Watch Curator - ES Global 4-18 by Europa Star HBM

GL OB

|C HA PT

ER 4.1 8|

€/

CH F/

SP C E C 14 U M 7T R I A IM A A PP E L IN PI TO W G EC TH E R AT E S 2 M 01 C A RK 8 H E

TIO

AL ED I

F O EB ST W BE E TH

D N A S N S IO E PT CH 1 °40 LN RU AT NA TIO IS P NA ER D IS INT L D 8& 34 A N N° PE IT IG RO EU IG E D OR F

WATCH CURATOR '18 147 watches under scrutiny Just this once, this special edition of Watch Curator 2018 will devote the majority of its pages to... watches! They are, after all, front and centre of the watch industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s concerns. We have made what is unavoidably a subjective selection from the parade of products launched this year, but we believe it to be representative of watch output as a whole. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not about presenting the watches that appeal the most to us personally, or about handing out symbolic prizes. In Watch Curator 2018, we attempt to map out the landscape of current watch production, so that our readers can draw their own conclusions about the future of traditional watchmaking. Clearly, there are some phenomena that are impossible to ignore. As you might have guessed, the vintage wave continues to sweep everything before it (the Last Word to Start, at the end of the magazine, has more to say on this). Not a single watch category is spared. This formal return to the golden age of the tool watch is, in a way, a form of reassurance in the face of an increasingly inscrutable future. The watch industry, afraid of impending obsolescence, is turning to the past for resources. 38

Also worthy of note is the fact that the upmarket trend shows no signs of slowing down. Watchmaking once again mirrors social trends, and we know that the middle class is shrinking, and society is fracturing into ultrarich and poor. Prices precisely reflect this gap: they are either astronomical or affordable. In between, there is a clear void. The evidence is clear from the incredible profusion of tourbillons, a niche complication that used to be the preserve of a handful of master watchmakers. But this phenomenon should not be seen merely as a trivialisation – rather, it is a technical and aesthetic laboratory. In these somewhat troubled times, watchmaking is trying to find its way while being pulled from one extreme to the other: return to purity and elegance, or exuberant exhibition of its technical entrails? Smaller sizes and volumes, or unapologetic sturdiness? Decorative embellishment and baroque detailing, or functionality and legibility? Everything and its opposite is possible. And, in the end, this all serves to prove that the industry is alive and kicking, if a little disorientated. Here’s another point: we have chosen not to present the traditional “women’s watch” category. There are two reasons for this: first, because we feel that including this category is a form of ghettoisation; and second, because the range of women’s watches available remains, with few exceptions, disappointingly poor, with offerings often restricted to flowers, butterflies and mother-of-pearl. And, due to a lack of space, you will have to wait for a future issue (or go to our website) to read more about one particularly striking phenomenon: the spectacular explosion of new brands, many of them launched through social media. But it has to be said that many of them, rather than being stylistically disruptive, are generally conservative, and often merely reflect mainstream trends. ALL MENTIONED PRICES ARE INDICATIVE AND CORRESPOND TO PRICE SEGMENTS 39

T URBILLONS The Tourbillon maelstrom Although always, or nearly always, confined to their cages, tourbillons are breaking free. They are beating at every frequency, in every genre of watch and in every configuration possible or imaginable. Grand Siècle, majestic, plain and unadorned, transparent, integrated or disintegrated, floating, aquatic, aerial, centred, off-centre or multiple – in one single horological season, more forms have been invented than between the time of the tourbillon’s original invention by Breguet in 1801 and the renaissance of mechanical watches in the late 1980s, in other words virtually two centuries. And the pace is not abating. Even its relative democratisation has scarcely dented the tourbillon’s aura. Its importance no longer lies in its regulatory function (which, as we have known for a long time, is useless in a wristwatch), but in the scope it affords for expression. A tourbillon lends itself to every configuration. Constantly advancing design and 3D visualisation tools also play a role here. When are we going to see the first tourbillon dreamed up and designed by Artificial Intelligence, we might ask ourselves? In the meantime, tourbillons continue to strut their stuff.

TOURBILLONS

F.P. JOURNE TOURBILLON SOUVERAIN RÉGENCE CIRCULAIRE François-Paul Journe confidently affirms that his Tourbillon Souverain, with its “constant force” winding system and a rare dead-beat seconds system, is “thanks to its chronometric performance, the most accurate on the market today”. In this model, the F.P. Journe 1403 Calibre is presented on a dial in handengraved white gold with the Régence Circulaire geometric pattern. You can’t get much more classical than this throwback to the Regency style of the eighteenth century, which in the eyes of the Geneva-based watchmaker represents, stylistically and technically, the “golden age of time measurement”. From 100,000 to 200,000$

2018

BOVET 1822 AMADEO FLEURIER 45 AMADEO A seven-day skeleton tourbillon with reversed hand-fitting, the Amadeo Fleurier Amadeo is entirely skeletonised by the watchmakers themselves, who incorporated their own technical constraints into its execution; the engravers then incorporated their “fleurisanne” engravings. Taking pride of place at 6 o’clock, the tourbillon occupies the space with majesty, as if beneath the sculpted, emblazoned pediment of some grand and noble abode. From 100,000 to 200,000$

