Beaubleu Returns with Three New Watches Using their Circular Hands

We covered the first watches introduced by Beaubleu back in the fall of 2020, and they’re finally back with a follow up: the Vitruve Collection. The new lineup of watches takes Beaubleu’s signature circular hands and introduces new complications into the mix for the first time. In a watch landscape that’s filled with sports watches that are almost identical, we’re pretty big fans of brands like Beaubleu that attempt to create their own unique design language. While it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, it’s nice to see them sticking with it and continuing to expand their core aesthetic. 

The Vitruve Date introduces a date complication at the 6:00 position. According to Beaubleu, the inspiration for this watch comes from Brutalist architecture, and the concrete slabs associated with Brutalism do seem to have a link to the brushed steel and black dials on the Vitruve Date. The interplay of the circles within circles is really obvious on the Vitruve Date, with the case itself acting as a container of sorts for the many smaller circles found within the dial, both as “hands” for telling the time, and as decoration. 

The Vitruve GMT has a somewhat misleading name, as it’s not an actual mechanical GMT, but uses an internal bezel and dual crown design to give you the option of tracking a second time zone. What’s nice about this design is the way both crowns are hidden, which gives the case a particularly sleek and refined look. Again, the “complication” itself plays on the circle theme, with the 12 hour ring acting as an enclosure for the smaller circles within the dial’s interior. The Vitruve GMT is being made in both blue and green variants. 

Lastly, the Vitruve Origin is what Beaubleu describes as “a true cocktail watch.” I think what they mean by that is that it’s simply meant to exist as an aesthetically pleasing object, and here it works as a distillation of Beaubleu’s design language in a more formal and dressy way. Beaubleu is using a “double dial” construction here, with one layer having a smoked finish with printed Roman numerals, and the other with a guilloche application. The end result is that the Roman numerals appear to be floating over the lower dial layer. Dials are available in blue or cognac. 

All three watches in the new collection run on the Miyota 9015 movement, and they all have cases measuring 39mm in diameter, although the lack of a brushed bezel on the GMT makes it look a bit larger than the other two watches. Each watch is a limited edition of 888 pieces (more circles…) and are available to order through the Beaubleu website as of today with pre-order pricing starting at €650. Beaubleu