The brand offers more than just a time indicator; it is a unique and intimate instrument, a companion of traveler and escape, that aligns with unforgettable memories, as is a camera.

Several values ​​such as innovation, attention to detail, luxury craftsmanship or mechanical precision are undeniable links between the world of watchmaking and photography.

In line with these principles, Valbray gives valuable attention to the ergonomics of its forms and the choice of materials and finishes, creating timepieces that harmoniously combines elegance and audacity.

Designed to be exclusive, each Valbray watch is edited in a limited number of “exposures” guaranteeing a unique and incomparable experience.

Inspired by the intensity diaphragm in photography, the innovative Valbray system, renamed the Oculus, is a world premiere in the history of watchmaking.

Photography is now a very popular passion shared by all cultures and by many people. It is related to intimate, authentic and everyday experiences and thus makes a camera a travel companion, as is a Valbray timepiece.

Each Valbray watch has this shutter system offering two Visions of Time :

The first, with a very pure design, provides an essential reading of time.

While the shutter blades are closed, only the hour and minute hands are visible.

The second, which appears once the diaphragm is open, offers the discovery of the underlying dial, more pronounced and linked to the movement of the watch (chronograph, big date…)

Essential mechanism in photography, the diaphragm adjusts the field of vision to sublimate the images. Across Valbray timepieces, it becomes a magical instrument capable of transforming a watch from a two hands one to a Chronograph or a Grand dateur.…

The “Oculus” system is a true feat of micro technology applied to contemporary watchmaking. Over two years of research and development have been invested in its implementation and major challenges were surpassed:

A careful construction

The shutter has 16 blades ultrathin (0.05mm) incorporated into a rotating bezel of only 46 mm (43mm in Grand date collection) of diameter, 7 mm width and 4,5 mm height.

Main watch hands, enhanced by a specially designed barrel, are positioned above the blades. At maximum aperture of the diaphragm, the blades completely disappear, revealing a dial of 30 mm of diameter.

Simply rotating the bezel of 90° with the fingers, the system is activated and turns, making the watch interactive and intriguing.

The blades

The blades open and close constantly circularly, sliding on each other. First made ​​in a metal and elastic material, wear-resistant, they are then protected by a scratch-resistant coating also providing them with uniformity in color.

The assembly work is done in a clean room with controlled atmosphere. Indeed, even the presence of very small dust, would be an obstacle to the closing / opening of the diaphragm and cause of scratches.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

From the first sketches to the final product, the whole process of creation is done internally.

The designers work closely with the development team in order to combine beauty and desire with the technical and functional constraints.

After initial hand drawings and studies, our qualified engineers begin work for 3D modeling and develop concepts to make the fantasy a reality.

Technical drawings of each piece are then formalized to organize their production; the most advanced solutions are found, to continuously improve the manufacturing process.

PRODUCTION

To ensure mastery of skills and excellent products, Valbray makes most of the production operations in its manufacture, being proud of an independent fabrication.

The production is ensured through CNC machines allowing the creation of high-precision parts that can go up the micron.

Between each stage of production, components are subjected to several quality checks to ensure their full compliance.

The handmade decoration, the attention to some 150 components of the watch (beyond the movement), and the requirement applied to our watchmakers when they assemble timepieces, are in line with the Swiss high quality watchmaking tradition.

Finally, through a control cell at the forefront of Swiss technology, Valbray provides products that meet the highest technical and aesthetic criteria.

The history of Valbray begins in 2009, when two passionate people, an engineer and a designer, crossed paths.

Côme de Valbray and Olga Corsini have shared a rich experience in the luxury industry and a profound interest in design and watchmaking.

Driven by the aspiration to offer their creativity without restrictions, they decided to found their own brand: Valbray.

Lover of photography and optics, subjects of his final study’s dissertation, Côme de Valbray had the idea of ​​integrating a system of diaphragm into a watch.

After two years of research and development, he presented a surprising mechanism of circular aperture, miniaturized and integrated in a rotating bezel: a mechanical masterpiece applied in watchmaking.

A meeting of chance and tenacity of research gave life to Valbray…