A refined selection of timepieces that stole the spotlight this year through their unique blend of modern design and captivating narratives
Breitling Navitimer B19 Chronograph 43 Perpetual Calendar 140th Anniversary
Breitling continues its “140 Years of Firsts” celebration with the brand’s first exclusive perpetual calendar chronograph movement, the Caliber B19, presented in three of its flagship models: the Premier, Navitimer and Chronomat. Among these, the Navitimer B19 Chronograph 43 Perpetual Calendar 140th Anniversary really stands out. This special watch features the famous slide rule in black on an attention-grabbing 18K red-gold dial. The strap is crafted from alligator leather with contrasting topstitching and an 18K gold folding buckle.
Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC
Roman jeweler and watchmaker Bvlgari released the Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC with a thickness of only 1.70mm. To achieve this technical feat, the caseback of the watch is designed to also serve as the mainplate, on which the 170 components of the manually wound BVL180 manufacture caliber are assembled. Meanwhile, the watch’s surface area showcases the hour and minute dials, the large barrel and a QR code. The latter provides access to data relating to the watch and invites its wearer on a personal journey into the Bvlgari universe.
Cartier Santos-Dumont Rewind
As the name suggests, Cartier Santos-Dumont Rewind changes the course of time, both in a technical sense and also aesthetically. This mesmerizing timepiece features a mechanical movement with reversed manual winding—the calibre 230 MC—that moves backwards rather than forwards. This mechanism plays out breathtakingly to the combination of the beautiful carnelian dial and the Roman numerals that indicate the time in an arrangement that reverses tradition.
Grand Seiko Kodo Constant-force Tourbillon SLGT005
Launched in 2022, the Kodo Constant-force Tourbillon is a revolutionary watch that combines a tourbillon and a constant-force mechanism as one unit on a single axis—a definite first in horological history. While the first Kodo expressed the beauty of twilight through the delicate interplay of light and shadow central to Grand Seiko aesthetics, this new timepiece uses light and shadow to evoke daybreak. Architecture-wise, the inner tourbillon carriage rotates while the balance steadily vibrates at eight beats per second. Meanwhile, the outer constant-force carriage follows its rotation in exact one-second intervals.
Hermès Arceau Duc Attelé
The Hermès Arceau Duc Attelé houses two amazing complications, a tri-axial tourbillon and a minute repeater, making this grand complication a unique entry in the Arceau family of watches. Crafted in an understated yet distinctive 43mm polished titanium or rose gold case, the astonishing central triple-axis tourbillon and the “tuning-fork” minute repeater operate in harmony as a distinct expression of haute horlogerie. A sapphire dome tops the tri-axial tourbillon and its mirror-polished double H-shaped titanium carriages, with the intertwined letters representing the initials of the founding couple: Émile Hermès and Julie Hollande.
IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Eternal Calendar
The Portugieser Eternal Calendar is IWC Schaffhausen’s first secular perpetual calendar boasting a moonphase display with an accuracy of 45 million years. Housed in a platinum case with polished and brushed surfaces, the focal point of the watch is the extremely precise moonphase display on the glass dial. This marvel of art is displayed on the dial using the Double Moon indication, which shows the moon as it is seen in the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Moreover, the watch is officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the “world’s most precise lunar phase wristwatch.”
Konstantin Chaykin ThinKing Prototype
Konstantin Chaykin ThinKing Prototype measures just 1,65mm thick, making it the thinnest mechanical wristwatch. At the heart of this timepiece is a mainspring barrel integrated with the winding mechanism, allowing for incredible thinness without sacrificing stability. A groundbreaking double-balance wheel system—one for the pallet fork and another for the hairspring—further minimizes the movement’s profile. Crafted from specially heat-treated stainless-steel, the ThinKing weighs just 13.3 grams without the strap, making it also one of the lightest mechanical watches in the world.
Louis Vuitton Voyager Flying Tourbillon “Poinçon de Genève” Plique-à-jour
The Voyager Flying Tourbillon “Poinçon de Genève” Plique-à-jour by Louis Vuitton is a remarkable timepiece, as it incorporates the intricate plique-à-jour enamel technique, which was initially developed by Byzantine artisans during the 4th and 5th centuries CE, effectively transforming the watch’s dial into a contemporary stained-glass masterpiece. Additionally, it showcases a captivating flying tourbillon movement crafted at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, which further distinguished by the esteemed Poinçon de Genève seal of quality.
Patek Philippe Cubitus Ref. 5822P-001
The introduction of the new Patek Philippe Cubitus signifies a significant achievement in the watchmaker’s illustrious history, representing its first new collection in a quarter of a century. Additionally, it is powered by a new movement for which six patent applications have been submitted. The Cubitus Instantaneous Grand Date, Day and Moon Phases Ref. 5822P-001 stands out thanks to its striking square-shaped platinum case with rounded corners, its blue sunburst dial with horizontal relief embossing and its navy-blue strap that is crafted in a composite material then embossed with a fabric motif.
Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon
Piaget presented a masterstroke in design and engineering that marries elegance with technical prowess with the Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon. Housed in a blue PVD-treated cobalt alloy case 41.5mm in diameter, the watch features a flying tourbillon at 10 o’clock with a seconds indicator engraved on the ring. The dial also showcases remarkable depth with a play of contrasts, pairing gold and blue. Driven by the Piaget caliber 970P-UC, a manual caliber with a one-minute peripheral tourbillon and 40-hour power reserve, the watch is certainly a fitting celebration of Piaget’s 150th anniversary.