Owner Pascal Raffy’s audacious vision was to put the most mesmerizing feature in watchmaking, the fl ying tourbillon, into the smallest BOVET case for this complication ever — 42mm — blending global versatility with artisanal splendor.

HORIZONS REDEFINED

In over two centuries, BOVET has mastered travel horology — from the DST-solving Récital 28 Prowess One to the rare three-time zone Récital 27, and many other timepieces in-between. Yet a true GMT was never in the collection… until now.

Enter the Récital 32: Pascal Raffy’s BOVET-style response was to insist on more than simply a second hour hand. This is a symphony of an expanded flying tourbillon (elevated for greater spectacle and transparency), a fully hand-engraved manufacture movement with 10 days of power reserve displayed on a roller, and eight layers of lacquer on its offset domed guilloche dial.

HIGH COMPLICATION, SMALL PACKAGE

In BOVET’s collection, tourbillons tend to be in larger but still very wearable cases, like the 46.3mm Récital 28 (with 744 components) and the 44mm Virtuoso VIII (with 356 components). But Mr Raffy’s mandate was to make this timepiece smaller and more wearable for everyday use. So, the brilliant engineers, constructors, and master watchmakers at BOVET found a way to place the 375-component manufacture movement in a 42mm case by using a box sapphire crystal and raising the patented flying tourbillon above the main plate to make it more visible from the front and the side.

Being a fully-integrated manufacture, BOVET makes more than 95% of everything that goes into its timepieces, emphasizing the human touch at every step. This self-reliance certainly made this masterpiece possible. And the watchmaking world is paying attention, as BOVET has won more than 70 awards since 2006, when BOVET first started producing its own movements, and 6 GPHG prizes in the last 8 years.

Encased in grade 5 titanium or 18K red gold, the case — echoing the Récital 30 — prioritizes daily elegance over grandeur. Local time nestles at noon with a blue guilloché day/night indication, encircled by a 24-hour track for the independent GMT hand.

A dedicated pusher at 10 o’clock advances this hand effortlessly, while the patented spherical rewinding system doubles every crown turn, filling its single-barrel reserve to ten days. The ability to put so much high watchmaking substance into a wearable 42mm case is truly exceptional.

Setting is pure instinct: wind fully, pull the sapphire-cabochon crown to adjust local hours (mindful of day/night), advance the GMT via the pusher, and savor. Two patents underpin it all — flying tourbillon and spherical winding — highlighting BOVET’s engineers’ triumph after two years of research and development.

BOVET’S TRAVELER’S MANIFESTO

Mr. Raffy designs all of BOVET’s timepieces, and he is the first to wear-test every single one. An almost-constant traveler, whether it is to visit his partners or his collectors in every corner of the world, one thing he needs to know is what time it is where e is and where his artisans are “What a gorgeous timepiece — I’m excited to wear it, with dials matching the strap, a huge tourbillon carriage, power-reserve roller, and intuitive day/night, hours, minutes, and GMT amid our signature finishing,” explains Pascal Raffy, BOVET’s owner. “I have dreamed of being able to do a true high horology movement in a 42mm case for a very long time, and now our first true GMT, combined with an expanded flying tourbillon, is a reality. To me, it is profoundly meaningful: timepieces so easy to read and use. High complications in a small, wearable package redefine everyday luxury.”

HAND-ENGRAVED AND HAND-FINISHED EXCELLENCE

Every component in the new Récital 32 is hand-finished, and the plates on the reverse side of the movement are completely hand-engraved. The master engravers developed a brand new motif- étoiles carrées or “square stars.” This hand-engraving takes at least 15 hours to complete, and worth every minute.

Available in titanium or 18K red gold, the Récital 32 is available in three color combinations, with rubber straps matching the dial color, and each variation is limited to 60 numbered pieces.

The Récital 32 transcends utility, emerging as a seductive fusion of wanderlust and watchmaking finesse: a complication that whispers across time zones of international adventures and far-flung locations, hand-engraved front and back on the in-house manufacture movement, forever attuned to the rhythm of the discerning explorer.

With the Récital 32, BOVET invites you to truly feel every second.

The post THE RÉCITAL 32 – THE MAISON’S FIRST TRUE GMT appeared first on Arab Watch Guide.

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of Ahmed Seddiqi, BOVET is introducing a 10-piece limited edition of the Récital 12 with a Blood Jasper dial. This beautiful gemstone dial, often called “dragon blood jasper” or “dragon stone,” adds a stunning aesthetic to this versatile daily-wear timepiece, designed as a constant companion.

