exhep Rexhepi’s watchmaking has always reflected his reverence for chronometry, particularly of the type embodied by the precision timepieces crafted in Geneva, his adopted home city. This philosophy is expressed in his signature creations, the Chronomètre Contemporain I (RRCC I) and Chronomètre Contemporain II (RRCC II).

For Only Watch 2023, Rexhep Rexhepi remains true to his vision with the Chronomètre Antimagnétique. A wristwatch reflecting Rexhep Rexhepi’s creativity and skill, the Chronomètre Antimagnétique is a precision timekeeper featuring with a hand-finished movement protected from magnetism by a Faraday cage.

His unique creation is both a tribute to historical antimagnetic chronometers and a practical timekeeper designed for modern life, where electronic devices that generate powerful magnetic fields are omnipresent.

Importantly, the Chronomètre Antimagnétique is not simply a magnetism-resistant version of the RRCC I or RRCC II. Instead, it is equipped with an all-new movement developed from scratch in the Atelier Akrivia located in Geneva’s Old Town. Among the calibre’s notable features is the indirectly-driven central seconds hand with a zero-reset function.

The optimistic, post-war era of the 1950s saw humanity break new boundaries in the exploration of the Earth, particularly in the polar regions where the planet’s magnetic field is the strongest, as well as in science, with the commissioning of the first civilian nuclear-power plant.

These scientific endeavours inspired Geneva’s greatest watchmakers to create magnetism-resistant timepieces for explorers and scientists. Rexhep Rexhepi devised the Chronomètre Antimagnétique in keeping with this tradition of refined, functional chronometers made in Geneva.

Like the great historical chronometers that emphasised function over form, the Chronomètre Antimagnétique features a non-magnetic stainless steel case – one of the rare handful of cases in the resilient metal made by the workshop of Jean-Pierre Hagmann (JPH).

And even within JPH’s diverse repertoire spanning decades, the case of the Chronomètre Antimagnétique stands apart as unique. As expected for a fine chronometer, the case is classically shaped with elegant details, while the seemingly ordinary case back bears an engraving that echoes the dial design.

But the case back is actually an outer screw-down back that can be removed by the wearer to reveal a second, sapphire back underneath. A discreet flourish known only to the owner, this double-case back construction protects the movement from magnetism, while allowing the beauty of the movement to be admired.

Within the stainless steel case is a Faraday cage formed by a movement ring and dial made of ferritic stainless steel. The cage protects the movement from magnetic fields that a wristwatch is often exposed to in daily life. The hands are solid gold, as is the pallet lever of the escapement.

Protected by clear varnish to prevent oxidisation, the solid-silver dial of the Chronomètre Antimagnétique is inspired by the “scientific” dials of historical chronometers. But its design is also a subtle nod to the basis of the watch: the alternating blocks along the hour scale are an abstract representation of the opposite polarities of a magnetic field.

The dial is traditionally finished, like the dials of the finest mid-century timepieces. The process begins with engraving the requisite markings on the silver dial base. The engraving is then filled with gold enamel and fired in an oven, permanently fusing the enamel to the dial to create indelible, fade-resistant markings.

And on the dial are solid gold hands for the hours, minutes, and seconds – all made by hand, naturally.

With its symmetry and perfect finish, the Chronomètre Antimagnétique calibre is instantly recognisable as a Rexhep Rexhepi movement. But beyond the aesthetics, the calibre is also distinguished by an innovative construction.

The centrally located balance wheel is not simply a question of styling, but a carefully considered choice that preserves visual balance while accommodating the auxiliary gear train that drives the central seconds hand. This gear train is driven by the second wheel and culminates in a gear positioned at the centre of the movement that performs one revolution per minute, thus driving the seconds hand.

But on closer inspection, a heart-shaped cam is visible just above the gear and on the same axis. Operating in a similar manner as the reset cam in a chronograph, this heart-shaped cam is responsible for the instant return of the seconds hand to 12 o’clock as soon as the crown is pulled out to set the time.