HARRY WINSTON HISTOIRE DE TOURBILLON 9 This triaxial tourbillon is the ninth iteration of a “history” that began back in 2009, under a previous ruler, but which has been faithfully continued by Nayla Hayek. Histoire de Tourbillon has already supplied numerous exploded, strange, off-centre and quirky double or triple-tourbillon variations. But the ninth chapter of these exercises in style and watchmaking skill is, for once, much more classic in appearance. It showcases the triple rotating cage suspended in a shaft of light. Ceding the best place to the tourbillon, the jumping hours and dragging minutes are retrograde and occupy the upper section of the openworked dial. Price on request

A. LANGE & SÖHNE TOURBILLON ENAMEL The new white enamel dial adds the perfect finishing touch to the 1815 Tourbillon! First issued in 2014, it is emblematic of the horological approach of this Saxon watchmaker. Technically faultless, with a stop-second feature and reset which is accurate to the second, what renders it sublime is its indisputably excellent finish and almost clinical legibility. The white enamel perfectly sets off the complexity and density of the tourbillon’s architecture. From 200,000 to 500,000$

BREGUET CLASSIQUE TOURBILLON EXTRA-PLAT AUTOMATIQUE 5367 Simplicity is the essence of true classicism: this timepiece is reduced to its simplest expression and displays nothing but the essential in the most minimal way possible: hours, minutes, a tourbillon cage with a small-seconds dial, Breguet numerals, and blued hands on a grand feu enamelled dial. What more is there to say. From 100,000 to 200,000$

CARL F. BUCHERER MANERO TOURBILLON DOUBLE PERIPHERAL A large tourbillon beats majestically at 12 o’clock, occupying the entire upper section of an unadorned dial devoted solely to its function of telling the time. But on the back, the movement is fully exposed thanks to the peripheral winding mass. Thus viewed from below, the tourbillon’s cage appears as if unattached and suspended vertiginously in space, rotating freely. In actual fact, it is driven peripherally by three ceramic ballbearings. This is the first time that a peripheral automatic winding system and a peripherally mounted tourbillon have come together in one watch. A certified chronometer with a stopseconds function, the CFB T3000 was developed from start to finish by the watchmaker’s own engineers and watchmakers. From 50,000 to 100,000$ 43

TOURBILLONS

GIBERG NIURA The first watch from the stone-setter and goldsmith Andreas Altmann, this tourbillon is also a genuine, rare horological gem. At the centre lies its driving force, the Giberg Tourbillon Volant Trilevis 6118 manufacture calibre, a flying, double-barrel tourbillon that displays the hours and the minutes and has a power reserve of 72 hours. But it is so closely integrated into the structure that surrounds it that the watch takes second place to the jewellery. From 100,000 to 200,000$

2018

LOUIS VUITTON MONTRE TAMBOUR MOON MYSTÉRIEUSE TOURBILLON VOLANT Aligned vertically from 12 to 6 o’clock, a coaxial double barrel – concealed beneath a Monogram flower – the wheels for the hours and minutes and the flying tourbillon carriage hover. This gossamer-light ensemble floats in space, the effect reinforced by the absence of any connection between the winding crown and the double barrel. This trompe-l’œil effect is achieved thanks to two sapphire discs using the now proven principle of the mysterious movement, subtly adapted by La Fabrique du Temps. From 200,000 to 500,000$

PRESELECTED

DAVID CANDAUX 1740 HALF HUNTER TOURBILLON Providing excellent protection for the dial glass, hands and movement from shocks under extreme conditions, “HalfHunter” was the nickname of these antique captain’s watches partially encased in metal, allowing only portholes for viewing the required indications. David Candaux reinterprets this model in a resolutely contemporary manner, by inserting a twice-inclined tourbillon beneath one porthole, and beneath the other a domed dial displaying the hours and minutes. Designed, built and decorated by the hand of a master. From 200,000 to 500,000$

RICHARD MILLE RM 71-01 TOURBILLON AUTOMATIQUE TALISMAN Here, the ultra-technical character of Richard Mille watches is combined with the jeweller's art. Not simply by setting it with stones, but thanks to a close technical, architectural and visual dialogue between the two. With Talisman, Richard Mille is displaying the “new impetus of the brand towards the feminine world”, a market in which he intends to invest. His director of Ladies’ Collections, Cécile Guénat, is the linchpin of this rapprochement, which makes no concessions to mechanical considerations: Talisman is thus the brand's first automatic tourbillon, while exalting its jewellery credentials. From 200,000 to 500,000$ 45

TOURBILLONS 2018

MECCANICHE VELOCI ICON TOURBILLON Known for its multiple time zone Quattro Valvole watches and their dials divided into four distinct subdials, here Meccaniche Veloci presents its first tourbillon in this configuration. The tourbillon occupies one of the portholes, while the three others show three different time zones – one way of showing that a tourbillon can be adapted to suit every possible configuration and style. Even the most disruptive. From 50,000 to 100,000$

HUBLOT BIG BANG TOURBILLON SAPPHIRE The caseband, bezel and case back are cut from a sapphire block; there are no bridges: just a tourbillon lug, also in sapphire, and a fully skeletonised movement. Even the strap is in transparent rubber – in fact everything has been done to make this Big Bang as transparent as possible. “Sapphire opens up endless possibilities,” claims Ricardo Guadalupe, Hublot’s CEO, who talks of “crystalline mechanics”. From 100,000 to 200,000$

