One of the most complicated exercises in the High Horology segment is the creation of a classic three-hand watch. Indeed, such a project seems to offer little room for maneuver both in aesthetic and technical points of view and it appears as a main difficulty for any watchmaker to bring a truly new vision of the topic. Yet I have the feeling that Rexhep Rexhepi has succeeded in his project thanks to his Chronomètre Contemporain which has just been presented during the last edition of Baselworld. This watch is also one of my favorites of the fair.

I can not help but draw a parallel between the release of this watch and the move of the Akrivia workshop to the number 15 , Grand-Rue in Geneva, which took place a few months ago. In the same way that the move marked the brand's desire to relocate itself in the historic center of Geneva, the Chronomètre Contemporain project symbolizes a real back to the roots that recalls the time when Rexhep and his brother Xhevdet made their school watch at Patek Philippe.




There is obviously behind this desire to release a simple watch an economic reality and a market trend: the collectors are looking for more reasonable watches and I generally observe a quite marked tendency for the exceptional pieces with two or three hands. Their prices are obviously lower than those of complicated watches and they inspire trust taking into account their simpler and a priori sustainable movements. Their vocation is also attractive: the majority of them aims to highlight the chronometric performance and the quest for the best precision remains the primary objective that must be followed by any watchmaker. The madness of some past years has forgotten this principle and the multiplication of complications sometimes put the precision on the background and led to random performances. I am therefore very happy to see this come-back to more simplicity especially when a talented watchmaker like Rexhep Rexhepi devotes himself to this objective.

To tell the truth, the Chronomètre Contemporain didn't come by chance. This watch is a continuation of the Akrivia AK-06 presented last year. It was the first tourbillon-free Akrivia watch and also the first to take advantage of an in-house movement specifically developed for it. It was therefore despite its simpler approach, the most ambitious watch from the young Geneva brand founded in 2012. From an aesthetic point of view, however, it remained very consistent with the other models of the brand due in particular to its case and some aesthetic details.




The Chronomètre Contemporain (you will note the structure of the name which sounds very "François-Paul Journe") marks an important step in Rexhep Rexhepi's journey: it embodies his own interpretation of classic and traditional watchmaking, contrasting with Akrivia's approach which is much more daring. It is the reason why he made the decision to create two separate collections, the Chronomètre Contemporain becoming the first watch in the "Rexhep Rexhepi" collection, while the Akrivia collection will continue on the path it has already drawn.

However, all that makes the success of an Akrivia watch is found in the Chronomètre Contemporain. The finishes are superb and the watch is very easy to live thanks to its legibility, the comfort on the wrist and the performance of the movement. The caliber RR01 can be discovered by flipping over the watch and at first glance, we recognize the architecture and lay-out of the caliber AK-06 (including the imposing barrel at the top and the symmetry of the bridges) but in an aesthetic context that I appreciate more. Of course, these are just small details but they count a lot. The shape of the bridges has been slightly revised and they become less imposing. The visual rendering becomes more airy and the movement seems to be more open. The other element that transforms the appearance of movement is the type of decoration. With the AK-06, the objective was to find a coherence with the style of the dial. In the context of the Chronomètre Contemporain, Rexhep Rexhepi favors a more uniform and simpler decoration ... but which enhances the exceptional quality of the finishes: the anglages are beautiful and very sharp. The continuity of the Geneva stripes is awesome because the gap between the upper bridge of the barrel and the lower bridges is significant. Finally, the polishing work done on the crossing bridge that draws a kind of horizontal diameter is remarkable. Undeniably, this symmetrical and extremely exciting movement to observe is one of the finest handwind calibres in the High Horology segment.




Its technical performances are at the same level and help justify the "contemporary" word of the watch name. If its frequency is traditional (2.5hz, and it is what I prefer for this type of movement), its power reserve reaches 100 hours. However, this long reserve should not prevent us from daily winding the watch: the feeling when we turn the crown to wind the movement is very pleasant because it combines power and softness. So why deprive ourselves?

But that's not all: the power of the movement also serves to give it a lot of torque for a better chronometry even when the power reserve decreases. And in order to facilitate the time setting, the movement includes a stop-second and zero reset mechanism which is obviously very practical. Simply pull the crown so that the second hand is instantly positioned at zero. The movement RR01 seduced me not only from the aesthetic point of view but also thanks to its practical and convenient side and the pleasure it gives to the owner of the watch.

Such a movement could not be at the service of banal and ordinary watch and dial. And that's where the magic works: thanks to a design trick, the enamel dial manages to be classic and original at the same time. The idea is simple: if the peripheral scale remains traditional and as pure as possible, the inner line passes alternately in front of and behind the roman numerals. It then draws an asynchronous pattern that brings freshness and almost eccentricity in a context that would have been very traditional (if not austere) otherwise. This idea is very simple ... and yet it transforms the rendering of the dial even to give it a very modern dimension. Yes, the Chronomètre Contemporain is ... contemporary!



The finish of the dial is also remarkable and available in two versions: enamel Grand Feu in white or black with blue or gold lines. What I also liked was the size of the sub-dial of the second hand which occupies almost completely the lower area of ​​the dial: a sign that the size of the movement (30mm) corresponds to that of the case.

The hands draw the time with great elegance thanks to the polished finish and I was particularly charmed by the end of the hours one. They are undoubtedly the perfect complement to the enamel Grand Feu dial. I only photographed the platinum watch with white dial because unfortunately I could not see the pink gold version with black dial. The rendering is obviously totally different and perhaps more audacious with this latest version.

The case seems more conventional at first glance. And yet, it is also particularly successful. Its 38mm diameter is in my opinion ideal for a dress watch. Its thickness of 9.5mm gives it character and presence. The alternation of polished and brushed finishes decorates it nicely. The lugs are the elements of the case that I prefer because they give it character and they contribute to the comfort thanks to their curved shapes.

In any case, if the diameter of the case may seem small according to some current standards, I found that the Chronomètre Contemporain had an excellent presence on the wrist. The enamel dial, the quality of the finishes, the atmosphere of excellence and harmony that surrounds the watch, all these ingredients contribute to this feeling.


The Chronomètre Contemporain is available at a price of 55,000 CHF without taxes in pink gold and 58,000 CHF without taxes in platinum and its delivery is scheduled for the end of the year. The small price difference between the two versions should be emphasized and is an additional good point. On the other hand, the issuance of the Besançon Observatory's bulletin is optional and requires an extra cost. I would have preferred that the final price, even higher, include this bulletin to stay totally in the spirit of the watch.



Finally, by reaching the end of this article, I realize that I am changing my mind: the Chronomètre Contemporain is not one of my favorite watches of the last edition of Baselworld. It's simply my favorite watch of the Fair. The reason is simple: I feel that Rexhep Rexhepi has managed to renew the genre what is never easy in this category. In any case, the challenge of making a simpler watch was ably met! The Chronomètre Contemporain marks a decisive step in his young career by allowing him to compare himself to some great masters of independent watchmaking.

Pros:
+ one of the most beautifulhandwind movements of the High Horology segment
+ the performance of the movement
+ the finish and presentation of the dial
+ the pleasure while making use of the movement
+ a harmonious and original design

Cons:
- I would have liked that the issuance of the bulletin was not optional and was included in the final price