The Rául Pagès Régulateur à Détente RP1 (Specs & Worth)

Wristwatches with detent escapements are few and much between, primarily as a result of complexity of their development, regulation and fragility. It’s thought-about a pinnacle within the artwork of precision chronometry, nonetheless, and as such serves as inspiration for some extremely expert watchmakers in the “indie” scene. This extremely technical innovation was developed within the 18th century and was largely utilized in marine chronometers. Now, effectively over 250 years after being offered, it emerges as soon as extra by the hand of Rául Pagès and his spectacular Régulateur à Détente RP1.

Rául Pagès is a reputation not everybody can be aware of, however he’s an knowledgeable impartial watchmaker, designer and artist primarily based in Switzerland. He has been working as a restorer of historic masterpieces following his schooling in watchmaking. By 2012 Rául Pagès determined it was time to embark on his personal watchmaking quest, and offered the Tortue Automaton, made solely by hand. This was adopted by the Soberly Onyx in 2016, his first wristwatch, and now the Régulateur à Détente RP1.

Earlier than we get into the technical particulars concerning the detent escapement, let’s undergo the watch’s habillage first. Simply because the Soberly Onyx, the Régulateur à Détente RP1 (or RP1 in brief) appears comparatively easy from the surface. The 39.5mm extensive and 10.9mm tall metal case exhibits a mixture of satin-finished and polished surfaces. The lugs are connected to the center case with bevelled and polished screws. On high, there’s a sophisticated bezel with sapphire crystal.

The dial is impressed by Le Corbusier and exhibits a refreshing mixture of textures and hues. Being a regulator, we already know the show for the time can be unfold throughout three separate indications. From high to backside we have now the hour show, then the central minutes indication, adopted by the small seconds at 6 o’clock. Every indication has its personal distinct design. The hours, as an illustration, are indicated on a raised ring with diamond-polished bevels. The minute hand follows a cantilevered chapter ring on the perimeter of the dial. And lastly, the small seconds are indicated by a hand revolving over a light-blue recessed subdial.

The RP1’s motion is constructed, regulated and completed virtually solely in-house. The hand-wound calibre makes use of what’s often called a detent escapement. With out going into too many particulars, this kind of escapement was developed to extend chronometric precision in timing devices and was first offered by Pierre Leroy in 1748. Primarily utilized in maritime chronometers, the detent escapement could be very hardly ever seen in the present day however stays probably the most correct to this present day.

Whereas not related in development, the precept is akin to City Jurgensen’s 1140C detent escapement. For nearly its total cycle, the stability wheel swings forwards and backwards uninterrupted. The one “interference” with its oscillations is the second of impulse, which happens solely as soon as per cycle as an alternative of twice in a Swiss Lever escapement. A really skinny blade spring with a locking pallet is used to carry the escape wheel in place. This profit to chronometric precision additionally comes with a disadvantage; low shock resistance. To stop the escape wheel from tripping on account of a sudden shock, the detent is provided with a beak that rests on the curler.

Your complete motion, comprised of 171 parts has been completed to Haute Horlogerie requirements and may be admired by the sapphire crystal caseback. As talked about, virtually every thing is completed by hand, even the fragile detent unlocking spring (0.02mm thick). Working at a frequency of 18,000vph, it supplies a operating time of 47 hours.

The Rául Pagès Régulateur à détente RP1 comes with two leather-based straps, one in black and one in beige with gentle blue stitching. Each comes with a tool-free elimination system and an engraved chrome steel pin buckle. The worth of the watch can be CHF 85,000 excl. taxes. Manufacturing isn’t restricted in numbers however Rául Pagès can produce solely about 4 to five watches a yr.

For extra data, please go to PagesWatches.com.