The people at Perrelet are at it again, dancing the complication jig. This new Perrelet Regulator Retrograde watch mixes a few complications in a way that (to my knowledge) hasn’t been done before. You have a retrograde hour display, regulator style separation between the hours, minutes, and seconds (that occupies the main dial), and a periphery style date display. The balance of the elements is quite good. Plus, there is likely to one one (or two) people in the world who have been dreaming for a watch that combines all these complications together.
So if no one has been clamoring for a watch like this, what is the point? Well, to look cool. Watches with various different hands and types of dials are visually fascinating. People will look at the piece and ask “what exactly is going on there?” You can see how Perrelet split the watch in to two personalities (as is typical for them to do these days). There is the slightly larger sporty model in titanium that is 43.5mm wide, and a more formal version that is 42mm wide in a steel or gold case that is slightly more dressy in fashion. The watches have sapphire crystals and are water resistant to 100 meters (in titanium) and 50 meters (in steel or gold).
Perrelet has succeeding in giving the watch a sort of art meets gadget look. I think that will appeal to enough people. A watch like this is also good for turning heads, asking people to check out what Perrelet has been up to. Powering the watch is their P-221 movement which is exclusive to Perrelet. The movement is an automatic with an exhibition caseback with a view to it on the back of the case. To change the date you need to press a small pusher on the side of the case.
The steel model (ref. A1041/4) has a silvered dial and also comes with a black dial. It is matched to a black alligator strap and will retail for $8,275. The same model in gold (Ref A3014/5) will also have gold on the dial and retail for $20,250. In sporty titanium the watch has a different look and a rubber strap with a retail price of $9,200. Look for them soon.
Tech specs from Perrelet:
Regulator Retrograde: A1041/4 and A3014/5
Movement: Automatic P-221, exclusive module
Open-worked, exclusive decorated Perrelet rotor
Power Reserve: 40 hours
Vibrations per hour: 28’800 (4Hz)
Rubies: 35
Case: Ø 42 mm
Case material: A1041/4: Stainless Steel
A3014/5: Pink gold (4N) 18ct
Anti-glare sapphire crystal (front & back)
Water resistance: 5 ATM
Dial A1041/4: Silvered white
A3014/5: Black
Strap: Black alligator
Stainless steel deployment buckle
Public price: Steel A1041/4: CHF 8’200.— / Euro 5’900.— / US$ 8’275.—
Gold A3014/5: CHF 20’500.— / Euro 14’700.— / US$ 20’250.—
Regulator Retrograde Titanium: A5001/2
Movement: Automatic P-221, exclusive module
Open-worked, exclusive decorated Perrelet rotor
Power Reserve: 40 hours
Vibrations per hour: 28’800 (4Hz)
Rubies: 35
Case: Ø 43.5 mm
Case material: Titanium
Anti-glare sapphire crystal (front & back)
Water resistance: 10 ATM
Dial: Black and anthracite, luminous indices
Strap: Natural black rubber strap
Titanium deployment buckle
Public price: Titanium CHF 9’150.— / Euro 6’600.— / US$ 9’200.—