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Dominique Renaud DR01 Twelve First – A Revolution in Watchmaking
Written by Boris Ivkovic on April 13, 2016 in Magazine, News & Events - No comments
The legendary watchmaker Dominique Renaud is making a huge come-back in the world of horology. Renaud has founded a new watchmaking brand whose first model has the potential to completely revolutionize the world of horology since it introduces a brand new type of escapement. The new watch dubbed DR01 Twelve First will be produced in an extremely restricted issue of dozen pieces of which all will be heavily customized in accordance to the wishes of its prospective buyers. This comes as no surprise since it is rumored that the groundbreaking piece will have a seven figure price tag.
Dominque Renaud is a legendary watchmaker who previously built its reputation as a part of Renaud & Papi duo. After this, the brand was bought by Audemars Piguet in 1992 and subsequently renamed to APRP, Renaud retired while his partner Giulio Papi continued to run the brand as he does to this day.
It seems that Dominque Renaud was not content with his retirement and that he is still eager to make its contribution in the field of chronometry. The first recent news about his come-back was when he played a role as a consultant in the creation of HYT watches, a revolutionary concept that combines mechanical watchmaking with hydraulics.
However, it turns out that the complete return of Dominique Renaud to the grand stage will be with a new brand that will bear his name. The fact that he sees his legacy very seriously is reflected through the new piece which will be the first model in the new brand's offer. The watch which is still a prototype is appropriately named DR01 Twelve First.
This new piece is interesting since it represents an entirely new approach in horology by abandoning the entrenched concept when it comes to the way the wristwatches function. The new piece is ditching the usual Swiss lever escapement with a balance wheel and a hairspring. Instead of this, the new type of regulating organ is based on a blade resonator which in theory has superior qualities when compared to the traditional approach.
The new regulating organ will have smaller amplitude and it will oscillate at a higher rate than it was the case up until now. This way it will successfully battle the problem of friction which is arguably the most important issue with the current concept. Consequently, the new concept with a blade resonator will be more efficient and more accurate. In addition to this, it will also have a much higher power reserve.
Since the watch is still a prototype and it is not fully finished, all of the precise traits of the piece remain unknown, though there are already several rumors which talk about these qualities. As it is hinted, the watch will operate at the frequency of 5 Hz, it will have the opulent power reserve which lasts for two entire weeks, while its price will be at least $1,046,000. However, all of this is still unofficial and unconfirmed.
On the other hand, it is definitely known that the revolutionary movement will consists of cylindrical elements which appear to be floating inside a capsule made of sapphire, as it is shown on the videos that are provided by the manufacturer. Interestingly, the see-through module will also allow the wearer to rotate it in six different positions in order to provide a complete view on the revolutionary caliber. Naturally, the movement will include the finest haute horlogerie finishes. As for the initial functions of the concept piece, it will feature two central hands in addition to the dead seconds complications, which is enabled with the new type of escapement that will Dominique Renaud DR01 Twelve First premiere.