PierreDeroche

I love the kinky strap on this watch. Or is it just kinky in style to me? Reminds me of leather goods made to make ladies look good. Perhaps that is the point with a watch such as this that quite capably doubles as a thoughtful accessory and a timepiece. For what the Pierre de Roche GrandCliff Milady watch lacks in clear functionality, it surely makes up for in style.

The large for a ladies watch at 42.5mm wide case is in steel decorated with 64 diamonds, while four more gems inhabit the dial as hour markers. These are the four sapphires you see on the dial whose color match the blued steel hands and the lacing in the white crocodile strap. Inside the watch is a special Dubois Depraz automatic chronograph movement. The watch technically has a 60 minute chronograph, but isn't exactly something that is easy to read on the dial. The movement also has a big date complication. Pierre DeRoche does a really nice job with dial designs. Here the asymmetric display has a combo of satin and guilloche machine engraved surfaces. It makes for a nice look that remind of me a moon being eclipsed. Somewhere between haute horology and jewelry, the GrandCliff Milady watch certainly stands out on its own compared with the competition. Look for it soon.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

This limited edition (just 21 pieces with gold and 201 pieces with steel) watch from Pierre DeRoche is an obvious reaction to the success of the Milus TriRetrograde watch line. The Milus uses three 20 second retrograde counters to indicate the seconds, while the TNT Royal Retro watch from Pierre DeRoche has six separate retrograde counters that count 10 seconds each. The small tapered window in each counter fills with red while that specific counter is activated and operating. There is no specific functional advantage to the look - as it is merely for style. Though, as far as style goes it is one of the most visually interesting novelty complications that I know of.

I am a big fan of the case and dial design of the TNT Royal Retro watch (though I am unsure what is specifically retro about it). The multi-piece construction of the 47.5mm wide case takes titanium, either 18k rose gold or steel, and a plethora of (likely) steel stylized screws to form the handsome case. Most of the case is in satin finished titanium, with the lug and crown structures in what is either gold or steel. It is a fabulously tasteful yet mechanical look.

Inside the watch is a base Dubois Depraz movement modified by Pierre DeRoche, who makes no secret as to how their modifications work (visible through the skeletonized dial on PVD steel). While the functions are simple - being the date and time - the watch has the appearance of offering so much more complication. It is a technically innovative dial design that I don't fear will look dated anytime soon. I also like how the crocodile strap is specially curved at the ends to better form to the case. Click on the "continue reading" link for a video of the Pierre DeRoche TNT Royal Retro watch in action.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.