Revelation Watches: Innovative Dial System

Revelation is the brand founded in 2007 by Anouck Danthe and Olivier Leu who worked in the past for brands like JLC, Audemars Piguet, TAG Heuer or Omega after their industrial designer graduations. Thanks to their solid experience, they decided to create their own brand in order to express the ideas that they personally wanted to support. If press releases were published in 2010, it is actually in 2012 that the Revelation collection becomes a reality.

In fact, rarely a brand name was so well chosen because it perfectly symbolizes the concept behind each watch in the collection. This concept can be described as the faculty of the owner of the watch to discover, to reveal its mecanism without removing it from the wrist. This faculty is made possible thanks to the "Revelation System' that works with  two polarizing disks which by combining totally block or let the light go through. There are two ways to operate this system: either through the opening of the case top (R01 Double Complication) or through a clever mechanism controlled by the notched bezel (R03 Magical Watch Dial). With the polarizing disks, the movement is reveiled behind the time display, completely transforming the watch.

R03 Magical Watch Dial:

The collection is currently composed of 3 watches:

- The R01 Double Complication is equipped with a Tourbillon Manège. This Tourbillon is visible only after the gradual opening of the top,  the watch giving the impression otherwise  to be a simple two hands watch.
 - The R02 Haute Horlogerie is the same watch with the Tourbillon permanently visible.
 - The R03 Magical Dial Watch is a chronograph equipped with the Revelation System operated via the notched bezel.

Personally, it's the system which uses the bezel that I prefer because it allows to wear  the watch without constraint, with the visible movement or not. Actually, it's a little two watches in one proposed by Revelation: depending on the mood, the circumstances, the R03 may appear as a simple Chronograph, or like a watch with a busy dial.

It would be a pity however to focus only on this feature because the horological contents, especially with the R01 and R02 meet our expectations.

The R03 Magical Watch Dial is a watch with a bulky diameter (45 mm).  The shape of the notched bezel facilitates its handling. When the movement is hidden, the dial proposes a very classic and readable presentation  even if the thickness of the hands may interfere with the reading of the minute and hours counter in certain positions. The finishings are very clean and the design quite classical even if I would have preferred Arabic numerals at 12 o'clock: the XII seems slightly out of context when compared with the aesthetics of the subdials. Once the bezel is turned, the watch takes its true dimension and the skeletonized movement appears.

The modular automatic movement consists of an ETA 2892 base  and a Dubois Dépraz skeletonized chronograph module. This is a configuration that I already had the opportunity to see with the Ocean Sport Chronograph by Harry Winston. This is obviously an industrial skeletonisation but its geometric rendering combines pretty well with the general aesthetics of the watch. The dates ring is visible what is a surprise because when the movement is hidden, there is no date display. It would have been perhaps interesting to better highlight the reading of the date when the movement is visible even if everyone can use the mark he wants. Due to the architecture of the module, it is better to keep the date ring.

The work on the steel case is refined, denoting a care  to details as the integration of the pushers and the shape of the horns give the the proof.

The R03 Magical Watch Dial is therefore a rather successful, imposing yet comfortable watch with a chronograph module well highlighted by the Revelation System. This system gives a good overview of its potential.

The R01 and R02 are on another level in a pure mechanical point of view. These two watches are animated by an exclusive Tourbillon Manège handwound movement, entirely designed by the brand.

I must admit that I was particularly impressed by the Tourbillon. Indeed, the cage is fixed to the center of the calibre so that it runs over the dial to do its rotation per minute. Given the size of the regulating organ a massive counterweight was  necessary in order to balance the whole. The visual rendering is both attractive and original, only perhaps the AstroTourbillon de Cartier can evoke some similarities. The size of the counterweight and of the  regulating organ gives a very powerful feeling to this Tourbillon which looks like a crossbow. I like this idea, Tourbillons referring generally to delicacy and lightness.

The energy required for the running of this Tourbillon is in fact considerable: 4 cylinders in series were required to get a 48 hours power reserve with a 3 Hz frequency and a regular behaviour.

The dial is particularly animated because behind the Tourbillon, the rotation of the second wheel located at 12 o'clock, can be observed. Its anti-clockwise rotation brings a pretty dynamic on the dial as opposed to the rotation of the Tourbillon cage.

Without a doubt, the show meets my expectation and it is almost natural that my heart tends towards the R02 rather than to the R01. Indeed, it is logical to think that it is better to take advantage of this ballet permanently because with the R01, the case top must be opened to enjoy the kinematics of the Tourbillon. There is however one magic side on the R01. Thanks to the trigger at 6 o'clock, the case top is released. Thanks to its slowly opening  and raising movement,  the light progressively hits the movement which becomes visible like if it is illuminated with the rising sun. The choice is ultimately between two ways to enjoy the movement: The subtle and delicate R01 approach or the direct and immediate approach of  the R02.

R01 and R02 finishings are obviously more qualitative than on the R03 because the context is much more favourable. By turning over both Tourbillon Manège watches, we discover  the barrels and the gear train bridges, whose geometric shapes define more than 32 interior angles for a total exceeding 50.

The R01 and RO2 share in common with the R03 the large size of their cases (45 mm). This size has not bothered me in this specific context, because it allows to create an ideal setting for the animation of the Tourbillon. The thickness is rather contained (14 mm) for watches with volume effects that can be felt. I was expecting thicker cases, so it is a good point.

My only reproach is the presence on the glass of the text "produced and assembled in Switzerland" which is not necessary on the R02 while it would be better to totally free the view on the Tourbillon. Nothing too serious however and with the R01, the text balances the dial when the movement is hidden.

The R01 is produced in limited edition of 15 pieces per type of materials: black PVD titanium, yellow gold, rose gold and black pvd and white gold. The R02 enters permanently the collection even if due to the technical specifications, the production will remain limited.

Revelation for me was a very good surprise discovered during the Salon QP. The possibilities offered by the game of polarizing disks seem large and if the future complications are as relevant and well-executed than the Tourbillon Manège, Revelation could sustainably make audible its uniqueness within the watchmaking concert. I also hope that the system through the crown can be adapted on the Tourbillon Manège watches because the complication deserves it.

Thanks to the Revelation team for its warm welcome during the Salon QP 2012.