David Candaux unveils the DC6 Night Forest, an evolution of his signature timepiece that replaces forged carbon with unidirectional UD carbon. Weighing just 45 grams, this limited edition of eight pieces marries aerospace-grade durability with a smoky topaz green dial, drawing inspiration from the very forests surrounding the brand’s Le Solliat workshop.
David Candaux DC6 Collection
The independent watchmaker David Candaux has long championed the idea that a timepiece should be as functional as it is beautiful, a philosophy deeply rooted in his upbringing in the Vallée de Joux. Following the success of the initial forged carbon iteration of the DC6, the brand has returned with a material that addresses the structural limitations of its predecessor. The new DC6 Night Forest, unveiled on March 30, 2026, utilizes unidirectional (UD) carbon paired with natural titanium. This is not merely an aesthetic shift but a fundamental rethinking of the case architecture. While forged carbon relies on a resin matrix that can eventually crack under stress, UD carbon employs continuous fibers running through the entire thickness of the material. The result is a case that is mechanically coherent, resistant to delamination, and designed to retain its appearance indefinitely.
This release arrives at a time when the luxury watch market is increasingly scrutinizing the longevity and sustainability of materials. The Night Forest celebrates the veined, striated texture of the UD carbon, which reveals the directional stacking of 30-micron plies. It is a design that feels simultaneously industrial and organic, echoing the duality of the Vallée de Joux itself, where high-tech manufacturing workshops sit in the shadow of ancient forests.
Design and Material Innovation
The DC6 Night Forest presents a striking visual contrast, anchored by a 45mm case that weighs a mere 45 grams. The architecture is defined by a titanium chamber housing the movement, clad in UD carbon for the bezel and case band. These elements are secured by titanium stretchers that extend into the lugs, creating a fully mechanical assembly without the use of adhesives. The tactile experience is equally deliberate. The side lugs offer the cold, sharp feel of microblasted titanium, while the carbon components provide a silky, warm texture that the press release describes as immediate and textured.
The dial is a masterclass in optical illusion and surface treatment. It features a hand-finished natural guilloché titanium plate with the signature “Pointes du Risoux” pattern, framed by a black PVD-coated titanium ring. The dominant feature is the smoky topaz green sunburst finish. This color is achieved through anodization, pushing the voltage to the limits of the visible spectrum to evoke the clarity of mountain lakes. However, the “smoky” gradient that darkens toward the edges is a trompe-l’œil effect.
Trompe-l’œil, meaning “deceive the eye” in French, is an artistic technique that uses realistic imagery to create the optical illusion that depicted objects exist in three dimensions or that a flat surface possesses depth. Historically, this mastery is exemplified by Andrea Pozzo’s ceiling frescoes in the Church of Sant’Ignazio in Rome from the 17th century, where painted architecture dissolves into a seemingly infinite sky, and Francesco Borromini’s forced-perspective colonnade in the Palazzo Spada, which makes a short corridor appear dramatically longer. In more contemporary settings, CitéCréation has been using the technique in massive scale for public murals.
A translucent black circle is airbrushed onto the base, and the eye interprets the curvature as a gradual darkening. Silver powder applied via a decal technique creates floating numerals and markers, enhancing the sense of depth.
Perhaps the most technically significant detail is the tourbillon cage. In an industry where black is typically achieved through coatings like PVD or DLC, Candaux has utilized micro-arc oxidation. This process transforms the surface of the titanium into a dense ceramic layer of titanium dioxide, which absorbs light rather than refracting it. This method ensures the black finish is integral to the metal, bonded without flaking, and capable of lasting a century without degradation. The “Magic Crown,” a retractable mechanism at 6 o’clock, remains a hallmark of the collection, utilizing a bistable cam system tested 28,000 times to ensure robustness.
The H74 Caliber
Inside the case beats the H74 caliber, a hand-wound movement developed entirely in-house at Le Solliat. The movement features a flying tourbillon inclined at 30 degrees, a configuration chosen to optimize chronometric performance across various wrist positions. The bridges and mainplate are crafted from Grade 5 titanium, chosen for its anti-magnetic and thermally stable properties, while the wheel train utilizes beryllium copper. The movement is visible through a large sapphire case back, revealing cascading bridges inclined at 3 degrees and eighteen mirror-polished inward bevels.
The DC6 Night Forest is produced in a strictly limited edition of eight pieces. It comes with a topaz green stitched rubber strap and a ten-year warranty.
Photo credits: David Candaux
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