It landed on my wrist, without warning (or almost)! I admit, I invited it: I wanted to immerse myself in its iconic lines - born in 1973. Here is the Riviera with a 30 mm diameter, summer 2025 version. With a pink, blue, or "warm silver" dial, it offers a variety of pleasures. When you love, you don't count!
Inspiring
Let’s start with my favorite: its design, obviously. A dive into the 70s, when its dodecagonal lines were drawn by Jean-Claude Gueit (for the record, his son Emmanuel was behind the Royal Oak Offshore in 1993 – celebrating the 20th anniversary of another 70s star, the octagonal Royal Oak by Gérald Genta). The initial idea? Start from the usual circle to create a new case shape, by connecting the twelve numbers on the dial with lines. One of the first of its kind, Riviera reminds me of that era marked by iconic designs, the rise of sporty steel watches, and "-gone" designs (octagon among the top). Its name, "Riviera", refers to St-Tropez and the French Riviera - named so by the English due to the many rivers in the region - another welcome inspiration in my daily life!
Joyful and dynamic
Did life seem more sparkling with Riviera? Certainly. And its bright wave pattern and colors certainly contributed to that. More sporty? Also! (Especially in thought, with the demands of pre-departure vacation days leaving little room for leisure). In any case, I can perfectly imagine doing my favorite activities with this lovely companion. Its metal bracelet speaks to me, so practical with its triple folding clasp: beautifully satin-finished, with a wider central link, and outer links with streamlined, ergonomic lines. I particularly appreciate the shine of the metal: stainless steel proves robust in many circumstances and perfect for an active life. But its way of catching the light with a metallic softness also gives it a touch of jewelry – especially since I prefer to wear the bracelet a bit loose on the skin. Equipped with a system designed to change it easily, it can also be replaced with other variations.
As for the dial, there are Roman numerals at 12 o'clock (XII) and 6 o'clock (VI), and indexes to mark the hours. A date window at 3 o'clock – efficient and discreet. On the "warm silver" version, the display indicators and hands are gilded with a warm 5 N gold. On all versions, white Superluminova – with blue emission in the dark – makes reading the time very easy day or night.
But now it's time to return these delightful 30 mm Riviera watches, after a very pleasant wear test. I would love to take it on vacation – but which color to choose? Each pairs so well with linen, cotton, and the clear or warmer shades of the season. Have a wonderful summer!
