see the shield above the sapphire crystal with rivet-like protrusions. To use the monochrome look, the old soul is attached to a midnight blue leather strap to match the accents of the dial and finished with a Massena Lab brand pin buckle.
Apart from the design of the dial, the most interesting aspect of the old soul is definitely the movement. The historic Minerva production is now absorbed by the Mont Blanc brand (it has yet to reach its full potential under Richmont), but it is still loved by avid fans. The Minerva 17’22 is a luxury pocket watch movement, whose name represents the diameter of its 17 ligne, indicating that it is the 22nd movement of its size produced by manufacturing. This isn’t the first time this movement has been used on watches, as Minerva himself adapted it with his 140th anniversary release in 1998, but there are upgrades like the screw-in chat on the centre wheel jewel.
With these origins in mind, it is no surprise that it features a large, slow-beating balance (2.5Hz) and a second-byte of 9 o’clock. This corresponds to 6 o’clock for a pocket watch with a crown at 12.
Vianney Halter X Massena Lab Old Soul Pricing and Availability
The Vianney Halter X Massena Lab Old Soul is a limited edition of 47 units and will be available for enquiries from August 26th, 2025. Price: on request
Brand Vianney Halter X Massena Lab Model Old School Case Dimensions 42mm(D)X12mm(T)Case Material Stainless Steel Water Resistance 30m Sapphire Front and Back Dial Regulator Style Sapphire Disc Brush Steel Strap Blue Leather, Steel Pin Buckle Movement 17’22, Manual Wind Power 36 Hours Intake, Manual Wanding Power 36 Hours at a Massive Price
