Former Audemars Piguet Executive Launches New Independent Watch Brand
Michael Friedman, formerly the Head of Complications at Audemars Piguet, has introduced his own horological venture under the name Pattern Recognition. After three decades immersed in high end watchmaking, Friedman left Audemars Piguet around the same time as former CEO François Henri Bennahmias and has now revealed the first creation of his new brand.
Source: www.watchpro.com
The debut model: B Theory with an astronomical tourbillon
Pattern Recognition’s inaugural watch is the B Theory, an ambitious and unconventional piece that reflects Friedman’s long standing interest in complex mechanisms and conceptual watchmaking. The model is housed in a curved titanium case designed to follow the natural arc of the wrist. The case measures 52 by 32 millimetres with a thickness of 9.9 millimetres, giving the watch an elongated profile reminiscent of early wristwatches of the 1920s.
The movement is equally distinctive. It is a manually wound calibre constructed across three planes and engineered specifically for the brand. It brings together hours and minutes, a central flying tourbillon and a moon phase mechanism that displays the position of the Moon as it appears in the sky above the owner’s place of origin. This combination gives the watch both astronomical relevance and a personal dimension seldom encountered in contemporary independent watchmaking.
Source: www.watchpro.com
Influences and design philosophy
The silhouette of the B Theory draws inspiration from the formative years of wristwatch design. Models such as the Cartier Tank Cintrée and Movado Polyplan provide historical parallels, both known for their curved cases and experimental proportions. Pattern Recognition positions the B Theory as a meeting point of three eras: the analogue sensibilities of the early twentieth century, the engineering possibilities of the present and an imagined future shaped by multidisciplinary design.
Source: www.watchpro.com
The creative and technical work behind the project was carried out by a small group of specialists, including an Artime movement constructor and a complications expert from Vanguart. Their collaboration resulted in a three dimensional calibre tailored specifically to the watch’s curved architecture.
Source: www.watchpro.com
Production, pricing and availability
The B Theory will be offered in two configurations. A version on a leather strap is priced at CHF 120,000, while the titanium bracelet version is set at CHF 150,000. Production volumes have not been disclosed, although the nature of the project and the level of mechanical complexity indicate that annual output will be limited.
Deliveries are scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2026, positioning Pattern Recognition as one of the most closely watched independents to emerge from the latest wave of creative leadership departures within the Swiss watch industry.
