As we just did in our latest review and in countless other ones whenever we want to put a new watch within watchmaking’s historical context, letters become words and words become sentences which stretch back to one the first wristworn timepieces made commercially available to the general public—the Cartier Tank Normale in 1919. (Technically preceded by the Santos-Dumont in 1911.) Although it morphed, it is an icon of the industry, worn by the coolest people and paparazzi’ed celebrities, artists, politicians, musicians, Presidents and their First Ladies, and even boxing champions, for the Cartier Tank was endowed with the most classical of dial layout and timeless proportions. It survived through an enormous amount of tragic periods of human history, of fashion and creative trends, and horology’s own trends which appeared and grew as fast as they withered down and disappeared—demanding quartz-powered timepieces then bigger ones then smaller ones and again ones made of strange materials and ungodly colors. 

Quietly, the Tank’s perdured through all of these ups and downs, left turns and sharp-right bankings, remaining pretty much unchanged for more than a century. And as far as we know, it might very well be the most popular watch from the dawn of time and all around the world, as no other brand was able to create something that is endowed with a similar potential for timelessness and the character of an icon of everyday horology. Things might change now however, although we are no Oracle of Delphi, with the Brifault Voalohany Blue, the debut release of the new France-based microbrand founded by Liana Brifault. Indeed founded and run in Paris albeit with a heart forged in Madagascar where Liana spent the first 18 years of her life before moving to the French capital. A professional of the tech industry turned microbrand founder and designer on account of a certain passion for horology, Liana’s first collection, aptly named “First” in Malagasy, is more than a first attempt to materialize her vision for horology. 

As it is as close to being perfect as the Tank is to be the most known watch in history. 

Specifications 

Oh dear, aren’t we starting by making bold claims which could make one or a few discerning enthusiasts flirt with a heart attack? I think we might be and it should be said that no one is forcing them to hang around in this review. They are free to go back to schmoozing with the elite of the industry at private events and trolling fellow community members on social media. As you might know if you’ve spent some time on Mainspring before, the magazine is powered by a general enthusiasm for watchmaking and fueled by our passion for microbrands and their potential to drop novelty in the industry and to permit any of us to join in their singular vision for it. And Liana’s vision was, when she first started putting together the building blocks of the brand, that there wasn’t really any new small (not smaller) elegant everyday watches being offered, not only by micro houses of horology but by any sized maisons either. A keen observation and genuine idea to create the Voalohany even though it isn’t the only one now that it is out. 

Indeed, just two days ago we looked at the Nordic Marine Instruments Havørn Ember Red, and last year at the BeauBleu Ecce Figura Smalt and Fears Arnos Pewter Blue, and many other rectangular-ish elegant timepieces after or before those ones. And although all of the three aforementioned timepieces were smaller than today’s norm and everything but circular, to me personally (as this is my magazine after all) from none of them emanates a potential to become an icon in the industry at some point in the future near or far, or least to be iconic and unique within microbrands’ offerings in 2026. True, if you do some research you will come across modern versions of the Cartier Tank in small formats (the Tank Must de Cartier) and of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Classic, but neither of these two are either new or affordable or made by a microbrand. Because we must keep in mind one of microbrands’ major attribute which distinguishes them from the old dogs of the industry: the fact that they are more easily at our financial reach. 

And we will have a money talk at the end of this review and not now because there is a lot we first need to discuss about the Brifault Voalohany. Not only the fact that it is the first small rectangular everyday elegant timepiece I’ve ever come across in this segment of the horological market, but also for visually and technically, Liana poured a lot of her own soul, time, and energy to create a remarkable debut collection. Since you’ve read several times the adjective “small” already in this article, we then ought to first chat about its dimensions which might surprise you: 32mm across (it is more square than rectangular,) 40mm lug-to-lug, 9mm thick including the crystal, and coming with an 18mm lug width. Proportionally, it wears a lot like the Praesidus A-11 Type 44 I reviewed many moons ago, which, until today, held the record for the smallest timepiece I had ever reviewed and gotten smitten with, since it measures 32 x 39 x 13mm. But clearly, these two models couldn’t be more different on the horological spectrum. 

Pictured on my 6.50”/16.5cm wrist, the Brifault Voalohany wears as superbly as the A-11 does, for even though many males have become progressive in the past few years and are comfortable sporting smaller watches, a 32mm timepiece, whether square or circular, remains dainty and feminine to many. Well, fuck that, I believe it looks naturally at home on my averagely-sized male European wrist as I’m a firm believer that this style of watch looks best in a small format while a 300m GMT diver chronoraph looks best in a 40-42mm steel body. In other words, different functionalities, different sizes. And besides its dimensions, and because of them, the Voalohany is equipped with a manual-wind caliber to keep up with its petite dimensions and elegance, as there is nothing more swanky than winding a movement every morning. Here we find the Sellita SW210-1b (4Hz/42 hours of power reserve) in the élaboré grade (regulated to run at ± 7 seconds per day,) complemented by a sandwich sapphire construction and 50 meters of water resistance. 

