Introducing: The David Candaux DC7 Blue Hawk

If David Candaux is a new name for you in watchmaking, you’re probably not alone! I hadn’t heard of him and his eponymous brand before March. Fortunately, Phillips held an event in London featuring a handful of up-and-coming Haute Horlogerie independents. It was there that I met David and saw several of his watches. Even at that time, we were waiting on the new DC7 Blue Hawk. After what seems like a lengthy period, the watch is ready!

David Candaux is a relatively young person in his mid-40s, but he has an impressive background. After developing highly complicated watches for Jaeger-LeCoultre, he went on to work with several independent watch brands. In 2017, he founded his namesake company and began producing bespoke watches with an intriguing call sign. A so-called “magic crown” telescopes from its position at the bottom of the dial towards the wearer. Of course, as we’ll see with the DC7 Blue Hawk, the crown isn’t the only detail worth mentioning.

The David Candaux DC7 Blue Hawk

There’s a lot of detail to unpack with the new DC7 Blue Hawk, so let’s jump right in. The watch has a 44mm hand-polished Grade 5 titanium case designed to conform to the wrist. It features a domed sapphire crystal on top and a flat version on the back. Despite its dressy looks, it has a surprising depth rating of 50 meters. In this spirit, the watch comes with a handmade dark blue rubber strap with a Velcro closure, pin buckle, or folding clasp.

An impressive six-layer dial

Whenever I hear of layers, I’m transported to late-night antics in college and subsequent visits to Taco Bell. However, the new DC7 Blue Hawk may disrupt my game of word association. Indeed, David Candaux claims there are six distinct tiers to this dial. The standout feature is an anodized blue titanium surface that demands a closer look. Only then is it possible to see that the Super-LumiNova minute track lies below the blue surface on the lowest level.

The rehaut consists of two blasted titanium sections. These appear to intersect, but one is on top of the other, creating a multidimensional appearance. The magic crown, which shows the brand’s bear-head motif, is released by pushing it into the case. Then, it operates like a traditional crown with two positions — one for winding and the other for time setting.

Candaux mentions that the vertically off-centered position of the hour and minute hands is a nod to Da Vinci and the Vitruvian man. The hands are skeletonized with luminous tips, which lends a light, modern feel to the dial. While we’ll spend ample time on the impressive movement, the flying tourbillon is on display at the top of the dial. Here, a white-lacquered titanium hand displays the running seconds. The blue anodized titanium tourbillon cage sits at 30° and consists of a paltry 31 components.

The H70 tourbillon

While the Blue Hawk is certainly an eye-catching watch, the movement within it is incredibly special. David Candaux’s H70 tourbillon is a manual-winding caliber with 72 hours of power reserve and a frequency of 21,600vph. In this model, the caliber includes a new balance wheel, which aids precision. Aside from the mechanical specifications, impressive finishing adorns this 28-jewel powerplant, including hand-applied graining and anglage. From the rear, the display shows off four large plates, bridges, a gold logo, and a central pinion. While this is a special, handmade watch, David Candaux believes so fiercely in the reliability of its movements that each comes with a 10-year warranty.

Final thoughts on the DC7 Blue Hawk

David Candaux has created another beautiful watch, but I recommend seeing one in person to understand the magic. Plus, “never” is a strong word, but it’s unlikely you’ll meet a nicer person, which is a plus in this industry. The DC7 Blue Hawk is an exclusive watch, unsurprising given Candaux’s participation in each piece. Just eight of these models will be built, and each will carry a price tag of CHF 149,000. Yes, that’s serious money, but it’s also no surprise considering the handmade nature and in-house-development costs. Many big-name marques successfully offer watches at this level, so it’s certainly worth looking at an innovative, handmade piece like the Blue Hawk.

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