Visiting The SpaceOne Tellurium Atelier in Paris — A Photo Report

Many have heard the name, but not many have seen the atelier

July 17, 2024

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A few months back, I had the distinct pleasure of visiting the SpaceOne Watches workshop on the outskirts of Paris. Guillaume and Theo, the men behind SpaceOne, were kind enough to show me around, explain the idea behind their latest creation, the Tellurium, and let me snap some shots during the visit. Enjoy the pictures and, of course, the watches.

Getting to Paris from Karlsruhe, Germany is pretty straightforward. The legendary French speed train, the TGV, stops in my city, so it’s only 2.5 hours to reach the Gare de l’Est in Paris. From there, with a detour driven by Guillaume, we reached the workshop of Theo Auffret, the other driving force behind SpaceOne.

The SpaceOne atelier

This small but cozy and well-equipped workshop is a creative paradise full of design trinkets, Lego projects, model cars, wine, and wonderful horological creations. Theo isn’t just the watchmaking marvel that leads SpaceOne. Auffret Paris, his “other” brand, offers breathtaking Haute Horlogerie timepieces to the very lucky and selected few. Make no mistake, though; the same guy who works on his tourbillons is responsible for the SpaceOne Jumping Hour and Tellurium.

We are at the atelier where one watchmaker assembles every SpaceOne Jumping Hour watch. This will also be the place where the Tellurium watches will come from. The watchmaker was working on the last batch of Jumping Hours at my visit. Just so it sinks in, every Jumping Hour comes from the Parisian workshop, and the same guy puts all of them together.

Since my visit, a new batch of SpaceOne Jumping Hour watches has been on the market. The Back To Earth model comes in a hand-flamed steel case. The photos above show a blued titanium SpaceOne Jumping Hour that has sold out by now.

The Tellurium

After assembling the Jumping Hour, the guys at the atelier were kind enough to show me some Tellurium prototypes and explain the genius behind the complication. Above, you see the original model Theo used to create a wristwatch version. Using the base of a Soprod P024 movement, they made a module that sits on top of the base caliber.

As much as I tried, I could not explain the Tellurium’s complication as simply and straightforward as Theo explained it to me:

“As the caliber’s date changes, the star wheel with 31 teeth, carrying the date disc, will advance two star wheels with 12 teeth each. The first of the two wheels advances the months, and the second is dedicated to the Tellurium complication.”

“The planets are fixed on a sapphire, which is connected to a ring with 365 teeth corresponding to the number of days for Earth to complete one orbit around the Sun.”

“The miniature moon is fixed on a pinion, which is connected to the fixed wheel. This is visible from outside the dial. Adjusting the watch, particularly the real-time position of the moon, is achievable through the quick-set date function. It will only require fine-tuning with the time setting, depending on the number of days in the month (30 or 31).”

From autos to timepieces

Aside from the mind-blowing technical advancement, the SpaceOne Tellurium’s case is equally impressive. Inspired by space exploration and elements of cars from a bygone era (see the crown tube, for example), this case is the brainchild of Olivier Gamiette. He is a visual artist currently working in the automotive industry, namely for the French car giant PSA Group (Peugeot S.A.).

Thanks to Olivier’s design, the SpaceOne Tellurium sits comfortably on the wrist. While the 42 × 50mm size seems large on paper, the watch is smaller and feels more like part of the wrist due to its curved shape. The Grade 5 titanium construction makes the Tellurium light, and the expansive domed crystal creates an overall airiness.

Auffret Paris

Finally, Theo can stroll around the other part of the atelier where his Auffret Paris timepieces await assembly. Please note the dust covers, which, in true Parisian style, are broken wine glasses and corks. I told you this place is flowing with creativity.

I want to thank Theo and Guillaume for allowing me to visit their sanctum and see where the magic truly happens. As for me, I’m looking forward to the next chapter of SpaceOne, but until then, please check out the brand’s Jumping Hour or Tellurium timepieces if you get a chance.