Design

From a basic technical point-of-view, and if you are reasonable person who has realistic expectations and understanding of what you actually need on an daily basis, what the Brifault Voalohany offers is pretty darn good: a reliable and precise caliber, two scratch-free (and clear inner AR’ coated as I forgot to mention) sapphire crystals, enough water resistance for everyday life, and a small case which is evidently light (XXg on the provided French-made brown leather strap) and darn sexy if I may say so myself. So now that we know what it can do for you from a technical standpoint, let’s analyze its design, front and back, left and right, ensuring that we do not leave any square micron of the case and dial virgin of our discerning eye—as this is where the magic of the Voalohany comes to life and what prompted me to claim that it could very well become an horological classic. And already it should be noted that Liana made two versions of the Voalohany: one with platinum-coated markers and another one with blue-pvd coated ones. 

We are looking at the second version which is my favorite of the two for I love how the blue markers pop from the cream-colored dial and match the glossy finish of the heat-blued hands. But let’s start from the center and the dial’s best visual feature: a wave-like guilloché pattern evoking the weaving pattern of a traditional textile from Madagascar, standing proud in the middle of the dial surrounded by a finely bead-blasted moat, which then leads our eye to the larger section of the dial whose inner borders are subtly chamfered. The latter is endowed with the most discreet of pearlescent finish which adds an additional sliver of elegance to the cream-colored ensemble, and from which the tri-faceted blue PVD-coated applied hour markers, and the glossy-black painted numerals, clearly stand out to generate an easy time-reading experience. The dial is then complemented by a small but legible minute track also painted in a glossy black finish, two large out-tapering blue hour and minute hands, and a short faceted seconds hand. 

Of particular interest are the perfect proportions Liana gave to all dial elements so that they are ultra legible, as if looking at a field watch, and how the hour and seconds hand perfectly fit within the dial’s central section. (Although it was difficult to capture, note the intricate design and finishing of the seconds hand, an element brands typically overlook.) Thus the dial is a work of art and I will already give away the fact that the case is so as well. First, because I adore the appearance of a stepped profile it is endowed with, created by the alternance of polished and brushed surfaces starting from the bottom of the mid-case to the fixed bezel, as if a transition between the two main sections cascades up or down. Second, on account of the rounded-rectangular shape of the bezel, and how tall it stands from the mid-case, and the subtle way in which it fits within the less-rounded but rectangular design of the mid-case. The finishing is also top-notch in my personal book—look at the polished chamfers between the lugs. 

The proverbial icing on the cake for me would be the 5.7mm onion-shaped push/pull crown which visually stands out on the Voalohany akin to how a Cabochon does on a Tank. As always, the smallest of details go a long way. 

The Heart of the Matter

By way of this review I was pleased to introduce you to a new microbrand that does something radically different from the norm. Typically, when a new micro house of horology comes to market, it plays it safe by presenting a refreshed version of a popular genre of timekeeping device so that it can flex its creative muscle without doing something too odd or too novel in which case it wouldn’t garner any interest and never take off. Which is why we’ve seen countless derivative and soulless divers, GMTs, field watches, and GADA timepieces flood the market in the past few years. And even though I myself fell in love with a few of them (for I am a sucker for a good tool watch,) it is true that it is pretty much same same but different in horology today regardless of the genre of watches we’re looking at. (With many exceptions we have presented on Mainspring since 2020.) In other words, microbrands are crucial for the industry for they either make popular styles of timekeeping devices affordable, come up with new designs, investigate new materials, and bring forth singular visions for watchmaking. Or better still, combine all of these elements into one collection. 

Or, as it is the case with Liana and the Brifault Voalohany, microbrands take actual risks and jumpstart their hopefully long existence with bold moves. For there was no demand for the Voalohany to be thrown on the market today—a small manual-wind elegant, classic, and timeless everyday timepiece—but there was a desire to make one. That of Liana who enters the industry with a remarkable first collection because she succeeded in ignoring the noise that inhabits online forums, magazines, and social platforms, which demands this or that type of watch with these or those specifications to be sold at this ideal, and often unrealistic, price point. I will admit that I personally didn’t know Louis Cartier, obviously, but he clearly ignored what the heck was going on in the 1910s watchmaking world for otherwise he would have never created the Tank—something of a bold novelty for the time. Which is why I believe the Brifault Voalohany could very well become that new classic in horology for it is equally audacious, visually striking, and outside the norm. 

Conclusion 

Similarly to how Liana decided to play in her own court, as we just saw discussing the Voalohany’s specifications and design characteristics, she decided to go about releasing her debut collection in a way that is still more rare than it isn’t today for a microbrand to do: not through a Kickstarter campaign but directly from its own website, operating a discounted launch price of €930/$1,037 USD through November 30, 2026, while the final MSRP will be €1,230/$1,371 USD afterwards. Shipping is slated for April of 2027 so you will have to muster a bit of patience in order to add the Voalohany to you personal watch box, for, as we know, good things happen to those who wait. Right?

Thanks for reading.