AK-06 | stainless steel AKRIVIA

First debuted at Baselworld 2017, the AK-06 is the first non-tourbillon watch made by up and coming independent watchmaker, Rexhep Rexhepi, at his AkriviA workshop in Geneva. To Rexhep, “winding is when human energy is ‘given’ to the movement, making it come alive”, and so, the AK-06 showcases both the power-reserve and hand setting mechanism. The mechanical parts involved in these functions are visually interactive for the wearer, shown in an exceptionally finished open-dial.

Displaying hours, minutes, small seconds and a power-reserve, the AK-06 is a time-only watch with multiple elements that have subtle complication to their design. The seconds indication on a mechanical watch traditionally continues running, or stops, when the crown is pulled out. On the AK-06 however, the small seconds hand stops and resets to zero; a rare ‘mini-complication’ in wristwatches, allowing for even more precise setting of the time. This is achieved using a heart-shaped cam, similar to the resetting mechanism in chronographs, beneath the small seconds hand.

For this watch, Rexhep has also added an ‘all-or-nothing’ mechanism to ensure the reset-to-zero takes place every time. Traditionally, this part has only been used in minute-repeaters, to prevent the possibility of a repeater chiming incorrectly. The AK-06 marks the first time this has been used in a time-only watch. In essence, the ‘all-or-nothing’ mechanism is a spring-lever which blocks the sub-seconds reset from operating unless the crown is fully disengaged. If, and only if, the crown is fully extended from the case, the all-or-nothing piece shifts out of the way, unblocking the gear-train and allowing the seconds hand to reset.

The 41mm stainless-steel case of the AK-06 demonstrates true AkriviA DNA, with a recessed, knurled crown, embossed with the AkriviA logo. Thinner than previous models at 9.9mm thick, the AK-06 is more comfortable to wear under the cuff. The broad lugs are polished and chamfered, matching the bevelling of the movement. As in other AkriviA models, the case is of a complex construction and made up of multiple components. The cylindrical casing for the movement and external piece forming the lugs are key elements, while inserts on each side help to create an elegant tonneau-shape for the case. The inserts at the three o’clock position also serve as a crown-protector.

The Calibre AK-06, powering its namesake, takes the same architectural approach to movement design found across all of Akrivia’s watches. Developed, decorated and assembled entirely in-house, the movement displays the high-watchmaking skills that Rexhep and his team are known for, requiring countless sharply-finished internal angles on the bridges and plates. The anglage is in rounded, bombe style, requiring additional skill that can achieved by hand, used on both visible and non-visible parts of the movement. Following the highest standards of Genevan watchmaking, this is also shown in the deep, clear, Côtes de Genève, decorating the movement plates. The 28 jewel calibre has a variable-inertia balance-wheel, measuring 10.5mm.

Developed completely in-house, it uses 4 adjustable weights combined with a Breguet overcoil, beating at 18,000 A/h (2.5Hz). The balance is placed on the right-hand side of the symmetrical movement, opposite to a running gear on the left. Also visible is the oversized central wheel, with its own jewelled bearing, and placed on an immaculately chamfered and polished bridge.

Using a single barrel, the Calibre AK-06 provides 100-hours of power-reserve, indicated at 12 o’clock on the dial side, below a black-polished AkriviA nameplate. Displayed on a rotating disc, rather than a conventional ‘hand’, the system for the power-reserve indicator is on full display. To ensure the disc returns to zero when the barrel is wound down, and in true AkriviA style, a mirrored arc on the right of the indicator is attached to a circular spring, giving an opposing force to keep the disc under tension, and rotating the disc when the barrel has wound down.

This watch has a subtly-textured, matte anthracite-grey, open-worked dial which is enhanced through an anti-reflective coating on the sapphire glass, showing the depth of the movement at any angle. The dial itself is a mixture of textures and shades of grey, with subtle hints of colour in elements of the gear train and in the hands. The shafts of the hands are heat-blued steel, with black-polished tips that change appearance depending on light conditions. A lightly-brushed chapter ring surrounds the outer edge of the dial, with hand-drilled minute markers. Both the ring surrounding the subsidiary seconds and the power-reserve indicator are hand-brushed, and inlaid with gold, with the plaque denoting that this watch is No. 08 receiving the same treatment.

The extraordinary levels of finishing on this watch will come as no surprise to those that know Rexhep Rexhepi. Admired by none other than Kari Voutilainen, Rexhep is a watchmaker who has showed precocious talent from an early age. Having started his horological career at the tender age of fourteen, with an apprenticeship at Patek Philippe specialising in tourbillons, on graduating, he went on to lead the whole complications team at the famous movement manufacturer, BNB Concept. In effect, complicated, challenging watches, are all he’s ever known.

This AK-06 is brand-new, and available as a complete set, with box and papers, and is fitted with a blue alligator strap from the factory. The box, papers and corresponding steel buckle will be available by the beginning of March.

Closer look