To choose stone as the canvas for a watch dial is to embrace the unpredictable beauty of nature; no two dials are ever alike, each revealing unique patterns, hues, and textures shaped by geological forces beyond human control.

This limited edition of the Récital 12 is dedicated to Ahmed Seddiqi and this remarkable achievement of 75 years. “It has been my sincere honour to work with Ahmed Seddiqi for many years now,” says Mr. Pascal Raffy, owner, BOVET. “This enduring partnership has been a cornerstone of our success in the region, and I am deeply grateful for the trust and collaboration we have built over time. From the very beginning, it was clear that Ahmed Seddiqi shared my vision for BOVET –of uncompromising quality, exquisite craftsmanship, and timeless elegance.

“What sets Ahmed Seddiqi apart is their unwavering commitment to excellence,” he continues. “They have worked tirelessly alongside me and my entire team, demonstrating an unparalleled dedication to growing the House of BOVET. Their drive is fuelled by strong values and an unflinching willingness to do whatever it takes to succeed. This determination has propelled them to become the unquestioned leader in the region and one of the very best organisations in the global luxury watch industry.

“The knowledge and expertise that Ahmed Seddiqi brings to the table is truly exceptional,” Mr. Raffy concludes. “Their attention to detail is meticulous, setting a standard that few can match. This level of precision and care is evident in every aspect of their operations, from their stunning boutiques to their customer service to their relationships with their partners. Their extraordinary success is a direct result of these outstanding qualities.”

“As we celebrate 75 years of Ahmed Seddiqi, it is an honour to mark this milestone with a timepiece as exceptional as the BOVET Récital 12 Blood Jasper. This collaboration reflects our shared values of craftsmanship, artistry, and timeless elegance. Each unique dial, featuring Breguet numerals, is a tribute to nature’s beauty and a symbol of our enduring partnership with BOVET, which continues to inspire and set new standards in the world of fine watchmaking,” Mohammed Abdulmagied Seddiqi, CEO of Ahmed Seddiqi.

Blood Jasper
Blood Jasper is a gemstone traditionally believed to aid warriors, symbolising courage and protection. It is used to promote vitality and healing for both body and mind and encourages facing challenges with resilience and adaptability. In addition, Blood Jasper is known for boosting physical energy, courage, and willpower, while simultaneously fostering creativity and determination.

When Blood Jasper is cut, it is carefully sliced into an extremely thin slab that must be perfectly flat and even. The dial is then polished to a bright finish, which enhances the vibrant red and green patterns characteristic of the gemstone, and it is backed by metal support. No two Blood Jasper stones are identical, making each dial completely unique.

All Day Comfort
Ultralight and sized at 40mm, the Récital 12 has been carefully engineered to provide exceptional comfort and wearability, resulting in a timepiece that is perfect for anything and everything – a true example of living the Good Life.

Don’t be fooled by its seeming simplicity, the bracelet itself is a true work of art, designed with meticulous attention to detail. Its ingenious folding clasp incorporates an expansion mechanism, allowing for up to 3mm of adjustability to accommodate minor fluctuations in wrist size throughout the day. The combination of polished and matte-brushed surfaces, along with the incorporation of the “V” of BOVET, creates a visually stunning and harmonious design. When the folding clasp comes together, the tips of the V form an infinity symbol.

Dial-Side
On the dial side showcasing the natural gemstone, the manufacture movement has been inverted and opened up to expose BOVET’s in-house balance wheel and regulating organ, as well as a portion of the gear train. On top of the seconds wheel is a running seconds indicator with three fire-blued hands.

The movement provides seven days of power reserve (168 hours) from a single barrel, emphasising Mr. Raffy’s commitment to provide collectors with power reserves much longer than the current standard in watchmaking, 36-48 hours. Thanks to BOVET’s integrated manufacture, more than 95% of the components are produced in-house, including the hairspring and regulating organ.

With the Récital 12 Blood Jasper, BOVET celebrates the 75th anniversary of Ahmed Seddiqi, a true gamechanger in the world of high horology.

