LIP - Big TV Titanium
Welcome to reality TV. The watch unveiled today by LIP is, in fact, a reinterpretation of a model created by Roger Tallon, a star designer of the 1960s and 1970s.
In 1974, the Besançon-based company decided to enlist no fewer than seven designers from outside the watchmaking industry. Its goal? To breathe new life into the LIP collections following the social upheavals that had occurred a year earlier. It was a successful gamble, as the collection unveiled in 1975 breathed new life into the brand thanks to a series of incredibly avant-garde timepieces, particularly the Big TV model. Originally crafted in steel with a leather strap, this piece was inspired by another creation by Roger Tallon, the Portavia 111 portable television—with obvious similarities.
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A dial that looks like a TV screen
While the 1975 Big TV watch featured a square design, its corners were rounded to make it more comfortable to wear. The dial, which resembled a television screen, retained a traditional round shape to ensure easy readability. A product of its time, both in terms of aesthetics and technology (it was powered by a LIP R184 electromagnetic movement), this Big TV made a brief comeback in a quartz version—still with a steel case and leather strap—in the early 2000s, during the brand’s initial attempts at a revival.
Now led by Pierre-Alain Bérard, LIP is benefiting from a policy that is both ambitious and well-thought-out, allowing it to gradually return to the forefront. This return to the spotlight is currently gaining momentum, thanks in particular to the Big TV Titane GAxBI, which—as its name suggests—is crafted from an ultra-light alloy.
LIP - Big TV Titanium
It is said that the left hemisphere of the brain is the seat of logic and precision. The source of creativity, imagination, as well as thoughts and emotions, is said to lie instead in the “right brain.” Where, when, and how did the idea to design this new Big TV Titane GAxBI come about? It all happened on October 19, 2021, on the first floor of the famous Parisian brasserie Lipp. It was the obvious choice of venue when LIP invited the media to discover a new collection. That day, models such as the Nautic Ski, Rallye, Himalaya, T18 Churchill, GDG, Dauphine, Marinier, and Mach 2000 took center stage on the display stands. Dozens of journalists, bloggers, and influencers explored, observed, commented, and then left. It was very late in the evening, with only four people still present—Pierre-Alain Bérard, the head of press relations, and two journalists—when Bérard pulled a watch out of his pocket. “There’s still something I could show you,” he says, “but this has to stay between us.” The timepiece he unveils features a square case with rounded corners, an integrated metal bracelet with a very sleek look… and weighs a considerable amount. “It’s a prototype I wanted to create after seeing a watch from 1975 again.”
"Do you like the design? A new steel bracelet would give it a modern look, but the whole thing is way too heavy. I’m wondering whether to continue with the project." This mysterious piece is obviously an interpretation of the BIG TV. And the idea struck me. This watch is too appealing not to reissue it. And if stainless steel poses a problem, why not craft it in titanium? LIP has never used this alloy or produced a model of this kind, but Pierre-Alain Bérard has committed to thinking it over and studying its feasibility.
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A Big TV Titanium in a skeletonized version
Fifteen months later, on January 12 of this year, the timepiece once envisioned by Roger Tallon reemerged from obscurity. For the first time, LIP has designed a “full titanium” watch. And to complement this bold endeavor, Pierre-Alain Bérard equipped it with a self-winding mechanical movement. Despite the case’s generous dimensions and the integrated metal bracelet, the watch weighs only 116 g. While the original design remains intact, this new model—dubbed the BIG TV Titane GAxBI—boasts a contemporary look that is as sleek as it is pleasing to the eye. But because LIP’s CEO clearly loves to spring surprises, the brand is simultaneously unveiling a skeleton version. While the classic GAxBI shines with its understated elegance, the open-dial variant embraces a steampunk aesthetic and is a true featherweight, weighing just 108 grams.
By incorporating a Japanese-made automatic movement at the heart of the case (which can be seen through a transparent case back), LIP positions its BIG TV Titane at the top of its price range. But a titanium watch priced under 900 euros—and made in France, since it’s assembled in Besançon—is a tempting offer. The combination of a classic design, a modern material, and an attractive look…
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