The world of high horology, cyclical as it is, is never easy to predict. For example, shrinking case sizes and green dials wax as blue dials wane, yet some brands have still managed to yield instant classics that buck trends. It’s in this sweet spot that Cyrus Genève has planted its newest release, the Klepcys GMT Retrograde, a watch that is made to stand out and does so with the technical chops and craft to back it up. The Klepcys GMT Retrograde is an all-titanium affair worthy of closer inspection.
Rare is the watch that manages to integrate so many disparate elements and succeed in making them a coherent timepiece. Yet the Klepcys GMT Retrograde manages to do just this. The geometry of the cushion case brings together angled and rounded styles, particularly in the fixed bezel that encircles the watch’s focal point: the complex, open-worked dial. Thanks to a multi-layered composition, the Klepcys GMT Retrograde T’s dial is as textured as it is easily readable — again, conflicting elements acting in harmony. The numerals are arranged in a pleasing symmetry and, thanks to the sans-serif design and industrial inspiration, they are immanently readable even with the timepiece’s inner mechanism swimming just beneath the surface. One layer down, the open-worked upper plate offers a sunray pattern but yields most of the eye’s attention to the colors involved. Here, the monochromatic theme is contrasted thanks to the electric-blue lacquered, three-legged small seconds subdial and retrograde GMT indication. Here’s where things get really interesting.
Few timepieces make use of retrograde functions. Why? One reason is that the engineering involved is often simply too complicated for most watchmakers. Cyrus doesn’t shy away from this problem, incorporating it effortlessly and in a way that witnessing the GMT hand as it snaps in reverse from one “24” indication to the other once daily feels like catching a glimpse of a shooting star. To make this possible, master watchmaker Jean-Francois Mojon developed the Cyrus caliber CYR708 in-house automatic movement. Robust and reliable, this bespoke engine offers a 55-hour power reserve while beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour. It’s easy on the eyes, as well, thanks to the extraordinary finishing and decoration visible from both front and back via the anti-reflective discs on both sides of the timepiece. Look closer and see the satin and microbillé finishing on the movement’s anthracite bridges, a reminder of the exacting attention each timepiece received at the hands of Cyrus’ professional horologists. Bringing home the watch’s marriage of function and design are the dual crowns at 3 and 9 o’clock. The former can be used to set minutes, as well as GMT hours, while the latter utilizes a pusher to advance the home hours. And with brightly luminescent numerals and 100 meters of water resistance, the Klepcys GMT Retrograde is up to the task, day or night, above or below the surface.
With artisanship emanating from the core of the Klepcys GMT Retrograde, is it any surprise to find equal levels of quality in every facet of this watch? The curved-end black rubber strap is emblazoned with Cyrus’ tri-legged logo, a subtle visual cue that echoes the progress and advancement found in the rest of the Klepcys’ design. Matching the Grade 5 titanium case, each strap is secured by a customized folding titanium clasp, ensuring a cohesive feel from back to front.
Such watchmaking imagination is best enjoyed in small doses. It’s fitting, then, that each titanium case variant — natural polished ($19,900 USD), two-tone ($20,100 USD), and black DLC ($20,500 USD) — is only available in 50 pieces. Proudly built to withstand life beyond a padded watchbox, this watch is ready for adventure. Taken together, the Cyrus Klepcys GMT Retrograde is more than the sum of its parts (278, to be exact). This is a timekeeper that represents the pinnacle of Swiss watchmaking, welcoming horology aficionados back to worldwide travel at just the right time.