AT A GLANCE
• Unique Blood Jasper Gemstone Dial
• Each Stone Dial is Completely Unique
• This Ahmed Seddiqi 75th Anniversary timepiece is limited to 10 Pieces
• BOVET’s First Ever Bracelet Timepiece
• Supremely Comfortable Grade 5 Titanium Bracelet
• 3mm of Adjustability Built-in
• 40mm Grade 5 Titanium Case
• Brand-New Hand-Wind Movement
• 7 Days of Power Reserve
• 227 Components
• Offset Hour-Minute Guilloche Dial
• Open Work Movement with Running Seconds, In-House Balance Spring
• 5 Year Warranty

The post Celebrating 75 Years BOVET Designs a Special Récital 12 for Ahmed Seddiqi appeared first on Arab Watch Guide.

This year for the very first time in more than 200 years, BOVET is introducing semi-precious stone dials, Malachite and Tiger’s Eye, in its Récital 12 collection, the House’s first timepiece ever on a bracelet. The vibrant stones add a new aesthetic to this versatile, comfortable, daily-wear timepiece, designed to be constant companion throughout your busy life.

To choose stone as the canvas for a watch dial is to embrace the unpredictable beauty of nature; no two dials are ever alike, each revealing unique patterns, hues, and textures shaped by geological forces beyond human control.
Both stone dial versions of the Récital 12 are limited to 60 pieces for the world.

Malachite
Malachite dials are celebrated for their mesmerizing green hues and intricate, naturally occurring patterns, which range from wavy bands to concentric circles, making each dial a one-of-a-kind work of art. The green also echoes the forest-covered Jura Mountains around the BOVET castle, a strong source of inspiration for Mr. Pascal Raffy, owner of the House.

This copper-rich carbonate mineral has been prized for centuries, but in watchmaking, it stands out as a symbol of luxury and individuality. Malachite has been valued for millennia, used by the ancient Egyptians for jewelry, pigments, and copper production. It is also known as the “Stone of Transformation,” symbolizing change and emotional healing.

The process of crafting a malachite dial is both meticulous and challenging: the stone must be carefully selected, cut to an ultra-thin slice, reinforced with a metal backing for stability, and then polished to a mirror finish, all while preserving its delicate structure, as malachite is relatively soft and brittle. The result is a dial that not only captivates with its vibrant color and depth but also serves as a testament to the fusion of nature’s artistry and human craftsmanship.

Tiger’s Eye
Tiger’s Eye dials are renowned for their striking golden-brown tones and the signature “cat’s eye” effect, a shimmering band of light that seems to move across the surface as the watch is tilted. This effect, known as chatoyancy, is a hallmark of this quartz family mineral, giving each dial a dynamic, almost hypnotic quality that is impossible to replicate artificially. Each Tiger’s Eye dial is unique, with flowing textures and color gradients ranging from deep brown to honey gold, ensuring that no two watches are ever alike. The resulting dial exudes natural luxury and warmth, making it a favorite among collectors seeking to add style, and a touch of the earth’s energy to their timepieces.

Tiger’s Eye has been used for centuries as a talisman for protection, willpower, and courage. In various cultures, it is worn or carried to ward off misfortune and to bring good luck, and it is said to clear mental blocks, enhance focus, and promote emotional resilience, making it a popular choice for those seeking confidence and clarity in decision-making.

All Day Comfort
Ultralight and sized at 40mm, the Récital 12 has been carefully engineered to provide exceptional comfort and wearability, resulting in a timepiece that is perfect for anything and everything – a true example of living the Good Life.
Don’t be fooled by its seeming simplicity, the bracelet itself is a true work of art, designed with meticulous attention to detail. Its ingenious folding clasp incorporates an expansion mechanism, allowing for up to 3mm of adjustability to accommodate minor fluctuations in wrist size throughout the day. The combination of polished and matte-brushed surfaces, along with the incorporation of the “V” of BOVET, creates a visually stunning and harmonious design. When the folding clasp comes together, the tips of the V form an infinity symbol.

Dial-Side
On the dial side showcasing the natural stones, the manufacture movement has been inverted and opened up to expose BOVET in-house balance wheel and regulating organ, as well as a portion of the gear train. On top of the seconds wheel is a running seconds indicator with three fire-blued hands.

The movement provides seven days of power reserve (168 hours) from a single barrel, emphasizing Mr. Raffy’s commitment to provide collectors with power reserves much longer than the current standard in watchmaking, 36-48 hours. Thanks to BOVET’s integrated manufacture, more than 95% of the components are produced in-house, including the hairspring and regulating organ.

With the Récital 12 Malachite and Tiger’s Eye, BOVET celebrates the Good Life by highlighting technical excellence and stylish design with natural stones. These two new Récital 12 limited editions transform every glance at the wrist into a meditation on time itself.

