The Klepcys GMT Retrograde was first unveiled by Cyrus in 2020, featuring a movement designed by renowned master watchmaker Jean-François Mojon. After a series of soberly coloured models, Cyrus decided to have some fun with it by unveiling two colourful editions in Palm Green and Ocean Blue in 2023. This year, the Le Locle-based brand is being bolder than ever with the release of a new model in a vivid royal purple. Let’s take a closer look.
Playing with Colour
Purple is one of the most daring colours to be used in watchmaking, but it has become hugely popular with collectors over the last couple of years. Urwerk, De Bethune, Czapek, and H. Moser & Cie. are just a few of the high-end brands that have created timepieces in this noble colour. The new royal purple Klepcys GMT Retrograde lends itself well to colour thanks to its upper bridge that has been adorned with a purple Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) treatment that is applied in a vacuum. The advantage of this technique is that it generates a uniform and homogeneous coating and provides excellent protection against corrosion.
Palm Tree Dial
The aforementioned upper bridge is not only interesting in terms of its funky colour, but also because it has been designed in the shape of a palm tree. This unique three-dimensional design allows a view of the GMT Retrograde movement beneath and has become a highly recognizable signature design element of the Klepcys GMT Retrograde collection. The palm tree design is also mirrored on the bridges on the back of the movement and can be admired through the sapphire crystal caseback.
Movement
The in-house movement powering this timepiece is the CYR708 which was designed for Cyrus by master watchmaker Jean-François Mojon (who is also managing director of Chronode which has a shared financial partnership with Cyrus). The 4 Hertz movement contains a single barrel and offers a power reserve of 55 hours. It contains a 24-hour dual time zone complication in the centre that indicates the home time, while the central hands and minutes display the local time. The 24-hour indication is displayed on a matt opaline-grey arch edged in anthracite grey, while the triangular-tipped hand travels to 24h before jumping back to the beginning of the scale and the start of a new day.
Easy-to-read, User-friendly, and Intuitive
The beauty of the indications on the Klepcys GMT Retrograde is how easy they are to read. This timepiece was designed from the ground up to be intuitive and user-friendly. The watch comes with two functioning crowns. The crown at 3 o’clock winds the movement and sets the local and home times, while the crown at 9 o’clock is a practical pusher for moving the hand of the main time forward by one hour with each press.
The Klepcys Case
Last but not least, there is no mistaking the Klepcys case that comes in a 42mm cushion shape. It is water resistant to 100 meters and is crafted from grade 5 titanium that has been polished in places and satin-finished in others. It also fits comfortably on the wrist thanks to its ergonomic design. The case is accompanied by a three-dimensional bezel with a square base and curved sides and corners that are enhanced by polished facets and a matt satin-finished top.
For globetrotters who aren’t scared of making a statement, this timepiece can be paired with a matching purple alligator strap, and for those who like the hint of colour but prefer something more discreet, there is also the option for an integrated titanium bracelet or a grey Cordura strap with purple stitching.
