Depancel Auto RS: what does its owner think?

The Depancel Auto RS, launched in 2020, is an automatic mechanical watch built directly around the world of French rallying. Developed by the young company founded by Clément Meynier, it differs from conventional automotive chronographs by using the various movement indications as dashboard elements rather than adding a chronograph function. Its dial therefore incorporates a power-reserve indicator recalling a fuel gauge, a day display, a 24-hour register and a date aperture.

The collection opens for pre-orders in June 2020 and is announced as a series of 1,962 pieces, with first deliveries scheduled for December. Its 42 mm 316L stainless-steel cushion case receives a sapphire crystal, while the Japanese automatic Miyota 9110 calibre provides 40 hours of power reserve. Several combinations of blue, black and silver with orange, red or blue accents give the Auto RS a character directly connected with instruments and colours from competition cars. The watch subsequently remains in the catalogue under names including Heritage Blue, Silver Racing and Asphalt Black.

Design & legibility: a dashboard rather than a chronograph

At first glance, the Auto RS creates the impression of a tricompax chronograph, but its operation is completely different. The register in the upper part of the dial indicates power reserve, the one on the left displays the day of the week and the counter at 6 o’clock provides a 24-hour indication connected with the main time. The calendar appears through an aperture at 3 o’clock, deliberately highlighted by an arrow-shaped graphic rather than hidden. This abundance of information is organised like an automotive dashboard, with scales, warning colours and highly graphic subdials. The power-reserve indicator designed like a fuel gauge forms the fundamental distinguishing feature of the Auto RS. The Heritage Blue dial notably combines blue with orange details directly inspired by the vocabulary of French competition cars. Certain launch configurations use contrasting sub-registers, while others favour a tone-on-tone dial. The main hands and markers are luminous, preserving reasonable legibility as ambient light decreases despite a composition considerably busier than that of a conventional three-hand watch.

Case, strap and comfort: an assertive 42 mm sports watch

The case adopts a cushion shape that reinforces the reference to automotive instrumentation and immediately distinguishes the Auto RS from conventional round watches. Current specifications state a 42 mm diameter, 12.8 mm thickness and 22 mm lug width. Early launch documents mentioned approximately 12.5 mm, a sufficiently small difference to result from measuring methods or a slight specification evolution. 316L stainless steel combines polished and brushed surfaces to highlight the different volumes. The 42 mm dimensions give the Auto RS a strong sporting presence that deserves consideration before purchase on a smaller wrist. The upper crystal is anti-reflective sapphire and the transparent back uses mineral glass to reveal the movement and its decorated oscillating weight. The crown does not screw down and water resistance is limited to 5 ATM, or 50 metres: sufficient for everyday use and splashes but less appropriate for regular aquatic activity. Depancel offers 22 mm Racing leather straps with pin or folding buckles together with a Jubilee-style metal-bracelet configuration.

Movement: Miyota 9110, power reserve and complete calendar display

The Auto RS uses the Miyota 9110, a Japanese automatic calibre belonging to the premium 9000 series produced by the Citizen group company. It contains 26 jewels, operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour, or 4 Hz, and provides approximately 40 hours of power reserve. It powers hours, minutes and central seconds while integrating several supplementary indications: power reserve, day of the week, 24-hour cycle and date through an aperture. Depancel states that the movement is adjusted in its French workshops to improve accuracy before casing. The principal appeal of the Miyota 9110 lies in the number of integrated functions that can be displayed without using an additional module. Its 4 Hz frequency gives the seconds hand smoother progression than Miyota movements operating at 21,600 vibrations per hour. Manual winding allows energy to be restored quickly to a stopped watch and the power-reserve display immediately shows the remaining level. Forty hours nevertheless remains comparatively modest: removed on Friday evening, the Auto RS will generally have stopped before Monday morning unless it is wound in the meantime.

