The Best on the Back, Seven More Watches with Drop-Dead Gorgeous Movements

Continuing on from last week’s Just Because story showcasing a selection of the most tantalising backsides, we revisit the topic to show you some more of the finest movements we’ve seen in our year-round watch journey. We bring together watches from indies, as well as established brands, for the sheer joy of looking at the mechanics through a sapphire crystal. And the beauty is that each and every single one has a unique appeal, either because of its complexity, originality or finishing details. So for your enjoyment, here are seven more absolutely drop-dead gorgeous casebacks!

Kallinich Claeys Einser Zentralsekunde Voyager

Kallinich Claeys, founded by a young duo from Glashütte, made a stellar impression with their debut watch, the Einser Zentralsekunde. When we got to see the prototype live during one of our trips to the region, we were simply blown away. Developed from scratch, finished to an insane level, and featuring some very clever and original details, it… is… a masterpiece! This year’s Einser Zentralsekunde Voyager showcases a new and fascinating design for the dial, inspired by Dresden’s astronomy heritage. But, as ever, we can just get lost in that German Silver movement with all its depth and detail! Only 20 will be made, all in white gold, for a price of EUR 49,800 (excl. VAT).

For more details, check out our hands-on story here.

Montblanc 1858 Split-Seconds Chronograph

The Montblanc 1858 Split-Seconds Chronograph is a true beauty, with its deep burgundy dial, crisp white markings, fluted gold bezel and so on. And it only gets better on the inside, as Montblanc’s in-house Calibre MB M16.31 is a true marvel of construction. A total of 287 individual components make up a mechanical micro city, capable of splitting seconds at the push of a button. Inspired by Minerva’s pocket watch calibre 19-09 CH from 1909, the generously sized movement fills the entire case. Everything is produced and hand-decorated to Haute Horlogerie standards in the old Minerva manufacture in Villeret. It is limited to 100 pieces and retails for EUR 55,000.

For more details, check out our hands-on review here.

Gerald Genta Minute Repeater

At first glance, the Gerald Genta Minute Repeater might be mistaken for a very elegant time-only wristwatch, and you’d even be forgiven for that. Revealing only hours and minutes on the black Onyx dial, it’s the discreet slider on the left that gives away its rather audible secret. The soft cushion-shaped case is lovely and compact at just 40mm across and 9.6mm in height, despite housing a complex minute repeater movement by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. The whole watch effortlessly oozes tons of class, and the details in the movement are simply astonishing. Worn on a black sheep leather strap, only 10 will be made per year, for a price of CHF 320,000 before taxes.

For more details, check out our hands-on write-up here.

Nicolas Delaloya Renaissance Tantalum 39mm

Ultra-classic with presence, that is perhaps the best way to describe Nicolas Delaloye’s Renaissance Tantalum 39mm watch. The name fits perfectly, as it marks Delaloye’s return to independence after a long period of working as a watchmaker-restorer at Patek Philippe. The case is in Tantalum, as you might have guessed, and measures 39mm in width. The dial comes in black or ivory and is a masterclass of detailed simplicity.  It’s also a beautiful contrast against the superb handmade Calibre ND01, which is wound by hand. We’re talking German Silver bridges, hand-chamfered edges, a black-polished swan-neck regulator and so on. Limited to 24 pieces, it is priced at CHF 45,000 excl. VAT.

For more details, check out our hands-on encounter here.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo Chronograph RD#5

On the more technical innovation side of things, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo Chronograph RD#5 is one of this year’s true highlights. Not only does it present a radical rethink of the chronograph mechanism, with a retrograde-based system with a heart-shaped cam to release and reset the chronograph indications, but it also wowed us with its complex and modern movement design. It is surprisingly thin, at only 4mm in height and set into an 8.1mm case. Regulated by a dial-side one-minute flying tourbillon, it’s the backside that gets us lost in thoughts and admiration, with its many bridges, cams, levers and wheels. Audemars Piguet will make only 150 of them, but the tech will surely turn up in other watches. The price is set at CHF 260,000.

For more details, check out our hands-on deep-dive here.

Raúl Pagès RP2

As the winner of the inaugural Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives, Raúl Pagès has been on everyone’s radar. And rightfully so, as it’s watches like the RP1 and RP2 that get us really excited. The RP2 is Pagès’ sophisticated yet subtle take on the classic time-only watch, showing only hours, minutes and small seconds. And things only get better when you turn to the backside. Three finger bridges cascade from the top movement-crossing bridge down to the large balance wheel, held in place with an openworked cock to see as much as possible. There’s the moustache-like anchor, the click spring integrated into the barrel, and ample amounts of hand-finishing. Truly lovely stuff! Only 50 will be made over a 5-year period, costing CHF 89,000.

For more details, check out our hands-on story here.

Louis Vuitton x Kari Voutilainen LVKV-02 GMR 6

You can’t talk about gorgeous movements and not mention the Finnish master, Kari Voutilainen. Teaming up with Louis Vuitton, he pulled out all stops with the LVKV-02 GMR 6. This meeting of two powerhouse names uses LV’s Escale as a base, but in Tantalum, and features Voutilainen’s signature style on the dial and movement. Both are intricately decorated with colourful miniature-painted flags, used to identify owners’ LV trunks back in the day, and much, much more. The movement itself is a lust for the eyes thanks to a black polished balance bridge, hand-bevelled edges, polished jewel sinks and so on. Plus, it’s a GMT movement with power reserve and day/night indication, too! Only 5 will ever be made, at a price of EUR 550,000 each.

For more details, check out our hands-on explanation here.