Introducing: The Dominique Renaud Pulse60

November 14, 2013

The Dominique Renaud Pulse 60 has the same rhythm as a normal resting human heart, which is around 60 beats per minute. The slow-beating 1Hz watch also has deluxe-industrial looks created with Haute Horlogerie methods. The Pulse60, which comes in a Grade 5 titanium or pink gold and Grade 5 titanium 40mm case, is a fascinating creation with a large 20mm balance wheel creating a zen-like vibe. And in case youre wondering, Domique Renaud is the Renaud from Renaud & Papi, the acclaimed complication-specialist company that created movements for brands like Audemars Piguet, Richard Mille, and A. Lange & S?hne, to name but a few.Dominique Renaud has rockstar status among watchmakers - and for good reason. This French watchmaker, born in Besan?on in 1959, began his career in the complications workshops of Audemars Piguet in Le Brassus, where he met Italian watchmaker Giulio Papi. In 1986, the two founded their workshop, Renaud & Papi, specializing in the development of high-level complications. In 1992, Audemars Piguet became the companys majority shareholder, and it was renamed Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi (APRP), while continuing to serve as a dedicated complications laboratory. As AP gradually assumed full control, Renaud stepped away around 2000 and left the watchmaking industry for several years. In 2023, he made a comeback by co-founding the Renaud Tixier brand with watchmaker Julien Tixier. And now his comeback is complete with the creation of HHDR (Haute Horlogerie Dominique Renaud). The company is based in Tolochenaz, near Lausanne, and its first watch, the Pulse60, is a slow-beating surprise.The new Dominique Renaud Pulse60Expect the unexpected from Domique Renaud. The inaugural watch is by no means a grand complication in the traditional sense, but it is a creative one. The 1Hz Pulse60 presents itself with a large, fully visible 20mm balance wheel proudly swinging with high amplitude. A high frequency is often touted as the ultimate benchmark of precision in wristwatches. However, marine chronometers of the past were powered by slow-beating movements. Due to their horizontal positions in stabilizing gimbals, large, slow-beating balances worked perfectly well. But in a much more unstable position, such as the human wrist, a higher frequency creates stability.Now, which is cooler, a tiny balance with a frantic 5Hz frequency or a large, slow-swinging one? I know what I prefer. One of the most fascinating watches I know is the Antoine Martin Slow Runner, another 1Hz watch with a slightly larger 24mm balance wheel. To see it oscillating, you have to turn the timepiece over. That s not the case with the Dominique Renaud Pulse60, which flaunts its oversized, high-inertia balance wheel in full view on the dial. Theres more to see on the dial, but we ll come back to that later; first, a bit more about the heart of this surprising creation.The secret is in the amplitudeThe secret to the Pulse60s slow swinging but stable rate is the amplitude of the balance wheel. Renaud rethought the regulating organ to allow a greater-than-360 amplitude, enabling an unprecedented adjustment zone while improving static rate stability. The hand-wound Dominique Renaud BUA2024 caliber (BUA stands for Balancier Ultra Amplitude, and development started in 2024) has more tricks up its sleeve. For instance, theres a torque indicator at 3 oclock, which takes information about the remaining power directly from the barrel. This is not an entirely new system, though, because Renaud already worked on it during his years at Renaud & Papi. It just took the slow-paced Pulse60 for the system to be useful.The Pulse60 s look is very much dictated by the layout of the BUA2024 movement. The striking, slow-beating oversized balance wheel is the dynamic highlight, but its held in place by an almost equally impressive skeletonized bridge. More eye-catching elements are the different indications. In addition to the aforementioned torque indicator at 3 o clock, the hours and minutes are at 12, and the small seconds are at 9 oclock. Because the Pulse60 is a 1Hz watch, the small seconds hand advances in two tick-tocks per second. Renaud named this natural dead half-seconds, and you can observe its human heartbeat for approximately four days after fully winding the movement.The display case back reveals a geometric movement design structured around two prominent bridges. The upper bridge exposes the ratchet and crown wheels, while an opening in the lower bridge offers a view of the escapement and its distinctive construction.Full titanium or a mix of titanium and pink goldThe Dominique Renaud Pulse60 comes in either a Grade 5 titanium or pink gold and titanium 40mm case with a 12mm thickness and 44mm length. The design, with its soft, rounded curves, is certainly modern and easy on the eye. Its probably also easy on the wrist thanks to its integrated rubber strap, which you can wear with either a pin buckle or a folding clasp.The Pulse60 will be available starting in April 2026. The titanium version with either a black or silver dial costs CHF 49,000 before taxes. You ll pay CHF 59,000, also excluding taxes, for the pink gold and titanium version. Welcome back, Dominique Renaud!Watch specifications Brand Dominique Renaud Model Pulse60 Dial Silver-gray or black with silver-tone sub-dial frames, applied hour markers, and blue or black balance bridge (titanium versions) / Gray guilloche with pink gold sub-dial frames, applied silver-tone hour markers, and pink gold balance bridge (pink gold and titanium version)Case Material Grade 5 titanium / Pink gold and Grade 5 titaniumCase Dimensions 40mm (diameter) 44mm (length) 12mm (thickness)Crystal Domed sapphire with antireflective treatmentCase Back Flat sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating Movement Dominique Renaud BUA2024: in-house caliber, manual winding, 1Hz (7,200vph) frequency, four-day power reserve, 29 jewels, 33mm diameter, 20mm balance wheelWater Resistance 30 metersStrap Integrated black rubber with titanium pin buckle or folding claspFunctions Time (hours, minutes, "natural dead half-seconds) and torque indicatorPrice CHF 49,000 (ex. taxes) in titanium / CHF 59,000 (ex. taxes) in pink gold and titanium