We often discuss our choice of timepiece as an expression of identity — an opportunity to show the world how we see ourselves, reflected in our horological selections. But haven’t you felt the sparkle on your favourite watch dim when you spot someone wearing precisely the same reference? While some may find comfort in being part of a watch ‘club’, for others it’s as bad as turning up to a wedding in the same outfit as the bride — or, at least, nearly. So there’s something about wearing a pièce unique timepiece that’s as reassuring as it is expensive, and there’s a new brand on the Geneva block who can scratch that itch in a most artful fashion.
Enter CAL1X, the newborn atelier disrupting traditional watchmaking by bringing together three powerful forces: technical virtuosity, personal expression and a truly artistic soul. Launched in 2024 by seasoned horological engineer Calim Bouhadra, CAL1X is less a brand and more a movement, where the timepiece becomes a canvas, and the collector becomes co-creator.
If the name Calim Bouhadra rings a bell, it’s because he’s spent the past two decades engineering precision in the upper echelons of motorsport and horology. From his leadership at LEMO Group, a global interconnect specialist, to his tenure as CEO of Rebellion Timepieces (and Rebellion Racing), Bouhadra is more than comfortable at the nexus of speed, design and innovation. But with CAL1X, he’s once again shifting gears. Here, he trades the carbon-and-ceramic visual language of racing for something far more intimate and conceptual: watches as wearable art, each piece tailored to the soul of its owner. For CAL1X clients, it all begins with a first contact with Bouhadra, who produces a freehand sketch to kick off the creation. And from there? There’s a back-and-forth bespoke process, paving the way to the watch of your dreams.
At the heart of the brand’s debut collections lies a radical concept: dials that are interchangeable at the push of a button, allowing collectors to swap miniature artworks at will. This innovation, far from a gimmick, serves as an evolving portal into the wearer’s mood, taste or creative leaning. Want to wear a hand-painted skull today and a sunburst diamond mosaic tomorrow? Simply click, switch and go. CAL1X’s launch offering, for example, includes a 25-piece limited series featuring micro-paintings by Spanish contemporary artist Domingo Zapata. Each dial becomes a miniaturised canvas, protected beneath sapphire but pulsing with the expressive strokes Zapata is known for. And in a delightfully modern twist, each timepiece also comes with an NFT-backed digital certificate, alongside a full-scale painting by the artist himself. This isn’t a watch; it’s a fully curated experience.
While the idea of customisable timepieces isn’t new, CAL1X executes it with mechanical sophistication and aesthetic credibility. Beneath each vibrant dial beats a Swiss tourbillon calibre, delivering the kind of chronometric reliability purists demand, with the brand’s timepieces created in partnership with Regence. Water resistance, chronometer-grade accuracy and high-complication movement assembly are all part of the spec sheet, while specialists in engraving, enamelling, painting and gem-setting complete the highly aesthetic picture.
But perhaps most importantly of all, the entire commissioning process is deeply collaborative. Collectors are invited to fully immerse themselves in the design process, from selecting materials and dial artwork to shaping the emotional narrative behind their piece. It’s haute horlogerie in its most human form. And while the brand adheres to Swiss standards of manufacturing and finish, it isn’t shackled by convention. Its spirit is freer, more avant garde, and a Genevan answer to the question: what does the future of luxury look like?
CAL1X moves beyond mere technical specs and status badges. It’s for the aesthete, the iconoclast, the individualist who seeks not only a beautiful watch but a meaningful one. In a world where mass luxury is increasingly impersonal, CAL1X brings back intimacy, storytelling and artistry — and we can’t wait to see more of it.
