REXHEP REXHEPI Chronograph Flyback – Stormy Blue Enamel Grand Feu, Platinum

One of the masters of 21st century watchmaking, Rexhep Rexhepi has the watch world’s attention. The RRCCI and RRCCII were both major successes in 2018 and 2022, respectively. The Only Watch Antimagnetique and collaboration with Louis Vuitton, a chiming chronograph with tourbillon, were glimpses into the watchmaker’s mind in recent years. Now, an all-new timepiece from Rexhepi arrives, the Chronograph Flyback with stormy blue Grand Feu enamel dial and platinum case. 

What stands out about this watch, above all else, is how much personality is in so many different layers of the timepiece. The juxtaposition between the ultra-traditional stormy blue grand feu dial to the hyper-modern grey-tinted sapphire subdials is remarkable. The chronograph’s inner-workings observed on the wrist showcase a balancing act between past and future that Rexhep has pursued since the earliest days as a watchmaker. Hours and minutes are displayed at 12 o’clock, chronograph minute at 4 o’clock, and a running second at 8 o’clock, with the central flyback second tying it all together in an aesthetic akin to a regulator. One specific, fascinating aspect of the dial is the hour hand at 12 o’clock – polished with almost indented cut-out. It’s extremely unusual (we’ve never seen it before) and something that may be titled, “the RR hand,” in the future. While the brand’s in-house enamel workshop has been used in the production of the RRCCII in recent years, this is the first timepiece to feature the work of the émailleurs at launch. It’s an impressive testament to REXHEP REXHEPI’s dedication to enhancing its in-house capabilities over the years. 

The contrast between tradition and modernity is as stark through the caseback. Here, Rexhepi has gone his own way with the architecture of the Chronograph Flyback. The bridges are closest to the sapphire crystal caseback, creating structure and order for the intricate mechanics of the chronograph to live beneath. Beyond the beautiful finishing, especially the broad, beveled edges, what really stands out here is the interruption of the Côtes de Genève by a mirror-polished bridge spanning the entire diameter of the movement. It can be interpreted many ways, but this is a very playful act by Rexhepi. Normally, any form of interruption of the Côtes de Genève would be considered unusual at best, but when specifically interrupted by such a wonderfully huge, black-polished bridge, the rules of watchmaking are bent. 320 components, 30 jewels, it’s a masterclass in complicated watchmaking with a contemporary twist. 

Many timepieces focus primarily on the dial and movement. The case is kind of an afterthought. That is not how things are here. Years with Jean-Pierre Hagman have a huge impact on the REXHEP REXHEPI Atelier in the most positive ways. The elongated lugs in the RRCCI and RRCCII return, but the rest of the case is a significant evolutionary step for Rexhepi. 38.8mm in diameter and 9.7mm in thickness, it’s stepped on the bezel, adding both more visual depth as well as great texture for the touch. Composed of 52 components, it rounds out a timepiece that delivers on years of anticipation from watch collectors. 

If this watch is to be “understood,” it must be done through the lens of everything the REXHEP REXHEPI Atelier has become. In-house movement, in-house case, in-house enameling, even in-house straps, the brand occupies an impressive amount of real estate in Old Town Geneva to create timepieces like the Chronograph Flyback. If this is the new foundation for the fully integrated manufacture, then the future is bright as ever.