The Retter Mistral explores depth with a thin, retro-style case
Buffy AcaciaIt’s unfortunate to say that Retter was founded out of a sense of inadequacy, but hasn’t the watch community had the same effect on all of us at some point? With online vitriol handed out to budget-friendly watches as freely as the worship given to luxury brands, it comes as no surprise that people are increasingly seeking out more affordable watches with loftier looks. The Retter Mistral hones in on that arena, promising dimensional elegance as well as detailed depth.
The case
A quick glance at the Mistral is all it takes to realise it’s not something off-the-shelf, with a modernised take on the soldered lugs of the 1950s Vacheron Constantin Cornes de Vache. Instantly the associations of grandeur are there, evoking the style of antique furniture in steel instead of mahogany. It’s not overly dainty either, seeming relatively stocky thanks to the thick slope of the polished bezel and the small chamfer on the lug edges.
A 38mm diameter is supported by a 42.4mm lug-to-lug length, keeping the case size wearable for the majority of wrists, balancing the modern and vintage inspirations again. What’s most impressive is the total thickness of 7.4mm including the domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating. It may not be the same level of ultra-thinness as a watch which costs a hundred times as much from Bulgari or Piaget, but it’s certainly thin enough to bypass the stereotypical expectations of an affordable watch.
The dial
Despite the height of the case, the dial employs a layered construction to thoroughly explore a wealth of depth. The lowest layer appears to be the small seconds sub-dial, which has a rough, crepe-like texture to it. Next is the main centre of the dial which has raised bars of brushing, and pits with the same roughness. Then an outer ring uses a much finer stippling for diversity of matte textures, and this serves as the background for the applied hour markers which stand proudly. Finally, the perimeter of the dial has a channel for the minute markers as well as the “Swiss” and “Retter” printed text.
Other areas of intricate detail include the alpha-shaped hands with skeletonised bases, then filled with luminous paint in their last three-quarters of length. The Retter logo forms a sort of hourglass figure on the dial, keeping things simple and uncluttered. The three dial colours are forest green, arctic silver, and midas gold which is actually gold-plated. The time-only displays have wonderful symmetry, although the only downside may be a legibility issue due to the similarity of the hour and minute hands.
The movement
Turning over the Retter Mistral reveals a sapphire display caseback, and the small ETA 7001. The movement itself is only 23.3mm in diameter, which isn’t any detriment to its quality, but it can look a little funny when there’s such a small window in a much larger case. Renamed as the Retter Calibre 2105, this is a top-grade movement with Incabloc shock resistance, a Glucydur balance wheel, and an Anachron hairspring. It’s also been decorated with bead-blasted anthracite bridges and heat-blued screws. Retter then regulates each movement after casing within +/-10s per day, which is about as good as you can get without COSC-certification which would introduce a major jump in price. This hand-wound movement runs at a beat rate of 3Hz over a power reserve of 46 hours.
The strap
Retter has collaborated with the French manufacturer Jean Rousseau for the Mistral’s straps, which is generous considering the price tag that usually accompanies them. The upper surface is made from dyed goat leather with colour-matched stitching down its length, and a backing material made of soft Alcantara for comfort. The spring bars are also curved, which is a nice touch that’s usually reserved for luxury watches. Each version of the watch has a colour-appropriate strap which comes with it, and there are also blue or red versions available to buy separately for US$209. Should you wish to play around with other aftermarket straps, you’ll have an easy time thanks to the 20mm lug width.
Really there’s no shortage of microbrands trying to create luxury appeal at an affordable price point, in a way that’s what they’re all trying to do. But rather than simply copying more expensive brands or trying to be as flashy as possible, the Retter Mistral actually understands what areas of refinement are necessary for giving the impression of expensiveness. From the thin case to the high-grade movement which easily could have been found in the back of a luxury watch before the in-house movement craze began, all of the points of value are there for a long-term watch with just the right balance of dressiness.
The Retter Mistral pricing and availability
The Retter Mistral is limited to 300 units in the first launch batch, and launches on June 18th, 2024. Price: US$1,595 (pre-order price)
| Brand | Retter |
| Model | Mistral |
| Case Dimensions | 38mm (D) x 7.4mm (T) x 42.4mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Gold, silver, green |
| Strap | Jean Rousseau goat leather, pin buckle |
| Movement | ETA 7001, manual winding |
| Power Reserve | 46 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds |
| Availability | Pre-orders starting June 18th 2024 |
| Price | US$1,595 (pre-order price) |