De Rijke & Co. Capri Shows a Sharper Side of Dutch Independent Watchmaking

Laurens de Rijke has never seemed especially interested in making watches that look like everyone else’s.

With the Capri, De Rijke & Co. moves into a more refined design language while keeping the industrial clarity that has defined the Dutch independent from the start.

It’s small, slim and deceptively simple, but the closer you look, the more the watch reveals its intent.

At a glance

A shaped case with real restraint

The Capri measures 28.5mm wide, 38mm long and just 6.5mm thick, which gives it a compact presence without making it feel delicate or ornamental.

Its stainless steel case is the kind of shape that depends on proportion rather than decoration.

The most telling detail is what you don’t see.

There are no visible screws or fasteners interrupting the case, as the fixing points are concealed behind the strap between the lugs.

That decision matters because it lets the case read as one continuous object rather than a collection of assembled parts.

The curved sapphire crystal is another important part of the watch’s character, and the dial follows the same arc beneath it.

That shared curvature gives the Capri more depth than its thin profile suggests, especially as reflections move across the dial and crystal.

Aventurine and Capri Blue take different paths

The Aventurine version is the purer of the two expressions, with no hour markers and no additional display competing with the surface of the dial.

Its black aventurine dial catches direct light with a subtle sparkle, while openworked hands keep the view clean and airy.

It’s a minimal watch, but not a plain one.

The Capri Blue model is more conventional on paper, though it still carries the same sculptural feel.

Its glossy lacquered dial uses slim applied baton markers, matching hands and a recessed small-seconds display at 6 o’clock.

The red small-seconds hand adds just enough contrast to stop the watch becoming too formal.

What makes the collection interesting is how easily the case and dial architecture could support future variations.

Colour, stone dials, different layouts and new textures would all make sense within this format without diluting the identity of the watch.

Thin hand-wound movements suit the format

The Capri’s slimness is helped by its choice of movement.

The Aventurine hours-and-minutes model uses the hand-wound La Joux-Perret D101, while the Capri Blue small-seconds edition uses the D100.

Both are modern developments in the spirit of the classic Peseux 7001 architecture, chosen here for their thin dimensions and dependable practicality.

They run at 21,600 vibrations per hour and offer a 50-hour power reserve.

The movements also bring decorated bridges and plates, which is a welcome detail at this price level even if the bigger story is how neatly the calibres support the design.

Each Capri is fitted to a tapered calf leather strap that runs from 24mm at the case to 18mm at the buckle.

That broad-to-narrow proportion works well with the case, giving the watch a planted feel on the wrist while keeping the overall impression elegant.

Details & Specifications

The Capri feels like a confident step for De Rijke & Co. because it doesn’t rely on novelty to make its point.

It’s compact, carefully judged and distinctive enough to stand apart, with enough flexibility in the design to suggest that this chapter has only just begun.