Swiss watchmaker Bovet launches its limited edition Recital 26 Brainstorm® Chapter Two with the iconic sapphire ‘writing slope’ case, double-face flying tourbillon, world time, second time zone, and moonphase, a triumph of watchmaking.

The sapphire sloping case of the Bovet Recital 26 Chapter Two allows for easy visibility of the domes

Coming on the heels of the Récital 26 Brainstorm® Chapter One (which was launched at SIHH in 2019, with its iconic ‘sloping’ sapphire case that lets you see the time from every angle, Mr Pascal Raffy, owner of the House of Bovet 1822, and the skilled artisans of the House of Bovet have just unveiled the Récital 26 Brainstorm® Chapter Two. This timepiece, a real showpiece of the exquisite workmanship of the House of Bovet, also comes in the trademark ‘sloped writing’ case invented by Mr Raffy, and features Bovet’s patented Double-sided flying tourbillon, a second-time zone with a twenty-four city disc, a precision moon phase, all with the chronometry of five days power reserve.

Artistry in Haute Horlogerie

Since 1822, the House of Bovet has been a leader in the fields of decorative arts, chronometry, mechanical ingenuity, and innovation. Much is to be said of Bovet’s craftsmen, with their respect for the tradition of Haute Horology, and the care they take in the smallest of details, which have culminated in Bovet's exceptional, high-end watchmaking. The Brainstorm® Chapter Two, which embodies this ethos of watchmaking, has been in the making for four years at the House's technical office and prototype watchmakers’ office. And the craftsmen of the House of Bovet have integrated technicality, watchmaking art, and innovation into this gem of Haute Horlogerie.

Pascal Raffy, himself a passionate watch collector, has chosen to limit the number of timepieces crafted annually to only 800 timepieces. With the collector in mind, Mr. Raffy redefines true luxury by creating all of its components in the Bovet's Swiss workshops, using artisanal processes, and adding the concept of exclusivity.

An Unique Architecture

The 47.8 mm Brainstorm® Chapter Two is the second timepiece in the Bovet collection to be fitted with a sapphire crystal case in the emblematic writing case with an asymmetrical profile imagined by Mr. Pascal Raffy in 2016. The name Brainstorm no doubt came from the many hours spent on creating the asymmetrical ‘writing sloping’ case out of the crystalline transparent sapphire, the second hardest precious stone, after the diamond. The slope of its bezel allows the collector to explore new display mechanisms that guarantee intuitive and increased readability. Concentric rollers, rotating domes, and three-dimensional needles are used to express time in new ways. The protected design of the writing case opens up new horizons in terms of the very architecture of the movements, by optimizing the volume which simultaneously increases the functionalities offered, the chronometry, the reliability, and the readability.

The Bovet Recital 26 Brainstorm Chapter Two has a case back in titanium

The collector will discover the complexity of precious watchmaking mechanics from a new angle where the decorative arts illuminate the third dimension in a vision previously unexplored.

The back is made up of a bezel and four horns machined from grade 5 titanium. The sapphire crystal case opens generously to display the movement which has many secrets to reveal. To optimize transparency and ergonomics, the watchmakers of the House of Bovet decided to fix the movement at the bottom rather than inside the middle, as is usually the case. A choice they had already successfully experimented with building the luminous OttantaSei Tourbillon in 2016 and the Récital 26 Brainstorm® Chapter One in 2019. The Chapter One has been awarded numerous distinctions, and its distinguished predecessor, the Recital 22 Grand Recital took home the Aguille d’Or Grand Prix at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Geneve in 2018.

With its stunning three dome and a double tourbillon design, Bovet's Recital 26 Brainstorm Chapter Two lets you see the seconds with an index on the tourbillon itself

Bovet’s Engineering Brilliance

The caliber for this Brainstorm® Chapter Two is entirely manufactured in the Bovet 1822 workshops and is the result of a new design. Absolute control of energy guarantees an autonomy greater than five days of power reserve by the use of a single barrel, which maintains the oscillations of the regulating structure at a frequency which has been increased to the frequency of 21,600 v/h for spectacular chronometry, enhanced by the patented double-sided flying tourbillon.

The information provided by this new caliber is displayed consistently in the volume of the case. A dome dial, available in a choice of blue or green translucent quartz or blue aventurine glass, displays the hours and minutes of local time in the upper part of the case. The seconds are read by an index fixed on the tourbillon, itself, placed at 6 o'clock which makes a complete revolution, in 60 seconds. Finally, two rotating domes placed, respectively, at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock harmoniously complete the shaping.

Carrying the names of 24 cities, a dome located at 3 o'clock, displays a second time zone (it’s subject to a patent). The names of the 24 cities representing the 24 time zones are printed on the rotating part of the dome which makes a complete revolution, by scanning the 24-hour graduation of the base ring. A three-dimensional V-shaped needle allows the collector to select the displayed time zone. This clever and innovative combination, united with the dome, allows optimal readability, despite the reduced diameter of the entire display. In addition to a second time zone display, this new display also offers the world time function, which allows the time in each of the 24 time zones to be read simultaneously.

In perfect symmetry, the moon phase indicator positioned at 9 o'clock is also represented by a rotating dome. The surface of the lunar ground is engraved by hand before luminescent material is applied by hand. The two circular windows which overhang the dome let one read the age of the moon according to the specific orientation of its crescent, whether one is in the northern hemisphere or the southern hemisphere of the earth. The precision mechanism that drives this dome gives it an accuracy that requires a correction of one day every 127 years!

The domes of the second time zone and the moon phase rotate by the patented mechanism of the radial guidance system. Three rollers, in rubies adjustable by a micrometric screw, are arranged on the circumference of each dome. They ensure centering and the rotation minimizes friction, therefore freeing the interior volume of the globes, which increases the chronometry and the power reserve of the timepiece.

The five day power reserve indicator of the Bovet Recital 26 Brainstorm Chapter Two is located between the two strap lugs

The five days of the phenomenal autonomy of this combination of great complications are displayed by an indicator, subtly, positioned in the middle of the case between the two strap lugs. A position that gives full meaning to the use of the sapphire crystal case. The indicator index runs linearly, while its engraving is gradually directed on the edge of the movement. The timepiece is water resistant to 30 m, and comes with an alligator-skin strap and 18 k white gold buckle.

Excellence and exclusivity guaranteed

Such a level of excellence can only be achieved at a certain scale. Therefore, a total of only 60 movements will be produced for the Brainstorm® Chapter Two. They will be distributed among the 47.8mm-diameter sapphire case, limited to 30 timepieces, with a choice of blue quartz, green quartz, or blue aventurine glass dial, by respective limited editions of 10 timepieces. As usual, collectors may order bespoke timepieces (that is where the rest of the 30 movements will go). Regardless, no more than 10 of any single style made from these 60 movements will be crafted.