The zero-reset mechanism in the Chronomètre Antimagnétique is unlike those in the RRCC I and RRCC II. Instead it incorporates an “all-or-nothing” system that stops the balance wheel and resets the seconds hand in a single, crisp motion. Pulling the crown triggers a hammer that pushes the heart-shaped cam, which resets the seconds hand to 12 o’clock. Pushing the crown back in returns the clutch lever, freeing the balance to oscillate and consequently allowing the movement to run. This system enables the seconds hand to start instantly and without any lag when the crown is pushed back in, ensuring a precise setting and synchronisation of the time.

In typical Rexhep Rexhepi style, the entire movement is executed with finesse and skill, particularly in respect to the decoration. The seconds reset hammer, for example, is crafted in steel and then black polished to a perfect mirror finish.

Notably, the reset hammer, springs, and all other steel parts in the movement are made of stainless steel, a first for Rexhep Rexhepi. Although stainless steel is more challenging to decorate than the high-carbon steel traditionally used for movement components, the stainless alloy eliminates the potential for oxidisation within the movement, while also improving the non-magnetic properties of the movement.

Despite the difficulty in finishing stainless steel, all steel components in the movement are decorated to the same degree as conventional steel components in other Rexhep Rexhepi movements. The masterful decoration of the stainless steel components is exemplified by the black-polished bridge for the central wheel that drives the seconds hand.

The beating heart of the movement, on the other hand, is the metallurgical opposite of stainless steel. The escapement is equipped with a 14-carat gold anchor, another reference to historical timekeepers, since the metal was often used for the escapement in haute horlogerie chronometers. This tiny but crucial component encapsulates the philosophy of Rexhep Rexhepi: functional yet precious, and always perfectly finished.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

MOVEMENT

• In-house, manually-wound movement
• Hours, minutes and central seconds. Hacking, zero-reset seconds for precise time setting.
• Gold wheels. Movement construction and materials specifically chosen for magnetism resistance.
• Mainspring made from a corrosion-resistant alloy that is also non-magnetic.
• Winding mechanism incorporates a pawl to prevent over-winding of mainspring while ensuring optimal chronometry.
• Casing-up Ø: 30 mm
• Height from bridges to main plate / from bridges to hands : 5.8 / 8.1 mm

NUMBER OF COMPONENTS

• 239 components in total

JEWELS

• 25 jewels

REGULATOR

• 15-tooth Swiss lever escapement with an in-house, shock-resistant balance (Ø 10.4 mm) with regulating screws.
• Anchor in gold with ruby pallets. Hairspring with Breguet terminal curve.
• Fixed banking pins for the escapement.

FREQUENCY

• 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)

POWER RESERVE

• Single barrel with a minimum power reserve of 72 hours (three days)

DECORATION

• All components, visible and non-visible, are entirely finished by hand to the highest level in keeping with the traditions of Geneva watchmaking.
• Techniques employed include anglage, black polishing, perlage, Côtes de Genève, and hand engraving. Spokes and inner edges of wheels are bevelled by hand. Bridges and plates are made of lead-free German silver for both superior finishing and environmental consciousness.

CASE

• The case is made up of 30 components including a pair of sapphire crystals on the front and back.
• Constructed with a glazed, fixed inner back and a ferritic stainless-steel ring around the movement.
• The movement ring, case back, and dial plate form a Faraday cage that protects the movement against magnetism.
• The screw-down outer case back can be removed with a specially designed key, allowing the wearer to admire the movement and its hand finishing.

DIMENSIONS

• Ø 38 mm x 9.90 mm (excluding sapphire crystals)
• Lug-to-lug measurement (length): 48 mm
• Width between lugs: 20 mm

TIME DISPLAY

• Hours, minutes, and central seconds

HANDS

• Three hands of stainless steel

WATER RESISTANCE

• 3 ATM (30 metres)

BRACELET

• Leather with pin buckle