While walking the halls of Baselworld with a very good friend and respected collector a few years ago, he casually turned to me and said “I have an appointment later with some guy with a new little brand doing really nice enamel dials, you want to come along ?” …or words to that effect. This was the first I had heard of Lundis Bleus (“Blue Mondays” in English), founded by the duo of Bastien Vuilliomenet and Johan Storni. Needless to say I was indeed keen to check them out, so later found myself perched on the edge of a public lounge settee in a side-hall at Baselworld watching on as Bastien opened his nondescript briefcase and showed us his babies. (This happens surprisingly often with micro start-up brands at Basel) It was love at first sight, especially when it came to a prototype he showed of a stunning royal blue Grand feu enamel dial piece. Things have moved on a bit – Lundis Bleus have been exhibiting in a hotel lobby at Baselworld for the final few years of the show, as many smaller brands did, but Bastien still has the same passion and the company is still producing stunning dials that has made the brand popular among aesthetes and collectors. I don’t think my collector friend ever actually bought one, for reasons known only to himself – but I have bought several including two of the famous Royal Blue enamel dial versions which I have sold on to friends…
10 years after meeting in the same class at watchmaking school in La Chaux-de-Fonds 25 years ago, Bastien and Johan vowed to one day work together as independent watchmakers, and since then they amassed a wealth of knowledge between them, obtaining qualifications and experience in restoration, movement construction and industrial design and working for many brands at all levels from private label to Richard Mille. They taught themselves the artistic crafts of engraving and enamelling, and continued to surprise with their beautiful dial variations paired with the impeccably designed cases and beautifully engineered buckles. In 2021 Bastien bought out Johan’s part of the company and moved the Lundis Bleus workshop from La Chaux-de-Fonds to the heart of the watchmaking city of Neuchatel.
The name Lundis Bleus is a nod to the ‘Monday off’ that artisanale watchmakers used to give themselves after a long working week. And sometimes Tuesdays too… This gave them time to engage in their favourite pastime of keeping the local taverns and innkeepers busy at the bar…These self-granted days off seem to have been customary from at least the 1500s up until the early 1900s when structured work days and weeks became accepted practise along with improved work conditions.
So Lundis Bleus was named in the spirit of these fiercely independent skilled craftsmen that were the early watchmakers. The logo of the brand is actually a simplified and stylised Alcohol molecule, as a reminder of conviviality and friendships forged around a bottle on the table, in the European tradition.
I have often said that unlike many independent brands, the “soul” or most desirable part of a Lundis Bleus timepiece isn’t the movement, although the ‘Top’ (highest quality) ETA movement used in some models are great engines with a nice finish…no, the soul is the perfectly-sized and finished case (40mm) and especially the exquisite dials. Even the entry level “Essentielles” models feature the most perfectly symmetrical and balanced dials I have ever seen. Photo’s do not do justice to ANY of the models from this brand. The watches must be seen in person to be appreciated. My personal Lundis Bleus is always a conversation starter and one of my favourite, most wearable watches, and the 5 year warranty is reassuring.
Price range : AUD 2600.00 – 6600.00
