Habring² x Massena LAB Chrono Felix Perpetual

New York, NY (September 21, 2022) — Massena LAB is pleased to announce the release of the Habring² x Massena LAB Chrono Felix Perpetual, the LAB-CFP, a monopusher chronograph and perpetual calendar, a rare combination and a technical accomplishment from Maria and Richard Habring.

The release of the LAB-CFP marks Massena LAB’s fourth official collaboration with Habring² following 2018’s ERWIN LAB01, 2020’s ERWIN LAB02, and, most recently, the ERWIN LAB03, released in 2021. Importantly, this is Massena LAB’s first collaboration with Habring² to feature the brand new reference from Habring², the Chrono Felix Perpetuel.

The dial of the Habring² x Massena LAB-CFP is inspired by the Patek Philippe reference 1518, an almost legendary perpetual calendar chronograph first introduced in the 1940s and a “grail watch” among the most determined collectors to this very day. Connoisseurs will feel the influence of the 1518 particularly strongly in the use of applied, Arabic numerals for the hour markers on the dial of the Massena LAB-CFP.

The monochromatic, black-and-steel dial of the LAB-CFP takes its conceptual inspiration from another medium: photography, and specifically film negatives. When developing a photograph using a negative, the brightest areas of the negative will, once fully processed, appear the darkest.

Imagine capturing a black and white photograph of the Patek Philippe 1518 and examining its negative—the white of the dial has turned black, the numerals, by contrast, have turned bright, and the tones of the moon phase have been reversed. This is the concept of the LAB-CFP, and the result is a striking, high-contrast, and easily legible dial.

The LAB-CFP is a monopusher chronograph perpetual calendar which displays hours and minutes, day of the week (at 3 o’clock), month and leap year indicator (at 6 o’clock), day of the month (at 9 o’clock) and moonphase (at 12 o’clock). Also at 12 o’clock is the chronograph’s thirty minute counter.

The LAB-CFP is powered by an all-new, in-house caliber from Habring²: the manualwinding A11CP, with a power reserve of 48 hours, 28,800 half oscillations per hour, and 21 jewels. This combination of a monopusher chronograph and a perpetual calendar is both a rare combination and a technical feat. Apart from Patek Philippe, Habring² is the only manufacture to produce timepieces that combine these two complications. When considering the small size of the caliber’s footprint, fitting inside a case diameter of only 38.5mm, this is an impressive technical achievement for an independent manufacture.

Speaking of the case, the LAB-CFP features an original, Massena-LAB-designed, stepped case made from 316L stainless steel. The stepped case was chosen not only to reference past vintage models, but also to disguise its three correctors, which are pushed to manipulate the date, day of the week, and moon phase.

Paired with a black, nubuck alligator strap made by Jean Rousseau Paris exclusively for Massena LAB, the Habring² x Massena LAB Chrono Felix Perpetual (LAB-CFP) will be delivered in a wooden presentation box made from Douglas fir, a sustainable material, along with a Massena LAB NFC card, and a two-year guarantee.

Launching on Wednesday, September 21st at 10:00am Eastern (EDT) exclusively on www.massenalab.com, the Habring² LAB-CFP is priced at $24,995 USD and can be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis with a deposit of $7,500 USD.

Delivery is to be confirmed on a case-by-case basis. The first deliveries are expected in early 2023. Production is extremely limited. Approximately ten watches are to be confirmed for delivery in 2023, and another ten watches for delivery in 2024, at a pace of approximately one watch per month. Due to current market conditions, the retail price of watches confirmed for delivery in 2024 may change and cannot be confirmed at this time.

About Massena LAB

Massena LAB, founded by William Massena, is a creative horological studio that designs, develops, and produces timepieces, often in collaboration with respected watchmakers from around the world. Massena LAB exists to be a reference point of horological culture and to play an integral part in its constant evolution, using elements of style from the past to enhance the future of watchmaking. It aims to create and nurture a community of informed watch enthusiasts with a passion for novel timepieces from independent watchmakers. The “LAB” in Massena LAB is a combination of two words: “laboratory,” for our willingness to experiment and our embrace of new ideas, and “collaboration,” for our fruitful, long-standing relationships with our partner brands.

Technical specifications

Habring² x Massena LAB Chrono Felix Perpetual

Limited production

Case

• Material: 316L stainless steel
• Diameter: 38.5mm
• Thickness: 13mm
• Crystal: Sapphire with anti-reflective coating on both sides
• Case back: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides
• Water-resistant to 30 meters

Dial and hands

• Dial: Black with steel, applied Arabic numerals and silver indices
• Hands: Stainless steel

Movement

• Manual-winding, Habring² caliber A11CP
• Diameter: 30mm
• Thickness: 7.3mm
• Frequency: 28,800 vph (4Hz)
• Number of jewels: 21
• Power reserve of 48 hours

Functions/Indications

• Hours, minutes
• Monopusher chronograph with thirty minute counter
• Perpetual calendar (day of month, day of week, month, moonphase, leap year indicator)

Strap and buckle

• Black nubuck alligator leather straps made exclusively for Massena LAB by Jean Rousseau Paris
• Polished stainless steel pin buckle.

MSRP: USD 24'995

For more information, please visit massenalab.com and habring2.com