Jean D’eve “Retrograde” Two-Tone Sectora

Model: Jean d’Eve Gold “Sectora” Two-Tone

Year: 2003

Features:

The Popularity. Double retrograde hour and minute hands aren’t an uncommon sight these days - whether it be a legendary Lotec No. 6 from Japan, a punchily-priced Vacheron Constantin, or a Kickstarter-created Xeric, the retrograde complication’s popularity has surged in recent years.

The Pioneer. But Jean d’Eve beat them all to market, and even received a patent for their troubles. To be clear, they didn’t invent the retrograde complication as that honour supposedly belongs to German watchmaker, Hans Buschmann, in 1650, but Jean d’Eve’s impact on the modern market cannot be ignored. 

The Movement. Released in 1989, the Sectora retrograde watch was the result of modular design. Rather than developing a wholly in-house movement, the team at Jean d’Eve aimed for a more universal approach, and created a retrograde module that could sit atop an existing movement. Their first retrograde modules were added to quartz movements, like the one on offer today, making them some of the most affordable retrograde watches on the market.

The Variant. The two-tone style gives this already eye-catching watch a very glitzy look, which works perfectly with the roulette-style red and black indices. 

Specifications:

Condition: In very good condition overall. Some swirls and hairlines are visible on the case, but there are no marks of any significance. 

Scope: Box and papers

Movement: In-house Jean D'eve Quartz

Dimensions:

• Case Width: 30.0mm
  
• Lug to lug: 40.0mm
• Case Thickness: 8.0mm
  
• Lug width: 18mm