Académie Ralf Tech

Academy, technology in vintage guise

The Académie line of watches from Ralf Tech has its history: it was created in memory of a watch that belonged to the grandfather of Franck Huyghe, a professional diver and founder of the brand in 1996. In fact, the Academy watch displays a retro roundness inspired by the 1950s-60s and curvaceous curves, pleasing to the eye. To those who may have objected that Académie did not match the usual design of Ralf Tech watches, Franck Huyghe replied at the launch in 2015, "Why? Is there a Ralf Tech style? Talk to me more about vision, pleasure, desire... And then we'll talk about style! Design is not fixed, it evolves and adapts. Man is its source and its promised land. Nevertheless, Académie remains a watch apart in the Ralf Tech universe, whose first watch created in 2003, the WR1, was primarily intended to withstand the pressure of the deep sea and which has since been a reference brand for divers and other extreme sportsmen. Academy, on the other hand, is also meant to be a tribute to prestigious military and police academies. With its vintage look, both classic and timeless, the watch comes with a round case, in polished or satin-finished steel depending on the model. From the diving watches, it retains the sighted crown - its water resistance is guaranteed to 200 meters - and the thick, anti-reflective treated Glass Box sapphire crystal. Assembled in France, Académie is also a comfort watch, whose thin case middle is extended by slightly plunging horns. The movement, meanwhile, is automatic, and displays a 42-hour power reserve.

Models issued in only 100 pieces

At the time of its launch, Académie was offered with five diameter variations of 41 mm excluding the crown, bearing in mind that each model was issued in only 100 pieces: Diplomat, Royale, California, Ranger and Driver. Since then, the alchemy between looks and reliability has led to a number of other models, also produced in limited series. Among them, we can mention Eclipse and its sunny anthracite dial, Roadking with its resolutely sixties codes, Sunrise with its patinated azure blue dial, City and its urban and modern codes... Between the royal blue and the visual references to the Navy of a Diplomat version and the white with the chic elegance of a Riviera version, Ralf Tech has again produced exclusive series. This is, for example, the case of the Academy Out of Range watch, whose changing golden reflections on the dial bring something magical. No doubt the elegant man will find an Académie to his liking. Lovers of color are also not left out, with the Volcano or Tundra versions. One note, however, few Academy models do not display the date. Those for whom this element matters can look for the Driver series, characterized by a matte black dial. Last but not least, the Académie watches come with a calf leather strap in a matching color, and in all cases hand-sewn.