Continuing last week's Just Because story with a selection of the most enticing backs, we're revisiting the theme to show you some more of the most beautiful movements we've seen on our year-round watch journey. We bring together watches from both indies and established brands for the pure joy of viewing the mechanics through a sapphire crystal. And the beauty is that each individual piece has a unique appeal, be it due to its complexity, originality or the details of the workmanship. For your enjoyment, here are seven more absolutely stunning casebacks!
Kallinich Claeys One Central Seconds Voyager
Kallinich Claeys, founded by a young duo from Glashütte, made a brilliant impression with their debut watch, the One Central Seconds. When we were able to see the prototype live during one of our trips to the region, we were simply overwhelmed. Developed from the ground up, finished to an insane standard and with some very clever and original details, it is… a masterpiece! This year's one central seconds Voyager presents a new and fascinating dial design, inspired by Dresden's astronomy heritage. But as always, we can just get lost in this German silver work with all its depth and details! Only 20 pieces will be made, all in white gold, priced at 49,800 euros (excl. VAT).
For more information, see our handy story here.
Montblanc 1858 split-seconds chronograph
The Montblanc 1858 Split-Seconds Chronograph is a true beauty with its deep burgundy dial, crisp white markers, fluted gold bezel and more. And things get even better inside, because Montblanc's in-house caliber MB M16.31 is a true marvel of construction. A total of 287 individual components form a mechanical micro-city that creates fractions of a second at the push of a button. Inspired by Minerva's pocket watch caliber 19-09 CH from 1909, the generously sized movement fills the entire case. Everything is made and decorated by hand according to haute horlogerie standards in the old Minerva factory in Villeret. It is limited to 100 pieces and retails 55,000 euros.
For more information, see our handy test report here.
Gerald Genta minute repeater
At first glance, you could mistake the Gerald Genta Minute Repeater for a very elegant wristwatch that only tells the time, and you would even be forgiven for that. While the black onyx dial only displays hours and minutes, it is the discreet slider on the left that reveals its more audible secret. The soft, cushion-shaped case is beautiful and compact, measuring just 40mm in diameter and 9.6mm high, although it houses a complex La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton minute repeater movement. The entire watch effortlessly exudes tons of class and the details in the movement are simply amazing. Worn on a black sheepskin strap, only 10 pieces are made per year at a price of 320,000 francs before tax.
For more details, see our handy report here.
Nicolas Delaloya Renaissance Tantalum 39mm
Ultra-classic with presence is perhaps the best way to describe Nicolas Delaloye's Renaissance Tantalum 39mm watch. The name is perfect as it marks Delaloye's return to independence after a long period as a watchmaker and restorer at Patek Philippe. The case, as you might have guessed, is made of tantalum and is 39mm wide. Available in black or ivory, the dial is a masterpiece of detailed simplicity. It is also a nice contrast to the excellent hand-made caliber ND01, which is hand-wound. We're talking nickel silver bridges, hand-beveled edges, a black polished gooseneck regulator, and so on. The price is limited to 24 pieces 45,000 francs excl. VAT
For more details, see our hands-on encounter here.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo Chronograph RD#5
In terms of more technical innovation, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo Chronograph RD#5 is one of the true highlights of this year. Not only does it represent a radical reinterpretation of the chronograph mechanism, with a retrograde system with a heart-shaped cam to trigger and reset the chronograph displays, but it also impressed us with its complex and modern movement design. It's surprisingly thin, just 4mm high and housed in an 8.1mm thick case. Governed by a flying minute tourbillon on the dial side, it is the back that makes us lose ourselves in thought and admiration with its many bridges, cams, levers and wheels. Audemars Piguet will only make 150 of them, but the technology will certainly appear in other watches as well. The price is at 260,000 CHF.
For more information, see our handy deep dive here.
Raúl Pages RP2
As the winner of the first Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for independent creatives, Raúl Pagès was the talk of the town. And rightly so, because it's watches like the RP1 and RP2 that really excite us. The RP2 is Pagès' sophisticated yet subtle interpretation of the classic time-only watch, displaying only hours, minutes and small seconds. And things only get better when you look backwards. Three finger bridges cascade from the upper bridge, which crosses the movement, to the large balance wheel, which is held by an openwork cock to allow as much viewing as possible. There is the mustache-like anchor, the click spring integrated into the barrel and a lot of manual work. Really nice stuff! Only 50 pieces will be produced over a period of 5 years, cost estimate 89,000 francs.
For more information, see our handy story here.
Louis Vuitton x Kari Voutilainen LVKV-02 GMR 6
You can't talk about great moves without mentioning Finnish champion Kari Voutilainen. In collaboration with Louis Vuitton, he pulled out all the stops on the LVKV-02 GMR 6. This meeting of two strong names uses LV's Escale as its base, but in tantalum, and features Voutilainen's signature style on the dial and movement. Both are intricately decorated with colorful, miniature painted flags that were once used to identify their owners' LV cases, and more. The movement itself is a feast for the eyes thanks to a black polished balance bridge, hand-cut edges, polished jewel shells, etc. It is also a GMT movement with power reserve and day/night display! Only 5 copies will be made, priced at 550,000 euros every.
For more details, see our handy explainer here.
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