Hands-on with the MCT Dodekal One D110 & Its Unique Mechanical-Digital Display

The MCT Dodekal One D110, which we introduced to you here, is simply one of the most impressive mechanical digital hour indications on the market. MCT is the abbreviation of Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps, and the name actually says it all. This “very contemporary” watch manufactory, which was launched in 2007, does not create wrist watches that indicate time simply by 2 or 3 hands. And their latest creation, the Dodekal One that we’re looking at today, is, even in the field of watches with another way to display time (something we love here at Monochrome), an absolute rarity. Today we go hands-on with the Dodekal One D110. 

Hands turn in a circle. The circular motion of hands has been widely adopted for the indication of time for centuries; the semantic notion of how time shall be displayed is analogue. Not content with this traditional indication, MCT has developed several watches with unusual time displays, such as the Sequential One (see our full review here) and Sequential Two.

MCT is known for thinking differently but not just for the sake of being different. Presented to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the brand, the Dodekal One is at once beautiful and technically innovative but most of all its digital time indication is super legible. It is indeed one of the most convincing and impressive solutions to displaying digital hours mechanically.

When we first reported about the launch of the MCT Dodekal One – before we had the chance to do a proper hands-on review – we received a number of requests for video showing the hour change. You asked for it and so we are delivering.

The hours are displayed digitally in the center of the watch where space has been made available. Mechanically, the process is based on a complex system of cams and carriages. The smooth hour transition is effected by the translational motion of segments over a 2.5 second period (according to the press release but it seems much faster). Minutes are shown thanks to a flying hand paired with a transparent disk. The minute indexes are arranged on a black circular dial. In the corners, bridges (non-functional) square off the round movement, while providing a cool and technical tubular appearance.

Turn the watch over and you see the beautiful architecture of the in-house caliber D1. Ticking at 18’000 vibrations per hour / 2.5 Hz. it has a power reserve of 50 hours. The automatic winding is driven by a gold micro-rotor. Time can be set forward only. The movement decoration features Geneva stripes and nice chamfers. The balance bridge is open-worked. Unlike the Sequential One and the Sequential Two, it is a full balance bridge. The balance is free sprung (with Breguet terminal curve) and it has adjustment screws.

The Dodekal One square, cushion-shaped case features soft curves contrasting beautifully against powerful angles. It is rendered in grade 5 titanium or DLC-titanium and pink gold. The sapphire crystal is softly cambered and the short, tapered lugs are open-worked.

The MCT Dodekal One is paired with a matt alligator leather strap secured with a triple folding buckle. MSRP is CHF 55,000 for the grade 5 titanium limited edition.

Technical specifications – MCT Dodekal One D110

• Case: 43 mm x 43 mm titanium grade 5 (or DLC titanium and pink gold) case – cambered sapphire crystal with AR coating on both sides – sapphire caseback with AR coating – 3 ATM / 30 m water resistant
• Movement: Calibre MCT D1 with automatic winding (micro-rotor) – 50h power reserve – 2.5 Hz. – 62 jewels – central digital hour indication and minutes’ indication with a flying hand
• Strap: black alligator leather strap with folding buckle
• Two limited editions of 25 pieces each
• Price: CHF 55,000 for the titanium version, CHF 65,000 for the Ti DLC / gold version

For more information, please visit www.mctwatches.com