Chronological milestones and main models (2018–2025)

(2018) Depancel Auto 24H First Automotive Architecture from the Brand:

Before the Auto RS, Depancel develops the Auto 24H family, which establishes several automotive codes subsequently explored more deeply by the 2020 model. The Depancel Auto 24H is therefore a related model rather than an Auto RS in the strict sense. It already adopts a sporting presentation, dials related to historical racing colours and a twenty-four-hour indication. This family serves as an aesthetic laboratory for the young company founded in the same year and helps define its positioning: contemporary cases, references to dashboards and national motorsport colours, accessible automatic movements and predominantly direct sales. Its dimensions, movements and configurations vary according to series and should not be automatically transferred to the Auto RS. Its importance within the chronology lies principally in conceptual continuity: when the Auto RS appears two years later, Depancel already has a sufficiently established automotive watchmaking language to transform movement indications into genuine dashboard components.

(2020) Depancel Auto RS Heritage Blue Fuel Gauge and French Racing Blue:

The Heritage Blue version is the configuration most directly associated with the launch of the collection and the world of French rallying. The Depancel Auto RS Heritage Blue uses a 42 mm 316L stainless-steel cushion case, currently stated at 12.8 mm thick with a 22 mm lug width. Its blue dial receives orange accents, a fuel-gauge-style power-reserve indicator at 12 o’clock, day at 9 o’clock, a 24-hour display at 6 o’clock and the date at 3 o’clock. The crystal is anti-reflective sapphire, the transparent caseback reveals the Miyota 9110 and water resistance reaches 50 metres. The automatic calibre has 26 jewels, operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour and provides 40 hours of autonomy. A perforated blue Racing leather strap reinforces the reference to driving equipment, while a metal bracelet can also be associated with the watch. This execution remains the most immediately recognisable representation of the Auto RS.

(2020) Depancel Auto RS Silver Racing Light Dial and Contrasting Registers:

The Silver Racing variation gives considerably more brightness to the same architecture and allows the different counters to stand apart more clearly from the dial. The Depancel Auto RS Silver Racing retains the complete 42 mm technical foundation: 316L stainless steel, anti-reflective sapphire, transparent caseback, non-screw-down crown and 50 metres of water resistance. Its organisation remains identical with power reserve, day indication, 24-hour counter and date. The automatic Miyota 9110 still delivers 40 hours of power reserve, contains 26 jewels and operates at a frequency of 4 Hz. The silver-coloured dial and contrasting zones create a brighter impression than Heritage Blue and visually recall automotive instruments with white or metallic backgrounds. Depancel still allows this configuration to be associated with a Racing strap or a package including both a metal bracelet and leather. Its substantial diameter remains highly visible, while the pale colour gives the dial an impression of openness that can make it appear even larger.

(2020) Depancel Auto RS Asphalt Black Dark Display and Sporting Accents:

Asphalt Black offers a more discreet interpretation of the concept and focuses attention more strongly on the hands, scales and coloured details. The Depancel Auto RS Asphalt Black is documented with the same 42 mm steel case, approximately 12.8 mm thickness, anti-reflective sapphire and transparent caseback. Water resistance remains 5 ATM and the crown does not screw down. Its black dial retains the characteristic Miyota 9110 layout: power reserve at 12 o’clock, day at 9 o’clock, 24-hour indication at 6 o’clock and date aperture at 3 o’clock. The movement operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour, contains 26 jewels and provides approximately 40 hours of autonomy. The official page documents this execution as a numbered edition and associates it with black Racing leather or a configuration incorporating a Jubilee-style metal bracelet. The dark dial visually reduces the density of the many indications and better suits someone who appreciates the automotive architecture but wants to avoid colour as strong as that of Heritage Blue.

(2020) Depancel Auto RS Blue Panda White Launch Sub-Registers:

Specialist documentation published at launch also describes a blue configuration fitted with white sub-registers, distinct from the tone-on-tone blue version. The Depancel Auto RS commercial reference not communicated uses the same mechanical architecture and 42 mm cushion case, with 316L stainless steel, anti-reflective sapphire and 50 metres of water resistance. Its blue dial is combined with orange accents and pale secondary areas, creating a panda-style presentation strongly connected with competition instruments. The power-reserve indicator retains its fuel-gauge design, the day register occupies 9 o’clock, the 24-hour indication 6 o’clock and the date 3 o’clock. The Miyota 9110 powers all these functions with 26 jewels, 4 Hz and approximately 40 hours of power reserve. The precise commercial name of this combination is no longer sufficiently documented on current official pages to be stated confidently. It nevertheless remains important because it formed part of the four dial configurations described when pre-orders opened in 2020.

