An unusual form watch designed by Geneva’s own
Y. Monnet Genève: the Mina watch, available in limited series

Operating out of the legendary Cabinotiers district of Geneva, the watchmaking brand Y. Monnet, one of the most accomplished in the field of decoration, has taken everyone by surprise with the pentagonal timepieces in its Mina collection.

The five-sided geometric figure of the pentagon remains unexplored in watchmaking territory, unlike the proliferation of hexagons, octagons or dodecagons traditionally present in the sector. The Mina collection, which has adopted a new rounded aesthetic, moulded by harmony and balance, is on display from 14 to 19 January at the SIWP independent watch exhibition (Swiss Independent Watch Pavilion). Its presence brings a welcome breath of freshness and innovation to watchmaking for the start of 2018.

Mina, the sacred balance according to Yvan Monnet, the number 5
Yvan Monnet, master watch decorator and designer, has taken the rounded pentagonal figure and made it part of the original identity of his eponymous brand. The result is Mina, a ladies’ collection structured around 2 limited editions. The first is composed of 25 pieces, each powered by a Swiss made mechanical calibre with manual winding, the second of 75 pieces, all fitted with movements with automatic winding.

The Mina timepieces, whose masculine limited edition version is also eagerly awaited by a handful of enlightened connoisseurs, are brimming with powerful, symbolic allusions: the hand with five fingers, the hand that works and caresses, the hand that embodies expertise, talent and emotion. In the Semitic language, Mina means Supreme Beauty.

Yvan Monnet is a romantic aesthete and technician, a descendant of several decades of craftsmanship perpetuated in two of the most prestigious Geneva manufactures perpetuating the applied watchmaking arts. The time had come for him to choose a path of independence similar to the very special one originally trodden by the Cabinotiers.

Y. Monnet, elegance and tradition, affordable promises
Measuring 35 mm in diameter and water-resistant to 50 metres, the Mina ladies watch by Y. Monnet, boasts decorations that have been entirely developed and crafted on Geneva territory. It lends itself to many forms of personalisation. The rounded pentagonal bezel thus welcomes all manner of settings with precious gems, while its architectural construction provides the perfect canvas for the applied arts found embellishing its dials. Furthermore, each model comes with two readily and ingeniously interchangeable straps.

These masterpieces of watchmaking transcend the luxury coding of the industry and lay claim to a legitimacy built on knowledge, expertise and evidence. The Mina watches are nonetheless surprisingly affordable. Humility, insatiable curiosity, respect for each other’s skills, the excellence of skilled local craftsmen, the quest for perfection… Yvan Monnet imbues its creations with values that are grounded in the History of his birthplace, as it follows in the footsteps of the original Cabinotiers, the pioneers of Swiss watchmaking excellence.