The post PRESS RELEASE Set in Stone BOVET Introduces the Récital 12 with Unique Stone Dials appeared first on Arab Watch Guide.

The 19Thirty collection captures and honors a moment when the watchmaking industry was undergoing a true transformation, when pocket timepieces were making their way onto the wrist. Although from today’s perspective, this seems like a natural evolution for watchmaking, it was a genuine revolution at the time. With their new ergonomics, wristwatches provided more freedom and new uses which, in turn, gave rise to new functions. This marked the beginning of specialized timepieces designed to meet new, more demanding needs.

The 19Thirty is directly inspired by the aesthetic codes of a BOVET timepiece from 1930s in owner Mr. Pascal Raffy’s private collection — the “easel” chronometer, which was one of the last pocket watches to be manufactured by BOVET before wristwatches became widespread.

While the original 19Thirty had a five-part dial, special finishings, and a very classic look, this special edition is minimalist, fresh, and undeniably eye-catching. The result of open brainstorming conducted throughout the Maison, where the artisans have an average age of 35, the 10th anniversary edition seamlessly blends traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design, featuring a sleeker dial that appeals to a younger audience while maintaining the collection’s distinctive character.

Designed to be aesthetically lighter and simpler, the new 19Thirty has a modern dial, while still retaining the iconic, classic shape that everyone associates with BOVET – with the bow and crown at 12 o’clock. The in-house, manufacture movement powering the timepiece, seen through the sapphire crystal exhibition back (pioneered by BOVET in the 1800s) is finished on par with BOVET’s highest complications and boasts 7 days of power reserve from a single barrel. Over 95% of the components are manufactured in-house at the Tramelan facility, and all timepieces are re-tested and final assembled in the BOVET castle in Môtiers.

At the core of the 19Thirty is its instantly recognizable Fleurier case. This case is not just iconic — it’s unique in the watchmaking industry. BOVET is the only House to have preserved the same design, initially conceived for pocket watches over 400 years ago, and adapted it seamlessly for contemporary wristwatches. It remains a living tribute to the Maison’s luxury heritage.

Available in 3 variations, this 19Thirty represents modern, elegant watchmaking while honoring BOVET’s rich heritage.

“The 19Thirty collection has always been about honoring a pivotal moment in watchmaking history — the transition from pocket to wristwatches,” says Mr. Pascal Raffy, owner of BOVET. “These new timepieces showcase BOVET’s commitment to innovation and adaptability, offering a fresh interpretation of its iconic aesthetics for a new generation of watch enthusiasts. This special edition carries that spirit forward, blending our heritage with the energy and vision of our younger artisans, ensuring BOVET remains at the forefront of horological innovation.”

A Celebration of Heritage and Vision
The 19Thirty 10th Anniversary Special Edition shows BOVET’s unique ability to merge past and present, heritage and modernity, art and innovation. It is a testament to the House’s commitment to preserving artisanal excellence while nurturing the creative spirit of the next generation. In this celebration timepiece, BOVET reaffirms its place at the forefront of luxury watchmaking — inspiring, evolving, and captivating collectors for generations to come.

The post Celebrating an Amazing 10 Years BOVET Introduces the 19Thirty 10th Anniversary Special Edition appeared first on Arab Watch Guide.

In other timepieces, the perpetual calendar stands alone, only paired with a retrograde date feature, just to make it even more complicated. Examples include the Virtuoso III, the Virtuoso VII, and… the Récital 21.

This year, BOVET introduces a new version of the Récital 21, this time with a sapphire crystal dial available in three captivating hues – green, blue, and brown. This dial gives the Récital 21 a completely different character – stylish, modern, comfortable… and a bit mysterious. The dial provides a window into the inner workings of this high-watchmaking manual-wind movement.

Designed for Readability

Every BOVET timepiece is designed to display the necessary information in the most readable way. With the Récital 21, the minute and hour hands are located in the center of the timepiece, providing more space in the periphery for perpetual calendar information.

The sapphire crystal dial, colored and slightly smoked, gives a glimpse of the complex mechanism powering this timepiece. You can see the day of the week and the month coming, along with the gears, pinions, and wheels making things move.

With the exception of the date, indicated by a retrograde hand that rotates around the hours and minutes, the discs display the days and months in vertical apertures at 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock respectively, while the leap year cycle is displayed in a circular aperture at 3 o’clock.

