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Watch Trend Report 2023: Retrograde displays
Watchmakers are jumping at these dynamic displays, which are used in this year's latest launches to indicate values ranging from the date to elapsed minutes.
By Lynette Koh /
Even as the world roars back to post-pandemic life, lingering global uncertainties see watch brands treading with a certain cautiousness in their latest releases. But this does not mean there are no surprises. Instead of ultra-complicated pieces, watchmakers are proposing fresh takes on classic features such as the chronograph and the retrograde display.
Used to indicate values ranging from a watch's power reserve to the hours or minutes of the time display, the retrograde display typically comprises a curved scale with a pointer that instantaneously jumps back to the beginning of the scale at the end of a given period. This year, the retrograde indicator brings its sense of dynamism to a series of new launches. Here's a closer look at our favourites.
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More is more, or at least that’s the case when we are talking about Hublot’s statement Masterpiece (MP) models. The latest in this series is the MP-13 Tourbillon Bi-Axis Retrograde, which boasts two retrograde displays — one for the minutes and one for the hours. Adding even more dynamism is the double-axis tourbillon at the bottom of the dial. Despite the energy needed to power the retrograde displays and the tourbillon, the titanium timepiece features a robust power reserve of 96 hours.
This year, Vacheron Constantin spotlights the retrograde display. Three of its new releases feature a retrograde date, where the date indicator travels along an arc and jumps back to the start of the scale at the end of each month. The most avant-garde of the trio is the Traditionnelle Tourbillon Retrograde Date Openface, which combines a retrograde date with a tourbillon and an open dial. The open dial of this self-winding, pink-gold timepiece lets the brand showcase various finishings — including hand-guilloche on the upper part of the dial and a grey NAC surface finishing on the 2162 R31 movement.
There is a lot going on in the Franck Muller Cintree Curvex Retrograde Hour Tourbillon, but somehow, it all works well together. A retrograde hour display takes pride of place within a white gold case measuring just 30.3mm by 42.25mm: As six o’clock approaches, the hour hand jumps from the right end of the hour scale back to the numeral six at the beginning of the scale. Other features hold their own admirably; these include a tourbillon, the brand’s multi-hued Colour Dreams numerals, a stamped guilloche dial, and 205 brilliant-cut diamonds on the case and dial.
Related: 20 top timepieces from Watches & Wonders Geneva 2023
Typically, retrograde displays feature an arced scale. Independent brand Hautlence takes a different path with the linear retrograde jumping hour of its Linear Series 2 watch. Housed in a TV-shaped, black PVD-coated steel case, the dial features a graduated linear scale that evokes those of precision measuring instruments. Through the open dial, you can view the blue skeletonised linkage that drives the jumping hour indicator, which moves instantly from the numeral 12 at the bottom to one at the top when one o’clock rolls around.
Jaeger-LeCoultre’s new Reverso Tribute Chronograph is inspired by its first Reverso Chronograph from 1996. Powered by the new in-house, hand-wound Calibre 860, the 29.9mm by 49.4mm timepiece is available in steel or pink gold. While the dials on the front and back both show the time, the latter also features a chronograph display. Like the 1996 Reverso Chronograph, the chronograph display includes a retrograde 30-minute counter at the bottom, which is a distinctive design detail that also makes spatial sense in a rectangular chronograph.