(2020) Depancel Auto RS Black Panda Blue Launch Accents:

A fourth launch configuration is documented with a black dial, blue accents and white sub-registers. The Depancel Auto RS again shares the 42 mm 316L stainless-steel case, anti-reflective sapphire crystal, transparent back and 50 metres of water resistance. Its contrasting composition separates the secondary indications very clearly from an otherwise particularly information-rich dial. Power reserve, day, 24-hour indication and date are all controlled by the automatic Miyota 9110, whose 26 jewels, 28,800-vibration-per-hour frequency and 40 hours of autonomy are identical to those of other Auto RS watches. Launch documentation also mentions another black version using red accents, demonstrating that Depancel initially developed the Auto RS as a genuine palette of competition colours rather than as one single blue watch. Because the exact commercial name of this execution is no longer clearly accessible from current official sources, it should be regarded as not communicated rather than arbitrarily connected with a more recent name.

Choosing the right version: dial, strap, size and everyday use

The first choice concerns colour. Heritage Blue is most directly connected with the historical identity of the project, with an immediately sporting blue-and-orange combination. Silver Racing appears brighter and gives greater contrast to the subdials, while Asphalt Black is easier to combine with everyday clothing. Heritage Blue is the most coherent choice for someone primarily seeking the automotive story told by the Auto RS. Darker variations will be more discreet if the watch is regularly worn in an office environment.

The 42 mm dimensions also deserve genuine consideration. The cushion case visually occupies more surface than a smaller round watch and the very open dial reinforces this impression. Its 12.8 mm thickness remains reasonable in relation to the many indications. Trying the watch on is advisable when wrist circumference is below approximately 17 cm. On a medium or larger wrist, the proportions correspond much more naturally to the deliberately mechanical and sporting character of the watch.

The Racing leather strap is the most faithful to the original intention. Its perforations and design evoke driving accessories and reduce wrist mass. The Jubilee-style metal bracelet makes the Auto RS more versatile but increases weight and creates a more sport-chic presentation. Racing leather is the most interesting choice when rally inspiration is the principal reason for purchase. The standard 22 mm lug width also makes it straightforward to use other straps without dependence on a proprietary system.

The Miyota 9110 provides a large amount of information but its 40-hour autonomy requires more attention than a modern 70-hour movement. The power-reserve indication becomes especially useful in this context because it immediately shows whether the watch is approaching its stopping point. The four secondary displays also require slightly more time when completely resetting the watch. The Auto RS particularly suits someone who enjoys interacting with visible mechanics and multiple indications. Someone seeking an extremely simple automatic watch will probably prefer a conventional three-hand model.

Finally, 50 metres of water resistance should be understood as everyday protection rather than aquatic capability. The crown does not screw down and Racing leather straps are not suitable for repeated immersion. Sapphire nevertheless provides effective protection for the dial against ordinary scratches and 316L stainless steel is well suited to regular use. A recent water-resistance test remains advisable before significant exposure to water on a pre-owned Auto RS. Other customers’ opinions are essential.

Conclusion

The Depancel Auto RS is aimed at automotive-watch enthusiasts who prefer an interpretation of a dashboard to a conventional chronograph. Its 42 mm cushion case, multiple registers and especially its fuel-gauge-shaped power-reserve display give it an immediately recognisable identity. The Miyota 9110 provides day, date, 24-hour cycle and power reserve within a straightforward automatic movement, even though its 40 hours of autonomy remain modest. Heritage Blue creates the strongest connection with French rally colours, Asphalt Black prioritises discretion and Silver Racing increases dial brightness. The choice between Racing leather and a metal bracelet then allows the wearer to strengthen either the automotive inspiration or everyday versatility.

To compare the presence of its 42 mm case, comfort, accuracy and the real pleasure of using its different indications with actual ownership experiences, Dialicious customer reviews provide a particularly useful complement.

(Updated August 2026)