Watches

ZENITH

Since its inception in 1865, Zenith has forged a reputation for innovation and performance, strengthened by regular releases of developments that wowed the industry. One example is the El Primero calibre announced in 1969, the first automatic chronograph movement with an impressive 50-hour power reserve set in the Zenith El Primero A384. To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the Swiss watchmaker launched the El Primero A384 Revival. A reverse engineering approach faithfully reproduces codes from the original, from the 37mm faceted steel case to the lacquered black and white tachymeter dial.

However, influences from this century have been introduced for greater operation, such as replacing the standard acrylic glasses of that era with sapphire crystal and the solid steel caseback with an exhibition-style alternative.

At the heart of the commemorative edition is the El Primero 400 Automatic, which powers a column wheel chronograph mechanism, date window at 4.30 and a minimum power reserve of 50 hours. Readability of timekeeping functions is ensured with black-coloured contours, rhodium-plated hour markers and hands coated with Super-LumiNova against a white lacquered dial. Its suave countenance is further secured with a black alligator strap or sleek bracelet.

ULYSSE NARDIN

Taking its cue from Ulysses, whose epic tales can be earned only by a true adventurer, Ulysse Nardin recreates the free spirit of the original wandering hero with the Freak X. The entry point to the Freak family, the 43mm iteration features tight proportions and effortless readability and operation. Unlike its cousins Freak Vision and Freak Out, time is corrected via a crown rather than by the bezel. Excavating the dial does more than create depth and dimension: It opens the arena within the case for a show-stopping scene.

Commanding attention is the brand new Calibre UN-230, a flying carousel movement that rotates around its own axis without a dial and hands. The latter is a direct consequent of the absence of a dial: with no base to affix the hands, time is told via the central bridge, which acts as the minute hand, and one of the wheels, which indicates the hours.

The baguette-shaped self-winding movement is gravity-defying, turning once on itself every hour. Just as beguiling is a silicium balance wheel with nickel flyweights and stabilising micro-blades within. The Freak X is available in titanium, rose gold, black DLC or carbonium — an ultralight and sustainable material used in new-generation aeroplanes — because only the best will do for this manufacture of marvels.

TAG HEUER

TAG Heuer’s timeless Monaco watch was the first water-resistant, automatic chronograph and timepiece in a square case. This statement-making timepiece was made famous after screen legend Steve McQueen wore it in the 1971 classic racing film Le Mans. Since then, TAG Heuer has released many versions of this watch, each with its own distinct design.

The new TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre 11 is a re-edition celebrating this collections’ introductory piece — with similar aesthetic cues such as the iconic blue dial that matches McQueen’s dazzling blue eyes. The Calibre 11 boasts red-filled hour and minute hands, horizontal indices and orange-red hands and luminescent five-minute markers on the dial in the same colour. This 39mm x 39mm case is made of fine-brushed and polished steel and has a polished steel crown with a Heuer logo.

The functions include a date at six o’clock, a 30-minute chronograph counter at nine o’clock and, unlike the original Monaco, this model has a running seconds subdial at 3 o’clock. This watch is complete with a black perforated calfskin strap with a steel folding clasp.

TUDOR

Tudor’s Black Bay range has always been a synthesis of modern watchmaking and traditional designs. So it is only natural that the new Black Bay Chrono Steel & Gold model brings together the aquatic heritage of the Black Bay family with the chronograph, a sporty racetrack essential. Similar to its predecessors, this Black Bay Chrono S&G features the brand’s characteristic angular “snowflake” hands that come in a striking gold version, which improves its readability against the matte-black domed dial. A large winding crown — akin to Tudor’s first-generation divers’ watches — is maintained, as well as its slim 41mm steel case with yellow-gold pushers, inspired by early Tudor chronographs. This Black Bay’s beating heart is the Calibre MT5813, a column-wheel mechanism and vertical clutch, that has a 70-hour power reserve.

Completing this two-tone timepiece is the choice of a fabric strap, black strap or a steel and yellow gold bracelet, which takes inspiration from the folding riveted bracelets of Tudor’s 1950s and 1960s pieces. Or for a more distinct look, the Black Bay Chrono has a bund-type strap crafted in brown aged leather with ecru stitching and a folding clasp.

ORIS

Oris calls its Big Crown ProPilot X Calibre 115 the most Oris watch they have ever made. How so? To understand the origin of its concept, one must delve into the brand’s psyche. The independent watchmaker prides itself on its mechanical timepieces — with a track record of more than 270 in-house calibres — forming the basis for a watch that puts its architecture at the forefront. It also pays tribute to the unpretentious and natural surroundings in which the manufacturer is located in Holstein, Switzerland.

