One year ago, Renaud Tixier unveiled the Monday Organica in blue and now they have launch two follow-up models in Black and Burgundy respectively. Both watches are limited to just seven pieces to match the original Blue edition, completing the triptych before Renaud Tixier move on to their next project. Given the exclusivity of these watches, it was a treat to get hands-on with them.
While both watches share an overall design, the case materials and dial colours are completely different. The Black edition is made from platinum giving it a bright, silvery lustre while the Burgundy is 5N rose gold, making it the warmer of the two. Gold and platinum are both very dense metals, making both versions quite weighty on the wrist (the platinum more so than the gold). At proportions of 40.8mm diameter x 10.5mm thickness excluding the crystal, they’re substantial objects. For finishing, the lugs are polished on the top and brushed along the flanks while the caseband is hand-engraved with a frosted texture.
For the dials, they are produced in Grand Feu enamel of their titular colours by Ateliers Olivier Vaucher. The engraved motif is a fusion of floral concepts and watch components, for example the small circles are inspired by jewels, and the larger circular shapes represent balance wheels. The name Organica is a reference to this because it means both organic as in natural and plant-based and organ as in the watch’s regulating organ.
Conceptually, the choice of black and Burgundy are designed to work in conjunction with the previous blue edition to represent parts of a plant. The black is the earthy, hidden roots of a plant, the blue is the vibrant blossoms of the flowers, and the Burgundy is the fruit that grows after pollination. To my limited botanical knowledge, the plant that best fits that description of blue flowers with red fruit is bittersweet nightshade – you know, the poisonous one. And the reason I know that is because of the Studio Underd0g 02SERIES Nightshade.
Inside is the calibre RVI2023, an automatic movement with a micro-rotor that’s fitted with a fly wheel to boost winding efficiency. It has a 60-hour power reserve and operates at a 2.5 Hz frequency. That frequency might seem low by modern standard where 4 Hz is the norm but at the upper end of haute horology there is a fascination with using lower frequencies because they are more aesthetically pleasing – allowing you to see the motion of the balance spring in action.
The price of these new models hasn’t been announced but we know the Monday Organica Blue was CHF 125,000 (approx. £113,000) and that model was also made from platinum. So, expect the Renaud Tixier Monday Organica Black and Burgundy to be around that mark too. With these models completing the Monday Organica triptych, perhaps we will soon learn what they have in store for Tuesday, which is the name for their next major project.
Price and Specs:
More details at Renaud Tixier.
