Welcome back to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, I am alone in the driver’s seat while Mike enjoys his much-deserved birthday time off. Join us in wishing a happy (belated) birthday to “Mike Stockton from London, England.” Instead, we invited our friend Sébastien Chaulmontet, Sellita’s head of innovation and the man behind the brand Albishorn, for a chat. We will cover a wide range of topics, from vintage to modern and in-house movements. Enjoy the show.

Sébastien and I have been talking about having him on the podcast for a long time. His professional journey in the industry is astonishing. Besides, he is an avid vintage (chronograph) collector. Lastly, the excitingly different brand Albishorn is also his baby. Mike’s absence was the perfect opportunity to invite Sébastien for a casual talk. We split the podcast into three parts — Sellita and AMT, Albishorn, and vintage watches.

Sébastien Chaulmontet

From Sellita to Manufacture AMT

One of Switzerland’s largest movement producers, Sellita is a crucial watch-industry supplier. It plays a huge role in the business, whether we are talking about microbrands or traditional maisons. Sébastien joined Sellita almost a decade ago and has gathered incredible knowledge as a member of the watch industry and a supplier to many brands. This insider information makes this part of the chat valuable and busts many myths surrounding movements and their producers. We also discuss the difference between Sellita and Manufacture AMT and what the latter brings to the horology world. We briefly touch on in-house movements — more specifically, whether “in-house” is an overused marketing term or a valid added value to a timepiece these days.

Albishorn Type 10 pocket shot

Albishorn and the love of vintage watches

Albishorn is fairly new to the independent-brand scene. Sébastien launched in late 2024. Since then, the brand has become a favorite among those seeking something different — a high-quality (proprietary) movement, a unique look, and an equally unique story. “Imaginary vintage,” as he puts it, is the art of “what if”? Albishorn is creating “re-editions” of vintage timepieces that never existed but should have. This fresh approach to watchmaking drew a large crowd to the brand. After years of chronographs, Albishorn is ready to launch its first time-only piece in early November.

Angelus Chrono-Datoluxe header

Our last segment focuses on a topic near and dear to our hearts — vintage watches. Sébastien is as enthusiastic as Balazs about anything old, so that part is probably the most enjoyable to both of us. The topic of NOS, which Mike and I discussed a few episodes back, came up. We learned what Sébastien’s favorite brand is and what he would buy if he started collecting vintage today. We hope you will enjoy this discussion.

Thanks for listening to today’s episode! If you have thoughts on future topics, please let us know.

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