Table of Contents
For the first time in its history, the Currency of Paris applies its know-how to the world of watchmaking. Twelve centuries of expertise in the art of coining, striking and metalworking are transposed onto a watch face. This first meeting between the Parisian institution and a watch brand gave birth to The Rooma limited edition collection signed Beaubleu. The symbol is strong, the technical gesture is unique, and the visual result deserves serious attention.
Here, the collaboration is not a simple logo affixed to the bottom of the box. It touches the very essence of the object: the dial becomes a struck surface, modeled by processes historically reserved for coins and medals. Minted in Paris, in the heart of the Hôtel de la Monnaie, La Pièce claims direct affiliation with a unique artisanal heritage in Europe.
The struck dial: a first in watchmaking
The heart of the La Pièce project lies in the work of the dial. Beaubleu and the Monnaie de Paris used the coinage technique to fashion one-piece dials, with reliefs integrated directly into the material. We are no longer talking here about added or simply printed elements: volumes, hollows, textures and play of surfaces are struck then reworked to structure the reading of time.
The rendering is particularly interesting to the naked eye. The light catches each area of the dial differently. Some parts are polished, others satin-finish, still others have a more powdery grain. This surface work creates a depth rarely observed on watches in this category. We are faced with a dial that lives, which changes face depending on the angle of view, which invites us to look at the watch differently than as a simple time reading instrument.
This approach gives La Pièce a somewhat special status: we are on the border between mechanical watch and design object. The watch does not just tell the time, it tells the story of a process, a worked material, an artisanal gesture coming from a universe which is not, originally, that of watchmaking.
Piece No. 1 and Piece No. 2: two visions of relief
Beaubleu presents this collaboration in two distinct interpretations, called La Pièce n°1 and La Pièce n°2.
Exhibit n°1: time as a moving surface
Piece No. 1 is characterized by a play of non-concentric circles, which evoke an almost organic reading of time. The dial gives the impression of a material worked in successive layers, with reliefs which guide the eye without imposing a strictly technical reading. The texture is deliberately reminiscent of paper, with a fine grain which reinforces the tactile dimension of the dial.
Several chromatic variations are offered, which allows everyone to choose an atmosphere:
- mocha, warm and sweet,
- olive green, more contemporary,
- graphite, sober and versatile,
- champagne, bright and elegant,
- empire blue, more dressed,
- wine-colored, deep, almost theatrical.
Each shade significantly modifies the perception of relief. Wine red and empire blue reinforce the contrast of volumes, while graphite and champagne play more on the subtlety card.
Part No. 2: a more technical approach to the one-piece dial
Exhibit No. 2 takes the technical demonstration further. The indexes are machined directly from the mass of the dial, with polished interiors that contrast with satin-finished or micro-powdered surfaces. The reading is more structured, more “watchmaking” in approach, even if the object remains resolutely designer.
Three variations make up this version:
- black, graphic and contemporary,
- silver, which particularly highlights the relief work,
- pink gold, more daring, almost jewel-like in spirit.
On this version, the set of finishes is particularly readable. The dial becomes a sort of miniature topography, where each level catches the light differently.
Beaubleu DNA: round hands and another way of thinking about time
Beaubleu is not a watch brand like any other. Since its creation in 2017 by designer Nicolas Ducoudert, the Parisian house has developed a unique vision of time and its representation. The round hands, the visual signature of the brand, are not a simple graphic gimmick. They really change the perception of time. The eye is no longer attracted by a point which designates an index, but by a circular shape which slides on the dial.
This approach can be confusing at first contact, then it gradually emerges as another way of experiencing the watch. Beaubleu readily speaks of a “culture of free time”, a more sensitive relationship to the passing of time. On La Pièce, this philosophy finds a particularly coherent field of expression: a sculpted dial, worked volumes, a less frontal, more intuitive reading.
What works well at Beaubleu is the overall coherence of the universe. Product design, brand discourse, visual aesthetics, photo campaigns, everything is part of the same language. The Piece does not come out of nowhere. It is part of a logical creative continuity.
The movements: France Ébauches and Miyota, a pragmatic choice
Under the dial, Beaubleu adopts a deliberately pragmatic approach. For La Pièce, the brand uses automatic movements supplied by France Ébauches. This choice echoes the “made in France” dimension of the project. France Ébauches is a historic player in the production of movements in France, relaunched in recent years with the ambition of restoring an industrial base to French watchmaking.
The movement is visible through a transparent back and benefits from a five-year warranty. We are not talking about haute horology in the traditional sense, but about a robust automatic caliber, consistent with the positioning of the watch.
For other collections, Beaubleu relies on the Miyota 9015 Slim, a well-known, reliable, fine Japanese movement, widely proven in the world of micro-brands. Here again, the choice is consistent: reliability, availability of parts, regularity of operation. Beaubleu does not sell a mechanical myth, but a designer watchmaking experience supported by solid technical foundations.
Synthetic technical sheet
The piece has well-thought-out proportions for everyday wear:
- 316L steel housing,
- diameter of 39 mm,
- thickness of 10.2 mm,
- double dome sapphire glass,
- discreetly hidden crown at 3 o’clock,
- automatic movement France Ébauches,
- power reserve of approximately 46 hours,
- 5 ATM waterproofness,
- limited edition of 888 copies per shade,
- public price between €1,790 and €1,890 depending on the configuration,
- 5 year warranty.
On paper, the whole is coherent for a watch design watch positioned between contemporary creation and accessible mechanics.
My view of La Pièce
La Pièce is aimed at those who consider the watch as a design object as much as an instrument.
The collaboration with Monnaie de Paris brings real artisanal legitimacy to the project. This is not an artificially placed marketing argument. The work on the dial demonstrates real know-how, intelligently transposed into the watchmaking world. Beaubleu signs here a piece consistent with its DNA, ambitious on a creative level, without trying to give itself the air of haute horology which it is not.
In a market saturated with interchangeable watches, La Pièce offers something else. And for that alone, it deserves a last moment’s attention by watching the presentation film below.
