Back For More: The Wonder of Franck Muller’s Retrograde Watches

The Cintrée Curvex Retrograde Hour Day & Night is as much of a spectacle as it is a feat of mechanical ingenuity. Framed by Franck Muller’s signature Cintrée Curvex case—polished, curved, and unmistakably elegant—the dial features a retrograde display that challenges conventional perceptions of time.

While the minute hand continues its usual rotation around the dial, the hour is read via a retrograde hand that sweeps across a 220-degree arc at the centre, starting and ending at ‘6’. At the end of each cycle—twice a day, at 6pm and 6am—the hour hand jumps back to the start of the arc in a blink-and-miss-it moment, creating a subtle rhythm that feels almost meditative.

This unique retrograde hour mechanism is complemented by a day-night indicator. Featuring a lovely hand-painted disc that depicts daytime with bright, sunny hues, and night with a starry sky, the day-night indicator doubles up as a seconds display with a regularly rotating second hand.

And then there’s the backdrop comprising guilloché artistry, hand-applied lacquer, and Franck Muller’s distinctive Art Deco-style numerals on the minute markers. Set against the artful yet uncompromisingly legible display, the dial invites the wearer to find joy in every moment, as they anticipate the exact moment the hand resets.

Beyond the mechanics and aesthetics, the appeal of retrograde watches lies in their emotional cadence. Most watches are static companions—reliable yet predictable. Retrograde watches, by contrast, inject a dose of animation into time-telling. The hands make you wait for the snap, the reset, the return. Whether you’re drawn to the poetic rhythm of the Cintrée Curvex Day & Night, or the graphic precision of the Cintrée Curvex Double Rétrograde Hour, rest assured that reading the time will never be the same again with these watches.