Beaubleu Vitruve Date: owner reviews and feedback

The Beaubleu Vitruve Date, launched in 2022, belongs to the third major collection from Parisian watch company Beaubleu, founded in 2017 by designer Nicolas Ducoudert. It retains the brand’s most immediately identifiable signature, its circular hands, but places them within a more architectural environment than the first collections. Inspired by principles attributed to Vitruvius concerning harmony, utility and beauty, the collection includes three propositions: Date, Origine and GMT. The Vitruve Date is distinguished by a strongly brushed dial that appears to continue into the case, a date discreetly integrated at 6 o’clock and finishing that alternates polished and satin surfaces. Its 39 mm stainless-steel case remains particularly slim at approximately 9.5 mm thick and 45 mm long. The Japanese Miyota 9015 automatic movement provides approximately 42 hours of power reserve.

Two principal versions are produced, Steel and Black, each limited and individually numbered to 888 pieces.

Design & legibility: circular hands meet architecture

The Vitruve Date does not attempt to reproduce the usual codes of a three-hand watch with calendar. Its dial is based on an extremely geometric construction, with a brushed metal surface, circular markers and above all Beaubleu’s famous round hands. Each hand takes the form of an offset circle rotating around the central axis of the movement; a small marker positioned on its circumference allows the hours, minutes and seconds to be determined more precisely. The three moving circular hands form the fundamental distinguishing feature of the Vitruve Date. This method of reading the time requires a short period of familiarisation and deliberately gives the visual experience priority over the immediate legibility of a tool watch. The date appears at 6 o’clock on a blue disc, discreet enough not to disturb the overall balance of the dial. On the Steel version, the brushed metallic background visually approaches the colour of the case and reinforces the impression of an object made from a single material. The Black version uses greater contrast, notably through its flame-blued seconds hand that echoes the date disc. No significant luminous display disturbs the composition, so night-time legibility remains secondary to the graphic concept.

Case, bracelet and comfort: a 39 mm sculpture only 9.5 mm thick

The 316L stainless-steel case measures 39 mm in diameter, approximately 45 mm long and only 9.5 to 9.6 mm thick. The standard 20 mm lug width makes strap changes straightforward even though the case design gives the impression of a much more integrated construction. The lugs are openworked and appear to wrap around an independent circular body, creating lateral spaces that visually emphasise the thinness of the watch. Surfaces alternate between vertical brushing and mirror polishing so that the volumes change with the light. The openworked lugs wrapping around the central case give the Vitruve Date an architecture very different from a conventional round watch. The crystal is sapphire with anti-reflective treatment and the transparent caseback allows the movement to be viewed. Beaubleu offers the watch on interchangeable leather straps or an articulated metal bracelet made from slim steel blades, which follows the wrist with greater flexibility than a conventional bracelet using thick links. At 39 mm by 45 mm, the watch suits a wide range of wrists, although the shape of its lugs and the steel bracelet give it greater presence than the diameter alone might suggest. Water resistance is limited to 3 ATM, or 30 metres.

Movement: slim and proven Miyota 9015 automatic

The Vitruve Date is equipped with the Miyota 9015 automatic calibre, a Japanese movement from the Premium Automatic family produced by the Citizen group manufacturer. It measures approximately 26 mm in diameter and only 3.9 mm thick, directly helping to keep the complete watch below 10 mm. It operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour, or 4 Hz, contains 24 jewels and provides automatic winding while also allowing manual winding through the crown. Hacking seconds stops the display during time setting and makes accurate synchronisation easier. The reduced thickness of the Miyota 9015 allows Beaubleu to preserve the particularly slim profile of the Vitruve Date. Stated power reserve reaches approximately 42 hours. Beaubleu indicates a target accuracy of around -9 to +9 seconds per day for its regulated movements, although actual performance naturally depends on position, state of wind and the condition of the watch. The native calendar of the 9015 is adapted to the specific dial construction so that the date appears at 6 o’clock on a disc matching the identity of the watch. The transparent caseback reveals the movement and its rotor without attempting to present this reliable industrial mechanism as a haute-horlogerie calibre.

Chronological milestones and main models

Beaubleu Vitruve Date Steel:

The Steel version probably expresses the architectural concept of the Vitruve Date most clearly. The Beaubleu Vitruve Date B03-DAT-S-STEEL has a 39 mm 316L stainless-steel case measuring approximately 45 mm long and 9.5 mm thick. Its brushed steel dial almost matches the colour of the case and creates the impression that the different components have been sculpted from one block. The calendar appears discreetly at 6 o’clock and maintains the general symmetry of the dial. The sapphire crystal receives anti-reflective treatment, the caseback is transparent and water resistance is limited to 3 ATM. The Miyota 9015 automatic movement operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour and provides approximately 42 hours of power reserve. The watch can be fitted with leather or Beaubleu’s metal bracelet made from fine articulated blades. Every example is numbered and production is limited to 888 pieces, placing this model clearly within the limited-edition strategy of Beaubleu’s early collections.

