A New Size and Aesthetic
Minerva unveils its Unveiled Secret timepiece in new, smaller 39mm size and a striking wine-red colourway. To suit the reduced case size, the timepiece’s intricate open-worked monopusher chronograph has been reworked, resulting in an entirely new, patented calibre presented for the first time.
The new aesthetic of Minerva The Unveiled Secret is expressed through two different limited editions, adorned by distinct decorative finishes. The solid 18K rose gold version, limited to 18 pieces, features Minerva’s signature fluted bezel set with 84 brilliant-cut diamonds (approximately 0.62 carats), while the two-tone version, limited to 58 pieces, features a solid 18K rose gold fluted bezel and a case in stainless steel.
The Open-worked Dial
At the heart of Minerva The Unveiled Secret is a reversed chronograph movement with its intricate works facing the front of the watch. To expose the movement, Minerva's watchmakers have developed a wide-open dial reduced to an outer ring holding the luminescent rose-gold hour markers and three open rings across the horizontal axis. At 9 o'clock is the continually running small seconds hand. Within the central ring, the hour hand, minute hand (both featuring white Super-LumiNova®) and chronograph seconds-hand are mounted on the main arbor, and at the 3 o'clock position is the chronograph's 30-minute totaliser, its hand in the shape of Minerva's arrow.
It is through this skeletonised dial that the watch expresses its deep wine-red colourway, which is complimented by the matching alligator leather strap in a semi-matte finish.
The Reversed Chronograph Movement
The complexity of its chronographs inspired Minerva to find a way to fully unveil these hand-finished movements. The solution, first revealed in a 43mm version in 2022, was to flip the chronograph movement so that the complex works faced the front of the watch, a feat of mechanical engineering that required extensive reengineering, especially when it came to turning the inverted hands clockwise.
Minerva The Unveiled Secret at 39mm called for an entirely new calibre, one suited exactly to this smaller case. The result is the patented Calibre M13.26, a reduced reversed monopusher chronograph released here for the first time.
The movement is crafted largely from rhodium-plated German silver, all meticulously decorated and finished by hand. Admiring the movement through the open dial reveals the Minerva arrow at the 1 o'clock position, Minerva’s signature V-shaped chronograph bridge at 4 o'clock, and the handsomely finished balance clock supporting the freesprung balance wheel with in-house hairspring at 6 o'clock.
This manually wound movement offers 60 hours of power reserve.
The Caseback
The caseback is presented in either solid 18K rose gold for the Limited Edition 18, or in stainless steel for the Limited Edition 58. Both variants display a special laser engraving of the Minerva manufacture in Villeret, Switzerland, where it has stood since 1858. The RFV logo with Minerva's arrow, one of Minerva’s signatures, is also included here. Standing for Robert Frères Villeret, the logo had been used on watch cases and movements up into the early 20th century.
Packaging
Minerva The Unveiled Secret Limited Editions 18 and 58 are presented in a box featuring a secret opening system that makes for a clean appearance as well as an engaging experience for the owner. The box's elegant natural walnut-veneer is topped with a stainless steel plate with a special engraving of the Minerva manufacture in Villeret, Switzerland, in addition to the RFV logo with Minerva's arrow. The location of Villeret is also expressed on the latch, which includes an engraving of the village’s coat of arms.
