BA111OD

BA111OD is a Swiss independent watch brand anchored in Neuchâtel, founded in 2019 by Thomas Baillod — but it carries a family name that crosses 250 years of Swiss watchmaking history. The earliest trace of the Baillod family in the region appears in 1341, in a stained-glass window in the church of Môtiers in Val-de-Travers. The watchmaking story begins in 1775, when David François Baillod de St-Aubin signed an apprenticeship contract as maître monteur de boîte — the first official Baillod watchmaking record. In 1793, a watch by Jacques David Baillod of Le Locle was later auctioned by Antiquorum, evidence that the family's work was recognised beyond its time. In 1834, Ulysse Baillod is recorded as a watchmaker in Le Locle; in 1888, Paul & Charles Baillod registered their first official trademark. A Charles Baillod pocket watch from the end of the 19th century survives in the family archives. In 1969, a Neuchâteloise wall clock appears in the record — the Baillod name bridging the mechanical era into the age of quartz. In 2019, Thomas Baillod — a native of La Chaux-de-Fonds — launched BA111OD from his garage, initially as an experimental platform to disrupt watch distribution; it rapidly grew into a fully-fledged brand with its own watchmaking atelier and a collection of remarkable breadth and ambition.

The model that defines BA111OD's identity — and its greatest achievement — is We-Commerce: a community-driven, customer-centric distribution model that simultaneously challenges the pricing structure of the traditional watch industry and builds a genuine community of ambassador-collectors. By optimising the distribution chain and cutting unnecessary intermediary costs, BA111OD is able to offer watches of genuine Swiss manufacture quality — including flying tourbillons — at prices that would be impossible through conventional retail channels. The We-Commerce ecosystem operates through Club 11:10, a loyalty and rewards programme where collectors earn points through purchases, referrals, and brand engagement, and can redeem them or convert them through a community marketplace. The name 11:10 is the mirror image of a watch dial — hands pointing to that most recognisable of angles, reflected. The Neuchâtel atelier handles T2 and T3 movement servicing, after-sales operations, quality control, and logistics entirely in-house — a level of self-sufficiency rare for a brand of BA111OD's size. All watches carry a 14-day return policy, free worldwide delivery, and a 2–3 year warranty.

The collection is structured across eight named Chapter lines, each addressing a distinct style register. The Chapter 3 is a semi-open automatic in 42mm with a partially skeletonised dial revealing movement architecture. The Chapter 4 is the brand's most acclaimed line — flying tourbillons in a variety of configurations including the full-skeleton Infinity Flying Tourbillon, the Onyx Flying Tourbillon with opaque black dial, and the Ice White skeleton; the Chapter 4 brings flying tourbillon watchmaking into the CHF 2,900–5,900 range with full Swiss manufacture credentials. The Chapter 5 is a chronograph. The Chapter 6 is the 36mm version of the semi-open concept, offering the same architectural aesthetic in a smaller, more accessible diameter. The Chapter 7 is the integrated bracelet sport-chic line — a contemporary, fully integrated case-and-bracelet format for everyday versatility, with an entry point around CHF 830–880. The Chapter 8 is the neo-vintage line, drawing from Neuchâtel watchmaking heritage for a warmly historical aesthetic. The Chapter Delta is the manufacture complication flagship — the most technically demanding model in the range, housing a more complex in-house-influenced movement architecture. A dedicated strap collection completes the offer. Beyond its watches, BA111OD offers visitors to Neuchâtel the opportunity to personally assemble a watch at the atelier under watchmaker guidance — part of a collaboration with Neuchâtel Tourism — making the brand an active participant in the cultural and horological life of its city.