Xhevdet Rexhepi Minute Inerte Complication Explained

quattro · 2025-04-30T10:18:00Z

Explore Xhevdet Rexhepi's Minute Inerte, a luxury watch inspired by Swiss railway clocks. Discover its unique complication, platinum case, and intricate dial design.

quattro

WPS member · Independents forum

15 replies2808 views46 photos

Emmanuel, known as 'quattro' on WatchProSite, offers an in-depth look at Xhevdet Rexhepi's highly anticipated Minute Inerte. This article delves into the watch's unique complication, which draws inspiration from Swiss railway clocks, and explores the intricate design elements of its case, dial, and movement. Emmanuel's detailed presentation, enriched with live photos and videos, provides a comprehensive overview for collectors eager to understand this independent watchmaker's latest creation.

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Xhevdet Rexhepi's Minute Inerte was announced two years ago and the watches are now close to delivery.

Thanks to some collectors who have visited Xhevdet Rexhepi and, more recently, to Mark Kauzlarich on Hodinkee, we now have enough live photos of this watch and its background to attempt a proper presentation.

Best, Emmanuel

A/ THE COMPLICATION

The idea of the "minute inerte" (dead minute) complication is to replicate in a wristwatch the function of a Swiss railway clock that completes a revolution of the seconds hand in 58 seconds and pauses at 60 for 2 seconds at each lap before rocking forward in synchronization with the minute hand.

This first video shows a genuine Swiss railway clock in action:

Swiss railway station clock

And in this video, you can see the watch in action right at the beginning and then again from 9:45 to 10:00 and from 10:50 to 11:00:

Xhevdet Rexhepi: From Cabinetmaker To Master Watchmaker

Finally, here's the railway clock which Xhevdet Rexhepi keeps in his workshop:

credit: Tien Tan aka @tellingthetime

B/ THE CASE & LUGS

The design of the case is inspired by a vintage Ebel pocket watch that Xhevdet Rexhepi picked up from Joël LaPlace.

credit: hodinkee

As you can see, the 38 x 8.5 mm platinum case of the watch has a shape and structure which is very close:

credit: hodinkee & @positaque (last photo)

And, as you can observe here, the stepped lugs are quite long, characterful and curved:

credit: @theydid

C/ THE DIAL & HANDS

The dial is stepped with a matte grainy finishing: 50 pieces will be made in a pastel blue color, plus 10 more in green and 10 last pieces in a yet-to-be-announced color.

The 3, 6, 9, and 12 o'clock hour indexes (6-o'clock doubling as a bridge for the seconds hand) are designed like the keystone that can be found at the top of archways. The other indexes follow the round shape of the inner part of the dial.

The single "1" at 1 o'clock symbolizes the fact that it's Xhevdet Rexhepi's first watch in a series of 12 he plans to make.

The aperture at 6 o'clock displays an essentiel part of the Minute Inerte mechanism and the front side of the mainplate is finished with a brick pattern.

Lastly, the minutes hand has a red tip, whereas the hour hand has a large dot on the end, reminiscent of the red seconds hand of the Swiss railway clock (which itself took inspiration from the batons that train dispatch staff use).

Here's an early drawing of the dial and a sketch of what a keystone is:

credit: hodinkee courtesy of Xhevdet Rexhepi & mayo clinic

D/ THE MOVEMENT

The top plate is decorated with Geneva stripes, whereas the mainplate underneath features a frosted finishing.

The black polished bridges have a keystone shape already found on the dial side.

And, the wonderful and very unique design of the spring click takes its inspiration from the segmental pediments of a room of the Palazzo Grimani in Venice. I absolutely love this detail as well as the general design of the movement.

Here's the spring click (which can clearly be seen above) shot separately, with some photos of the four segmental pediments which inspired it, found in the Tribuna room of the Palazzo Grimani di Santa Maria Formosa (a testament to Xhevdet Rexhepi's deep taste for architecture):

credit: @Xhevdet Rexhepi (1), artsupp (2-5) & wikimedia (6)

E/ THE WATCH ON THE WRIST & IN THE HAND

credit: hodinkee (1-2), @tellingthetime (3-10), @theydid (11-12) & @watchoosy (13-14)

F/ THE WATCHMAKER, HIS DRAWINGS, AN ENLARGED CARPET REPLICA OF THE DIAL(!) & HIS PATEK PHILIPPE PIÈCE ÉCOLE POCKET WATCH

credit: @tellingthetime (1, 3 & 5), hodinkee (2 & 4) & @xhevdet.rexhepi (6)

Key Points from the Discussion

The Minute Inerte's movement design, particularly the spring click inspired by a Venetian pediment, is highlighted as a strong aesthetic point, distinguishing it from other contemporary independent pieces.
The author expresses a personal preference for the Minute Inerte's movement aesthetics over the Chronomètre Contemporain, despite appreciating both watches, noting the 'opened curtains of a theatre' appearance in the latter's movement.
The 'dead minute' complication, replicating the 58-second sweep and 2-second pause of Swiss railway clocks, is a novel and captivating function for many collectors.
The pastel blue dial version on a grey strap is singled out as a particularly beautiful combination, showcasing the watch's elegant simplicity.

The Discussion

netwatches

Apr 30, 2025

Very nice review👏🏻🤩Thanks!

quattro

Apr 30, 2025

Thanks for your enthusiasm!

Best, Emmanuel

Marc Obermann

Apr 30, 2025

Great review and photos of a really beautiful watch.

Personally I have never been aware of this function so it's nice to learn something new and I think this watch whilst quite simple is really quite beautiful too. My favourite is the gorgeous looking blue dial version on the grey strap. Marc

quattro

Apr 30, 2025

Thank you, Marc.

There's something about this watch that I like very much. Given my taste for classic design, I should feel more attracted to his brother Rexhep's Chronomètre Contemporain, and I definitely like this watch very much. But I don't fully respond to the design of the movement, which (to me) looks a bit like the opened curtains of a theatre. I like the design of Xhevdet's Minute inerte's movement much better and I absolutely love the spring click inspired by the Venetian pediment. And I also find the

hora12reborn

Apr 30, 2025

Refreshingly different.

quattro

Apr 30, 2025

A little more than that, for me.

I really find many elements of this watch really well done. Thanks for looking. Best, Emmanuel

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Xhevdet Rexhepi Minute Inerte Complication Explained

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