Beaubleu Vitruve Date Black:

The Black variation retains exactly the proportions and mechanics of the Steel version but significantly changes its character. The Beaubleu Vitruve Date B03-DAT-BK-BLACK uses a brushed black dial whose texture absorbs more light and highlights the metallic circular markers and hands. Its most visible element is the large flame-blued circular seconds hand, a colour repeated by the date disc installed at 6 o’clock. The 39 mm case retains its polished and brushed surfaces together with its openworked lugs and approximately 45 mm length. Thickness remains limited to 9.5 mm thanks to the 3.9 mm Miyota 9015 calibre. The automatic movement provides approximately 42 hours of power reserve and remains visible through the transparent back. Sapphire crystal is treated against reflections and water resistance remains 30 metres. Like the Steel model, this execution is limited to 888 individually numbered pieces and can be paired with either the metal bracelet or several interchangeable leather straps.

Beaubleu Vitruve Origine Cognac:

The Vitruve Origine is introduced at the same time as the Date but offers a different interpretation of time and helps explain the coherence of the complete collection. The Beaubleu Vitruve Origine Cognac reference not communicated uses the same circular hands but replaces the calendar with a dial more strongly focused on textures and depth. Beaubleu highlights a double-dial construction, a vinyl-effect guilloché pattern, smoked lacquer and reinterpreted Roman numerals. The case remains automatic and belongs to the restrained dimensions of the Vitruve collection, with a sapphire crystal and a construction intended for city use. Origine therefore does not attempt to add a practical complication but shows how the same architecture can express a different relationship with time purely through its graphic treatment. Like the other Vitruve watches, it is produced as a limited series of 888 pieces. For a buyer considering the Date as well, Origine clearly prioritises visual purity while the Date contributes an additional item of everyday information.

Beaubleu Vitruve GMT Blue:

The GMT represents the most functional proposition of the first Vitruve collection. The Beaubleu Vitruve GMT Blue reference not communicated adds the display of a second time zone through an internal flange carrying twelve Arabic numerals. This can be moved using an additional crown discreetly integrated into the case construction. The lacquered blue dial retains the circular hands and Beaubleu’s characteristic graphic approach, but the complication gives the watch a purpose more directly connected with travel. This version also demonstrates that Vitruve is not simply the name of a case shape: every model was designed around a particular relationship with time, Date for everyday life, GMT for different locations and Origine for a more contemplative reading. The movement remains automatic and the watch is offered on leather or steel depending on configuration. Like Date and Origine, production is limited to 888 pieces, with every watch individually identified by its number.

Choosing the right version: Steel or Black, bracelet and everyday use

The first choice is between the two dials. Steel is the more architectural: the brushed dial and case share very similar tones and emphasise the idea of an object cut from one block of metal. Black offers greater contrast and makes the blued seconds hand particularly visible. The Steel version is better suited to someone seeking the Vitruve concept in its most coherent and minimalist expression. Black, by contrast, adds greater depth and appears slightly dressier, especially when combined with dark leather.

The metal bracelet is an important part of the visual experience. Its slim articulated blades follow the wrist and continue the geometric language of the case without creating the appearance of a heavy sports bracelet. Leather further reduces the physical presence of the watch and exposes the openworked lugs more clearly. The steel bracelet is the most interesting choice for fully enjoying Beaubleu’s design work. Thanks to the standard 20 mm lug width and quick-release bars, adopting black, grey or blue leather later remains straightforward.

At 39 mm in diameter, 45 mm long and less than 10 mm thick, the Vitruve Date has balanced dimensions for many wrists. Its lugs are nevertheless highly visible and give the watch a broader personality than that of a simple round 39 mm three-hander. The proportions are particularly suitable for someone wanting noticeable wrist presence without moving into the 41 or 42 mm sizes common in sports watches. Low weight on leather and the limited thickness also make it easy to fit beneath a sleeve.

Time reading deserves consideration before purchase. The circular hands are precisely what makes the watch unique, but they do not allow the time to be understood as rapidly as conventional straight hands. After a few days, the eye learns to use the small markers on the circles, but the philosophy remains different. The Vitruve Date is better suited to someone willing to prioritise emotion and originality over instant legibility. For a watch used in an environment where every second needs to be identified immediately, a more traditional architecture remains more practical.

Finally, 3 ATM water resistance represents the principal functional limitation of the watch. This level is suitable for accidental splashes and reasonable daily use, but Beaubleu itself recommends protecting its watches from contact with water. The Vitruve Date should be considered a city watch rather than a watch intended for swimming. Sapphire crystal protects effectively against everyday scratches and the Miyota 9015 remains a robust mechanism, but immersion brings no benefit to a watch whose primary purpose is design. Other customers’ opinions are essential.

Conclusion

The Beaubleu Vitruve Date is aimed at enthusiasts who consider a watch as much a design object as an instrument for measuring time. Its circular hands, openworked-lug case, strongly brushed dial and discreetly positioned date at 6 o’clock give it an immediately recognisable identity. The Steel version prioritises continuity between dial and case, while Black emphasises contrast and highlights the blued seconds hand more strongly. The Miyota 9015 provides slim and proven automatic mechanics without unnecessarily increasing case thickness. Its 39 x 45 mm proportions are easy to wear, although 3 ATM water resistance and deliberately unconventional legibility remind the wearer that this watch prioritises city use and visual experience over instrumental performance.

To understand how its bracelet, unusual hands, date and comfort genuinely perform over time, Dialicious customer reviews provide a useful complement to the technical specifications.

(Updated August 2026)