While we (digitally) travel the globe to bring you some of the most extraordinary and unique independent watchmaking projects, we don't always get the opportunity to see the watches themselves. However, one such opportunity to experience something fascinating up close came during the Geneva Watch Days, where we met Alex Goetschi. As a self-taught watchmaker and founder of Manteio (Greek: Oracle), he was keen to show us his very first watch, the Manteio Zeus. And although the topic is quite specific, it must be said that Zeus deserves this name. Inspired by the king of the gods, Zeus embodies Greek mythology through and through, with countless little details to discover.
Manteio is the culmination of Alex Goetschi's love of watches, his background in mechanical engineering, and his passion for ornithology and storytelling. After reading Stephen Fry's myth, Zeus is heavily inspired by Greek mythology and captures the divine spirit of the famous deity. Every detail is a tribute to Zeus, the sixth child of Rhea and Kronos. Zeus' father was haunted by a prophecy that his descendants would one day overcome him, and to prevent this, he devoured each of his children. The exception is Zeus, who was hidden from Kronos on Earth by his mother Rhea. Raised on the island of Crete by nymphs, the divine goat Amalthea, and the bee Melissa, Zeus grew strong enough to confront and overthrow his father, becoming king of the gods and thus fulfilling the prophecy.
This divine inspiration can be found throughout the Manteio Zeus, the first in a series of Greek mythological watches from Alex under the Manteio name. The stainless steel case is striking with a width of 39 mm and a height of 9.7 mm. The shaped tabs, which are modeled on the gable of a Greek temple, are particularly eye-catching. What also stands out, and Alex has already talked about this, is the level of workmanship. It adds drama with a mix of brushed, polished and hand-beveled edges to accentuate the strong lines. The crown is hand-engraved with Manteio's logo and resembles a tholos (oracle temple) from above. The bezel is highly inclined and perfectly polished. There is a sapphire crystal on both the front and back.
However, the dial is the real star of the show as it brings the Zeus theme to life. It starts with a solid gold blank, which is then hand-engraved with a very specific image by a specialist. The Stormbringer is represented by a forked lightning bolt descending from the sky, as if Zeus himself had just thrown it to the earth in anger. Then there is the extremely detailed golden eagle Aetos Dios with over 200 individual feathers. The rest of the center has a textured surface that mimics a storm and is engraved with the individual number from the edition of just 12 watches. The outer ring is finished with a circular brush and features twelve polished solid gold teardrop hour markers running towards the center of the dial. It's all very clear, but also coherent. Each piece will also be unique as no two master engraver's strokes are the same. The base dial is coated in gray for additional contrast.
For the movement, Alex was connected to Jean-François Mojon of Chronode through Marko Koncina, better known as SwissWatchGang. The MYTH-001 is based on Chronode's C101 caliber and was developed specifically for Manteio and the Zeus. The basic architecture can also be found in other watches, such as the Fleming Series 1 and the Breva Segreto di Lario. The movement runs at a speed of 21,600 vibrations per hour and offers a power reserve of a massive 168 hours (7 days) thanks to the two barrel construction.
The escapement hangs under a small, elegantly shaped cock surrounded by a large three-quarter plate. Both are matted using a technique called Ecor blasting and coated with 2N gold. The wheels have a beehive-like hexagonal cutout pattern and under the wheel next to the crown is an image of a bee, inspired by Melissa. Additional details include highly polished jewel sinks, hand engraving, anglage, beading, satin finishes and black polishing. And to be honest: the dial and movement look spectacular in the metal!
There is no doubt that Alex Goetschi has created something very special with the Manteio Zeus. The theme may not be for everyone, but the execution is impressive. The details in the case, the depth of the engraving on the dial and the finishing touches on the movement tell a captivating story! And this goes beyond the clock itself, as each one is presented on a hand-crafted stone pillar in the Doric style, similar to those found in temples dedicated to Zeus himself. Only 12 examples will be made, all mounted on a gray goatskin strap with a steel pin buckle. The price is at 29,800 CHF before tax.
Further information can be found at Manteio.ch.
https://monochrome-watches.com/hands-on-manteio-zeus-alex-goetschi-chronode-independent-watchmaking-specs-price-live-pics/