For the more individualistic collector of exemplary Haute Horlogerie, the Androgyne Light Blue Rose Gold by independent watch company Manufacture Royale is a quite magnificent piece with a lot of character, which is distinctive in its appearance, elaborate in its construction and beautiful in its hand crafted execution.

Inspired by the life and legend of one of the great seventeenth century French philosophers and entrepreneurs, Voltaire created the Manufacture Royale company in 1770, providing opulent trinkets and horologic masterpieces to the elite of Europe’s high society. Confined to the history books for almost 250 years, that historic name made its return in 2010, in unmistakable style, and complete with the flamboyant expression of fine luxury intact.

The Manufacture Royale Androgyne Light Blue Rose Gold is a stunning hand manufactured watch which characterises the uncompromising and individual approach to watchmaking by this special independent watch company, where watches are meticulously crafted in small numbers, and styled with a unique flair which makes them highly distinctive and truly unlike any others.

A complex multi-part case in polished 18Kt rose gold combines sculpted tubular limbs which straddle the round central body of the watch, which houses the mechanism with twelve screw heads embedded into the bezel, which as well as being decorative, also double as hour indices. With articulated lugs the fit of this piece, which measures 43mm across, is comfortable and snug on practically all wrist sizes.

Sandwiched in between two sapphire crystals, the skeletonised movement features blued plates and bridges, in a three dimensional perspective of this stunning mechanism, accentuated even more by the with the hypnotic rhythmic rotation of the tourbillon, which is suspended in isolation at the six o’clock position, and provides the animated heartbeat to the mechanical display. Underneath, fine bridges and pared back plate elements ensure an unrestricted view of the components within, and the gear train, winding mechanism and exposed barrel spring contrast against the blue DLC treatment of the holding architecture.

As with every other part of this special watch, the hand winding MR02 movement which powers the Manufacture Royale Androgyne Tourbillon has been produced in house, and finished by hand. The tourbillon is suspended beneath the three-quarter plate, and so it rotates in a sixty second cycle seemingly unconnected to the rest of the movement. Beating at 21’600vph it has an impressive power reserve of at least 108 hours when fully wound.

A piece with immense presence and character, from its very own corner in the world of independent haute horlogerie, the Manufacture Royale Androgyne Origine Tourbillon Light Blue Rose Gold is presented on a brown alligator leather strap with 18Kt pin buckle.