There are many places I don’t belong. Working in a call centre (tried that, didn’t go well), swimming in a shark cage (no thanks), at the top of a bungee jump (let me tell you something), and you know what? It’s fine.
I don’t have to belong everywhere. I have my lane and for the most part, I’m happy to stay in it. But there are those rare moments where I’m feeling a bit spicy and want to dip a toe outside the boundaries that hold me so close. On occasion, I want to push the limit and become someone completely different. Well, not completely different, I’m still not working in a call centre again, sorry ANZ.
In a broader sense, when you let go of who you think you are, you can achieve things you could have only ever dreamed of, in environments you felt like you would never belong. This can happen to people often (I didn’t use to like raw tomato, but now I do see?), but in brands, not so much. Can you imagine Patek Philippe making a dive watch? Or Tudor making an ultra-thin perpetual calendar. I can't, although you give me a Patek dive watch and I’m jumping into that shark cage head first. A Calatrava with an internal rotating bezel, I've had crazier thoughts.
The list of brands that had the gumption to step outside their comfort zone and start operating in a different lane is short. Apple did it with the iPhone to extreme success. And Ineos, a British chemicals company did it with the Grenadier, an off-road vehicle developed after Land Rover wouldn’t give the founder of the company the rights to keep making it. I love a pissed-off billionaire.
The question is, however. Can a watch brand steeped in tradition and history change lanes and become a contender for the casual everyday wearer? Bovet thinks so.
What Is The Bovet 1822 Recital 12?
Since 1822, Bovet has been known for their intricate, leather strap-adorned watches that are rooted heavily in tradition. In their over 200-year existence, the closest they’ve come to a daily wearer is the Aperto 1 on a hybrid fabric strap. And even though I would absolutely wear it daily, it’s hardly appropriate to be popping to the shops with it on.
The CEO of Bovet knows this and spent two years working on a new watch to appeal to the more casual watch wearers among us. The Récital 12.
As someone who struggles to focus on two things at once, it’s impressive that they did this while creating that absolutely insane Récital 28 Prowess 1. All I can imagine is Pascal Raffy firing up Cerebro from X-Men and hashing out two ideas at once while steam comes out of his ears.
The Bovet Récital 12 is a manifestation of the shift in focus for a brand that can often be seen as purely traditionalist. The world can't get enough of bracelet watches, and Bovet has finally given the people what they want. ‘Welcome to the good life’ as Bovet likes to say.
Is Life As Good As They Say It Is?
Well, we all know I’m the opinionated type so I’ll be honest with you. Yes, but with a condition.
On paper, the Récital 12 looks great. It’s 40mm, the case and bracelet are grade 5 titanium and the movement in the usual Bovet fashion looks incredible. The problem I’m having is that I just don’t know how it will look and feel in context. I have enough trouble judging what titanium is going to be like in person anyway and the context this watch needs to work in is different to what the brand is used to. Commuting to and from work, going to the pub with your mates or signing off on your latest corporate takeover, are all situations this watch needs to excel in. It needs to be comfortable enough to wear every day, subtle enough so you won’t get mugged on your way home and still make you feel special. It’s a difficult task to accomplish and one that becomes more important the less specialised your watches become.
This is an interesting concept, the more your watch is meant to appeal to the masses, the more compromises it has to make. The Récital 28 Prowess 1 doesn’t have to be the most comfortable thing in the world, it just has to be ridiculous, a task it nails with ease. But the Récital 12, on the other hand, has to be many things to many people. It can’t be unforgiving and single-minded and in my eyes, this is more difficult than anything else. You can make complicated watches until the cows come home but the real challenge is making something people can live with every day.
Is Bovet the brand that should be making such a watch? Yeh, why not?
Is the Récital 12 a watch that is objectively good? Absolutely.
Does it work as an everyday companion? Can't answer that.
Do I know where I’m going with these questions? No….
Anyway…
What you want to get out of your $50k watch is ultimately the deciding factor here, there’s a lot to explore.
Let’s Talk About The Bracelet
The biggest point of difference here for Bovet is the bracelet. Proportion wise it reminds me of the delightful bracelet on the Alpine Eagle from Chopard. It has very little taper, finishing to die for and surfaces that make it look more like white gold than titanium. The only thing that makes my eye twitch is the button on the outer surface of the clasp. I assume it’s used for the micro-adjust mechanism, but along with the unbalanced cut lines in the clasp, it feels chaotic. I know everyone likes a micro-adjustable clasp but I would have left it out if it meant I could have a more elegant execution.
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One of the special things about watches like the Alpine Eagle or other high-end bracelet watches is that the clasp almost disappears when it’s on. Look at how the Calatrava Cross lines up perfectly on a Nautilus bracelet. It’s pure art.
An Upside Down Movement
In what can be considered a big brain move from the brand, Bovet has flipped the movement upside down so you can see all of the interesting stuff on the dial side. It’s vertically symmetrical and horizontally asymmetric with the dial shifted to the crown side.
This is the correct way to orient an off-centre dial by the way, next to the crown so you can see it when it peeks out from under the cuff.
Lefties, before you get upset, this could work for both of us. What if that vertical symmetry means it could work whether you wear the watch on the left or the right? Bovet would just have to remove the numerals and the logo and there you have it, an ambidextrous watch, able to be worn on either wrist, with the crown pointing in whatever direction you want. You’re welcome Mr Raffy, I’ll send you the bill.
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The Recital 12 has a seven-day power reserve from a single barrel, and the dial side of the watch houses the balance wheel, gear train and a power reserve indicator. Most importantly though, even though it powers one of the brand's more affordable offerings, the movement still feels very 'Bovet'. The sensual striping on the back curves in a way that's a bit naughty (in a good way) and all of the finishing looks sharp and precise. It has a cool and purposeful vibe with a hint of spice thrown in. It's like a crisp Japanese denim jacket worn with a fishnet singlet underneath.
As for the reference number, I have no idea and frankly, I don’t care (neither should you). This movement is about emotion, not numbers.
I love It, But I Need To Try It On
There’s a lot to talk about with this watch. Being a major departure for a brand that, to me, has heavily entrenched itself in its lane over the last 200 years. It’s a move that will determine the future of a manufacturer that's majorly under appreciated by my generation. Is the Récital 12 Bovet’s Nautilus or Royal Oak? Probably not, but I see that as a good thing. Bovet needs to maintain their identity as a maker of incredible, ornate objects that make you fall in love. Their watches are to be worn with passion and purity.
It can’t have been easy to step out of his comfort zone and create something different and I admire Pascal Raffy for having the guts to do what many lesser company leaders wouldn’t.
Welcome to the good life Pascal.
Cya in the next one.
When I first saw this watch, I messaged Minh at the Bovet boutique in Melbourne to see if he was getting it in, he hopes to, but the more people that bug him about it the better. So send him a message and take me with you when you go and see it! Please?
Update
I recently got hands on with this watch on my tour of the Bovet manufacture in Switzerland and it did not disappoint.
