Some watches immediately try to get noticed. And then there are those that prefer to play with codes, materials and details, revealing their true personality only to those who take the time to observe them. With the Arsène Carbone Forgé, the young French watchmaking house 1977 delivers a limited edition as discreet in its approach as it is bold in its execution.
Unveiled as a preview at TimeFest 2026, this new release follows in the footsteps of the Arsène collection, pushing its spirit of contrast even further. The name is obviously no accident. Arsène refers to the most famous gentleman thief in French literature, that elusive figure made of elegance, intelligence, panache and mystery. Quite a programme for a watch that does not seek to mimic the past, but rather to retain its allure.
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A limited edition of 27 pieces
Produced in only 27 numbered pieces, the Arsène Carbone Forgé is aimed at lovers of fine French mechanics, but also at those looking for a singular watch that is at once modern, sporty and full of meaning. At 1977, a number is never neutral. The brand loves symbols, nods and discreet signatures. This limited edition is yet another demonstration of that.
At first glance, the overall balance of the Arsène remains. We find a 41 mm case with sporty, refined lines, made of 904L steel, alternating satin-brushed and polished surfaces. The silhouette is contemporary, assertive enough to have real presence on the wrist, yet restrained enough to accompany everyday life without excess. The 100-metre water resistance, screw-down crown, sapphire crystal and controlled 10.3 mm thickness reinforce its vocation as an everyday watch, capable of moving from a professional setting to more dynamic use.
But the real novelty lies on the dial side.
Forged carbon, between technical material and unique identity
The Arsène Carbone Forgé adopts a forged carbon dial, a composite material whose compressed fibres naturally create deep, irregular patterns. Here, no two watches are perfectly alike. Each dial has its own cartography, its own nuances, its own way of catching the light. This is precisely what makes this material so interesting in watchmaking: it introduces a form of uniqueness into an otherwise controlled production.
1977 goes further by embedding luminescent particles directly into the material of the dial. The result promises a different reading depending on the ambient light. By day, the watch retains a technical, almost mineral face. When the light fades, it reveals a second nature, more secretive, more nocturnal, in perfect keeping with the world of Arsène Lupin.
The applied indexes and hands are coated with Super-LumiNova C1. White in full light to preserve the graphic purity of the dial, they emit a green glow in the dark. Here again, the intended effect is not merely practical. It plays a full part in the identity of this limited edition, somewhere between legibility, depth and theatricality.
A French heart signed France Ébauches
At the heart of this Arsène Carbone Forgé beats the automatic France Ébauches FE1977-11 calibre. This choice is no small detail. It speaks to 1977’s ambition: to offer contemporary French watchmaking that does not merely claim an aesthetic, but also embraces a mechanical dimension.
Developed by France Ébauches, a historic manufacture based in Maîche, this self-winding movement beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour, offers a 44-hour power reserve, features a stop-seconds function and a stated regulation of -7/+7 seconds per day. Visible through the transparent case back, it is a reminder that the revival of French watchmaking cannot be built on design or discourse alone. It also requires the return of credible, reliable mechanics consistent with the watch’s positioning.
As on the house’s other creations, the sapphire case back is engraved with the Victor Hugo quote: “The future is a door, the past is its key”. A sentence that sums up 1977’s project rather well: building on a family and industrial history, without ever giving up looking forward.
Two interpretations for one and the same personality
The Arsène Carbone Forgé is offered in two versions.
The first adopts an integrated 904L steel bracelet. It naturally extends the lines of the case and reinforces the watch’s sport-chic allure. The finishes alternate satin-brushed surfaces and polished bevels, creating a play of light consistent with that of the case. It is arguably the most urban version, and also the most watchmaking-oriented in its expression, with a more assertive presence on the wrist. Its price is announced at €1,877.
The second version comes with a high-performance black FKM rubber strap. Sportier in spirit, it emphasises comfort, suppleness and resistance. FKM is renowned for its excellent resistance to UV rays, humidity, salt water and temperature variations. This configuration visually lightens the watch and gives it a more active, almost instrument-like dimension. Its price is announced at €1,777.
In both cases, the Arsène Carbone Forgé retains the duality that makes its charm: a watch elegant enough to remain discreet, yet singular enough never to seem ordinary.
1977, a certain idea of French watchmaking
Behind this new release also lies a story of transmission. 1977 was born of the Pierre Lannier family adventure, imagined by Pierre Burgun and brought to life by his daughter Laura. The brand champions a committed French watchmaking, designed, drawn and assembled in Alsace, with a firm determination to defend local savoir-faire.
1977 also makes the Origine France Garantie certification a central element of its identity. In a watchmaking landscape where the discourse on origin can be complex, this approach brings welcome clarity. It obviously does not replace emotion, but it lends weight to the promise.
The Arsène Carbone Forgé thus brings together several of the house’s strong markers: a 904L steel case, a France Ébauches calibre, French assembly, a literary quote engraved on the back, and now a forged carbon dial with luminescent particles. A way of combining heritage, technique and character.
| Case | 904L steel, 41 mm, 10.3 mm thick |
| Dial | Forged carbon, embedded luminescent particles |
| Indexes & hands | Super-LumiNova C1 (white by day, green at night) |
| Movement | France Ébauches FE1977-11, automatic, 28,800 vph |
| Power reserve | 44 hours |
| Accuracy | -7/+7 s/day, stop-seconds |
| Water resistance | 100 m, screw-down crown |
| Crystal | Sapphire, engraved sapphire case back |
| Bracelet | Integrated 904L steel (€1,877) or black FKM (€1,777) |
| Limited edition | 27 numbered pieces |
A rare watch, but not a frozen one
What is appealing about this limited edition is that it does not settle for being rare. The limitation to 27 pieces gives it an obvious exclusivity, but its interest does not rest on the number alone. It lies above all in the successful combination of a contemporary material, a French movement, a serious construction and a fully embraced narrative.
The Arsène Carbone Forgé does not seek to reproduce the well-worn codes of the luxury sports watch. It moves forward with its own personality, somewhere between French elegance, literary wink and industrial ambition. A watch that is at once rational in its spec sheet and almost novelistic in its imagination.
Presented in a brown leather travel case and accompanied by a numbered certificate of authenticity, this limited edition confirms that 1977 intends to occupy a special place in the French watchmaking landscape: that of a young brand, admittedly, but one already driven by a clear vision.
With the Arsène Carbone Forgé, 1977 does not overplay its hand. It prefers to suggest, to conceal, to reveal. In short, it acts a little like its illustrious inspiration: with elegance, audacity and a certain taste for mystery.
Frequently asked questions
The edition is limited to 27 numbered pieces, each with a unique forged carbon dial, delivered in a brown leather travel case with a numbered certificate of authenticity.
The automatic France Ébauches FE1977-11 calibre, developed in Maîche, beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour with a 44-hour power reserve, a stop-seconds function and a stated accuracy of -7/+7 seconds per day.
The compressed carbon fibres form an irregular pattern unique to each watch, and 1977 embeds luminescent particles directly into the material; the applied indexes and hands are coated with Super-LumiNova C1, white in daylight and glowing green in the dark.
A 41 mm case in 904L stainless steel, 10.3 mm thick, with sapphire crystal, screw-down crown, engraved sapphire case back and 100 m water resistance.
€1,877 with the integrated 904L steel bracelet, or €1,777 with the black FKM rubber strap.
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