Becsei was voted a member of the Horological Academy of Independent Creators (AHCI) in April 2009. The academy of independent watchmakers from all around the world was founded by Svend Andresen and Vincent Calabrese in 1984. AHCI only has 31 members and Becsei now represents Hungary. A third-generation watchmaker working in Budapest, he attracted attention in 2005 when he presented the table clock named Tourbillon No. 1 and the world's smallest pendulum clock, the Miniature Zappler, to the international body. He sells his creations under the brand name Bexei.
You have been elected a member of the independent watchmakers' organisation AHCI. How did you prove your eligibility?
In 2005, I presented to the AHCI board my table clock Tourbillon No. 1 and I became a candidate on the basis of this. The condition of becoming a member is to appear with AHCI and present new creations at at least two shows. I met this condition with the help of my Primus wristwatch and so they unanimously elected me a member in 2009.
When did you decide to continue the family tradition?
I have been surrounded by clocks ever since my childhood and my father and grandfather dedicated their entire lives to them, but I was probably around 18 when I first expressed a committed interest in clocks. I am sure that a passion and skill for working with clocks had been genetically encoded in me but if the lives of men in my family had not been focused on clocks over many years, my attraction would probably not have developed into a profession.
What was your motivation to go beyond repairing clocks and start making them?
While making repairs and overhauls, I often had to substitute missing parts, measuring their size, designing and then making them. After a while, I realised that if I can make any part, then I can perhaps also make a clock that I also fully designed. So I decided to make the world's smallest pendulum watch, the Miniature Zappler. This gave me a strong push and I had the courage to start making a more complex Tourbillon table clock. The experiences I gained while making this paved the way for my Primus wristwatch.
How would you describe the Primus?
What makes the Primus unique in the world is the three-axle Tourbillon system using exclusively traditional ruby bearings. This entire mechanism weighs only 1.5 grammes, including the golden cogwheels. The parts had to be made at a very high calibre and I picked materials that represented the best possible quality, mainly precious metals.
How long did it take to make the Primus?
After initial planning of slightly more than six months, I had the design finalised and the watch itself was made within a year and a half. I first put together the clockwork on the basis of detailed plans, making each part one by one and then fitting them together with perfect precision. Finally, on the afternoon of Christmas Eve 2008, the small Tourbillon mechanism started working and it became clear that what I had planned on paper could indeed be executed in reality.
How important is the shape of the clock?
The shape of the clock is very important because that's what you can actually see and it gives a first impression. But it is about more than appearance because the form in itself determines the arrangement and size of the parts and the size and shape of the mechanism also determine the form. When designing a wristwatch, one must cram a complete and functioning mechanism into a very small place, also finding a good balance between what's elegant and what's special. I usually have an initial idea of the clock, including its functions, when the only limit is my imagination, and after that I start making the detailed plans.
What are you working on now?
The new Bexei wristwatch line will become public at the end of the year and three models will become available from early 2010. One of these will include a unique Tourbillon mechanism, and for patent reasons, I would rather not reveal more details at this point.
Author: Tamás Szitás
Source: fidelio.hu
