Time, if nothing else, is cyclical. Hours, days, months, and years pass in an endless repeating circle, counting out the passage of our lives. Few watch brands have captured the circular nature of time more literally or handsomely than Beaubleu. Since debuting its first limited collection in 2017, the French atelier’s signature circular hands have stood as a clean and handsome symbol of time’s circular passage. For its latest collection, the Union Collection, Beaubleu has refined the concept with six new styles across two different lines: the Left Bank line and the Right Bank line.
Each Union Collection model begins with a stylish core formula. A 39 mm stainless steel case, with a distinctive broad flat bezel and unique cutout case sides that elegantly flow directly into the lugs, forms a visual bedrock on which each unique model’s style is built. At 9.5 mm thick, this singular case remains lithe and slim on the wrist, conforming easily to a wide variety of wrist sizes. These cases are paired with crocodile pattern Italian leather straps in either black or navy blue with signed folding clasps. All Union Collection models also share the same slim and dependable Miyota 9015 automatic movement, visible through a sapphire display case back and decorated handsomely with Côtes de Genève and a custom signed rotor. Of course, the visual centerpiece for all Union Collection watches is the dial, where a trio of successively larger circular hands captures the cycle of hours, minutes, and seconds.
From these elements, each Beaubleu Union Collection timepiece interprets the style in its own unique way. Like the region of Paris that shares its name, the Left Bank line is bold, artistic and adventurous, featuring four different interpretations. The Olympe is the most luxurious and dressy of these, offering a full rose gold PVD treatment of the case, along with rose gold hour and minute hands, accented by an applied rose gold hours track. This opulent material is balanced by the stark alabaster white of the matte dial, and given a pop of color with a blue seconds hand. As the name might suggest, the look of the Audace is audacious and daring, with a black PVD main case standing in contrast to the rose gold PVD of the case sides and lugs. The dial design echoes this black and gold pairing, with gold dial text and applied hours track over a black dial surface. The final two Left Bank models both share the Intrepide case design, with a PVD black central case and polished stainless steel case sides and lugs. For the dials, the two Intrepide models become mirror images of each other. The Klein Blue variant uses a rich blue lacquered base dial with white, silver and sky blue accents, while the Alabaster White variant builds on its white base with flame blued hands and a blued hour track.
For a more refined experience, the Right Bank line provides a blend of finely executed brushed and polished segments for its stainless steel cases, along with exquisite curved dials and modernist applied indices. Both are variants of the Brio model, with the Klein Blue version using legendary Klein Blue lacquer for a luxurious dial color and finish. Meanwhile, the Brio Emerald Green offers a deep jewel green sunburst with an accenting green seconds hand.
While each of the six Union Collection models explores the notion in its own unique way, the circular rhythm of time lies at the very heart of them all. All six models are currently available through Kickstarter at an early bird price of $560, but after this introductory period retail prices will be $800 for Left Bank line models and $853 for Right Bank line models. For more information, please visit the brand’s website.