SJX Watches
Hands On: Dominique Renaud Pulse 60
Accomplished movement constructor Dominique Renaud makes a compelling return with the Pulse 60, a slow-beating timepiece featuring a 1 Hz oscillator. An important name in the post-quartz era, Mr Renaud has recently re-emerged alongside Julien Tixier under the Renaud Tixier brand. The Pulse 60 marks his first signed watch in nearly a decade — following the million-dollar DR01 Twelve First, which resulted in a single unique piece. Initial thoughts When speaking today of advancing the theory and practice of horology, the conversation usually centres around cutting-edge materials, novel tribology research or reimagined complications. The Dominique Renaud (DR) Pulse 60 contradicts this trend and instead goes back in time to put a new spin on an old idea. The slow beating 1 Hz Pulse 60 bets on classic chronometry, when heavy balances paired to slow and steady running rates were the champions of precision. Going one step further, DR slowed the oscillator to 1 Hz — or just one oscillation per second. In the era of ever-higher frequencies, the counterintuitive choice seems at first like a deliberate act of self-sabotage. But after analysing the novel movement in the Pulse 60, it’s my opinion that it should prove to be a reliable timekeeper, and more than just a proof of concept. After Antoine Martin’s ill-fated Slow Runner, DR has produced a fully functioning 1 Hz timepiece by employing a smaller balance and — crucially — raising the amplitude ceiling to over 360°....
