Beaubleu “La Pièce”: When the Monnaie de Paris Meets Watchmaking

For the first time in its history, the Monnaie de Paris has applied its expertise to the world of watchmaking. Twelve centuries of mastery in minting, striking, and metalworking are here transposed onto a watch dial. This first encounter between the Parisian institution and a watch brand gives rise to La Pièce, a limited-edition collection signed Beaubleu. The symbolism is powerful, the technical gesture unprecedented, and the visual result deserves close attention.

This is not a simple co-branding exercise with a logo stamped on a caseback. The collaboration goes to the very essence of the object: the dial becomes a struck surface, shaped by processes historically reserved for coins and medals. Struck in Paris, at the heart of the Hôtel de la Monnaie, La Pièce claims a direct lineage with a unique artisanal heritage in Europe.

A Struck Dial: A First in Watchmaking

At the heart of the La Pièce project lies the dial. Beaubleu and the Monnaie de Paris have used minting techniques to shape one-piece dials, with reliefs integrated directly into the material. This is no longer a matter of applied elements or simple printing: volumes, recesses, textures, and surface interplay are struck, then reworked to structure the reading of time.

The result is particularly compelling to the naked eye. Light interacts differently with each area of the dial. Some parts are polished, others satin-finished, while others feature a more powdery grain. This surface work creates a depth rarely seen in watches of this category. The dial feels alive, changing character depending on the viewing angle, inviting the wearer to look at the watch as more than a simple timekeeping instrument.

This approach gives La Pièce a somewhat distinctive status: it sits at the crossroads between a mechanical watch and a design object. It does not merely tell time; it tells a story of process, of worked material, of craftsmanship drawn from a world not originally that of watchmaking.

La Pièce n°1 and La Pièce n°2: Two Interpretations of Relief

Beaubleu offers this collaboration in two distinct interpretations, named La Pièce n°1 and La Pièce n°2.

La Pièce n°1: Time as a Moving Surface

La Pièce n°1 is defined by a play of non-concentric circles, evoking an almost organic reading of time. The dial gives the impression of material worked in successive layers, with reliefs that guide the eye without imposing a strictly technical reading. The texture deliberately recalls paper, with a fine grain that enhances the tactile dimension of the dial.

Several colour variations are available, allowing each wearer to choose a distinct mood:

• mocha, warm and soft,
• olive green, more contemporary,
• graphite, understated and versatile,
• champagne, bright and elegant,
• empire blue, more formal,
• wine red, deep and almost theatrical.

Each shade subtly alters the perception of relief. The wine red and empire blue enhance the contrast of volumes, while graphite and champagne lean more toward subtlety.

La Pièce n°2: A More Technical Approach to the One-Piece Dial

La Pièce n°2 takes the technical demonstration a step further. The hour markers are machined directly into the dial’s mass, with polished interiors contrasting against satin or micro-grained surfaces. The reading is more structured, more overtly “watchmaking” in approach, even if the object remains firmly rooted in design.

Three versions make up this model:

• black, graphic and contemporary,
• silver, which particularly highlights the relief work,
• rose gold, bolder, almost jewellery-like in spirit.

In this version, the interplay of finishes is particularly legible. The dial becomes a kind of miniature topography, where each level catches the light differently.

The Beaubleu DNA: Round Hands and Another Way of Thinking About Time

Beaubleu is not a watch brand like any other. Since its creation in 2017 by designer Nicolas Ducoudert, the Parisian maison has developed a singular vision of time and its representation. The round hands, the brand’s visual signature, are not simply a graphic gimmick. They genuinely alter the perception of time. The eye is no longer drawn to a pointed tip indicating an index, but to a circular form gliding across the dial.

This approach can be disorienting at first, then gradually asserts itself as another way of experiencing a watch. Beaubleu readily speaks of a “culture of free time,” of a more sensitive relationship to the passage of time. In La Pièce, this philosophy finds particularly coherent expression: a sculpted dial, worked volumes, and a less frontal, more intuitive reading.

What works particularly well at Beaubleu is the overall coherence of its universe. Product design, brand narrative, visual identity, photographic campaigns—everything contributes to a single, unified language. La Pièce does not come out of nowhere; it is part of a logical creative continuum.

Movements: France Ébauches and Miyota, A Pragmatic Choice

Beneath the dial, Beaubleu adopts a deliberately pragmatic approach. For La Pièce, the brand uses automatic movements supplied by France Ébauches. This choice echoes the “made in France” dimension of the project. France Ébauches is a historic player in French movement production, recently revived with the aim of restoring an industrial base to French watchmaking.

The movement is visible through a transparent caseback and comes with a five-year warranty. This is not haute horlogerie in the traditional sense, but rather a robust automatic calibre that aligns with the watch’s positioning.

For other collections, Beaubleu relies on the Miyota 9015 Slim, a well-known Japanese movement that is reliable, thin, and widely proven in the microbrand world. Here again, the choice is coherent: reliability, parts availability, and consistent performance. Beaubleu is not selling a mechanical myth, but a design-driven horological experience built on solid technical foundations.

Technical Specifications at a Glance

La Pièce features well-balanced proportions for everyday wear:

• 316L steel case,
• 39 mm diameter,
• 10.2 mm thickness,
• double-domed sapphire crystal,
• crown discreetly hidden at 3 o’clock,
• France Ébauches automatic movement,
• approximately 46-hour power reserve,
• 50-metre water resistance (5 ATM),
• limited edition of 888 pieces per colour,
• retail price between €1,790 and €1,890 depending on configuration,
• 5-year warranty.

On paper, the package is coherent for a design-led watch positioned between contemporary creation and accessible mechanics.

My Take on La Pièce

La Pièce is aimed at those who see a watch as much as a design object as a timekeeping instrument.

The collaboration with the Monnaie de Paris brings genuine artisanal legitimacy to the project. This is not a superficial marketing claim. The dial work reflects real expertise, intelligently transposed into the watchmaking world. Here, Beaubleu delivers a piece consistent with its DNA—creatively ambitious, without pretending to be something it is not.

In a market saturated with interchangeable watches, La Pièce offers something different. For that alone, it deserves a final moment of attention—best enjoyed by watching the presentation film below.