Geneva Watch Days 2025 Preview: BA111OD and the "Chapter 8" - Swiss Made without hurdles

The watch brand founded in 2019 presents "Chapter 8". Founder Thomas Baillod always names his new watches after the chapters of a book, each time continuing the story of BA111OD.

The 8th chapter of the somewhat different watch brand has just been opened. The aim is to make it easier to enter the world of Swiss mechanical watches. Specifically, it's about the price hurdle, which can be a problem for rookie watch lovers in particular. However, the new BA111OD models start at just €650* for a three-hand model and from €1,395* for a timepiece with a moon phase display. In return, you get genuine Swiss-made watch mechanics, assembled by hand in the brand's own workshop in Neuchâtel.

(*Special offer for the market launch)

About BA111OD

The Swiss brand with the name that everyone wonders how to pronounce the first time they read it is characterised not only by its watches, but above all by its phygital distribution concept - as Thomas Baillod has christened it.

"The real revolution in watchmaking is not how we make watches, but how we sell them."

Thomas Baillod

With his sales concept and the resulting attractive prices, Thomas Baillod has been shaking up the watch community since 2019 - successfully.

"It's about the evolution of traditional and online retail, i.e. physical and digital retail. I also call it we-commerce because it's about the community. The advantage of this is that you not only delegate the distribution, but also the marketing. You can't do that with pure e-commerce. This means that I have completely reinterpreted the three things that are essential for sales - PoS, service and warehouse," explains Baillod.

All BA111OD watches are Swiss made, designed in-house and assembled either in the company's own workshop in the heart of Neuchâtel or, in the case of the Tourbillons, in La Chaux-de-Fonds.

BA111OD and the "Chapter 8"

This new history of Thomas Baillod's watch brand comprises seven automatic watches: four three-hand and three moon phase models.

Inspired by the watchmaking codes from the middle of the last century, "Chapter 8" is presented in a vintage style, optimised to suit the preferences of today's watch wearers.

Water-resistant to five bar, 41-millimetre case made of 316L steel (one version in PVD gold), concave bezel, rounded lugs, transparent case back, crown at 4 o'clock, sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective coating, Soprod movement - these are some of the key features shared by the new BA111OD timepieces.

"We wanted to create a simple, elegant and high-quality watch that above all offers real added value. Swiss Made should not be an unaffordable luxury. This collection is our answer," explains Thomas Baillod.

"Chapter 8": one watch, seven possibilities

In addition to many similarities, there are also clear differences between the two "Chapter 8" models.

The three-hand version "Chapter 8 3-hand" with the functions hours, minutes, centre seconds and date at 3 o'clock is equipped with the automatic Soprod P024 drive with 38 hours. The "Chapter 8 Moonphase" with small seconds and additional moon phase display derives its precision from the Soprod C105 and boasts a 42-hour power reserve.

The three-hand watch transforms its reliable precision onto a sandblasted and satin-finished dial in the colours sand, black or white. The moon phase version, on the other hand, features a sandblasted surface in sand, grey or white, small seconds at 7 o'clock, the moon phase at 10 o'clock and the date at 4 o'clock. Both feature faceted and polished hour and minute hands as well as Superluminova.

The two models then join forces again when it comes to securing them to the wrist. All are equipped with an interchangeable strap: Milanaise mesh or leather.