Bovet Récital 30: a roller-based world time to solve DST changes

Bovet Récital 30: a roller-based world time to solve Daylight Saving Time (DST) changes. Price CHF 73,500

Bovet has recently unveiled the Récital 30, a new timepiece entirely dedicated to its in-house developed world time system. It offers a practical display of all 24 time zones, including Daylight Saving Time adjustments.

The model further develops the ingenious solution first introduced in the Récital 28 Prowess 1, which received the GPHG Mechanical Exception Prize in 2024 for its technical innovation.

The key innovation lies in using rollers instead of a traditional display. Since the dates for switching to Daylight Saving Time (DST) vary each year in the USA and Europe, conventional methods are inadequate.

In this unique mechanism, 24 city names are printed on four-sided rollers, while a separate roller shows the four time periods of the year:

• Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)
• American Summer Time (AST)
• European and American Summer Time (EAS)
• European Winter Time (EWT)

When you press the top pusher on the Récital 30, all rollers rotate 90 degrees, updating the time zones.

For cities that don’t observe DST (like Beijing), their name appears on all four sides of the roller. 

For cities that do observe DST (like Geneva), their name appears three times, and once alongside a different city (e.g., London), so both Geneva and London change position when switching to or from DST.

This system ensures the world time display remains accurate throughout the year.

Unlike the limited Récital 28 (restricted to 60 movements over 10 years), the Récital 30 will be produced in larger quantities, with up to 30 red gold versions handcrafted in 2025. This makes the technology more accessible to a wider audience.

The watch is designed for ease of use, featuring pushers to adjust the rollers representing different time zones and four seasonal time settings. It also includes a day/night indicator.

Two versions are available, both highlighting New Delhi’s unique 30-minute time offset. One version links New Delhi time to a separate minute hand; the other links the main hands to New Delhi time and adjusts world time accordingly.

Bovet offers some dial customization, including options to change city names and colours. This flexibility reflects the brand’s artisanal approach, with all components handcrafted and assembly lines avoided.

Measuring 42 mm x 12.90 mm, the case is available in 18K red gold or Grade 5 titanium.

For the first time, Bovet produces the cases for the Récital 30 in-house at its facility in Tramelan. Titanium cases are currently made in-house, with red gold cases to be added from 2026. 

The cases feature domed sapphire crystals and exhibition case backs to display the movement,  the self-winding calibre R30-70-001, operating at a frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) with a 62-hour power reserve.

Water-resistant to 30 metres (100 feet), the watch can be paired with a variety of leather, Cordura, or rubber straps.

The new Bovet Récital 30, ref. R30-0001, has an indicative price of CHF 73,500. bovet.com