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Results for Retrograde Display

778 articles · 2 videos found · page 5 of 26

Introducing – The New Awake Son Mai Guilloché Main, a Dazzling Display of Craftsmanship Monochrome
May 20, 2026

Introducing – The New Awake Son Mai Guilloché Main, a Dazzling Display of Craftsmanship

After moving on from its space-themed watches, Awake – the French indie brand founded by Lilian Thibault in 2019 – celebrated its fifth anniversary with the Son Mai, a permanent collection built around craftsmanship. The collection, which features richly decorated dials created using the ancient Vietnamese lacquering technique of Son Mai, now grows with the […]

Introducing – The New Bradley Taylor Ardea, With Retrograde Seconds Indication Monochrome
Ming talented watchmaker based Apr 30, 2026

Introducing – The New Bradley Taylor Ardea, With Retrograde Seconds Indication

Our search for the most intriguing artisanal, independent watchmakers takes us to the far corners of the world. While the majority is still in or around Switzerland, we regularly take virtual excursions to Japan, Scandinavia, the Netherlands, and beyond. Back in 2021, we introduced you to Bradley Taylor, an upcoming, talented watchmaker based in Vancouver, […]

Introducing – Otsuka Lotec Presents its New Creation, the No.8 Jumping Hour and Retrograde Minute Monochrome
Otsuka Lotec Mar 10, 2026

Introducing – Otsuka Lotec Presents its New Creation, the No.8 Jumping Hour and Retrograde Minute

Otsuka Lotec… The Japanese brand (or should we call it an atelier) that makes some noise in the global watch collecting community, despite being unavailable outside of Japan – which might partially explain its popularity. A true JDM sensation, Otsuka Lotec is the brainchild of Jiro Katayama, a car designer turned self-taught, independent watchmaker, specialised […]

Introducing the Kudoke 5, with a 24-Hour Display and a Slimmer Case Worn & Wound
May 1, 2025

Introducing the Kudoke 5, with a 24-Hour Display and a Slimmer Case

In 2019, the last year of Baselworld, I remember roaming the hall of AHCI and visiting Stefan and Ev Kudoke to see their new Kudoke 1 and Kudoke 2 models. The Kudoke 2 was an instant winner for me with the small hand engraved 24-hour day/night disc. Later that year, the Kudoke 2 won the “Petite Aiguille” GPHG award for the best watch under CHF 10,000. This put Kudoke as a brand on every collector’s radar.  My first impression of the Kudoke 5 is that it is a natural progression or a logical conclusion to the K2 model with the 24-hour day/night disc as the dial. While the small disc in the K2 works as a nice indicator, the full blown 24-hour dial with a large day/night sky is more poetic and truly feels like it naturally belongs as a dial.  The other noticeable thing about the K5 is that it is a brand-new case that is much slimmer than the previous models. It is officially listed at 7mm without the domed crystal (it’s 38mm in diameter and 47mm from lug to lug). Even though the domed crystal on the watch presented in Geneva last month was a prototype, it did not appear to add any height to the watch. This is the slimmest Kudoke watch I have seen.  According to Stefan, engraving the day/night disc is a complex process involving relief engraving. The stars, moon, and triangle remain in place during engraving and the rest of the elements must be lowered. The whole engraving process takes several days. The biggest challenge he faces is not denting the disc during this ...

Introducing – Japanese Watchmaker Otsuka Lotec Presents the No.5 KAI, With Satellite Hour Display Monochrome
Otsuka Lotec Jan 14, 2025

Introducing – Japanese Watchmaker Otsuka Lotec Presents the No.5 KAI, With Satellite Hour Display

A not-so-young-brand that only appeared recently on the international scene and an independent watchmaker that we’ve named Japan’s new sensation, Otsuka Lotec is the brainchild of watchmaker Jiro Katayama. Even though these watches are extremely hard to get outside of Japan (yes, that means pure JDM coolness), the brand has started to gain recognition and […]

First Look – The Bovet Récital 21 Retrograde Perpetual Calendar Becomes Sleeker with Sapphire Dials Monochrome
Bovet Dec 12, 2024

First Look – The Bovet Récital 21 Retrograde Perpetual Calendar Becomes Sleeker with Sapphire Dials

Bovet’s watchmaking universe is characterised by incredibly complex timepieces staged with dramatic flair and decorated to unparalleled standards. Founded in 1822, Pascal Raffy breathed new life into Bovet to create a highly niche connoisseur brand. While classical complications and centuries-old decorative techniques abound, Bovet is no stranger to the potential of sapphire crystals and luminescence […]

First Look – The New CVDK Grand Planetarium Eccentric, The Only Mechanical Planetarium Watch To Display All 8 Planets Monochrome
Christiaan van der Klaauw Oct 10, 2024

First Look – The New CVDK Grand Planetarium Eccentric, The Only Mechanical Planetarium Watch To Display All 8 Planets

Christiaan van der Klaauw is one the most famous watchmakers in the Netherlands, and has gained fame for being possibly the best advocate of astronomical watches – in fact, this has even become the subtitle of the CVDK brand. Since 1974, this genius clock and watchmaker has produced some of the most beautiful and complicated […]

H. Moser Gets a Little Whimsical with the Pioneer Retrograde Seconds “Midnight Blue” Worn & Wound
H. Moser Gets Oct 8, 2024

H. Moser Gets a Little Whimsical with the Pioneer Retrograde Seconds “Midnight Blue”

As watch enthusiasts, we all have our weaknesses. Some feature or design quirk that makes very little sense in practical terms, but nonetheless appeals to us in ways we can barely even describe. Something that falls into this category for me is the “useless” complication. A complication that doesn’t really have much of a functional purpose at all, but is just sort of there was a watchmaking flex. There are all kinds of strange time telling displays that fall into this category, plus your deeply anachronistic complications like integrated barometers, scales that tell you the age of the moon, or perhaps even a secular perpetual calendar that no one alive today will be able to see in action. Then there are retrograde displays, which while not exactly “useless” certainly tend to be, well, maybe unnecessary is a better word. But the vaguely violent snapping back of a hand when it reaches the end of the display has a real pull.  If that sort of mechanical violence is up your alley, Moser’s latest is a watch you should investigate. The Pioneer Retrograde Seconds in Midnight Blue takes your normal, everyday Pioneer and juices it significantly with a retrograde seconds display at the bottom of the dial that snaps back every thirty seconds. That makes for a dial with a lot of action, with a second hand moving twice as fast as it normally would, interrupted every thirty seconds with an action that, to witness it, you’d surely think would cause some manner of mechanical...