Designed by Bovet 1822 owner, Mr. Raffy, the manufacture's "writing slope" case is unique, featuring in its Shooting Star tourbillon, the Astérium and Grand Récital tourbillons, with the bezel inclined at 6 o'clock.
The unconventional yet ingenious approach diversifying the types of displays possible by using domes, rollers, discs, and three-dimensional hands to enhance intuitiveness, ergonomics, and elegance. With a three-dimensional design, information is prioritised, readability improved, and the collector's eye is drawn directly to the heart of the movement to discover the excellence found in each detail.
The brand's Grand Récital timepiece winning the Aiguille d'Or at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Geneve, is an affirmation both by industry experts and peers on the stylistic revolution led by said "writing slope" case. This year, Bovet unveils four complications developed specifically to be housed within the "writing slope" case.
Among them, the Retrograde Perpetual Calendar Récital 21, which sees the perpetual calendar introduced in the Dimier Collection.
The minute and hour hands are located in the center of the timepiece, providing more space in the periphery for perpetual calendar information. With the exception of the calendar, shown by a retrograde index 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 seconds hand are offset at 9 o'clock, bringing balance to the design.
For improved reliability and longevity, the BOVET 1822 watchmakers developed a mechanism that slows down the indicator during its retrograde jump, a dramatic visual effect that can best be appreciated on the first day of the month.
Turning the timepiece over to the movement side, the collector will notice the patented double coaxial seconds mechanism, as well as the power reserve indicator, which, when fully wound, displays a five-day power supply. This guaranteed performance comes from a unique barrel, which is optimized by the balance spring, entirely designed and manufactured in the BOVET 1822 workshops.
The remarkable power reserve of the perpetual calendar provides the collector with unparalleled, enduring performance thanks to a single barrel, which is optimized by the balance spring, and is entirely designed and manufactured in the BOVET 1822 workshops. The frequency with which the different indications will need to be adjusted has also been drastically reduced. An ingenious system drastically reduces and streamlines adjustments to its various indications. There are dedicated correctors for the days, date, and month functions-simultaneously.
If the collector wishes to adjust their timekeeper after it has been stopped for several days, they simply have to activate this unique corrector until the correct date is shown. Adjusting all the functions of the Récital 21 are thus fully synchronized.
Central dial and the seconds dial feature in blue circular brushed finish, first introduced by the brand in 2015. After the surface brush treatment has been carefully applied, the dial is colored and artisans then apply eight layers of lacquer. These are then polished to provide the dial’s luster and characteristic depth. Making great use of the unique volume of the "writing slope" case, the dial artisans and watchmakers have combined their efforts to make the seconds hand sweep under the hours and minutes dial, a cleverly choreographed and truly noble expression of time.
The peripheral surface of the calendar indicator is rhodium plated, with the choice of a circular "Côtes de Genève" motif or the "Fleurisanne" motif hand-engraved by the Maison’s artist-engravers.
The Retrograde Perpetual Calendar Récital 21 is available in Titanium and red gold.