The new sapphire crystal dial puts all of the perpetual calendar mechanism on display, so you can see how everything works, while not distracting from the purpose of the complication – to display the information you truly need. Getting the sapphire crystal exactly the right color with the right amount of transparency without any distortion is a challenge, but one BOVET realized to perfection.

The sapphire crystal dial showcases BOVET’s artisanal virtuosity. Coated liberally with Super-LumiNova, the key information glows brightly at night and is strikingly modern.

To add to the visual impact, BOVET’s watchmakers developed a mechanism that slows down the date hand during its retrograde jump, a dramatic effect that can best be appreciated when the last day of the month changes to the first. A treat worth staying up until midnight for, especially on New Year’s Eve.

Turning the timepiece over to the movement side, you can see the patented double coaxial seconds mechanism, as well as the power reserve indicator, which, when fully wound, displays a five-day power supply from a single barrel. The power reserve is optimized by the complete hand-finishing of all the components, and the in-house balance spring and regulating organ, entirely designed and manufactured in the BOVET workshops.

One Pusher Advances All

To further enhance the collector’s ease of use, Mr. Raffy and the Maison’s technicians introduced an ingenious system that streamlines adjustments to all the indications. There are, of course, dedicated correctors for the day and date, day of the week, and month functions, and the day and date corrector advances every indication on each push.

So, if you want to adjust your timepiece after it has stopped for several days, you simply have to press this unique corrector until the correct date is shown. All the other functions of the perpetual calendar (day of the week, month, leap year) are synchronized at the same time.

Grade 5 Titanium Case

The new sapphire crystal dial version of the Récital 21 is available in Grade 5 Titanium in BOVET’s iconic writing desk case. As a result, the timepiece sits perfectly on the wrist, presenting the time to you.

Even the most demanding collectors will be awestruck by this elegant timepiece’s style and ease of use, as well as its complex technical components, viewed through the new colored-sapphire crystal dials.

Thanks to these new dials, the new Récital 21, available now, is truly unrecognizable, bringing a fresh and modern look to one of BOVET’s favorite high complications – the perpetual calendar.

We invite collectors to “Look Beyond” with the Récital 21, where Swiss handcrafted excellence and engineering brilliance converge.

AT A GLANCE

Perpetual Calendar with Retrograde Date
New Sapphire Crystal Dials in Blue, Green, and Brown
5-Day Power Reserve
Polished Grade 5 Titanium Writing Desk Case
40 mm diameter, 15.40mm thickness sloping to 10.25mm
464 components including 37 jewels
21’600 vph/3hz frequency
5 Year Warranty

The post Look Beyond, BOVET Introduces the new Récital 21 A Perpetual Calendar with Sapphire Crystal Dials appeared first on Arab Watch Guide.

The House of BOVET has a long and distinguished history in multiple time zone timepieces, including dual time, three time zone, and world time timepieces.

The Récital 28 Prowess 1 is a result of over five years of development, featuring meticulous hand-finishing, hand-engraved bridges, and a limited production of only eight timepieces per year in 18K Red Gold, 950 Platinum, and Grade 5 Titanium. This timepiece represents a significant leap in solving terrestrial timekeeping problems, ensuring accuracy in global timekeeping.

• The first timepiece of its kind in the history of watchmaking

• Combining adjustable world time on rollers, expanded flying tourbillon, unique perpetual calendar indications

• Incredibly complex, yet simple to understand and use • Severely limited production (max 8 per year)

• Completely hand-finished and hand-engraved manufacture movement • 5 years in development • The Récital 28 Prowess 1 is a world-first breakthrough that advances the art of high watchmaking

Throughout the course of watchmaking history, breakthroughs have been made to solve specific problems. For example, the tourbillon was invented to counter the effects of gravity on precision when a pocket timepiece stays in one position (on a table, in a pocket, etc.).

Once world travel became increasingly popular, dual time and world time watches were developed so travelers could know what time it was in different parts of the world.

Now, with the Récital 28 “Prowess 1,” BOVET addresses a uniquely modern timekeeping issue, and solves it in an innovative and elegant way.

The Problem: Ever since Daylight Saving Time (DST) was introduced, world time watches have not been able to adapt to the vagaries of when DST starts and ends in different countries and which countries do not change (only about 70 countries use some form of DST).