HYSEK IO SKELETON CENTRAL TOURBILLON Set out like an amphitheatre that converges towards the central arena where the tourbillon rotates, the architecture of the IO tells the time in apertures starting from the top and leading intuitively from the hour to the minutes, then to the seconds of the flying tourbillon. But to display hours and minutes in an aperture calls for discs that rotate beneath the dial. These, entirely blanked and driven peripherally, are concealed beneath a fine, semi-transparent matrix above the skeletonised movement, which is driven by a micro-rotor. From 100,000 to 200,000$

REBELLION WEAP-ONE ASYMMETRICAL FLYING TOURBILLON This watch features a flying tourbillon suspended between the hour and minute rollers, all housed in a detachable sapphire tube so the watch can also be used as a mini desk clock. The multi-axis tourbillon is suspended between two rotating plates, with one turning in 60 seconds and the other turning in 30. The double rotating axis creates asymmetrical movement in the tourbillon in all positions. The innovative design is the brainchild of Concepto and Fabrice Gonet. From 200,000 to 500,000$

BULGARI OCTO TOURBILLON SAPPHIRE This unique skeletonised watch literally glows, with the calibre's bridges serving as hour markers. The bridges are both functional and decorative, coming in a luminescent blue that lights up at night and covering the flying tourbillon cage located at 6 o’clock. Another point of interest: pressing the crown displays a red dot in an aperture at 3 o’clock, signalling that the watch is in timesetting mode. Press again to turn time setting mode off and the red dot will disappear. From 50,000 to 100,000$

KERBEDANZ MAXIMUS A new black version of “the biggest tourbillon in the world” (27 mm in diameter) features on this wristwatch. The super-size tourbillon is covered by a curved glass dome and rotates every six minutes (not every 60 seconds). The moment of inertia of the balance wheel is very high, ensuring a high rate of stability. Another interesting aspect of this watch is that the wearer has to rotate the case back to wind the four barrels that power the watch. From 100,000 to 200,000$

TOURBILLONS 2018

MB&F HM7 HOROLOGICAL MACHINE NO. 7 AQUAPOD FLYING TOURBILLON The original design inspired by the radially symmetrical shape of jellyfish came out in 2017. This year's version is in titanium with a green sapphire crystal bezel. The organic 3D design is dominated in the centre by a flying tourbillon. Like all diving watches, it features a rotating bezel, in this model in the form of a lifebuoy. While the watch can be worn in the water (watertight up to 5 atm), it is not suitable for deep sea diving. Like many jellyfish, the watch glows in the dark and three panels illuminate the tourbillon by night. From 100,000 to 200,000$

GIRARD-PERREGAUX NEO TOURBILLON THREE BRIDGES SKELETON In 2014, Girard-Perregaux revisited the design of the Tourbillon with Three Bridges to create the Neo Tourbillon model. The new black version still features the iconic Three Bridges, updated with a curved, arched and perforated design. The modern relevance of the signature architecture is clear in the new version, which has been fully skeletonised for the first time. There is no baseplate and the calibre is suspended, like a work of art, and magnified under a sapphire box. From 100,000 to 200,000$ PRESELECTED

TAG HEUER CARRERA CHRONOGRAPH TOURBILLON CHRONOMETER "TÊTE DE VIPÈRE" The midnight blue ceramic case houses the HEUER-02T movement, which combines an automatic chronograph and a tourbillon, both certified "Tête de Vipère" by the Besançon Observatory. This chronometer and excellence certification is recognised as the most exacting worldwide, focusing not just on the movement, like the COSC certification, but on the watch as a whole, which is submitted to a 16-day testing process. From 10,000 to 20,000$

PANERAI LO SCIENZIATO LUMINOR 1950 TOURBILLON GMT In order to make the watch as light as possible, the titanium case was made using new technology to create an extremely complex hollow structure without compromising water-resistance (10 bar), integrity or resistance to stresses and pressure. The DMLS (Direct Metal Laser Sintering) technique was used to make the watch, which involves 3D printing powdered titanium layer by layer using a fibre optic laser. The different layers (each only 0.02 mm thick) gradually combine to create a solid structure that would be impossible to achieve using traditional machining. The appearance of the watch is completely uniform and smooth and considerably lighter than a traditional design. From 100,000 to 200,000$ 49

TOURBILLONS

ANDREAS STREHLER TRANS-AXIAL REMONTOIR TOURBILLON In his quest for precision, Andreas Strehler has developed a new movement which combines his Remontoir d'égalité (constant force mechanism) with a tourbillon. Internal influences on the already largely linear power supply from the epicyclically limited twin mainspring barrels is filtered through the constant force mechanism and transferred to a tourbillon escapement mounted on the same axis to eliminate the influence of gravity on the escapement. This escapement is hand wound, using Andreas Strehler's own true conical gear wheels (quite unique in the watch industry). From 100,000 to 200,000$