But the striking aesthetic of the ProPilot X Calibre 115 — one set apart even from other Big Crown models — heralds the future. Its brushed titanium case is a reinterpretation of the 1938 original while the jet-engine turbine blade motif on the bezel is a far newer inspiration, first introduced to the series only a few years ago.

Visually, the timepiece evokes a sense of casual luxury, as Oris proclaims authenticity and quality as the exemplification of luxury.

The future will also be defined by innovation, if the watch is anything to go by. Its Calibre 115 is fitted with a single mainspring made with a new alloy that allows for a 10-day power reserve at full accuracy. The Grade 2 titanium case is constructed in multiple pieces, allowing it to fit tightly around the movement. The eschewing of chamfers, bevels or polishing of the movement also lends the raw industrial finish of the watch stronger credibility. The bracelet is another technical highlight, its smooth links giving off a vibe of seamless integration.

PARMIGIANI FLEURIER

A manufacturer rooted in technical mastery, Parmigiani Fleurier is often described as a “connoisseurs’ choice” among luxury Swiss watchmakers. Helmed by Michel Parmigiani, who first made a name for himself as a mechanical clock and watch restorer, the brand’s somewhat understated presence is by no means a judge of its timepieces, which are defined by a contemporary simplicity that belies its exceptional technicality and classic flair. Of its collections, the Kalpa line has become an anchoring icon of Parmigiani’s since its debut in 2001. Distinguished by its “tonneau” rectangular shape and elegant teardrop-shaped lugs, the watch’s handsome look is by design — specifically crafted based on the golden ratio and the Fibonacci sequence for optimum proportionality.

That obsession with excellence is taken to new heights in the Kalpa Chronor, which is the series’ first integrated chronograph to be entirely manufactured in-house. Boasting a much-lauded solid gold PF365 automatic movement with a power-reserve of up to 65 hours that is shaped to fit inside its 18-carat rose gold case, the emphasis on harmony and seamlessness is evident overall. This can be seen from its sapphire glass case back, revealing the beauty of the movement’s finish, right down to how dynamically the 48.2mm x 40.9mm sized case sits on the wrist. Water resistant up to 30m, the black gold-base dial adds a touch of sophistication, which is enhanced by an elegant guilloché treatment with black opaline and snailed chronograph counters. The applied 18-carat rose gold indices correspond to the case material and the black alligator leather strap by Hermès completes the watch.

JAQUET DROZ

Not for nothing is Jaquet Droz known as the master of automatons in the Swiss watchmaking industry — a combination of technical savoir-faire and superlative craftsmanship have resulted in unique timepieces that inspire wonder each and every time. Their latest masterpiece is the Tropical Bird Repeater, which pays homage to the maison’s love for nature. On a hand-engraved mother-of-pearl dial, a lush wilderness scene is depicted, replete with frolicking peacock, toucan, dragonfly and a hummingbird. In a first for watchmaking, the exclusive animation of the hummingbird flutters its wings 40 times per second — a challenging feat, but such is the price of replicating this bird’s high-speed wing movements as faithfully as possible.

The watch contains seven animations that can last more than 12 seconds, capable of up to four different scenarios, played out by a series of stunning characters — the peacock fans and folds its tail, the toucan at 3 o’clock appears behind a Monstera deliciosa plant while at 9 o’clock, three dragonflies dance whimsically, their wings aglow with Super-LumiNova. Within the 47mm red gold case ticks a minute repeater with the passage of time recorded by matching minute and hour hands gliding over a diamond-studded subdial.

IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN

IWC Schaffhausen’s Portofino collection was introduced in 1984, bringing timeless elegance and laid-back Italian aesthetic to the watchmaker’s portfolio. One of the newest members of this family is the Portofino Hand-Wound Tourbillon Rétrograde, a piece that represents the collections’ sophistication. This traditional gold timepiece is the first of this range to feature a tourbillon, with the balance, pallet and escape wheel mounted on a cage that rotates on its own axis every minute.The flying minute tourbillon’s constant rotation acts against gravity to ensure the watch’s rate and accuracy.

Housed in a 45mm 18-carat red gold case, the hand-wound IWC 59900 calibre boasts an eight-day power reserve that is displayed at 3 o’clock. The silver-plated dial also features a retrograde date display.

Adding a touch of finesse, the hands are gold-plated and the appliqués are made of solid gold. Through the see-through sapphire glass back, you can view the calibre, decorated with Geneva stripes. Completing this classic but innovative timepiece is a dark brown alligator leather strap by Santoni, which has a vibrant orange underside.

