Pequignet Revisits the Royale Paris in a More Contemporary Key

French watchmaking is having fun with a renaissance at this time marked by the revival of extinct names and new micro-brands braving the sector. Nonetheless, none of them can boast Pequignet’s declare to fame as “one of many solely French Manufactures of Haute Horlogerie.” Following a interval of trials and tribulations, Pequignet is again in enterprise with a refreshed technique and wind in its sails. Right here to show its level is the engaging Royale Paris mannequin unveiled at Watches & Wonders earlier this 12 months.

Based in 1973 by Emile Pequignet in Morteau, a French commune near the Swiss border, the model made a daring determination within the early 2000s to turn out to be an built-in manufacture and produced its first in-house motion, the Calibre Royal, in 2011. Its fluctuating fortunes have been finally stabilised when, in 2021, Pequignet was acquired by Enowe Excellence, a household funding fund designed to advertise wonderful French craftsmanship. Please discuss with Xavier’s in-depth protection of the model’s revival, its 4 in-house calibres and technique for the longer term.

Free to pursue its dream of in-house manufacturing in France, the model celebrated its 50^th anniversary in 2023 with a brand new line, the Concorde. Streamlining its collections and changing the considerably baroque styling with sleeker, extra up to date designs, the brand new Royale Paris is the face of issues to come back.

Pequignet’s Royale household was designed to deal with the model’s first in-house automated Calibre Royal. In comparison with different Royale Paris fashions with day, date, moon phases, energy reserve and small seconds, the case of the brand new Royale Paris has shrunk from 41mm to 39.5mm and encompasses a slimmer bezel. Quite a lot of care has been invested in redesigning the case, evidenced within the barely recessed and polished flanks surmounted by the overhang of the satin-brushed bezel and caseback. The brightly polished flanks host the big winding crown with the model’s fleur-de-lys brand in reduction. Like yesteryear watches, the lugs are made individually and hooked up to the case. The lugs are a particular function of the Royale assortment and have satin-brushed surfaces and brightly polished sides. The redesigned bezel, secured with six screws to the caseback, additionally shows a satin-brushed floor with polished bevels.

Enjoying with textures and finishes, the asymmetrical structure of the Royale Paris involves life. Some of the putting options is the ditch encircling the silvery dial, separating the peripheral minutes from the central space of the dial internet hosting the issues. Intriguing design touches just like the indices bridging the ditch from the exterior observe to the central sandblasted space of the dial add curiosity. The excessive diploma of finishes can be appreciated in particulars just like the slim faceted indices with brushed surfaces and polished sides. Off-centred but elegantly balanced, the 2 intersecting sub-dials for the small seconds and moon phases kind a determine eight.

Distinguished by its snailed inside, the silver-framed, barely recessed small seconds counter invades a piece of the disc bearing the 2 apertures for the phases of the moon within the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Realistically rendered, the 2 moons are modelled on {a photograph} of the Moon and sit effectively under the floor of the dial, including depth. The moon section might be adjusted with a corrector within the caseband. The minimalist energy reserve indicator, which sits simply to the left of the intersecting sub-dials, encompasses a purple depletion space and is indicated by a hand positioned within the recessed channel. A domed glassbox sapphire crystal permits mild to flood the dial from the highest and sides, creating enjoyable distortions on the periphery.

The double day and date window is framed and has a white background with raised black printing. Leaping instantaneously at midnight, the big date show employs two discs, one for tens and the second for items. Not like earlier editions, the brand new Royale Paris doesn’t function the utilized fleur-de-lys brand on the dial. In our opinion, it is a good transfer because the brand offers the dial a barely pretentious, old-school air. The one hint of luminescence is discovered on the slim hour and minute fingers with blue emission Tremendous-LumiNova.

The caseback gives a view of the new-generation Calibre Royal, a descendant of the primary French-made motion to position its issues on the identical plate, a design that’s protected by eight worldwide patents. A big 31mm calibre with a thickness of 5.8mm, the new-generation Royal has an improved energy reserve of 96 hours, up from 88 – not unhealthy for a watch that delivers instantaneous jumps for the day and date discs.  Delivered by a big single barrel, you may see the golden soleillage ornament (radial strains emanating from the centre) on the drum cowl peeking out from beneath the bridges embellished with Côtes de Genève stripes. The 3Hz steadiness with gold compensation screws can be admired together with the refined perlage finishes. The bi-directional openworked winding rotor is brushed and embellished with an engraved gold-coloured fleur-de-lys.

The Royale Paris comes with an interchangeable mild brown or Taupe alligator strap and folding clasp. In September, it will likely be out there with a metallic bracelet. Out there from June 2025, the watch retails for EUR 8,500. Extra data at pequignet.com.