Founded in 2018 by horological veteran William Massena, Massena LAB emerged with a vision to collaborate with established brands to produce limited series of watches. As avid enthusiasts of all things related to independent watchmaking in general, the announcement of Raúl Pagès' involvement – renowned for his acclaimed works like the Régulateur à Détente RP1 watch and remarkable automatons such as the White Gold Turtle – partnering with Massena LAB for this particular endeavour instantly ignited our excitement and we had a strong intuition that something truly exceptional was in the making.
Ladies and gentlemen, offered here today is the Magraph, a collaborative release between Massena LAB and Raúl Pagès. This unveiling holds particular significance as it marks the debut of a Massena LAB timepiece featuring its very own proprietary movement – the Cal. M660, which was designed and developed under the watchful technical supervision of Raúl Pagès.
Encased within a modestly-sized 38.5mm x 10mm stainless steel, Calatrava-style case, the Magraph features a stepped bezel, clean lines, and surfaces adorned with satin-brush finishing. This case design evokes the elegance of watches from the 1940s and 1950s, with its clean lines and aesthetic. The two-tone dial design, on the other hand, finds its roots in Bauhaus art and architecture from the 1930s, embracing the purity and elegance of simple geometric forms over intricate or ornamental embellishments. Interestingly, William Massena also alluded to the dial's resemblance to a pièce unique variant of the Patek Philippe Ref. 96, commissioned in 1935 by a prominent luxury retailer in Berlin named 'Magraf'. As a whole, the Magraph presents an understated aesthetic, its dial structured in a sector-like layout, featuring a subtle off-white hue with a rhodium-plated outermost sector ring adorned by circular motifs. Additionally, the dial features a striking contrast through the inclusion of thermal-blued hands, elegantly offsetting the pure and pristine appearance of the dial. This design also integrates a radially grooved small-seconds sub-dial positioned at 6 o'clock, beautifully harmonizing with the overall dial layout.
At the heart of the Magraph lies the exclusive Cal. M660 by Raúl Pagès. This hand-wound movement boasts a 60-hour power reserve, accompanied by meticulously hand-chamfered anglage on the plates and bridges, as well as classic Côtes de Genève finishing throughout. Nestled beneath the balance wheel, you’ll find a unique tortoise-shaped (La tortue) poinçon Pagès, a signature hallmark of Raúl Pagès, encircled by delicate decorative perlage throughout. Absolutely impressive.
In its entirety, the Magraph stands as an utterly captivating timepiece that is sure to spark a conversation amongst enthusiasts. With a limited production of only 99 pieces worldwide, it swiftly sold out in an instant upon its release, and it is not hard to see why.