GRAHAM

Tracing its origins to British clockmaker George Graham, the watch company that bears his name boasts an irreverent with that colours its creations up to this day — who else would be audacious enough to name an entire collection after the swordfish? Unveiled in 2004 with a truly unorthodox identity, the admittedly arresting Swordfish collection is directly inspired by this highly migratory predator, which uses technical prowess and unconventional design to swim in bigger seas. But rather than taking its cues from the fish’s long bill, Graham’s designers looked at their eyes — most ingeniously, swordfish are able to warm up their eyeballs to better see their prey in the cold waters of the deep sea. On the dial of the Graham Swordfish, homage is duly paid to this unusual ability with two 20% magnifying glasses over the hour and minute counters that stare out questioningly at the onlooker.

The Graham Swordfish’s new iterations for this year are presented in steel and bronze — generously sized 46mm cases are completed with sunburst dials, Super-LumiNova indices and moisture-wicking straps. Through the sapphire crystal caseback, you can also see the steady dance of the G1710 automatic movement, which boasts a 48-hour power reserve. The Graham Swordfish comes in a number of interesting colour combinations, in particular, an olive green that is especially well suited to the copper case. The effect is quite unusual — and therefore, quite like Graham.

GIRARD-PERREGAUX

Undoubtedly the star of Girard-Perregaux’s coterie of 2019 novelties, the Bridges Cosmos is a beguiling blend of mechanical particles and poetic paradoxes. The centrepiece of the brand’s Earth to Sky theme, this watch is equipped with a multitude of complex complications — aside from recording the passing of time, the Bridges Cosmos also features a tourbillon, sky chart and world-time complications — and reveals finishes of a previously unknown beauty.

Offset hours and minutes appear at 12 o’clock while a tourbillon spins beneath a large black titanium bridge at 6 o’clock. A sky chart takes its place at 9 o’clock, while at 3 o’clock, a terrestrial globe serves as a day/night and GMT indicator, which relies on a titanium and laser-engraved scale model of the earth enriched with details like hollow oceans and raised continents. This entire scene is staged against a tinted sapphire crystal glass. Invisible in broad daylight and dotted with luminescent hydroceramic particles, it offers a time-lapse view of the sky by night.

The 47mm case of Girard-Perregaux’s Cosmos is carved from bead-blasted titanium and topped with a sapphire crystal dome that acts like an astronomical telescope. Beneath this beats the new in-house manual-winding Calibre GP09320, and this whole celestial performance is completed with a blue alligator leather strap.

BELL & ROSS

The name Bell & Ross needs no introduction. Founded in 1992 by two friends, Bruno Belamich and Carlos Rosillo, Bell & Ross continues to push the boundaries of horology, all the while basing it on the brand’s unshakeable pillars of form, function and innovation. Its new BR05 collection, for example, is deserving of all the anticipation. A luxurious yet robust automatic sports watch, the BR05 is beautifully masculine — sensuously rounded dial framed by an angular 40mm case. Its main variations are sculpted from stainless steel although a gold model is also available, but all are complemented by sunray dials in black, grey or blue.

For greater legibility, large appliqué numerals and indices have also been thoughtfully Super-LumiNova-ed. The openworked caseback allows admirers to gaze at the BR-CAL.321 movement, wound by a 360° oscillating weight, while the integrated and remarkably flexible bracelet takes wrist ergonomics to an altogether higher level. For those whose active lives revolve around water, a sporty black rubber strap is also available.

On the whole, Bell & Ross’ trademark artistry and attention to detail remain strong as ever in the newborn BR05 and, although it was designed with the active, urban lifestyle in mind, it is clear to see that the aesthetes and design-conscious among us have equal reason for admiration.

ARNOLD & SON

The year 1764 proved to be a particularly momentous one for the English court. It was here that an eight-year-old prodigy by the name of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart performed privately for King George III and Queen Charlotte for the first time. That same year, a promising young watchmaker, a Cornishman by the name of John Arnold, presented a special ring containing a half-quarter repeater to the British sovereign.

Although Arnold had established a small workshop along London’s Strand two years prior, where he gained immediate recognition for successfully repairing a repeating watch owned by William McGuire, a renowned watch connoisseur, it was the royal audience that sealed his position as a watchmaker to the gentry. Today, the preeminent English timekeeper lives on through horological reinventions presented under the brand Arnold & Son.

One of the most talked-about pieces this year belongs to the maison’s much sought-after Time Pyramid collection. For 2019, it debuts the Time Pyramid Tourbillon, armed with the new hand-wound A&S8615 Calibre with a 90-hour power reserve. Naturally, the new movement greatly enhanced chronometric precision while the skeletonised pyramid-shaped tourbillon is a visual masterpiece in itself, appearing to float mesmerisingly between two sapphire crystals and a movement built on three levels.