Mathieu Cleguer for Watches & Wonders 2026: A New Voice Rethinking the Natural Escapement - YouTube - Revolution Watch

Wei Koh interviews independent movement engineer Mathieu Cleguer at Watches & Wonders 2026 about his debut watch, the Cleguer Inspiration One Souscription. Cleguer explains his path from automotive design into watchmaking engineering (including time at De Bethune and work with Akrivia) and why he chose to launch independently via a 12-client subscription model. They focus on what makes the Inspiration One distinct: a classically sized 38.5mm titanium watch whose “dial” is essentially the movement displayed in layered architecture, with an enamel hour/minute sub-dial, central seconds, prominent balance, and a power-reserve indicator. The technical centerpiece is Cleguer’s proprietary “Innate” escapement—his modern, self-starting reinterpretation of Breguet’s natural escapement. He describes how traditional natural escapements struggle to self-start and how his design uses a tangential impulse with a double-wheel layout to improve practical reliability while aiming for high chronometric efficiency without relying on silicon. The conversation frames the watch as a first statement centered on chronometry, original movement architecture, and an engineer-led approach to independent watchmaking.