The Solution: The Récital 28 Prowess 1 from BOVET, thanks to an ingenious roller system, can be adjusted to any one of the 24 times zones in:

UTC – Coordinated Universal Time

AST – American Summer Time

EAS – Europe and America Summer Time

EWT – European Winter Time

In addition to this remarkable way of managing time zone differentiation around the world, this timepiece also features an expanded flying tourbillon, a perpetual calendar with indications using rollers and a disk, and 10 days of power reserve from a single barrel.

There is no other timepiece in the world that does all of this mechanically, and every component is hand-finished and the bridges of the movement are all hand-decorated and hand-engraved.

A LITTLE HISTORY

Mankind has been trying to master timekeeping since the beginning of time, starting with sundials, water clocks, incense clocks, and more.

Flash forward to the 1800s, when BOVET was first founded. Then, the world was in chaos regarding timekeeping. Cities, towns, and villages all operated on “local solar time,” independent of any other city. Noon on the clock was when the sun hit its zenith wherever you were – but that moment changed with your longitude. So, when it was noon in New York, City, it was 12:12 pm in Boston, Massachusetts; 11:30 am in Cleveland, Ohio; and 11:14 am in Indianapolis, Indiana. In a metropolis like New York, local time could vary as much as a minute or more between the east and the west sides of the city. Sun time even differed by about 30 seconds between the two ends of the San Francisco–Oakland Bridge.

As you can imagine, as travel sped up thanks to the railroads, matching up the times of the trains was a logistical nightmare.

Thanks to the railroads, standard time was introduced and used throughout the railway system, and in 1884, the system of 24 time zones was adopted and used throughout the world, based on the Prime Meridian in Greenwich, UK.

The US government officially adopted standard time on March 19, 1918, though it had been used throughout the country for many years. Within a decade, most of the world was keeping time by this system. In 1972, the majority of the world adopted Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and now official time zones are indicated by +/- UTC, rather than by GMT.

ENTER DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME (DST)

DST was first introduced during World War I, then was reinstituted again during World War II, in order to save energy and have more daylight. Countries around the world variously adopted or ignored DST — countries nearer to the equator, for example, do not use DST, as the sunrise and sunset times don’t vary very much at all.

Today, things are no better. Countries like China, the UAE, and India do not use DST. Even in the USA, Hawaii and Arizona do not use DST, though the Navajo Nation in Arizona does. In addition, DST and the dates of the time change vary, which makes it difficult to determine what time it is anywhere in the world during a few weeks of the year.

There has recently been much talk about doing away with the time change altogether, either adopting standard time or DST for the whole year, though it will again come down to the decisions of individual countries.

THE GENESIS

Dating from the acquisition of BOVET in 2001, owner Mr. Raffy has always had his thoughts on the heavens and how to best interpret the various ways of telling time. In the past, he has including celestial sky charts, Equation of Time, Sidereal Time, and Summer and Winter equinoxes, just to name a few. Ground-breaking timepieces have included:

The Récital 18 Rising Star,

The Récital 20 Astérium (winner of the 2023 GPHG Astronomy and Calendar prize)

The Récital 22 Grand Récital (winner of the highest GPHG honor in 2018)

The Récital 26 Chapter Two (winner of the GPHG Mechanical Exception prize in 2020)

Now, with the Récital 28 Prowess 1, Mr. Raffy and his team have taken terrestrial time further than ever before.

“When the Récital 26 Brainstorm Chapter Two was in development, I said to myself that one of the key things that I would love to have on my wrist is an exceptional universal time timepiece that could be adjusted for the vagaries of world time,” Mr. Raffy explains. “Every year between summer time and winter time, there are weeks that don’t match up, and countries that only use one time all year round. In the Récital 28 Prowess 1, the 24 time zones are on rollers at six pm and the sun (the tourbillon) is at 12. With a push of the crown, you can adjust to the four different times. It is an absolute Prowess 1 and thanks go to my team for the five years of hard work that went into this exceptional timepiece.

“In June 2022 everything was ready to go into production and I stopped the project because I did not yet have the idea to rotate the cylinders,” he continues. “The concept then was to have a world time system like the one on the Orbis Mundi, but at BOVET we always need to push watchmaking forward. We all thought the work was done, but I challenged my amazing team of engineers and watchmakers and they rose to the occasion — the result is truly a mechanical masterpiece.”

The entire development process for the Récital 28 Prowess 1 took more than five years, with the research and development starting while BOVET was in the middle of the complicated and time- consuming Rolls-Royce Boat Tail project.