2018

FRANK JUTZI L’ART DU TOURBILLON Independent watchmaker and member of the AHCHI, Frank Jutzi's latest creation, l’Art du Tourbillon, is a new series of automatic tourbillon wristwatches in 18 karat gold or stainless steel, embodying a respectful homage to the art of traditional Swiss watchmaking. The classic case and movement design is embellished with a spectacular multilevel dial, and the signature Frank Jutzi polished and sculpted arrow ploughshare hands that originate from his native village. From 20,000 to 50,000$

PRESELECTED

ULYSSE NARDIN EXECUTIVE TOURBILLON "FREE WHEEL" The “Free Wheel” design is like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Imagine that all the major components of a watch have been separated and deposited onto a black sapphire background and put on show in a large glass box—that's what this watch is like. The tourbillon, power reserve indicator, barrel gear-train and hands look as if they've been scattered almost at random, with bridges in the shape of boomerangs placed on top. It's a splendid design that works surprisingly well. From 50,000 to 100,000$

CORUM BUBBLE TOURBILLON Is this the sign of a possible new Haute Horlogerie Bubble collection? Or is it simply an example of how a tourbillon can be just for fun? The signature Bubble shape, with its curved sapphire glass dome and generous dimensions (47 mm), is perfect for housing a classic central tourbillon. The hour and minute markers are on the flange, indicated by two triangular markers. The minute hand is black and the hour hand is blue. The tourbillon indicates seconds. From 50,000 to 100,000$

SPEAKE-MARIN TOURBILLON VERTICAL DOUBLE OPENWORKED A 46 mm Piccadilly case houses two vertically-positioned tourbillon cages on a transparent background. The entire movement had to be rethought to accommodate the open-worked tourbillon on the left side so that the two bridges could keep the tourbillon away from the plate. The two tourbillons are aided by a rate stabiliser that connects both plates through the balance spring and helps compensate the speed of the two tourbillons for perfect accuracy. From 200,000 to 500,000$

ANGELUS U50 DIVER TOURBILLON If you really want to dive with a tourbillon, the U50 Diver Tourbillon, the first of its kind from Angelus, is the watch for you. The watch features a helium valve so it can be worn during saturation dives up to 300 metres. The movement was specifically designed to be visible, with sturdy bridges and wheels, and barrels firmly fixed between the two plates. The open design doesn't interfere with telling the time thanks to the contrast between the blue and yellow flange and hands finished with Super-LumiNova. From 20,000 to 50,000$ 51

GL BES Thank goodness the Earth is round! How might our timepieces have looked if the Earth was a flat as pancake launched into space? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a stupid question, but along the way we would have lost one of the most beautiful horological conceits: the display of the terrestrial globe, in relief or graphical form, at the centre of the dial. It is one way of reminding us of the relativity of time: terrestrial time applies only to ourselves. Elsewhere, time is different. Why, somewhere a few light-years away, there might be an hour that lasts 1,000 years! Depicting the globe is one of the most interesting forms of decorative expression, poetic, philosophical and didactic at the same time. But it can also be a challenge of manufacturing skill and craftsmanship, an exquisite exercise in miniaturised mechanics when the globe begins to turn on itself to indicate the progression of night over the Earth. And quite naturally, associated with this representation of the globe is the regular dance of universal time that turns with it.

PRESELECTED

BOVET RÉCITAL 22 GRAND RÉCITAL The three heavenly bodies that pace of our lives – the sun, Earth and moon – are represented in cinematic form by a model known as a tellurium-orrery. The sun is represented by the oneminute flying tourbillon, the raised carriage bridge of which evokes the sun’s fiery rays. An index fixed to the carriage wheel indicates the seconds on a 1200 sector scaled to 20 seconds. The imposing, hemispherical Earth, on which oceans, relief, deserts, forests, clouds and air currents are meticulously represented, rotates around its own axis and indicates the hours over a natural cycle of 24 hours. Lastly, a spherical moon orbits the Earth according to its exact synodic period of 29,53 days. From 200,000 to 500,000$ 53

GLOBES 2018

MONTBLANC 1858 GEOSPHERE Presented on the occasion of the 160th anniversary of Minerva, the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere is a tribute to the heroes of mountaineering. The world’s Seven Summits are indicated by red dots on two rotating globes representing the two hemispheres. The watch is equipped by a new world-time complication developed by Montblanc’s watchmakers at Villeret: two globes turn in opposite directions and effect one complete rotation in 24 hours. Encircling the two globes is a graduated scale with the 24 time zones, which also indicates day/ night by means of contrasting colours. This complication provides an instinctive way of reading the time zones. The use of SuperLumiNova® on the continents improves the watch’s nighttime visibility and performance. From 5,000 to 10,000$

FRANCK MULLER VANGUARD WORLD TIMER GMT At the centre of this watch sits a bas-relief map of the world. Running all the way around this, two circles indicate the 24 hours as well as the 24 time zones, represented by iconic cities. Local time is shown on the central hands, while an additional hand, tipped by a red arrow, shows the home time. This imposing automatic timepiece measuring 44mm by 53.7mm has a power reserve of 42 hours. From 20,000 to 50,000$

GREUBEL FORSEY GMT-EARTH With this new timepiece, GMT Earth, Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey took up the challenge of providing a complete three-dimensional view of the terrestrial globe from the North Pole to the South. This spatial 360° view was made possible by rearranging the architecture of the movement and the case, which has a side window in shaped sapphire, as well as a sapphire crystal case back in three dimensions with a built-in dome. Three time zones are visible simultaneously, and these can be set to the nearest quarter of an hour. Moreover, on the rear of the watch the 24 time zones, including summer and winter times, complement the universal time indicated by the terrestrial globe. More than 500,000$ 54

