TAOS introduces first collection with seven artistic timepieces
The brand, rooted in métiers d’art and artistic craftsmanship, brings to life exceptional dials created through over 15 distinct crafts including enamelling, miniature painting and more. Share
A new brand on the luxury horology block, TAOS is the brainchild of the revered Geneva-based dial manufacturer Atelier Olivier Vaucher and the distinguished watchmaker Olivier Gaud. This collaboration signals the birth of an independent watchmaking brand that stands as a bastion for the métiers d’art and artistic crafts. Their inaugural offering is a collection of seven singularly unique pieces.
For those unacquainted with the echelons of luxury dial manufacturing, the name “Atelier Olivier Vaucher” might not ring immediate bells. Yet, within the corridors of the elite watchmaking industry, it resonates as a leading purveyor of artistic dials.
Since its establishment in 1978 in the heart of Geneva, the atelier, under the stewardship of Olivier and Dominique Vaucher, has remained a vital force behind the scenes for some of the most illustrious names in the timepiece arena. With a team of 40 specialists, the workshop excels in over 15 distinct crafts, including but not limited to enamelling, miniature painting, hand-engraving, and gem-setting, showcasing an impressive range of expertise.
The collaboration between Olivier and Dominique Vaucher with Olivier Gaud was sparked by a shared vision: to harness their collective expertise and the workshop’s resources to craft a handful of exceptional artistic watches annually. The choice of the name “TAOS,” inspired by an art colony in New Mexico known for its vibrant art scene, and coincidentally, the Greek term for peacock, reflects the brand’s dedication to beauty and artistic expression.
TAOS’s debut collection showcases seven unique timepieces, each housed in a 38mm x 10mm case of either pink or white gold. The dial of each watch represents over 200 hours of painstaking craftsmanship. All the pieces are powered by the same movement, the automatic VOP318, operating at 4Hz with a 3-day power reserve. Although the movement’s components receive up to 100 hours of hand decoration at Atelier Vaucher, the calibre VOP318 is produced by Telos, a high-grade movement designer and manufacturer founded by Frank Orny and Johnny Girardin in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
The inaugural collection spans a wide array of artistic techniques and materials, with each piece commanding a price reflective of its intricate craftsmanship and exclusivity. The “Broderies” model, priced at CHF 150,000, features gold and white dominant strands of enamel drawn and laid in floral patterns, resembling embroidery on the dial, embellished with gem-setting. “Envol Bleu” and “Envol Rouge,” each at CHF 140,000, present stunning hand-engravings under enamel, paillonné enamel, and diamond settings.
“Euphorie,” with its Grand Feu paillonné enamel, is priced at CHF 120,000. “Floréal,” at CHF 140,000, combines émail on silver-leaf paillons, cloisonné enamel, hand-engraved mother-of-pearl, miniature painting on mother-of-pearl, and gem-setting. The “Kaleidoscope” model, at CHF 130,000, features a stone mosaic inlay, an engraved mother-of-pearl centre, and an engraved motif in white gold. Lastly, “Ondes,” priced at CHF 110,000, showcases engraving on mother-of-pearl on multiple layers, with patterns echoing the movement’s engraving.
For more information, visit taoswatches.com