TIMEPIECE DETAILS

The World Time system: The 24 rollers each have four positions, all controlled through the crown – UTC, AST (American Summer Time), EAS (Europe and America Summer Time), and EWT (European Winter Time). Pushing the crown rotates each individual cylinder 90 degrees, so every time zone can be individually set. The date roller is based on a design by Leonardo da Vinci. This was chosen because the technical department needed a solution where the gearing wasn’t too tight. With this system, once the roller gets into position in its aperture, it is held in place by its spring, and the roller is freed from the gearing.

The Tourbillon: The movement powering the Récital 28 Prowess 1 is brand new, using BOVET’s patented double-sided flying tourbillon as a base. The tourbillon has been expanded – the escapement is completely on one side of the center fixation point, with the cage carrying the balance wheel and BOVET’s in-house balance spring on the other side, making it even more transparent and mesmerizing than before. The redesigned cage is the lightest BOVET has ever used, as well (62 components, with 39 being completely new), with a total weight of 0.35 grams). The Récital 28 Prowess 1 is housed in a brand-new size for BOVET’s trademarked Writing Desk case (46.30mm) to allow the tourbillon, which is in the 12 o’clock position, enough space at the widest part of the case.

The Perpetual Calendar: The date, leap year indication, and the month are on rollers, so when they get to the last day and month respectively, the date rolls back like a slot machine, with a special dampening system to stop it gently, while the other two roll forward. One more reason to stay up until midnight at the end of the month and especially at the end of the year to watch all the rollers move. On the back of the timepiece, BOVET has revealed the inner workings of the perpetual calendar mechanism for the first time ever, and it is a visual treat indeed.

The Decoration and Finishing: Each of the 744 components are hand-finished, the plate is decorated with perlage and Cotes de Geneve, and the bridges are hand-engraved as well. Of particular attention is the beveling of the major structures of the movement — the method used is called angle rentrant. A corner is rentrant when two chamfers meet on the inside. The intersection must be clean, with a single line formed at the meeting point. This type of corner is the most difficult to produce, and the sharper the point, the more difficult it is. It requires expert hands — at present, there is no machine capable of producing it.

LIMITED PRODUCTION The timepiece is in very limited production, BOVET can only handcraft a total of eight timepieces per year, as each movement takes weeks to assemble. The Récital 28 Prowess 1 comes in 18K Red Gold, 950 Platinum, and Polished Grade 5 Titanium.

“With the Récital 20 Astérium, the Récital 22 Grand Récital, and the Récital 26 Chapter Two, we focused on combining the heavens and the Earth,” Mr. Raffy details. “With the Récital 28 Prowess 1, we are solving the terrestrial time problem with a world timer that can be adjusted for all the variations in timekeeping around the world. With this timepiece, you will never be at a loss for what time it is anywhere in the world.”

The post Taking Over the World – The BOVET Récital 28 “Prowess 1” is a Breakthrough in Global Timekeeping appeared first on Arab Watch Guide.

This exciting new timepiece from the Houses of BOVET and Pininfarina combines the traditional arts of skeletonizing and exquisite finishing with innovation in materials and a thoroughly futuristic design. In addition, the BOVET APERTO 1 incorporates a brand-new system which makes exchanging the timepiece’s straps simple and effortless.

The BOVET APERTO 1 is a mechanical watchmaking masterpiece that redefines the traditional skeleton’s delicate, technical, and aesthetic role. It signals a bold new approach for the future of skeletonized high watchmaking. Transcending the ordinary, the timepiece continues to place the intricate dance of gears and mechanics on full display, while at the same time adding a new ingredient – supreme versatility.

APERTO 1: The Skeleton of the Future:
Designed in Collaboration with Pininfarina

With its bold, Pininfarina-led design, the APERTO 1 seamlessly blends past, present, and future. When briefing the world-renowned design house, BOVET owner Pascal Raffy requested Pininfarina’s designers to conceive a more versatile and modern interpretation of the age-old art of skeletonization, opening everything for all to see. He asked for simplicity, transparency and lightness to be expressed in a thoroughly contemporary aesthetic, emphasizing all-round usability, offering a high level of flexibility to the timepiece’s owner.

The result is an exciting, almost playfully modern timepiece which pays homage to the open-work watchmaking genre while transforming the visual appeal of a skeletonized timepiece into a more robust expression, perfectly adapted to our modern-day environment. Extremely light, thanks to its grade 5 titanium case and well-sized at 42mm, the APERTO 1 is supremely comfortable on the wrist.