JACOB & CO ASTRONOMIA BLACK CERAMIC The Astronomia watches from Jacob & Co are astronomical first and foremost by their price. And while the mechanical ingenuity of their design is evident, more than anything they are a poetic metaphor for the cosmic ballet, an incredible, spinning show enclosed beneath the watch’s crystal. Above the celestial dial, which accomplishes a full rotation in one sidereal year – the time it takes the Earth to make one full rotation around the sun in relation to the fixed stars – four satellites rotate together in 20 minutes. The three-dimensional representation of the terrestrial globe in lacquered titanium also rotates on its own axis, as does that of the moon, represented by a cut diamond. The third satellite carries the dial with the hours and minutes. Driving it is a triple-axis gravitational tourbillon that completes its rotation around the first axis in 60 seconds, around the second in five minutes and right around the dial in 20 minutes. More than 500,000 $

JUNGHANS MEISTER MEGA The map of the world featured on the Meister Mega indicates the five reception zones of the radio-control signals by means of five points and codes inscribed on its surface. Its new radiocontrolled movement, the J101, guarantees absolute accuracy. On three continents, it receives a radio signal that varies by only 0.006 seconds per million years and synchronises automatically once a day. Outside the reception zone, the watch continues to function with the precision of an extremely accurate quartz movement that varies by no more than 8 seconds a year. From 1,000 to 3,000$

ARNOLD & SON GLOBETROTTER Spanning the dial of the Globetrotter is a large bridge supporting a terrestrial globe in 3D beneath a domed sapphire crystal. This world-time globe is made from a piece of rounded brass that has been chemically engraved then polished to represent the different continents and oceans of the northern hemisphere. The mountainous areas are sandblasted to create an impression of depth, and the oceans are blue-lacquered. The globe portrays the northern hemisphere seen from the North Pole and swivels in coordination with a transparent 24-hour ring that aligns with the red hour hand to indicate the time in the second time zone. From 10,000 to 20,000$ 55

SUN, MOON & STARS The great clock in the sky

The history of watchmaking – or rather of measuring time – began the day a human planted a stick in the sand and watched its shadow steadily move during the course of the solar day. By night, they observed the moon and the planets as they pursued their circular orbit against a backdrop studded with stars. From these ever-repeated observations they derived laws and divided the day and night, month and year into equal parts. But how to reproduce these movements of the heavens so as to be able to forecast their return and display them in real time? This is a long and rich story that began back in antiquity with the Antikythera Mechanism or the Tower of the Winds in Athens, an astronomical water clock dating from the 1st century BC. The story continues with the monumental astronomical clocks of Prague and Strasbourg, and the Astrarium of Giovanni Dondi, step by step right through to miniaturisation of ever more extreme proportions. Some watches, among the most beautiful, remind us daily of these heavenly origins of time-keeping, born of observation of the sky. Each and every one of these watches, even a “simple” moon phase, is thus the direct descendent of a long history of millennia of observations, calculations and exceptional ingenuity that succeeded in transposing this grand ballet of Time into a mechanical movement, and reproducing it in such a diminutive form as to be wrapped around our wrist.

VAN CLEEF & ARPELS MIDNIGHT PLANÉTARIUM POETIC COMPLICATION This new Poetic Complication timepiece provides a miniature representation of the movement of six planets around the sun and their position at any given time. Earth and Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn – all visible from Earth with the naked eye – are set in motion thanks to a self-winding mechanical movement of great complexity: equipped with an exclusive module developed in partnership with the Maison Christiaan van der Klaauw, it contains 396 separate parts. The movement of each planet is true to its genuine length of orbit: it will take Saturn over 29 years to make a complete circuit of the dial, while Jupiter will take almost 12 years, Mars 687 days, Earth 365 days, Venus 224 days and Mercury 88 days. From 200,000 to 500,000$

PRESELECTED

SUN, MOON & STARS

DE BETHUNE DB25 STARRY VARIUS Over the past few years, star-studded dials have become an integral part of the history of De Bethune. Personalised according to a specific geographical location and a given date, the gold pins are fitted one by one on the star-studded sky, thus making each model truly unique. The Milky Way pattern is then gilded using the traditional gold leaf technique and enhanced by laser beam micro milling. Today, for the first time, De Bethune offers a whole new take on the sky, framed by a slender case in polished grade 5 titanium measuring 8.8mm thick, 42mm in diameter and featuring perfectly integrated and openworked lugs. From 50,000 to 100,000$

2018

PRESELECTED

MEISTERSINGER LUNASCOPE With its single-handed watches, Meistersinger is following the grand tradition of mediaeval astronomical clocks which were frequently devoid of minute and second hands. This allows the Lunascope to offer a perfectly unobscured view of a large, realistic-looking moon against a starry backdrop. This precision moon-phase watch requires adjusting only once every 128 years. From 3,000 to 5,000$

