Lederer CIC 39 mm Racing Green Named Louis Vuitton Watch Prize Finalist

by Brent Robillard

A moment of recognition

We don’t often report on haute horlogerie at The Calibrated Wrist. Our focus typically sits closer to the watches people live with day-to-day—pieces that earn their place through wear and utility. But every so often, you encounter a watch that transcends categories altogether.

Earlier this year in Geneva, I found myself in a suite at the Beau-Rivage with Bernhard Lederer and his wife, Ewa, during the week of Watches and Wonders. I had an appointment to view the Central Impulse Chronometer—a watch I had only seen in photographs until that moment. In person, it was something else entirely.

At one point in our conversation, I joked about how you could almost wear the watch upside down—there was no wrong angle, no secondary view. It felt complete from every direction, like a sculpture that happened to tell time. It was, without exaggeration, one of the most beautiful watches I had ever seen.

That memory came rushing back this week when the Lederer CIC 39 mm Racing Green was named a finalist for the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize. And honestly, I couldn’t be happier for him.

About Bernhard Lederer

Bernhard Lederer is not a watchmaker driven by volume, visibility, or spectacle. He is driven by questions—particularly the ones others have stopped asking.

Not born into watchmaking, Lederer arrived at it through curiosity and persistence, learning through experimentation and failure rather than inheritance. He is a member of the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI) and part of the first generation of modern independents who reshaped contemporary horology by working outside the traditional structures.

As he approaches 40 years in watchmaking, his work reflects a rare balance of German rigor, Swiss discipline, and deeply human introspection. Lederer does not chase trends or aesthetic signatures. Instead, he pursues mechanical coherence—solutions that clarify, stabilize, and genuinely advance understanding.

The Central Impulse Chronometer is perhaps the clearest expression of that philosophy, thus far.

Lederer CIC 39 mm Racing Green on a brown leather strap — A blend of tonneau and cushion forms @calibre321

Technical Specifications: Lederer CIC 39 mm

Model	Lederer CIC 39 mm Racing Green
Case Material	5N rose gold
Case Diameter	39 mm
Case Finishing	Polished bezel and flanks
Crystal	Domed sapphire crystal
Water Resistance	30 metres
Movement	Lederer in-house, hand-wound
Escapement	Double detent escapement
Gear Trains	Two independent gear trains
Constant-Force Mechanisms	Two
Components	212
Jewels	36
Frequency	3 Hz
Power Reserve	38 hours
Movement Diameter	35 mm
Movement Height	4.95 mm
Dial	In-house crafted, matte racing green
Dial Feature	Aperture at 10 o’clock revealing constant-force mechanism
Functions	Hours, minutes, two off-centred seconds hands
Strap	Handcrafted natural calfskin, tone-matched to dial
Buckle	5N rose gold pin buckle

Close up of the Central Impulse Chronometer movement — Good things come in twos: two independent gear trains, two constant-force mechanisms, and two escapement wheels

The CIC and the Detent Escapement

At the heart of the CIC is a long-standing horological challenge: the detent escapement. Highly efficient but historically fragile—particularly at low amplitudes—it has fascinated watchmakers for centuries, from Breguet to George Daniels.

Rather than refining the existing approach, Lederer chose to rethink it entirely.

The CIC employs two independent gear trains, two constant-force mechanisms, and two escapement wheels delivering alternating impulses. This architecture allows the detent escapement to operate with stability and regularity where it traditionally falters.

Importantly, none of this feels academic when viewed in person. The movement is laid out openly, almost pedagogically, inviting the wearer to follow the logic rather than admire it from a distance. Trust me, I am no watchmaker. It’s function is as evident as its beauty.

Racing Green: A Personal Interpretation

The Racing Green iteration brings a more personal layer to the CIC story. The colour references Bernhard’s vintage Sunbeam-Talbot, and with it a certain kind of restrained elegance. The matte green dial softens reflections and draws attention inward, while the 39 mm 5N rose gold case adds warmth without excess. An aperture at 10 o’clock reveals the constant-force mechanism in motion—not as decoration, but as a reminder that every aesthetic decision here serves the mechanics beneath.

It’s a watch that rewards time spent looking, rather than demanding attention.

5N Rose Gold Case

Lederer CIC 39 mm Racing Green with focus on the dial

Lederer CIC 39 mm Racing Green from the case back

A Well-Earned Nomination

The Louis Vuitton Watch Prize tends to shine a light on ideas that move watchmaking forward, not just visually, but intellectually. In that context, the CIC 39 mm’s nomination feels less like a surprise and more like a natural acknowledgment of work done patiently and sincerely over many years. Twice already the mechanism and its evolutions have been recognized by the GPHG. And now this.

Having seen the watch in person—and having spent time with the man behind it—this recognition feels deserved. Not because it validates the CIC, but because it affirms a way of working that values meaning over noise.

I’m simply happy for Bernhard. And I look forward to seeing where his questions take him next.