Drawing inspiration from Pininfarina’s vast repertoire including sports cars, yachts, airplanes, architecture and furniture, the APERTO 1 exudes a perfect balance of elegance, savoir-faire and functionality, together with a spirited sporty character. With APERTO 1, time is revealed in its purest and most contemporary form yet.

For the More Technically Minded:
A Masterpiece of Engineering and Design

The BOVET APERTO 1 is powered by a brand-new, hand-wound, open-worked manufacture movement that captures the essence of futurist high watchmaking with its impeccable design and precision engineering, reduced to its bare essentials.

Its open-worked movement has had everything extraneous removed; its bridges and plates all merging in the center of the movement. Thanks to sapphire crystals on both sides, the in-house movement architecture of this timepiece is on full display.

APERTO 1 features a 42mm grade 5 Titanium case that is sandblasted in such a way that fingerprints will not show after handling. The movement itself is coated with black and tantalum grey treatments, highlighting its cutting-edge architecture. The movement components are all crafted in-house by BOVET, open-worked and finished by hand to perfection.

Each movement undergoes at least 10 hours of hand-finishing just for the plates and bridges alone. The techniques used include: PVD or CVD coating (depending on the color); bead blasting (challenging not to deform the components and to keep a uniform orientation of the grains); graining of the flanks; polishing of the bevels; polishing of stone gouges and screws; perlage, circular Côtes de Genève; polishing, and anglage. This extraordinary level of attention to detail, beloved by collectors, should be viewed through a loupe to be completely appreciated.

Ultimate finesse is required of BOVET’s dedicated artisans due to the movement parts being coated before assembly. Great care must be exercised not to damage the coatings in any way. One slip of a tool during assembly and the component must be discarded.

A significant and distinguishing feature of the APERTO 1 is its unique approach to interchangeable straps, inspired by BOVET’s patented Amadeo system. Ultimate versatility is the result. Using a completely new system created exclusively for APERTO 1, the owner is able to change the straps in just a few seconds by simply activating the pushers to remove each strap and insert an alternative one. The system couldn’t be easier or quicker, underlining the attention to the needs of collectors that defines all BOVET timepieces. Each APERTO 1 comes with two straps, and additional straps may be purchased through authorized BOVET retailers.

BOVET and Pininfarina

The Pininfarina name is characterized by its rich history in design excellence and craftsmanship, developing engineering artwork for more than 90 years. BOVET echoes this ethos in horology, with generations of artisans over its 200-year history shaping incredible, meticulously detailed timepiece artistry.

The partnership between this exclusive design House and BOVET began in 2010 when BOVET owner, Pascal Raffy, first met Paolo Pininfarina, the chairman of Pininfarina. They soon realized how much their companies had in common, particularly a love for superbly designed, fine mechanical items.

A collaboration was born that same year, one that has resulted in several unique BOVET timepieces, including the Cambiano, the Sergio, the Ottanta, and the Ottantasei. The companies’ mutual vision and expertise becomes apparent in every aspect of the collaboration. The unique skills of both Houses have led to the creation of singular timepieces that simply could not have been realized without combining the skills of BOVET’s dedicated artisans and the creative flair of the design team at Pininfarina.

The APERTO 1 extends the BOVET/Pininfarina universe into the future of open-worked timepieces and deepens the contemporary aesthetic that all Pininfarina-designed BOVET timepieces share.

“I’m very excited about this vibrant, young timepiece. The APERTO 1 embodies BOVET’s and Pininfarina’s passion for contemporary and futuristic design in mechanically exceptional timepieces. It exudes a new, modern design language, new colors, and new materials. The APERTO 1 is a departure for both BOVET and Pininfarina, creating a timepiece of great versatility while remaining true to the aesthetic senses of both Houses. We believe the APERTO 1 will not only captivate watch enthusiasts but also ignite the imagination of those who dare to dream and are willing to push boundaries.”

Pascal Raffy Owner of BOVET

“The relationship with BOVET is more than a collaboration as it is based on a common passion for beauty, craftsmanship and innovation, resulted in a collection of unique timepieces over the last 13 years. Today, we are proud to be next to BOVET presenting APERTO 1, the forerunner of a new chapter of the association of our values, able to express a new design language and a brand new experience for those who love timepieces as we do. ”

Paolo Pininfarina Pininfarina Chairman

The post Blending Past, Present and Future Mechanical Mastery Meets the Future of High Watchmaking Unveiling the BOVET x Pininfarina APERTO 1 appeared first on Arab Watch Guide.