LOUIS MOINET SPACEWALKER A poetic evocation of the splendour of the cosmos, the Spacewalker is dedicated to Alexey Leonov who, on 18 March 1965, became the first man to undertake a spacewalk. “I was heading out into the unknown; nobody in the world could tell me what I would find there. [...] The thing that struck me the most was the silence: utter silence such as I had never witnessed on Earth [...]. The sky was pitch black, yet at the same time it shone like the Sun... The Earth was small, light blue, and so achingly alone – our home, to be defended like a holy relic. The Earth was absolutely round. I believe I never knew what the word ‘round’ meant until I saw Earth from space.” The tourbillon portrays Leonov’s spaceship; the cosmonaut is represented by a diamond that orbits the tourbillon, and the depth of the cosmos by a backdrop in aventurine on which the starred sky and a nebula have been painted (using a technique which is a closely guarded secret). From 100,000 to 200,000$ 58

PRESELECTED

H. MOSER & CIE ENDEAVOUR PERPETUAL MOON CONCEPT Neither logo nor indices – only the Moon, majestic, in its large subdial, surrounded by an interplanetary vacuum of an exceptionally deep black. This abyssal ultra-black is obtained thanks to Vantablack®, the darkest substance that exists, composed of carbon nanotubes vertically aligned with one another so as to absorb 99.965% of the light. The wheel train of the Endeavour Perpetual Moon Concept translates the orbital period of the moon – 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes and 2.9 seconds – so precisely that the resulting difference is no more than 0.23 seconds a day. Which adds up to one whole day after 1,027.3 years, making this model one of the most accurate on the market. From 20,000 to 50,000$ 59

SUN, MOON & STARS

LANG & HEYNE MORITZ With its classical, symmetrical division of the dial, the Moritz visually combines all the calendar functions of a full calendar. The moon phase is displayed on the small seconds dial, and at 12 o'clock the declination angle is shown, a world premiere. The inclination of the axis of the Earth to the ecliptic of 23 degrees, and the orbiting of the Earth around the sun are the causes of the sun’s rays impinging sometimes more on the northern hemisphere, sometimes more on the southern hemisphere. For the first time, Lang & Heyne has made it possible to directly indicate the degree of the sun to the equator. The Earth disc, which oscillates with the seasons, is controlled by a program disc where the degree of the declination is accurately stored. From 50,000 to 100,000$

2018

BLANCPAIN VILLERET QUANTIÈME COMPLET GMT The week and month appear in windows in the traditional arrangement, while the date is indicated by a blued serpentine hand on a scale placed around the chapter ring. In addition, the GMT function presents the home time with a red-tipped hand on the inner dial, while local time is displayed with central hands pointing to the Roman numerals. Of course, the Moon phases are central, right in the middle of the dial. From 10,000 to 20,000$

GLASHÜTTE ORIGINAL SENATOR EXCELLENCE PERPETUAL CALENDAR The cut-out dial of this perpetual calendar gives us fragmentary glimpses of the interacting discs of the date, month and day displayed in three generously dimensioned subdials. These share the space with a moon-phase, set against a deep blue sky, and a leap-year indicator. A highly contemporary scenography for a complication that ranks among the most noble in mechanical watchmaking. From 20,000 to 50,000$ 60

JAQUET DROZ GRANDE SECONDE MOON BLACK ENAMEL The clean aesthetic of the Grande Seconde collection, with its figure-8 dial configuration, is rendered here in black grand feu enamel. The lower subsidiary dial is dominated by a realistic moon, engraved out of 22K gold and mounted on a black onyx disk that rotates. It is an astronomical moonphase, which means it requires correction only once every 122 years, and is driven by an in-house automatic calibre with a silicon balance spring. A red-tipped hand indicates the date on an 18K gold ring surrounding the moon phase, while another hand indicates seconds. The moon phase can be set using the corrector at 8 o’clock. From 20,000 to 50,000$

RAYMOND WEIL MAESTRO MOON PHASE Pure and simple, elegant and self-winding, the Maestro Moon Phase is a three-handed timepiece displaying, as its name suggests, the phases of the moon in a traditional window at 6 o’clock. A discreetly poetic, timeless timekeeper. From 1,000 to 3000$

PARMIGIANI TONDA MÉTROPOLITAINE SÉLÈNE GALAXY The Tonda Métropolitaine Sélène Galaxy shows an aventurine dial in midnight blue, the surface of which, peppered with fine fragments of gold, evokes the twinkling of stars in the night sky. At the heart of this constellation, the russet-coloured moon is magnified by its cratered surface, obtained by layering decals in a feat of complex craftsmanship. More than a simple depiction, this is a wrist-borne incarnation of the moon, which appears and disappears behind wisps of cloud at the heart of its star-studded constellation. The colour of the moon almost exactly matches that of the pink gold of the hands and the indices on the dial. From 10,000 to 20,000$ 61

PURITY Getting straight to the point Over-use by watchmakers – and others – of the Bauhaus school's famous founding phrase “form follows function” has turned it into a rather hackneyed expression. But make no mistake, the most beautiful watches – and the most timeless – are without a doubt those which vanish discreetly behind their assigned function: that of telling the time as accurately, simply, clearly and legibly as possible. Of being the purest possible expression of their function. Following this adage, a watch is round (because the needle describes a circle), devoid of any superfluous decoration and gets straight to the point. Every detail – if detail there be – has a meaning, a defined function, and is as discreet yet as visible as possible. Purity is a form of politeness. A watch is not there to be seen, but to inform, discreetly and elegantly. But this discretion is what makes it so beautiful and timeless. Its raison d’être is to blend into the background while telling the time for as long as we desire. Consequently, you can’t help but see it.

