Introducing: Ral Pags Returns With The RP2

March 27, 2025

Over the past few years, we've watched the rise of Ral Pags, from our first "Intro" on his Rgulateur Dtente RP1 to the Hands-On to his win at the inaugural Louis Vuitton Watch Prize For Independent Creatives. Part of the benefit of the win at the LV Prize ?was a year-long mentorship from the team at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who's been curious to see what would come next. Well, here it is C the Ral Pags RP2. Photo by Laurent Xavier Moulin The RP2 is a three-hand watch with Pags' pared-down aesthetic. This time, it focuses mainly on the best-quality finishing possible, with one twist to the movement. The dial has a blue cerulean base and a white agate stone dial in the center and subdial. The external dial track also has a mix of finishing. That twist is that, in addition to a very large and very stable 12.5mm balance beating at 3Hz, the watch features a counterweighted lever escapement, which enhances the stability and is completely mirror polished, even if it's not easily seen. The movement has 21 jewels with a 60-hour power reserve. Photo by Laurent Xavier Moulin. Pags also points out that every part of the movement is hand-finished, top to bottom. The bridges are finished with large C?tes de Genve, applied using a wood grinding wheel, and have polished bevels and satin-finished flanks. Ruby and screw countersinks are finely polished. The wheels have circular graining and feature hand-polished chamfers. Each wheel has 20 inward angles, for a total of 60 angles. The base plate features a matte grey pebbled texture to the finish. The watch measures 38.5mm by 11.5mm with a slightly taller box crystal and a stainless steel case. The watch will be delivered with two hand-sewn leather straps (grey/blue and beige) and will be made in only 50 pieces, to be delivered over the next five years. The price is CHF 89,000. What We Think I plan to see Pags before the start of Watches & Wonders, so I'll likely save a lot of my perspectives until I've seen the watch in person. The price tag feels quite hefty, but I think many people won't understand how much work (and overhead) truly goes into making these largely handmade watches. It's worth a future story, and it's been on my "to-do" list for quite a while. That said, from an aesthetic standpoint, Pags's continued pursuit of beautiful minimalism (his first wristwatch was called the "Soberly Onyx") seems to belie the complexity of finishing and handwork that goes into a watch like this. The choice of black plates contrasted against silver bridges isn't something commonly seen in the high-end indie space, and it allows the movement to stand on its own. The austerity of the dial is also a pretty captivating option on the market, where I've frequently bemoaned a lack of thoughtfulness among indies. The Basics Brand: Ral PagsModel: RP2Diameter: 38.5mmThickness: 11.5mmCase Material: 316L Stainless SteelDial Color: Cerulean blue base with a white agate stone center and brushed minute track, polished on its inner edgeIndexes: PrintedLume: NoneWater Resistance: Not givenStrap/Bracelet: Delivered with two hand-sewn leather straps (grey/blue and beige) The Movement Caliber: RP2Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds Power Reserve: 60 hoursWinding: ManualFrequency: 3HzJewels: 21Chronometer Certified: NoAdditional Details: 12.5mm balance; counter-balanced lever escapement Pricing & Availability Price: CHF 89,000Availability: Orders open nowLimited Edition: 50 pieces to be delivered over 5 yearsFor more, click here.