As AKRIVIA approaches its 10th anniversary, Rexhep Rexhepi is proud to unveil the Chronomètre Contemporain II (RRCC02). As the follow-up to the award- winning Chronomètre Contemporain I of 2018, the RRCC02 is entirely new yet reassuringly familiar. At first glance, the Rexhep Rexhepi Chronometre Contemporain II may easily be mistaken for its predecessor. However, the RRCC02 is the culmination of three years of development and is an entirely new release proudly featuring a new caliberCaliber The caliber ('movement') is the heart and engine of a watch. It consists of a number of interconnected components that work together. Energy is transmitted through the gear train, to the escapement mechanism. The escapement mechanism releases this energy in a controlled manner. This drives the gear train, which ultimately rotates the hands of the watch and keeps time. [More Info].
When thinking back of the RRCCI, the RRCC II is clearly built in the same principles, yet according to Akrivia ‘taken to the next level’. Akrivia states that the RRCC02 preserves “the refined guise of the first edition”, and I would say that is more than accurate. The face of the watch features grand feu enamel again and the dial retains the chapter ring characterised by alternating Roman numerals. Two dial versions have been created: The platinum case is paired with a fired enamel dial in piano black and a white enamel dial is found on the rose gold model.
As per Akrivia “the enamel dial is produced the old-fashioned way – with a skilled hand and a fine paintbrush – and then fired in an oven, a process that has to be repeated several times to achieve the glossy, indelible finish that defines true enamel. Once perfect, the enamel dial is lapped with an abrasive paste to hone the surface until it is almost glassy in its smoothness. One of the subtle refinements of the dial from the first to second generation literally lies in between the two parts – the dial now does away with the gold retaining ring around the seconds register, allowing the sub-dial to join seamlessly with the main section of the dial”.
The RRCC02 caliber boasts an entirely new construction which combines twin barrels and going trains, along with an independently-driven jumping seconds that boasts a hackingHacking Seconds Hacking seconds is a feature found on some mechanical watch movements which allows the wearer to stop the second hand by pulling out the crown. This allows the wearer to set the watch to a precise time. [Learn More] and zero-reset function, all of which are features not found in the original model. One barrelBarrel The barrel is a cylindrical container that holds the mainspring. The barrel is connected to the winding mechanism. The winding mechanism rotates the barrel, which in turn winds the mainspring. [Learn More] supplies energy to the balance wheelBalance Wheel The balance wheel is a component of a mechanical watch movement that oscillates at a consistent rate. It receives a small impulse from the pallet fork, which is part of the escapement mechanism. The balance wheel is connected to a hairspring that controls the rate of oscillation of the balance wheel. The balance wheel and hairspring work together to keep accurate time. The oscillations of the balance wheel drive the timekeeping functions of the watch. The balance wheel is a crucial component of a mechanical watch movement. [Learn More], the beating heart of the watch responsible for keeping the time. And the other drives the jumping seconds, allowing the seconds hand to leap forward crisply in one-second steps without impacting the movement’s precision. This twin-train construction is novel and stands in contrast to the conventional, single-going trainGoing Train The going train is a series of gears that transfer power from the mainspring to the escapement. [Learn More] setup of the first edition.
Dial and caliber are clearly upgraded over the RRCC I, but let’s not forget about the case here. It is worth reminding everyone that Akrivia has one of the coolest partnerships in the industry (the coolest perhaps) with none other than case-maker Jean-Pierre Hagmann. The case is made up of 15 parts, including lugs individually soldered to the case middle, the case has been refined in ways that are significant but subtle over that of the first edition.
CALIBER RRCC II SPECIFICATIONS
The RRCC02 is equipped with twin gear trains and barrels arranged symmetrically, a unique construction that ensures consistent, exact motion of the jumping seconds hand. The dead-beat, or jumping, seconds is driven by a star and flirt, and powered by its own gear train. Since the seconds has its own energy source, the construction eliminates any energy drain on the regulating organs of the movement, resulting in superior chronometry.
Positioned adjacent to the twin barrels, the stop-work mechanism for the barrels takes the form of a black-polished, bar-shaped spring with an integral pawl. The construction was designed to prevent the over-tensioning of the main springs and backlash, while also preserving the pronounced symmetry of the movement. The manufacturing of the components required a substantial degree of handwork due to the use of traditional equipment such as turning lathes and precision milling machines.
The main plateMainplate The mainplate holds all the components of the watch movement together and forms the base of the watch movement. The mainplate is typically made of brass. It serves as the foundation for the movement, and all the gears, wheels, and other components are attached to it. It holds the jewels and pivots in place, and also serves as the base for the bridges and other structural components. [Learn More] and bridgesBridges The bridges of a watch movement are the metal plates that hold the wheels and other components of the movement in place. They are attached to the main plate of the movement with screws. Bridges are used to support the balance wheel, the escapement, the mainspring barrel and other elements. Combined with the main plate they are the foundation of any watch movement. [Learn More] are made of environmentally-friendly, unleaded German silverGerman Silver German silver, also known as nickel silver and Maillechort, is an alloy made up of copper, nickel and zinc. It is called "silver" because of its silver-like color, but it does not contain any silver. It has a distinct color which develops a warm patina over time [Learn More], also known as maillechort, an alloy that boasts ideal mechanical and physical properties, making it the perfect material for functional stability and decorative treatment. The movement is decorated with traditional techniques that are all executed by hand to the highest standards of the traditional Genevan watchmaking. The techniques include: Côtes de GenèveGeneva Striping Geneva Striping is a decorative technique used in the finishing of mechanical watch movements, it's also known as "Côtes de Genève". It is a type of linear graining that involves making small, parallel lines on the surface of movement components, such as the main plate using a specialized tool. [Learn More]; perlagePerlage Perlage is a decorative technique used in the finishing of mechanical watch movements. It is a type of circular graining that involves making small, circular marks on the surface of various movement components, such as the main plate, bridges, and gears, using a specialized tool. The marks are arranged in a uniform pattern and are typically very small and closely spaced. This technique is used to enhance the aesthetic of the movement and it also helps to protect the movement from dust, dirt, and other debris. [Learn More]; circular graining; anglageAnglage Anglage is a decorative technique used in the finishing of mechanical watch movements. It involves beveling, polishing, and chamfering the edges of various movement components, such as the main plate, bridges, and gears, to create a smooth and polished look [Learn More] with polished inward angles; polished countersinks for jewelsJewels Watch jewels are small, synthetic sapphire or ruby bearings that are used in mechanical watches to reduce friction and wear on moving parts. They are typically made from corundum. They are used as bearings for a.o. the pivots to reduce friction. [Learn More] and screws; black-polished steel parts including screws and balance bridgeBalance Bridge The balance bridge holds the balance wheel in place and connects it to the main plate of the movement. It serves as a key support for the balance wheel. [Learn More]. As an example, the quality of finish is illustrated by the wheels of the going trains, which are finished with hand-polished bevels on their spokes and inner edges, resulting in 140 inward angles across the wheels of both trains. All markings on the movement bridges are engraved by hand in a serif font.
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