Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The New Bradley Taylor Ardea, With Retrograde Seconds Indication
Expanding horizons through refined complexity.
Our search for the most intriguing artisanal, independent watchmakers takes us to the far corners of the world. While the majority is still in or around Switzerland, we regularly take virtual excursions to Japan, Scandinavia, the Netherlands, and beyond. Back in 2021, we introduced you to Bradley Taylor, an upcoming, talented watchmaker based in Vancouver, Canada. He made his debut with the Paragon, a beautifully finished time-only watch with a guilloché dial. Following the Lutria in 2022, he now returns to the spotlight with his first complication watch. Although subtle in execution, the Bradley Taylor Ardea takes what we know and love and adds a refined Retrograde Seconds display.
Similar to its predecessors, the Ardea comes in a relatively modestly sized case, measuring 37.5mm in width and 10.9mm in height (9.2mm excluding the crystal, even). Available in either stainless steel or platinum, Ardea’s case is fully polished so as not to distract from the dial and movement too much. At first glance, it might look a touch simple, but it entices with an elegant profile. Around the back, the caseback is fixed in place with Bradley Taylor’s trademark square-slotted screws.
For the dial, Bradley Taylor sticks to his familiar, beautifully simplified style. A solid sterling silver base is depletion gilded to a pure silver tone, and then coated with clear Zapon lacquer to achieve a rich and elegant silvery-white finish. The applied markers are done in platinum, which I can’t recall having seen before. On the outer perimeter, a 36-scallop rosette, made on a rose engine lathe, adds a touch of drama and craftsmanship, which is repeated for the retrograde seconds insert, but here with a slightly more pronounced wave-like pattern. The in-house-made hands are a thing of beauty again, made from a special Japanese steel alloy, with a distinct shape and a violet heat-annealed finish.
Where Bradley Taylor’s previous watches used a movement sourced from Vaucher, which was then highly decorated, the Ardea turns the page on this front as well. Using select components like the pinions, escapement, hairspring and mainspring from the Omega 30T2 family of movements, the rest is made and finished in-house. For instance, the balance wheel is made of grade 5 titanium and fitted with platinum eccentric timing screws, which are made by Bradley Taylor himself.
The movement itself is called Calibre 475RS, in reference to the 4.75mm height (or 13¾ lignes) and the fact that it displays Retrograde Seconds. Wound by hand, the maximum power reserve is about 40 hours, and the finishing is rather sober yet lovely, with frosted plates and bridges, polished bevels and jewel sinks and a mix of graining, brushing and polishing elsewhere.
The Bradley Taylor Ardea is presented on a Beaver Tail leather strap, which is fitted to a pin buckle that matches the material of the case. The box in which it comes is made by hand out of aluminium and leather, and only 50 will be made in total, regardless of the selected material. The production is limited to 50 to 10 pieces per year only, and the first year of allocations is already spoken for. However, if you’re eager to get one, reservations are available from 2028 onwards. The price is set at USD 62,000 in stainless steel, or USD 82,500 for the platinum case.
For more information, please visit BradleyTaylor.ca.
1 response
Somehow, this seems like a reasonable price. I will never, ever be able to afford something like this, especially if 2026 continues a downward spiral, but if I could, I’d strongly consider this one.
My only question is about a retrograde seconds snapping back 1,440 times a day. Is this a durability concern? Asking from a place of ignorance about how these things work at the micro-engineering level.