Pulse 60,
a wide, pure and
controlled beat

Located in Tolochenaz, at the heart of the Swiss watchmaking region, Haute Horlogerie Dominique Renaud (HHDR) is the epicenter of our watchmaking ambition.

Here, Dominique Renaud has surrounded himself with an ecosystem tailored to its vision to bring his creations to life—a place of research, a transdisciplinary constellation of talent, and an integrated manufacturing chain.

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A crossroads of expertise and ideas

Dominique Renaud has already pushed the boundaries of the regulating organ under extreme conditions, demonstrating his spirit of exploration and invention. His explorations have shown that it is possible to break away from conventional watchmaking standards and rethink the way a balance wheel interacts with its escapement.

The Pulse 60 explores the uncharted territory of low frequencies, featuring the lowest frequency found in contemporary mechanical watchmaking: 1Hz. Its balance wheel oscillates just 60 times per minute – the same frequency as a human heart at rest. This exceptional frequency reduces the number of impulses and shocks to the escapement, thereby limiting the disturbances that disrupt the balance wheel’s movement. The seconds are marked by a single oscillation of the balance wheel, around which the rest of the movement is organised.

A large balance wheel to master the second

To make full use of this frequency, the movement of the Pulse 60 relies on a massive balance wheel measuring 2 cm in diameter, a feature found exclusively in marine chronometry. Such a large balance wheel is far more resistant to torque variations and shocks. Much like a tightrope walker’s long pole, its centre of gravity is stabilised and more resistant to micro-movements. It transforms every tick-tock into a slow, broad and controlled beat.

Ultra-amplitude:
pushing mechanical limits

In the Pulse 60, the construction of the balance wheel, plate and escape pin assembly has been completely redesigned to allow an amplitude of over 360° without rebattement, something that was impossible in a traditional design.

What is over-swingk?

In a conventional movement, the geometry of the balance wheel, plate and escape pin imposes a strict limit on the amplitude; exceeding a certain angle causes ‘over-swing’, the moment when the balance wheel swings too far and strikes the back of the anchor, causing it to advance on the beat.

Far from the contact breaker

A traditional movement is like a restricted engine running close to the red line: at the slightest increase in load, it hits the breaker, the horological equivalent of the escape wheel. At the heart of a Pulse 60, which benefits from twice the usual amplitude, one is always far from the breaker.

Even in the event of disturbances, the amplitude remains within a safe zone that protects the escapement, and thus the regularity of the movement.

Towards the ideal oscillator

More than just a feat of geometry, this amplitude has a direct impact on how the balance wheel is regulated, as it remains free for longer and over a greater distance. During this extended period, its movement is governed by its own dynamic laws, rather than by interactions with the escapement, which helps to make the timekeeping more stable and less sensitive to micro-variations.

Consequently, the number of disturbances experienced by the balance wheel is reduced to a minimum. The remarkable stability that results brings the watch’s behaviour closer to that of an ideal oscillator.

Technical Specifications

Case
  • Grade 5 Titanium / Pink Gold and Grade 5 Titanium
  • Dimensions: 40 mm x 44 mm
  • Thickness: 12 mm (with sapphire crystal)
  • Domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment
  • Caseback: flat sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment
  • Water resistance: 3 ATM / 30 m
  • Hours and minutes on the 12 o’clock counter
  • Natural dead half-second on the 9 o’clock counter
  • Torque indicator on the 3 o’clock counter
  • Diameter: 33 mm
  • Balance frequency: 1 Hz / 7,200 vibrations per hour
  • Balance diameter: 20 mm
  • Hairspring diameter: 15 mm
  • Regulation system with offset index assembly (patented technology)
  • Power reserve: 4 days
  • Interchangeable rubber strap with push-button system
  • Delivered with a pin buckle and a triple-folding clasp.