Good evening everyone!
This week, we will be bringing you our new series, "Things you're too embarrassed to ask about now." In this new project, we will explain the basics of luxury watches in an easy-to-understand way, for those who are not very familiar with luxury watches and those who want to learn more about them.
This is the 20th time
[ Introduction to Luxury Watches ]: " Retrograde "
A fan-shaped mechanism installed in mechanical watches. This mechanism, called "retrograde," in which the hands that reach the end of the fan instantly return to their original position, is something that some people have seen installed, but may not know exactly what kind of mechanism it is. In this article, we will explain the basics of "retrograde," its history, and representative models.
What is "Retrograde"?
"Retrograde" is a mechanism that moves back and forth in a fan shape. The word means "reverse" in French, and when the needle reaches a certain position, the force of the spring instantly returns it to its original position and it starts moving again. It is used for the time, date, day of the week, etc., and since the needle moves back and forth instead of "turning in a circle" as is the movement of a normal watch, there are many watches that use it as a gimmick.
Due to its structure, a retrograde watch cannot be adjusted by turning the crown backwards. If you try to adjust the time by turning the crown backwards, it may cause a malfunction, so please be careful.
The History of Retrograde
There are various theories about the origin of the retrograde, but it is said that pocket watches equipped with this mechanism appeared in the late 17th century. In the mid- 18th century, retrograde was adopted in pocket watches made by Abraham-Louis Breguet, the founder of Breguet and a famous genius watchmaker. However, after that, as the demand for higher accuracy came to be for wristwatches, the use of retrograde became less frequent, albeit temporarily.
Then in the 1990s , famous brands like Gerald Genta, Pierre Kunz, and Daniel Roth started to actively adopt the retrograde mechanism, which led to a temporary boom. In particular, the independent watchmaker Pierre Kunz is known as the "Magician of Retrograde."
Representative model equipped with "retrograde"
From here, we will introduce representative models equipped with "Retrograde".
1. Breguet
"Classic"
This watch, reminiscent of a pocket watch made by Abraham-Louis Breguet, has a hand-engraved guilloche dial with a retrograde display of the power reserve and small seconds. This beautiful watch features Breguet-exclusive design elements, such as blued steel Breguet hands and coin edges on the side of the case.
2. [Patek Philippe]
"Perpetual Calendar Retrograde"
Patek Philippe, known as one of the top three watch brands in the world, has a complex mechanism called the Retrograde. It is often installed in Grand Complication models, and only a handful of people can get their hands on one. Its technical capabilities and elegant finish make it a masterpiece worthy of being at the top.
3. [Gerald Genta]
"Retro Fantasy Mickey Mouse"
Gerald Genta is famous for creating the Patek Philippe Nautilus and the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. This is one of his most unique pieces, with Mickey Mouse's arm serving as the minute hand to display the time. Gerald Genta is currently under the umbrella of Bvlgari. It's still fresh in our memory that this model was revived in 2022 and became a hot topic.
4. [Vacheron Constantin]
"Patrimony Retrograde Day/Date"
Vacheron Constantin has been known to produce retrograde watches since the 1930s. This model features hour markers and hands inspired by 1950s designs, and the often abbreviated day of the week display is shown in retrograde, making it the centerpiece of the dial.
5. [Harry Winston]
"Ocean Triple Retrograde"
Harry Winston is also a brand that has been focusing on developing models equipped with retrograde movements since the 1990s. This model features a retrograde movement on the 12-hour counter, 30-minute counter, and 60-second hand. The fact that this global jeweler brand has three retrograde movements is proof of their high level of technical expertise.
summary
I have explained about "Retrograde" but what do you think?
Retrograde watches, with their distinctive fan-shaped hands, instantaneous needle movement, and unique design, are one of the mechanisms that greatly influence the impression of the dial, which is the face of a watch. Each manufacturer has its own unique features, and each one is attractive. We hope you will find one that suits you.
Once again, I hope that this article will help as many people as possible become interested in luxury watches!
see you!