Since its debut, WatchTime New York has served as a major launch pad for watch brands looking to reach the collector community in the United States. As the country’s largest and most significant watch event, WTNY has long hosted a wide range of luxury watchmakers, several of them taking the opportunity over the years to launch and showcase models that are entirely new to American audiences.
Such is the case this year with L. Leroy, which — while no newcomer to horology, having been founded in 1785 — is a brand that has yet to gain widespread attention in the U.S. The venerable brand hopes to change that, joining WatchTime New York for the first time at this year’s edition, held from October 22 to 24 at Manhattan’s Gotham Hall. As its showcase piece, it will present the Osmior Retrograde Perpetual Calendar, a haute horologerie creation inspired by exceptional timepieces in L. Leroy’s private museum.
The watch is the most recent addition to L. Leroy’s prestigious Osmior collection, whose name refers to a historical metal alloy, composed principally of gold, with a color close to that of platinum. Intended to embody the very essence of neoclassical watchmaking, the timepiece displays distinguished elegance and a high level of technical quality in its design and execution — foremost demonstrated in its namesake retrograde perpetual calendar complication, a rare type of ‘’Grande Complication’’ in part pioneered by L. Leroy’s watchmakers.
At a glance, the watch is both traditional and impressive, featuring a multi-part case construction, executed in either rose gold or white gold. The case is sized at 41 mm in diameter by 11.5 mm thick, with a luxurious combination of mostly polished finishing with touches of satin finishing to provide a lovely contrast in various lighting conditions.
The area in which the Osmior Retrograde Perpetual Calendar really shines is on its partially engine-turned dial, which was meticulously completed by hand, piece by piece. The multi-sector style of the face is outlined by a simple minute ring, with stylized, printed Arabic numerals at each of the hour positions; the various perpetual calendar displays occupy the dial’s center. Among them are the day, month, leap year, moon-phase and moon-cycle, and a date indication that features a retrograde hand pointing to numerals on a 2/3-semicircular scale.
While the dial is packed with information, its design is still concise and well-thought-out, with its various elements’ proportions smartly sized to complement each other. Furthermore, each of the details and displays on the dial are operable and adjustable via buttons on the watch’s case, making quick changes during travel, or simply setting the time, a relatively quick affair. The L. Leroy manufacture Caliber L411.2 that makes this functionality possible is a wonderfully finished automatic movement that offers a 48-hour power reserve, Boasting Côtes de Genève decorations and a yellow- and white-gold central rotor, it is visible through a sapphire exhibition caseback.
The L. Leroy Osmior Retrograde Perpetual Calendar is available now directly through the brand, priced at $69,145. Like all Osmior collection watches, it is produced in highly limited quantities. Pricing is currently marked at $69,145.
To see this incredible watch in person, in addition to countless other rare and distinguished models from over twenty-five watchmakers, be sure to secure your tickets for WatchTime New York 2021 today!
