Récital 23

A longstanding emblem of the BOVET collection, the Récital 23 is where haute horlogerie, the decorative arts, and high jewelry do more than coexist — they converse, in light. Its dial, entirely hand‑engraved, chiseled, and finished, becomes a living surface, catching and releasing radiance in a shimmer that answers the brilliance of its gem‑setting, a quiet yet eloquent testament to the Maison’s artisanal mastery.

The Recital 23 is housed in the “Writing Desk” case, which slopes from 12 o’clock to 6 o’clock, being thicker at 12 o’clock (12.8mm) than at 6 o’clock (8.6mm). This allows more space for the precision moon phase display and presents the time on the wrist.. Crafted in 18K red gold, the 43 mm x 38.70 mm case is adorned with 174 round‑cut diamonds (0.99 ct), complemented by 72 further diamonds on the bezel (1.00 ct), the cabochon crown, and the diamond‑set indices of the off‑set dial. Each stone is individually set to create a surface of extraordinary smoothness, so refined it passes the exacting “silk shirt” test without a whisper.

This year, the Récital 23 reveals a new dial expression. Hand‑chiseled and layered with lacquer, it opens onto a luminous, evolving depth of green — a color that evokes luxuriant gardens, tranquil horizons, and the warmth of long summer days that flow seamlessly into festive nights. Above this living tableau, the signature open‑worked hands drift with grace, forming a heart once every hour, a discreet, intimate gesture that belongs only to the wearer.

At 12 o’clock, the precision moon phase establishes a quiet dialogue between earth and sky. The moon, hand‑engraved to suggest its cratered relief and filled with luminescent material despite the complexity of its curved surface, appears within a three‑dimensional aperture that alone demands more than a day’s work to shape and decorate. Beneath this poetry lies a rigorous mechanism: so precise that the indication requires correction only once every 122 years.

Faithful to BOVET’s philosophy of meaningful, user‑focused complications, Pascal Raffy has integrated a push‑button directly into the real sapphire cabochon of the crown, allowing the moon phase to be adjusted with a simple, intuitive gesture, without any tools — an everyday luxury woven into a high complication.

Timeless yet expressive, the Récital 23 embodies the values that define BOVET: a devotion to hand‑crafted excellence, a profound respect for heritage, and an unceasing pursuit of artistic innovation in the art of measuring time.