The stunningly simple Raúl Pagès RP2 is austere only at a glance
Borna Bošnjak- Raúl Pagès, winner of LV’s first Watch Prize for Independent Creatives, returns with his third watch.
- Housed beneath an agate stone dial, the hand-made calibre is beautifully hand-finished, though more industrially produced than the RP1 Régulateur à Détente.
- It’ll be produced in 50 examples over five years, with the price stated at CHF 89,000.
As the interest in independent watchmaking is picking up, so is the number of independent watchmakers, which makes it increasingly difficult to discern watches that are truly special. Thankfully, Raúl Pagès is one watchmaker that you don’t really have to worry about legit-checking, and the Swiss-born artisan with Spanish roots is now announcing his third watch. The Raúl Pagès RP2 continues the minimalist design ethos of the RP1 Régulateur à Détente and the Soberly Onyx, but dials it up (or down?) a notch with a stark white dial and newly developed movement.
The RP1 really was Pagès’ breakthrough piece, and the one that won him the aforementioned LV prize. Equipped with a usually fragile detent escapement, it was a beautifully finished piece of engineering that incorporated a roller cam that prevented the detent from being overly susceptible to shock. The RP2 is its spiritual follow-up, with an even cleaner dial aesthetic, and simpler, lever escapement-equipped movement that is meant to bring the Pagès playbook to more people.
With a watch like this, it would be totally understandable to start with the movement. They’re the beating hearts of these little machines that we get all too serious about, and even more special when they’re designed and finished to the level we’re used to in a Pagès watch. But I want to start with the dial, as it completely captured me. It’s comprised of two pieces of agate stone, segmented by brushed silver rings sitting atop a blue-coloured brass base. The milky, translucent surface almost appears enamel-like, but is even smoother still, and I absolutely adore the subtle branding at 5 o’clock.
The well-considered design features continue with the hands, which are impressively three-dimensional for such a small component, the highlight being the hour hand. The Breguet-style tip is intricately finished and gives great contrast, attaching to the stem with a rounded rivet. I’m a sucker for well-executed hand styles, and Pagès’ RP2 is right up there with the Kikuchi Nakagawas and Simon Brettes.
For any independent watch, regardless of quality or design, the main issue tends to be availability. The RP1 was made in a handful of pieces, and Pagès set out to rectify that somewhat with the RP2, which was announced as a limited series of 50 pieces over a five-year production run. That’s certainly very limited still, but for a small atelier producing a handful of watches every year, will likely pose a significant challenge. This is also one of the reasons why, unlike the RP1, the RP2 does not feature a detent escapement, and will see suppliers providing some raw components which will then be hand-finished by Pagès.
With that said, Pagès couldn’t just settle for a simple lever escapement, instead adding counterweights to the pallet fork. Along with the oversized balance wheel that featured in the RP1, the counterweighted fork is something you’d see in pocket watches, helping with escapement stability, and is not at all common in modern wristwatches. The other highlight is undoubtedly the level of finishing – there’s côtes de Genève everywhere, with sharply chamfered bridges, cocks, and wheels, and even parts that are hidden from view finished to an impressive standard.
And truth be told, I’d expect nothing less. Not only because of the reputation that Raúl Pagès has made for himself, but also because this is a stainless steel watch with a pretty simple, hand-wound movement that’s set to cost CHF 89,000. Being fully aware of the whole comparison-joy-thieving-thing, that makes the RP2 more expensive than the RP1, which had a more complex and unique movement. In a world where watches finished as well as the Kallinich Claeys Einser Zentralsekunde exist (at almost a quarter of the price), the RP2 might seem an outlier, though, it really isn’t. We’ve entered an era where independent watchmakers can set their prices however they like, and if the watch really is something special, there will undoubtedly exist a small handful of people bored of the Daytonas, Royal Oaks, and Nautiluses that yearn for uniqueness strongly enough. The Raúl Pagès RP2 perhaps doesn’t have the immediate draw of its predecessor, but its excellent take on minimalist design (something that small brands often don’t get right) and beautifully finished movement do make it a special watch, and I have little doubt that Pagès will have trouble finding 50 wrists happy to pay the asking price.
Raúl Pagès RP2 pricing and availability
The Raúl Pagès RP2 is limited to a production run of 50 pieces over five years. Price: CHF 89,000
| Brand | Raúl Pagès |
| Model | RP2 |
| Case Dimensions | 38.5mm (D) x 11.5mm (T) |
| Case material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 30 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | White agate stone |
| Strap | Two calfskin straps, steel pin buckle |
| Movement | Calibre RP2, in-house, manual winding |
| Power Reserve | 60 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds |
| Availability | 50 pieces over five years |
| Price | CHF 89,000 |