Given my love for vintage Patek Philippe rectangular watches with 'exploding numerals', I thought it would be interesting to browse one of the modern interpretations of this design offered by Roger Dubuis with the 'Much More' model.
I hope you won't hold it against me for not having collected all the data (size, model and caliber ref. number, etc.): it simply takes me far too much time.
The watches are presented in four categories, within which I have distinguished each time between dials with Arabic numerals and those with Roman numerals:
Time Only - Hours & Minutes
Time Only with Small Seconds at 9 o'clock
Monopusher Chronograph
Perpetual Calendar (this category is subdivided into 'classic' and bi-retrograde display)
Best, Emmanuel
A/ TIME ONLY - HOURS & MINUTES
1/ ARABIC NUMERALS
credit: Fratello
Side by side with the Franck Muller Long Island
credit: @gondololeiloes
credit: Bonnano Roma
credit: @the_ethical_hedonist
credit: The Huntington Company
credit: European Watch Company
credit: FutureGrail auction
2/ ROMAN NUMERALS
credit: @h.m.montre
credit: @theydid
credit: prestigetime.com
credit: @vintage_universal.1954
3/ MIX OF ARABIC & ROMAN NUMERALS
credit: The Huntington Company
credit: estatesconsignments
B/ TIME ONLY WITH SMALL SECONDS AT 9 O'CLOCK
1/ ARABIC NUMERALS
credit: catawiki
credit: @cosimo_watches
credit: bernsteinwatchco
credit: timetunnel-jp
2/ ROMAN NUMERALS
credit: Bruno.M1 aka @collectible_watches through @
watchpurists
C/ MONOPUSHER CHRONOGRAPH
1/ ARABIC NUMERALS
credit: swisshours.com
credit: @quiedora_watches
credit: @pnftimes
credit: timetunnel-jp
2/ ROMAN NUMERALS
credit: Bruno.M1 aka @collectible_watches
credit: Stories of Time
credit: FutureGrail auction
credit: timetunnel-jp
D/ PERPETUAL CALENDARS
1/ CLASSIC (NON RETROGRADE) DISPLAY
a/ Arabic numerals
Side by side with a vintage Patek Philippe example
credit: @jonhochman
credit: @3wluxury
credit: The Watch Club London
b/ Roman numerals
credit: @horologybythesea
credit: Watch Collecting
credit: Ticking Way
2/ BI-RETROGRADE DISPLAY
a/ Arabic numerals
credit: Christie’s
credit: @vintagewatchesmiami
credit: Christie’s
credit: Watch Collectors
b/ Roman numerals
credit: Loupe This
BONUS: A SINGLE AND APPARENTLY VERY ELUSIVE ANNUAL CALENDAR
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Given my love for vintage Patek Philippe rectangular watches with ' exploding numerals ', I thought it would be interesting to browse one of the modern interpretations of this design offered by Roger Dubuis with the ' Much More ' model. I hope you won't h...
I came close to adding one of these watches on several occasions and really regret not adding one. My favourites are the Mono pusher chronographs with Calendar models a close second the only ones I am not too keen on are the biretrograde models as I feel ...
time only (hours/minutes) with oval minutes track and "Bulletin d'observatoire", but not with blue numerals like the one featured above! I also like the Monopushers, though, and agree with you concerning the bi-retrograde. Best, Emmanuel ...
And with some I cannot quite gel 🤷🏻♂️ Many of the two handed ones and the mono pusher ones I tend to quite like, the small seconds and PC ones are not universally attractive to me 🤷🏻♂️ But find the GMT ones quite interesting 👍🏻 ...
I think my personal favorite would feature oval minutes track, Arabic numerals and "bulletin d'observatoire", but your watch looks stunning nonetheless! Cheers, "Much More" lover, Emmanuel ...
And along with your viceral descriptor "Exploding Numerals" I'd have to go with the roman numerals time only. Roman numerals explode so well ! And how can we forget Franck Mueller's Party-on-the-Wrist Straight out of Alice in Wonderland Color Dreams Crazy...
I personally prefer Arabic here, but I'm with you nonetheless. And I just need the "bulletin d'observatoire" mention: a detail? Well, no, since chronometry is what a great part of watchmaking is about. Cheers, Emmanuel ...
This was tremendous work! Very much appreciated! 🙏🏼 I love the old RD models and it’s such a pity that Diaz had to sell it! 😔 Personally - due to my very small wrists I am more in the „too much“ and „golden square“ league, so rather wide then long… 🤓 One ...
TV Screen? Why not, yes! But I have to confess that my true dream would be to own a vintage Patek Philippe "exploding numerals" reference (featuring the Chronometro Gondolo mention, preferably: cf. below)... Cheers, Emmanuel Now, this is pure dream for me...
I bought a ladies version with diamonds for my wife and it's one of her favorite pieces. I could see myself buying a man's version at some point... John
were introduced by Patek Philippe around 1910 and I have found a site where a piece from 1910 is presented and said to be the earliest known made by PP. Of course, one can’t be completely sure, but it seems likely… https://www.bogoff.com/pocket/8255.html ...
I just find that it makes the dial a little busy and, most of all, it cancels four numerals: 2, 4, 8 & 10. For a full 'exploding numerals' experience, I personally prefer the time only display, with Bulletin d'observatoire. Best, Emmanuel ...
...in an immediately identifiable style, and then they suddenly lost their minds. The only nitpick on these is the lack of a shaped movement. But design-wise, they are special...