HERMÈS SLIM GMT A simple description suffices: an ultra-thin case just 9.48mm thick; an understated display on a slate-grey dial with a slender typeface; a silvered GMT counter with its cluster of figures; fine, sandblasted or blue-lacquered baton hands; and perfect legibility. Consistent with this, the interior houses an ultra-thin manufacture movement by Hermès – the H1950, 2.6mm thick – over which lies an ultra-thin GMT module just 1.4mm thick and developed exclusively for Hermès by Agenhor. Two time zones and two day/night indicators, showing the home and the local time, are displayed. Adjusting it is simple and fun; just press the pusher. “Fun” – a rare and simple quality peculiar to Hermès. From 10,000 to 20,000$

PURITY

LAURENT FERRIER MINUTE REPEATER A non-water-resistant case and gongs in steel to supply the Minute Repeater with the fullest sonority and most crystalline tones; chimes that last up to 17 seconds; a power reserve of 80 hours and a minimalist display pared down to the essential: hours, minutes and a small-seconds subdial, all incomparably legible on a dial in satin-brushed red gold with a silvered and azure seconds hand. Only the essential. From 200,000 to 500,000$

2018

LAURENT FERRIER GALET BLACK REGULATOR We couldn’t resist the temptation to show two watches by Laurent Ferrier who, where “purity” is concerned, is forcefully and evidently making a statement of style, in the noblest sense of the term. The regulator display was developed for wholly practical reasons: to provide the most accurate reference time to which all watchmakers at work could regulate their watches. Hence the separation of the respective displays of the hour, minute and second. A programme which the Galet Black Regulator fulfils to perfection. From 20,000 to 50,000$

GIRARD-PERREGAUX 1966 A slender overall line, ultra-thin case, smoked-grey dial, domed, polished leaf-type hands, baton-type appliqué indices or Roman numerals, 40mm or 36mm by 8.9mm or 9.01mm: “Simplicity is the supreme sophistication”, said Leonardo da Vinci. From 10,000 to 20,000$

NOMOS GLASHÜTTE AHOI NEOMATIK SIGNALWEISS Every detail counts. Since form follows function, the form here follows that of the 3.2mm automatic calibre, which is expressed on a dial of immaculate white with red markers and blue hands coated with Luminova. Water-resistant down to 200m, with a “fast-drying” light grey textile strap. What's not to like. From 3,000 to 5,000$

BAUME & MERCIER CLIFTON BAUMATIC Sedate, simple, elegant, modestly dimensioned (40mm) and affordable, the Clifton Baumatic soberly presents three hands and a date aperture, indices in the shape of slender arrows and an excellent power reserve of five days, courtesy of its calibre with a silicon escapement custom-developed by the Val Fleurier manufacture, which is part of the Richemont group. How to surprise with simplicity. From 1,000 to 3000$

SEIKO CREDOR SPRING DRIVE EICHI Simplicity of design, exquisite finishing of the movement, an innovative torque return system and a hand-painted, pure white porcelain dial. “Eichi”, wisdom in Japanese, reflects the fusion of traditional Japanese watchmaking skills with the highest and most advanced Spring Drive technology. From the design of every component to the hand-painting on the dial, Eichi is made by elite watchmakers at the Micro Artist Studio in Shiojiri in central Japan. Japanese at its best. From 20,000 to 50,000$

OPENWORKED More than a skeleton In conventional watchmaking, skeletonising a watch's movement was a rare speciality practised by a handful of master watchmakers. It was a balancing act that consisted of removing as much material as possible, yet without detriment to the rigidity and toughness of the components, now visible and exposed. We owe their introduction to the watchmaker André-Charles Caron who, around 1760, was the first to unveil the “secrets” of how a movement functioned. Inspired by the Encyclopaedist current of thought, the public hurried en masse to his workshop to discover what lurked beneath the science and art of watchmaking. A "science” that has now been overtaken in its primary function of providing the most exact time possible, mechanical horology is seeking to maintain its artistic pre-eminence by revealing its fascinating internal organs as far as possible. The big difference is that today, the idea is not so much to expose an existing movement as it is to design from scratch a movement destined to be exposed. The caseback, exterior – or what is left of it – and movement are therefore designed in tandem to form one inseparable whole. So today, “skeletonisation” has little meaning. It would be more accurate to speak of three-dimensional sculpture. The movement’s architecture is now the decoration in itself. There is no more “flesh” to be removed, only “bones” to be assembled. Might this be one of the principal means by which mechanical watches can continue to attract? The number of watchmakers who practise it would seem to prove just that.

