A visit at Pita's workshop in Barcelona.

Oct 09, 2010,14:21 PM
 

When you are in Barcelona, some places don't be missed: the Sagrada Familia, the Casa Batllo... and Aniceto Pita's workshop! I had the chance to spend a half day with Aniceto and his son Daniel; I would like to share with you the report of this visit.

Last Friday morning, I took the line 1 of the subway at the Catalunya Square to reach the Navas station which is the closest to Aniceto Pita's shop. It was not my first visit there but my previous one took place 5 years ago and Aniceto was not present. It is the reason why I was very excited to be able to see him in his home city, Barcelona even if we have the pleasure to meet in Paris during the Salon Belles Montres. The first surprise when you arrive at the shop / workshop (everything takes place at the same location) is the sign: it is made of pipes!









When you enter the shop, you discover first the selling & repair area: Aniceto Pita is a watchmaker but he also runs a shop with several brands. The shop is located in a popular quarter so the brands are affordable and the atmosphere very friendly and relaxed. Vintage watches are available too. The workshop is in the back of the shop. It may appear to be small, after all there are only two watchmaker workbenches but it is large enough due to the way of creating & building the watches from Aniceto Pita.In fact, this workshop is a bit the Ali Baba's cave! You can't imagine that a complex watch is designed in these few square meters... but this place has an inspiring influence!








Some Pita's diploma and qualifications:







A lot of clients come from Japan:




Aniceto works with Daniel who is in charge of the communication of the brand and involved in its strategy and in the development of the new products.





Aniceto Pita is obviously the most latin AHCI member and we can feel it in his watches. How can we describe a Pita watch ?

First of all, a Pita watch has an unique look & feel. Don't expect here outstanding finishings: interest is found elsewhere. A Pita watch is a result of a craftsman approach. Aniceto Pita has his mind focussed on innovation and on developing new complication.It is the reason why, despite a very limited production (which doesn't exceed 100 watches per year), the collection range is broad from a diving watch to various carrousels. The key point for Aniceto Pita is that a watch brings something different in its complication or in its time display. If we browse the collection, each watch features tricks like the Pita-TSM (Time Setting Mechanism) or the  Pita-RT (Remote Transmission). In the context of the Oceana, a 5000m waterproof watch, these patented systems were very useful to define the main ideas which could allow Aniceto Pita to imagine a watch with such performance. He could achieve this impressive result by leaving the logical framework of the diving watches. The Oceana has no crown, no weak point (contact with the outside). It is a bit all the Pita's cleverness which is concentrated into this watch.

The different case prototypes and the case structure:
















Each Pita watch can be personalized and adapted to the future owner's wishes. All the movements are based on ETA handwind or automatic calibers. Pita made this choice because they are reliable caliber, powerful enough to run the complications and which can be transformed. Aniceto Pita doesn't have the will to produce every part of his watches: he believes that it is much better to be the most of the time dedicated to the creation of new complications or systems.

Innovation, cleverness, personalization, these are the words which come to my mind to describe a Pita watch.

I propose you to browse some of the key watches of the collection to make you understand how varied it is.

Let's start with the famous Oceana. This watch was firstly produced only for the spanish market. You will notice that the watch on the pictures is different from the ones you saw on the internet. The outer part of the case was removed to make you see the case design. If you remove this outer part, you get a personalized watch, thinner and lighter which can be used with a rubber strap.









The Molinos is without any doubt one of my fav Pita watches. It is a bit the same idea than the Butterfly from Andreas Strehler: there isn't any hand, the movement by itself displays the time.Less than 5 Molinos will be built per year. Case diameter is 42mm.
















The following watch is a single hand Automatic Carrousel. Due to the single hand system, the movement makes a full rotation every 12 hours. Of course, like for any other Pita watches, you can choose other dial colors, hand patterns etc... Case diameter is 40mm.












The Carrousel below is very different from the previous one: it has a two hands time display. The Carrousel system is linked to the minute hand and so makes a full rotation every 60 minutes.








We go now from the complicated watches to the most simple one: the Minimal is a 40mm watch with a single hand time display. This watch is very successful in the Pita collection because its simplicity makes it very attractive. With such watch, you also have another relationship with the flood of time... Time seems to run slowly!








The Sol y Luna is without any doubt the most special one and maybe the most spanish of the collection. The hours are displayed in the upper part of the watch with special graduations. But the most original feature is the way the minute hand works. It goes up, down, left, right to be in front of the right figures thanks to the apparent wheel in the center of the watch. It is a fascinating watch to see working. Case diameter is 41mm.












I could also see other watches from the past like... this simple two hands watch. It looks so classic (even if it doesn't have any crown) that it seems to be strange!





This one is very funny because it mixes a very slow hand (the main hand makes a full revolution every 12 hours) and a fast one (a second hand): it is a "single hand" watch with a second hand, a sort of hour - second watch! Obviously, the second hand is used as a working indicator.





With this watch, I finished my visit at the workshop but I spent a few more hours with Aniceto and Daniel discussing about the projets, the watch industry, Spain and Catalunya. I believe that some nice surprises will come from Pita during the next years. Expect that the Oceana will become a true range of watches fro example... but I can't tell you more!

