The Low Down

First released last year, the Bovet 1822 Virtuoso VIII Chapter Two is a whole lot of watch — a design that blends the best of old and new, and offers a stunning tourbillon that is large and very much in charge. This year Bovet has taken this initial offering and given it a dark desirable aesthetic makeover that really shines when the lights go out.

IMHO

The Bovet 1822 Virtuoso VIII Chapter Two is a modern take on Bovet’s patented large tourbillon, big date and hefty power reserve combination. And while the fundamentals of the calibre remain unchanged, their presentation has, in more ways than one.

First of all, the distinctive Fleurier case, 44mm with the pocket-watch-esque design, is now in titanium, with a brilliant black DLC coating to keep the entire package looking lean and mean. There’s also a suite of new dials — all limited to eight pieces.

And while these new features show a more modern, dynamic side of Bovet, don’t sleep on the virtuosity of the movement itself. We’ve already mentioned the power reserve, which is drawn from a single barrel. Thanks to a patented gearing system, cranking the watch up to full charge requires roughly half the number of winds than other watches with comparable reserves. The big date is also impressive for the size of the display and the relative compactness of the components, but also for the quick date adjustment achieved by pressing the sapphire on the crown.

The combination of Bovet’s peerless mechanics with an edgy and future-looking aesthetic makes this a true reimagining of an already masterful piece of watchmaking.

Tech Specs

Movement: Caliber 17BM06-GD, hand-wound, 10 days power reserve, hours, minutes, seconds on flying tourbillon, big date and power reserve indicator

Case and dial: Fleurier case, 44mm, titanium, water-resistant to 30M, dials in green, blue, yellow, purple and salmon depending on reference

Strap: Alligator leather

Price & availability: Limited to 8 pieces per dial variant;, CHF 200,000

More information: bovet.com