Baltic and SpaceOne Unveil the Seconde Majeure

Baltic and SpaceOne unveil their first collaborative timepiece, the Seconde Majeure. This limited edition watch translates an unlikely friendship into a highly technical, visually disruptive jumping-hour display. 

The project brings together two distinctly different approaches to contemporary independent watchmaking. Baltic has become known for its restrained, vintage-inspired designs that reinterpret traditional horological codes with modern proportions and finishing. SpaceOne, by contrast, operates at the opposite end of the spectrum, developing conceptual, space-age watches that rethink the fundamentals of displaying. The origins of the partnership trace back to 2021, when some French watchmakers gathered at Baltic’s headquarters. Among them were Théo Auffret and Guillaume Laidet, whose meeting laid the foundation for what would later become SpaceOne. 

Five years later, that relationship has evolved into a shared project: the Seconde Majeure. Its production will be strictly determined by demand during a six-day pre-order period. Sales open on May 12, 2026, at 4:00 PM (Paris time) and close on May 17, 2026. Each watch will be individually numbered, and production quantities will correspond directly to the number of orders placed within that window. The brands describe the format as a way to align production with interest rather than predetermined volumes.

At the centrer of the Seconde Majeure is an interesting approach to time reading, built around a jumping-hour mechanism and sapphire disc display system. Rather than traditional hands, the watch uses a layered construction in which time is split across different planes. Hours are indicated at 12 o’clock and minutes at 6 o’clock, both read via a crosshair-style pointer. A large central seconds hand operates independently. The deliberately exposed mechanics were developed by watchmaker Théo Auffret. A central control wheel, located beneath the minute disc, completes a full rotation every 60 minutes. At the end of each cycle, it engages a 12-tooth star wheel linked to the hour display. A jumper spring maintains tension within the system and releases energy at precise intervals, causing the hour disc to advance in a discrete jump. The entire module is mounted on a maillechort base plate, which serves both as structural support and visual foundation for the display.

The Seconde Majeure will be offered in two dial variants: brushed and Charbonné. The brushed version presents a more technical, uniform surface treatment. The Charbonné variant, however, introduces a more expressive finish developed in Théo Auffret’s atelier. Each dial is executed entirely by hand and requires up to three hours of finishing work, resulting in subtle variations across individual pieces. The collaboration also introduces a new case design rather than adapting an existing Baltic or SpaceOne form. The 38.5mm stainless steel case has a height of 12.3mm and combines brushed surfaces on the mid-case, lugs, and case back with a polished concave bezel. It is paired with a beige Alcantara strap, fitted with curved spring bars to improve integration between strap and case.

The mechanical force is the Soprod P024 automatic caliber with jumping-hour module by Théo Auffret. Pricing is marked at €2,500 (excl. taxes) or approximately $3,000. The Charbonné version is priced at €3,500 (excl. taxes) or approximately $4,100 when converted to USD. 

To learn more, visit Baltic Watches, here.