I would like to thank a lot Aniceto and Daniel for the warm welcome, I really spent with them an excellent half-day! I will see them again with pleasure at the Salon Belles Montres in Paris. So if you visit the Salon, don't miss them and take advantage of their presence to see the collection!

Fr.Xavier

 


More posts: Andreas StrehlerPita

  login to reply

Comments: view entire thread

 

At last!...

 
 By: pplater : October 9th, 2010-17:46
Thank you very much, FX, for giving exposure to Pita's work. Like Kiu Tai Yu, Pita is an AHCI member whose work is too often overlooked, it seems; perhaps because he is not in the 'mainstream'. A selfish question: do you happen to know what languages are ... 

Thanks Foversta; will try again.... [nt]

 
 By: pplater : October 10th, 2010-00:36
No message body

Also in German

 
 By: Goldoff* : October 10th, 2010-07:11
Hi all, As FX says, Daniel speaks a very good English, but Aniceto also manages well in German. All the best PS: FX, I'm awfully sorry for not meeting you at Pita's

Cool thanks

 
 By: DonZ : October 9th, 2010-17:57
Now I need to google more about this brand and a few watches that attract my attention! Thanks

Thank you

 
 By: playtime : October 9th, 2010-19:25
wonderful report. Had once owned an RE2--ultimately it was the right decision to release, but i do miss it at times. A very distinctive watch....

Moon time?

 
 By: aaronm : October 9th, 2010-18:20
Thanks for a fascinating report, but I can't figure out how to read the time on the "Sol e Luna". What time is it showing? A

This is one of those brands which have intrigued me...

 
 By: aptronym : October 9th, 2010-18:37
...since I first heard about them a few yrs ago. Really interesting to see the workshop etc, thank you. I still love the (old) Carrousel the most.

Really fascinating report, this is one very creative

 
 By: timerider : October 9th, 2010-18:40
space, you can see the innovation all around. I found many of the pieces very unique and most interesting, a most captivating look at some very cool watches. Many thanks, Tim

Nice report

 
 By: cfdfire : October 9th, 2010-20:23
One of my favorite brands...thank you

Pita..

 
 By: aldossari_faisal : October 10th, 2010-01:38
walks it own path special from other , i always fell as a victim of the PITA charm looks and movement . personally i see PITA expanding in the few years to come . Thanks foversta Faisal

FX thanks

 
 By: Quan : October 10th, 2010-02:17
Pita will finish an order for how long ?

It depends the type of watch and the personalization.

 
 By: foversta : October 10th, 2010-03:13
I prefer for this type of question that you ask directly Daniel through their website or their facebook page. Thanks ! Fr.Xavier

Pita is an interesting watchmaking

 
 By: SJX : October 10th, 2010-09:04
making very distinctive products. Thanks for the report. - SJX

Wonderful Report. Have tried Pita by e-mails on numerous....

 
 By: Darren : October 10th, 2010-14:06
occassions, but alas never a response. Love their work and wanted to consider him for a project, but ultimately moved on. Still enjoy viewing their timepieces though. Thanks for shedding light on these timepieces. Darren

Pita is a very innovative watchmaker

 
 By: Mecanico : October 10th, 2010-14:15
Pita is a very innovative watchmaker. He is not limited to placing parts manufactured by others. Merit that everything designed and constructed in his workshop. Thanks, F.X.

Love that workshop!

 
 By: BDLJ : October 10th, 2010-20:08
...my kind of place. Plus the Butterfly is great, too. Ahhh, 2 years since I've been to Barcelona...must work out how to get back. Thank you, foversta.

Very interesting post

 
 By: docsnov : October 11th, 2010-16:15
Many of the watches shown are not able to show time with accuracy meaning no seconds on many and 10 minute increments on some single hand pieces. Do you think that has any relationship to Spanish culture/lifestyle? In my brief time in Barcelona/Madrid/Sev... 

Thank you for the report!

 
 By: KIH : October 11th, 2010-23:17
There are many things I don't know about Japanese watch lovers I will surely want to visit there - I was there in 92 with parents, but would love to come back again. Thank you! Ken

great review thanks. some excellent and innovative pieces

 
 By: G99 : October 14th, 2010-04:46
i like all of the unusual pieces and the crownless wind/setting system is great. i would buy at least one of these pieces if i could. maybe one day. Graham

Great report...thanks for sharing

 
 By: PeeCeeBee : October 14th, 2010-20:46
The Minimal models are interesting. Super clean dial. Love to see one in flesh some day.

Very interesting!

 
 By: patrick_y : October 15th, 2010-22:32
Very interesting! Thank you for the introduction to this unique brand Foversta! I went and inspected the Pita Watches website and it's a very interesting watch company! Looking forward to hearing more and seeing more unique timepieces from Barcelona!

Very cool, and great pictures!

 
 By: dxboon : October 16th, 2010-10:01
I like the handcrafted and unique look of these watches. The single-handed piece is my favorite. I recently saw the Oceana at a GTG and it was a totally cool watch -- huge but awesome! I love the rudimentary depth gauge on the Oceana. These PITA watches h... 

very nice Report

 
 By: Tony A.H : November 8th, 2010-18:08
some Cool and Unique Watches, thanks for sharing Tony

Thank you!

 
 By: monochrome : December 5th, 2010-03:10