Ralf Tech is releasing the Académie in an Automatic Manufacture First Edition. The classic dress watch from the diving watch specialist is limited to just 22 pieces per dial color! However, the real special feature lies beneath the silver-gloss case. Here, an automatic movement from the Pequignet manufacture is at work – is the Académie now finally thoroughly French?
A tribute to the grandfather
Since 2019, the Académie has been delighting customers and fans of the French brand Ralf Tech. It is quite possible that this is also due to its classic and timeless look. It is pretty much the exact opposite of watches like the WRV or THE BEAST, both professional tools for special forces of the Navy. The latter I have also included in my List of the 18 Best Dive Watches 2022 & 2023 . And then comes the Académie around the corner, which at first glance seems to have no similarities with the sporty-technical brand from France – or maybe it does?
The Académie combines French elegance with classic watchmaking art. Founder Frank Huyghe, a former combat diver, has infused his past into the brand Ralf Tech and its models. The Académie tells a very special story, as the model is a tribute to the founder's grandfather and his fondness for mechanical wristwatches. In this respect, the classic watch fits wonderfully into the collection of the French premium manufacturer.
The end of Seiko
"About a year ago, I had two copies of the series, which has been around since 2019, in my hands. The Ralf Tech Académie Pirates Shadow and Royale Blau were both beautiful, classic, and timeless watches with a stunning bronze case, but also had a small drawback: the movement. Ralf Tech is otherwise known for its technological innovations such as the self-designed hybrid movements, which have a power reserve of 12 years and are extremely accurate. However, Ralf Tech has so far equipped its Académie with a movement from Seiko."
"Don't take it the wrong way. I am a fan of the Seiko NH35, which is quite respected among watchmakers. Its advantages are obvious. With solid technology and a versatile design, it is extremely resilient and reliable. And precisely because it has been produced millions of times, the likelihood is high that the watchmaker around the corner can service and repair the movement. At the same time, production costs can flow into other components like the high-quality glass box sapphire crystal. However, Seiko's NH35, with its accuracy of +/- 20 seconds per day, does not really fit the brand profile of the luxurious and technically sophisticated niche product Ralf Tech."
The new manufacturing workshop of Pequignet in detail
"That’s why Frank Huyghe has now realized his long-held dream of equipping the Académie with an automatic movement. Ralf Tech has found a worthy successor to the Japanese movement, which is likely a better fit for the French dress watch. For the limited special model, Ralf Tech has teamed up with Pequignet. The independent French company based in Morteau near the Swiss border manufactures luxury watches and movements. Here, an automatic movement has been developed, which is now called RTM001. The beginning of a new era?"
According to the numbers, all expectations that customers had for Ralf Tech after the discontinuation of the NH35 are now likely exceeded. Hold on: the RTM001 has a height of only 4.2 millimeters. The technically outstanding feature is the innovative gearing. According to Ralf Tech, it optimizes the efficiency of the movement and is supposed to minimize the wear of its components. I am impressed by the key figures of the new automatic movement. With a frequency of 28,800 half-beats per hour and an optimized escapement, the movement has a power reserve of an astonishing 77 hours when fully wound! With the integrated stop second hand that temporarily halts the second hand, the time displayed on the dial can be synchronized to the second with an atomic clock.
The RTM001 was developed in France and, according to Ralf Tech, manufactured with components of which 72% come from France. One could say that the DNA of the Ralf Tech Académie Automatic Manufacture First Edition is now thoroughly French.
The Ralf Tech Academy Automatic Manufacture First Edition on the wrist
The packaging measures 25 x 30 centimeters, containing a high-quality felt case that you can always take with you when you travel. I got the Ralf Tech Académie Automatic Manufacture First Edition for this wristwatch test in both dial colors, in black and cream.
With a diameter of 41 millimeters, the Académie is not exactly a small dress watch. I have a slim wrist, but the watch does not look too big on it at all.
The Académie is worn on a black alligator leather strap that has been hand-stitched and feels particularly soft on the inside. The wearing comfort of the Académie in everyday life is, without exaggeration, fantastic! Alternatively, you can wear the dress watch with the included black rubber strap, which is suitable for diving. However, since I would never wear the Académie while diving, let alone during sports activities, I stick to the alligator strap. The width between the lugs is 22 millimeters, and the straps taper slightly towards the buckle.
The case of the Ralf Tech Académie Automatic Manufacture First Edition in detail
I find the processing of the case, which is made of 316L stainless steel, to be excellent. Its surface has been given a polished finish. The look matches the classic feeling one experiences when wearing the Académie. Micro-scratches are naturally a bit more visible than with a matte finish. Therefore, in my opinion, the Ralf Tech Académie Automatic Manufacture First Edition remains a candidate for more elegant occasions.
From Ralf Tech, one is accustomed to the characteristic thick glass box sapphire crystal. It has been provided with a double-sided anti-reflective coating during production.
In the center of the screwed case back with a polished finish, there is a large, circular viewing window made of sapphire glass that offers a view of the minimalist movement. You can find your serial number engraved on the case back as well.
With a water resistance of 50 meters, the Académie is at least splash-proof. I wouldn't take this watch into the water if I were you. And let's be honest: the elegant three-hand watch feels much more at home at evening events or in the office with its polished case surfaces than on a beach.
The dials with the elegant Dauphine hands are, by the way, hand-painted and polished. This gives them an extraordinary shine.
My conclusion on the Académie Automatic Manufacture First Edition
"Finally, the Académie is powered by the movement it deserves! Ralf Tech is providing the 'black sheep' of the collection with a high-quality caliber from Pequignet, which performs excellently on the test bench. I certainly appreciate Seiko's NH35. However, in my opinion, this premium watch deserves a different level. The Académie has now become a fully-fledged Ralf Tech!"
"What hurts on one hand, but on the other hand also enhances the 'want-to-have' effect of this watch, is its limitation. Both dial colors are limited to just 22 pieces each. Being one of only 22 people in the world to wear my watch is already an exciting thought."
"Given the extremely high quality and the exclusive automatic movement, I don't find the price that Ralf Tech is asking for the new First Edition to be that expensive. In my shop, you can purchase both dial variants at the recommended retail price of 3,300 euros. So, it's worth being quick!"
You can find all important links to the watch below.
More about Ralf Tech and the Académie Automatic Manufacture First Edition
The variant with cream-colored dial in my shop
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