Rexhep Rexhepi Chronomètre Contemporain II

The first RRCCII to come to open market has finally surfaced, at the approachable sum of 1.7 million USD. A first only happens once, and pretty nearly all parties who watch these things had guessed the debut would be certainly above the 1.5M mark. This is a brave new world of independent collecting. So, what changed and why is the CC series setting a new record for second-generation independents?

Photography for all images except the one below this text comes from a prior example shot by A Collected Man, the lower shot comes courtesy of Hodinkee. 

The RRCCII represents the most refined expression of Rexhep Rexhepi’s philosophy of modern classical watchmaking. Building on the success of the original RRCCI—introduced in 2018 and awarded the GPHG Men’s Watch Prize—the RRCCII was first revealed publicly via a unique platinum example for Only Watch 2021, before entering limited series production beginning in 2022. The RRCCII is not a cosmetic update but a ground-up re-engineering, conceived to push chronometric precision and artisanal execution further while preserving the purity of the original design.

While the case retains the familiar 38 mm diameter, its construction is historically meaningful. The RRCCII cases were made by Jean-Pierre Hagmann, rest in peace, inarguably the most revered casemaker of the late 20th century, coaxed out of retirement by Rexhepi. The multi-part case features hand-soldered lugs, a near-extinct technique used for the upper catalogue of Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin. Prior to Hagmann’s involvement, most modern independents relied on industrial case suppliers; the RRCCII instead revives traditional Genevan casemaking at the very highest level, with visible hallmarks underscoring its maker.

The most meaningful evolution lies in the movement. The original RRCCI used a single-train architecture, whereas the RRCCII introduces a dual-barrel, dual-going-train calibre (RRCC02). This allows one train to regulate timekeeping while the other drives the deadbeat (jumping) seconds, improving amplitude stability and precision. The movement also incorporates hacking seconds with zero-reset, a rare feature even among high-end chronometers. The finishing—black-polished steel, inward angles, and broad Geneva stripes—is executed entirely by hand and ranks among the finest currently produced in independent watchmaking.

In context, the RRCCII stands as a statement of intent rather than a volume product. Produced in extremely small numbers across platinum and pink gold, it demonstrates Rexhepi’s belief that true progress in watchmaking lies in structural refinement, historical continuity, and uncompromising handcraft, not novelty. Despite its restrained appearance, the RRCCII is substantially more complex than its predecessor. The RRCCII is best understood not as a sequel, but as the definitive maturation of one of the most important chronometer wristwatches of the modern independent era.