Last year, Europa Star was the first to present a very innovative movement, the EPM01, that was being developed by the Emile Pequignet brand. Our article evoked the passion and determination of one man, Didier Leibundgut, the owner of Pequignet, to develop his amazing movement. Now, this new calibre is equipping the brand’s new collections, and has taken on the name of Calibre Royal. First presented in the form of a prototype at BaselWorld, this movement surprised more than one person.

An entirely original movement
The Calibre Royal is an entirely original movement, as much in its global nature, design, and architecture as it is in the great majority of its components (150 original parts). The Calibre Royal is an automatic movement beating at 21,600 vibrations per hour. Composed of 298 parts, it has been completely conceived, designed, prototyped, tested and assembled in Pequignet’s ateliers in Morteau (France).
Its main characteristics make this an exceptional automatic movement, totally integrated and designed to receive, without additional plates, new complications such as: automatic winding in both directions; distribution of the initial force by a central axis of the large barrel; large balance with compensating screws; large date and day without loss of amplitude during activation; calculated power reserve of 100 hours; indication on the dial of 88 hours of power reserve of which 72 are guaranteed in terms of isochronism (amplitude of 220° in the vertical position after 72 hours of working); small seconds at 4 o’clock to aesthetically balance the position of the power reserve indicator.
Designed from the beginning with a view to mass production, the Calibre Royal tends towards simplification and a reduction in the number of components while maximizing the reliability of each one. The accessibility of each element was therefore taken very seriously in the piece’s construction in order to simplify assembly and maintenance as well as after-sales service. The last exceptional ‘detail’ we should mention is the price. In the steel model, the retail price will be less than 5,000 euros. This represents an unrivalled price/quality ratio.

CALIBRE ROYAL

First collections by Pequignet to be equipped with the Calibre Royal

Paris Royal
The Calibre Royal, now in full industrial production will equip three new models. In its most prestigious housing, with haute horlogerie finishings—circular-graining, hand-bevelling, hand-drawn strokes and stippling—the Calibre Royal drives the very lovely and classic Paris Royal timepiece. The Paris Royal features a 41-mm yellow gold case with alternating diamond-polished and satin finishes on the middle case, elegant overlaid horns, screw-in bezel, anti-reflective sapphire crystal protecting the dial and case back and water-resistance to 50 metres.
The Paris Royal’s dial is silvered with a satin-finished chapter ring and applied Arabic numerals. The dial also features azure areas for the power reserve indicator and the small seconds and facetted apertures for the large date and day. The ensemble perfectly evokes the symmetrical equilibrium of the movement and the high readability of its indications. Paris Royal is mounted on a hand-stitched and beaded large-scale alligator leather strap with a butterfly clasp.

PARIS ROYAL

Rue Royale
The Rue Royale model, embellished with a large, high-precision moon phase indicator at 6 o’clock, comes in a polished 316L stainless steel case with a diameter of 42 mm. The finishing on this model is somewhat different than the Paris Royal and includes: circular-grained bridges and a main plate with snail design and the Côtes de Genève decoration, as well as a sun ray finish and rhodium plating on the oscillating weight.
The dial is silvered and textured and features a chapter ring and small seconds in a fine circular satin finish, black transferred Roman numerals, dotted thread and a power reserve indicator in a circular satin-finished cartridge.

RUE ROYALE

Moorea Royal Triomphe
Last but not least, the Moorea Royal Triomphe offers a sportier version in a 44-mm Moorea case composed of a sanded black titanium middle case and case back and a screw-in crown in red gold with the logo ‘EP’ in black rubber. Water resistant to 100 metres, the Moorea Royal Triomphe has a black opaline dial with facetted and brushed applied numerals, a power reserve indicator and small seconds in an aperture overlaid with red gold appliqué. This model is mounted on the famous Moorea grained satin-finished red gold and rubber strap with a double folding clasp.

MOOREA ROYAL TRIOMPHE

Source: Europa Star December - January 2011 Magazine Issue