This is a watershed moment for Chinese high watchmaking. As the Editor-in-Chief of Horology Planet, I’ve spent years tracking the evolution of independent watchmaking from the Jura mountains to the workshops of Akrivia and Simon Brette. But today, the most compelling story isn't coming from Geneva—it’s coming from a studio founded in 2018: MINEROCI.
The RD002 Constant-Force Jumping Seconds is not just a watch; it is a declaration of intent. It represents the first time a Chinese independent watchmaker has successfully conquered the complex integration of a constant-force escapement with a dead-beat seconds mechanism.
The Aesthetic: Neoclassical Architecture
At first glance, the RD002 feels like a love letter to the 19th-century chronometer, but with a modern, architectural soul. The 38.5mm case in 18k gold is a masterstroke of restraint. In an era where "complication fatigue" often leads to oversized, unwearable cases, MINEROCI’s decision to keep this under 39mm—and a slim 9.8mm in thickness—places it in the same conversation as the likes of Rexhep Rexhepi’s Chronomètre Contemporain.
The dial is a masterclass in texture:
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Guilloché Sub-dial: An off-centered hour/minute display featuring traditional Roman numerals and heat-blued hands.
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The "Frosted" Base: The main plate features a breathtaking "gold frosting" (similar to tremblage or ébauche finishing) that catches the light with a subtle, granular shimmer.
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The 6 o'clock Aperture: The stage belongs to the massive 13mm screw balance wheel, held by a black-polished bridge that screams Haute Horlogerie.
Technical Prowess: The Heart of the Reuleaux Triangle
The RD002's soul is the manual-winding movement featuring a Constant-Force (Remontoire d'égalité) mechanism.
Historically, as a mainspring unwinds, its torque drops, leading to fluctuations in amplitude and accuracy. To solve this, MINEROCI employs a Reuleaux triangle cam (a design heritage tracing back to Robert Gafner of the La Chaux-de-Fonds watchmaking school in the 1930s).
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The Mechanism: This triangle drives an 18-tooth escape wheel that rotates every 6 seconds.
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The Result: A mesmerizing jumping (dead-beat) seconds hand at the center, which ticks with clinical precision once per second, powered by a steady flow of energy regardless of the mainspring's state.
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The Fail-safe: To ensure the watch never runs in a low-torque state that could compromise accuracy, they’ve integrated a Maltese cross stopwork on the barrel, which halts the movement entirely after its 48-hour optimal window.
Finissage: Beyond the "Made in China" Stereotype
Turning the watch over reveals a movement that would make a Swiss veteran pause. The layout is perfectly symmetrical, featuring dual parallel barrels that look like the eyes of a mechanical owl.
The finishing is exhaustive:
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Mirror-Polished Anglage: Every bridge edge is hand-beveled to a reflective sheen.
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Gold Chatons: The 42 jewels are set in traditional gold chatons, secured by heat-blued or chamfered screws.
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Sandblasted Surfaces: The contrast between the frosted gold-plated bridges and the mirror-polished screw heads provides a depth rarely seen outside of independent giants like Greubel Forsey.
The "Horology Planet" Perspective
Why it matters: For too long, Chinese watchmaking was synonymous with mass production. MINEROCI, led by founder Chang Qu, is dismantling that narrative. The RD002 is "Quiet Luxury" in its most technical form. It doesn't rely on flashy tourbillons; it relies on the purity of chronometry and the difficulty of the constant-force mechanism.
The Competitive Landscape:
At approximately $100,000 USD (HK$798,000), the RD002 sits in a price bracket occupied by F.P. Journe or Grönefeld. While that is a bold ask for a younger brand, the limit of 21 pieces and the sheer level of manual labor justify the entry fee. This is a "blue-chip" investment in the future of Chinese craftsmanship.
"I have visited many workshops, but seeing the scrapped prototypes at MINEROCI—parts smaller than a sesame seed discarded because they didn't meet Qu’s 'perfection' standard—convinced me. This isn't marketing; it's a pursuit of the 'Tao' of horology."
Final Verdict
The MINEROCI RD002 is a triumph. It bridges the gap between Eastern philosophy and Western mechanical tradition. If you are a collector looking for the next frontier of independent watchmaking, the East is no longer rising—it has arrived.
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