Spending Time with the Pequignet Concorde

So after a fun-filled few weeks, it's time for the Pequignet Concorde to wing its way home.

So let's start off with the vital statistics. The Concorde is Pequignet's take on an integrated bracelet watch. It is available in either a 36 mm and 40 mm case size. It is available in several color ways including green, pink, charcoal grey, gold, two different silver versions, and of course the blue dial above. The technical specifications, per Pequignet:

Case

316L polish, satin finish stainless steel
Crown with embossed « Fleur-de-Lys » logo

Details of the dial

Blue Navy
Polish steel hours and minutes’ hands,
Super Luminova TC1 (blue),
polish steel seconds’ hand
Large date display at 3.00

Details of the movement

Calibre Initial®
Dual direction winding
Frequency of 4Hz (28,800 Alt./h)
21 jewels
Stop second
Pierced oscillating weight with snailing decoration and embossed
« Fleur-de-Lys » logo.

Case thickness (in mm)

9.25

Waterproofing (ATM)

10

Back of case

Secured by 6 screws, sapphire opening on the movement

Power reserve time

65 hours

My test drive was with the 40 mm version in blue. 

The Concorde is an extremely easy to wear, comfortable watch. the squared / cushion style case sat quite well on my wrist, much of this is owing to the thickness - 9.25 mm.

Yes, it certainly has presence, but it is not a wrist-bound man-hole cover either.

The clasp is a butterfly style, operating with two push pieces. It creates a seamless closure, not bumps, buckles, etc. to sit out and snag your shirt sleeve ; )

The case finish work is solid, and this attention to detail carries through from the case, to the bracelet, and to the crown. Speaking of which, the crown is incredibly smooth to operate, the hand winding is buttery soft and smooth - and yes that is a good thing.

And finally, as this is Pequignet who are more than just a little famous for their in-house movements, let's talk about what's under the hood -

The Concorde utilizes Pequignet's  Calibre Initial®. This is a lovely movement offering hours, minutes, seconds and the date. The execution and finishing level are beyond reproach, and the timekeeping was spot-on. I experienced no deviations of any significance wither plus or minus. But in addition, I was quite impressed with the power reserve. I went two days without wearing over two days, and it was bang-on. Now it is worth noting that the advertised power reserve is 65 hours. With that said, Mileage often varies on these things once you get beyond 36 hours. I will also note that I made no special efforts to fully wind the watch, so i was pleasantly surprised when we were well into the sixtieth hour and no measurable loss or gain in time.

Courtesy of Pequignet

So now, to the bottom line - how much is this wrist bound bijoux going to set you back?

The Concorde's suggested retail price is 4,000 Euros. The 36 mm version is slightly less at 3,800 Euros. This does put the Concorde into some competition in terms of what else is out there at this price point. But I think it holds its own given what you get for your money. And in fairness, it is highly unlikely you will run into anyone at the next watch collector gathering wearing a Pequignet.

So overall? I would say you could do a lot worse, and you are unlikely to find an integrated bracelet piece at the quality level, with an in-house movement at this price point. The challenge will be finding a retail partner as Pequignet's distribution is not the largest in the world, but with that said you can order direct from the brand at https://pequignet.com/