Disclaimer: this video/review was not sponsored by Sartory Billard, Horophile or any other entity. This watch was generously loaned to me by my friend @watchsymmetry. Please check out his Instagram to see more photographs of this watch and other exceptional pieces.
Note: In the time between writing and recording this review and publishing it, Sartory Billard replaced the case on this watch to rectify the gap between the lugs that you see here. All is good now!
Video
Review
Sartory Billard has made quite a name for themselves over the last five years, and deservedly so, given Armand Billard‘s extremely charming personality, the degree of customization and personalization he offers with his watches, and his interesting and accessible designs. This is another watch that was loaned to me by my purple-loving friend @watchsymmetry, and seeing his two Sartory Billard watches was the first time I got to spend time with pieces from this brand. I’m very glad I finally had the opportunity to do so.
This particular piece was designed in collaboration with another purple watch fanatic, Amr Sindi, better known as The Horophile. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone when one purple watch fanatic creates a timepiece that ends up in the hands of another. This is the SB04 Horophile Final Edition, which is Sartory Billard’s way of concluding this series and making way for the next iteration, called the SB04-E. The Horophile and Sartory Billard have a long history of collaboration, with pieces created even before Sartory Billard achieved the level of fame he enjoys today.
This watch was priced at €3,300 (roughly $3,750 USD) and was made in a batch of only 20 pieces, which sold out very quickly. This is #1 of the 20 pieces sold.
Let’s check it out!
Case
I measured the case to be 40mm in diameter, 46.25mm from lug tip to lug tip, and 11mm in overall thickness, including the slightly protruding box sapphire crystal. The case is made of sandblasted black DLC stainless steel and features a good amount of design detail, though much of it unfortunately gets lost in the all-black aesthetic of the watch.
The lugs are part of the case back, and this entire section is screwed into the mid-case using four screws. The lugs have wide bevels that are difficult to see due to the lack of contrast in the finishing, and they curve slightly downward toward the wrist. Interestingly, the width of the lugs appears to be noticeably greater than the curved 20mm straps they support, resulting in a significant gap between the strap and the case. I tried other curved 20mm straps, and the result was the same.
From what I can gather, the mid-case and bezel form a single piece, and the boxed sapphire crystal is mounted directly into this section. The sapphire crystal has a moderate amount of AR coating; however, I think a more generous application would have benefited the watch, as I often saw reflections while photographing it.
There is a 6mm case-matched push-pull crown at the 3 o’clock position, with excellent grip and the brand’s logo embossed on the top. Flipping the watch over reveals a sapphire exhibition window that provides a view of the stunning purple fluted rotor ring and the LJP G100 movement. Neither the website nor the case back indicates the water resistance of this watch, but the regular SB04 series had a 30m water rating, so I’ll assume this watch is identical, as they share the same case.
Dial
This dial is what everyone came here to see, so let’s get into it. The Horophile Final Edition SB04 features a purple guilloché dial with a sunray motif and 120 rays – so technically, you could tell the time quite precisely if you had a sense of where you were in this slightly hypnotic pattern. The guilloché dial is not handmade or engine-turned; it appears to be cut by CNC machine.
The color is incredible, taking on a range of hues and tones depending on the lighting and viewing angle – looking pink in some areas and almost navy blue in others. This iridescent quality is perhaps what I like most about the dial; it’s not just another purple guilloché dial. A closer look reveals a pretty good level of execution, even for a CNC guilloché dial, and the overall quality control is quite solid.
The hands are black with a high-gloss finish, in contrast to the matte finish of the DLC black case. The hand design isn’t my favorite, but the skeletonized structure does help with legibility to some extent. Even though it’s a dark and low-contrast layout, the spacing between the hour and minute hands generally helps you figure out the time. The seconds hand, however, is quite challenging to read due to how slim it is – it tends to get lost among the purple rays.
That said, I don’t think this watch should be criticized too harshly for its slight lack of legibility. That’s not the purpose of this statement piece, and what it does best is simply… be purple.
Movement
This watch uses a La Joux-Perret G100 movement with a beautiful fluted rotor that is color-matched to the dial. Choosing the La Joux-Perret G100 movement for this watch was an excellent decision, in my opinion. Sartory Billard has been an early adopter of this caliber, having switched to it from an STP movement a couple of years ago. It’s no secret that I prefer the G100 to movements like the ETA 2824 and Sellita SW200, as I’ve had my fair share of gripes with those architectures in the past; nothing major, just repeated annoyances with the reverser gear and a winding experience that never quite felt right to me.
The G100 is essentially like getting the reliability of a Miyota 9-series caliber, with the added perks of better components, finishing, and power reserve, and the ever so important Swiss Made label. Not to mention, it runs (and spins) noticeably quieter than what I’m used to with the Miyotas. Operating the watch feels quite robust, and it has been keeping excellent time as well. Honestly, I’m relieved this watch steered clear of the all-too-common ETA 2824/SW200. Even the STP movements don’t have a particularly strong reputation. But the star of the show is the stunning fluted ring around the rotor, which looks incredible under different kinds of lighting.
On The Wrist
The 40mm diameter case and its 46.25mm lug-tip to lug-tip distance result in the watch wearing very comfortably on my 6.75″ wrist. a 40mm diameter watch is my ideal case size, and the compact lug to lug distance ensure that this watch can support a wide range of wrist sizes.
The 11mm overall thickness feels compact, with a flat case-back that helps the watch sit low on the wrist. The case tends to wear more like a 9-10mm thick watch since at least 1-2mm of the overall thickness is the slightly protruding sapphire crystal.
This watch ships on a purple Delugs Crazy Horse leather strap with a beautiful case-matched DLC black buckle in the shape of the brand’s logo. As I mentioned earlier, the width of the strap is a curved 20mm, but the case seems to be a bit wider resulting in a bit of an awkward gap. Slightly unsavory to look at, but I suppose this is easily remedied by a custom strap.
Wrapping Up
Overall, this is a lovely watch that celebrates the end of the SB04 lineup and a long-time partnership between Sartory Billard and The Horophile in the only acceptable way: a whole lot of purple. The result is a gorgeous purple dial that has almost iridescent characteristics and looks spectacular under natural light. Legibility is a challenge, but I don’t think it was a key consideration in the design of this watch; and given the nature of the design, I don’t mind it at all.
For me personally, the purple rotor ring and purple dial stole the show. I’m not the biggest fan of this handset and much prefer the design of the hands on the new SB04-E. I also would have preferred a strap that fit the case more snugly. That said, the rest of the watch is impossible to argue with, and all things considered, I think it is appropriately priced as well.
