Retrograde watches take an avant-garde approach to telling the time. A retrograde complication is an indication where the corresponding hand snaps backwards or counterclockwise once it reaches the end, and can be applied to the day, date, month, minutes, seconds, or power reserve — while the latter is popular, retrograde hour and minute complications are more striking due to the frequency with which you can watch the function at work. Due to the hand ‘jumping’ backwards or counterclockwise, watches with retrograde display do not need to indicate information in the typical 360° fashion and can instead use an arc format, making for a visually striking timepiece.
Despite its striking motion, the retrograde complication is not considered an overly profound one, as the general architecture of the movement remains the same. Despite the arc format of information, difference in execution only appears at the display stage, with the mechanism employing a mechanism consisting of cams, rakes, pawls, and springs to enable the relevant hand to instantaneously return to its original position.
Retrograde complications are often paired with jumping-hour complications. As jumping-hour watches often don’t have an hour hand (instead opting for a digital display), the use of a retrograde minutes display can contribute to a more harmonious dial layout.
Related: The Best Jumping Hour Watches Defy Convention
History of retrograde watches
Abraham-Louis Breguet, founder of lauded Swiss manufacture Breguet, was among early adopters of the retrograde complication. In the 18th century, he used retrograde displays for functions such as the date and equation of time before the complication lost its appeal. Vacheron Constantin was also notable for its use of retrograde displays, which it incorporated from the mid-1930s onwards.
Retrograde time displays on linear sector dial watches appeared from the 1970s onwards, with the creation of timepieces like the LIP Secteur which debuted at the Basel Fair in 1973 and the Wittnauer Futurama, which the Swiss-founded brand claimed was the first of its kind (it’s unknown whether this or the LIP version was released first).
The following year, in 1974, the Le Phare Sectora made its debut and was iterated a few times until 1981, when the parent company—Le Phare-Sultana SA—retired the brand and introduced a new name into the market. That brand, Jean d’Eve, sought to reflect a more upscale aesthetic and released several stylish quartz models. The success of its first dew models allowed the brand to return to experimenting with more complicated models, releasing the Jean d’Eve Sectora in 1984. This time, the timepiece featured an asymmetric case with a linear display that went from 0 to 12 o’clock from top to bottom. A smaller women’s version was introduced in 1987.
However, retrograde complications didn’t widely catch on until the early 1990s, when noted Swiss watchmakers rediscovered the allure of the creative display. The likes of Gerald Genta, Roger Dubuis, Franck Muller, and Daniel Roth cemented their status as master watchmakers in part through their retrograde models.
The best retrograde watches in 2024
1. Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Day-Date
This elegant timepiece sees a retrograde complication applied to both the day and date indicators, while the hours and minutes are presented in the conventional format.
Price: $82,500AUD
Model: Patrimony Day-Date
Movement: automatic
Water Resistance: 3ATM
Case Size: 42.5mm
2. Chanel Monsieur
Chanel’s watchmaking division is not to be ignored. The Chanel Monsieur sees a retrograde minutes display complement a jumping hour complication, meaning the minute hand will snap back to zero upon completion of one hour. The opaline dial also houses a small seconds subdial in the centre. It’s powered by the hand-wound calibre 1, which is Chanel’s first in-house movement.
Price: from $69,200AUD
Model: Monsieur
Movement: manual winding
Water Resistance: 3ATM
Case Size: 40mm
3. Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Pont des Amoureux
This haute horology timepiece features both a retrograde hours and minutes display, each on the upper half of the dial. The innovative display sees the hours on the left and the minutes on the right, with a woman standing on a bridge pointing an umbrella at the former and a man at the latter. Moving closer with every passing minute, the retrograde display sees the lovers unite at midnight (and noon), making for a decidedly romantic take on the complication.
Price: $390,000AUD
Model: Lady Arpels Pont des Amoureux
Movement: automatic
Water Resistance: 3ATM
Case Size: 38mm
4. Breguet Tradition Quantième Rétrograde 7597
The Breguet Tradition Quantième Rétrograde 7597 blends contemporary and traditional aesthetics. The open-worked dial features an off-centre hours and minutes subdial at 12 o’clock, as well as a retrograde date display on the button half of the dial.
Price: $64,200AUD
Model: Tradition Quantième Rétrograde 7597
Movement: automatic
Water Resistance: 3ATM
Case Size: 40mm
5. Franck Muller Cintrée Curvex Retrograde Hour Tourbillon
Combining a 220° retrograde hour display with a tourbillon and wrapping it up in a tonneau case, the Franck Muller Cintrée Curvex Retrograde Hour Tourbillon is a timepiece that was made to be seen.
Price: $POA
Model: Cintrée Curvex Retrograde Hour Tourbillon
Related: A Guide To The Different Watch Case Shapes
6. Bovet Récital 21
A perpetual calendar with a retrograde date function, the Bovet Récital 21 is housed inside the manufacture’s signature ‘writing slope’ case. The days and months are displayed in vertical apertures at 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock respectively, while the leap year cycle is displayed in a circular aperture at 3 o’clock. A central subdial displays the minutes and hours, and is encircled by the retrograde date.
Price: $POA
Model: Récital 21
Movement: manual winding
Water Resistance: 3ATM
Case Size: 44.4mm
7. Bulgari Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar
Anything you can do, Bulgari can do thinner. The Italian manufacture applies its ultra-thin watchmaking prowess to the perpetual calendar complication, which features a retrograde date display at 12 o’clock.
Price: $59,000USD (approx. $96,600AUD)
Model: Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar
Movement: automatic
Water Resistance: 3ATM
Case Size: 40mm
Enjoyed this article? Why not check out our Ultimate Guide To Watches here; covering everything from the anatomy of a watch to watch styles and complications.
Words by AR Staff