OPENWORKED

CHANEL BOY•FRIEND SKELETON The in-house Calibre 3 equipping this watch was specifically conceived and designed not only to fit into the case of the Boy•Friend, but to constitute its entire "décor“. Here, the function, form and arrangement of the different components are placed entirely at the service of the aesthetics. The movement is part and parcel of its own case. A skeleton like this cannot be anything but unique. From 20,000 to 50,000$

2018

PRESELECTED

PIAGET ALTIPLANO ULTIMATE AUTOMATIC Just 4.3mm thick, this watch is one of the best illustrations of the fusion of movement and exterior design. To achieve this extreme thinness, the movement and case form a single piece, the latter serving as the base plate to which the 219 ultra-fine components are fixed. The result is avant-garde, reverse-engineered architecture in which aesthetics and technique are an integral part of one another. From 20,000 to 50,000$

BULGARI OCTO FINISSIMO SKELETON SANDBLASTED Every component of the BVL 128SK manufacture calibre has been chiselled away to leave a kind of mechanical web set in an Octo case in sandblasted pink gold. Just 2.35mm thick, this mechanical movement also has a small-seconds dial and a 65hour power reserve indicator. Even stripped naked, the Octo looks good. From 20,000 to 50,000$

CHRONOMÉTRIE FERDINAND BERTHOUD CHRONOMÈTRE FB-1R.6-1 Inspired by marine chronometers, driven by a fusee-and-chain mechanism, this regulator features an original display of each function, split over the dial. Hours are displayed in an arched window at 2 o’clock, and minutes are shown in a subdial at 12 o’clock. A complicated power reserve display dominates an opening in the space between 8 o’clock and 10 o’clock on the dial. The seconds are directly linked to the 60-second tourbillon, which is featured on the caseback side, along with the mobile-cone power reserve system. From 200,000 to 500,000$

OPENWORKED

ROMAIN GAUTHIER INSIGHT MICRO-ROTOR LADY With its highly visible, intricately engineered, automatic movement featuring a snow-set micro-rotor and a gently shimmering mother-of-pearl dial, the Insight Micro-Rotor Lady – Romain Gauthier’s first ladies’ watch – "is for those women who want their timepieces blessed with more than just a pretty face", explains the watchmaker. The movement’s spectacular decoration includes handcrafted and hand-polished bevels, snailing, straight-graining, circular-graining and hand-frosting, as well as handcrafted and hand-polished jewel countersinks. From 50,000 to 100,000$

2018

CLAUDE MEYLAN TORTUE BLACK Born into a family of master watchmakers in the Joux Valley, Claude Meylan defines himself as a “sculptor of time” who “undresses” all the parts of the movement and constantly seeks to “push the art of skeletonisation to new horizons”. Witness this Tortue Black of rare elegance and great finesse. From 5,000 to 10,000$

CARL SUCHY & SÖHNE THE WALTZ NO 1 SKELETON The Waltz N°1 is equipped with the ultra-thin automatic movement VMF 5401/180 designed and produced by Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier. It has been modified by Zurich-based watchmaker Marc Jenni - a former member of the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI) - to fit a rotating seconds disc at 6 o’clock with a striped pattern that aligns with that of the dial once a minute. In this semi-transparent version, the movement is seen through the openworked dial as if through an Art Nouveau "mashrabiya". From 10,000 to 20,000$

FIONA KRÜGER CHAOS MECHANICAL ENTROPY “Time always advances towards the random, disorder and chaos” is a favourite saying of Fiona Krüger, known for her famous Skulls. Here, she seeks to express the notion of chaos and entropy in the very design of the movement, which is subjected to an “explosion” that seems to blow it apart. The gear train is stretched across the entire length of the movement, the broken hour and minute wheels are off-centre and the apparently shattered barrel mainspring can be seen in the upper righthand corner through a seemingly ravaged plate and bridges. From 20,000 to 50,000$

OPENWORKED

AUDEMARS PIGUET ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE TOURBILLON CHRONOGRAPH 25TH ANNIVERSARY Openworked and distinctive, this Royal Oak Offshore would hardly be recognisable as part of the family were it not for its octagonal shape. The watch offers a view of the tourbillon at 9 o’clock, a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, and two mainspring barrels that offer the most substance to the watch’s skeletonised foundation. Rather than metal and rubber, the pushers and crown are now made from ceramic. The watches are available in either 18k rose gold or stainless steel, each limited to 50 pieces, and are powered by the hand-wound Calibre 2947. From 200,000 to 500,000$

2018

PRESELECTED

ZENITH DEFY EL PRIMERO 21 BLUE This El Primero timepiece, which is paced at a frequency of 360,000 vph (50 Hz), ten times faster than its predecessor is an impressive piece of engineering in action. Accurate to 1/100th of a second, as you can read from the inner bezel with its scale graduated from 1 to 100, the second hand sweeps round the dial at the lightning speed of one revolution per second. The completely openworked dial shows a resolutely contemporary décor advantageously setting off a very unusual blue base plate. From 10,000 to 20,000$

ARMIN STROM PURE RESONANCE WATER The raison d’être of the Mirrored Force Resonance is to display the interesting functionality of the resonant balances while improving the watch’s overall precision. The resonance clutch spring provides the watch with a fascinating and patented “animation” of the way it functions. This remains in line with the philosophy of Armin Strom as a brand: no nonsense, just good, proprietary mechanics presented in an impeccably finished and interesting way. The resonance clutch spring is exciting in another way, too: it visually proves this timepiece’s resonance. From 20,000 to 50,000$

ROGER DUBUIS EXCALIBUR SPIDER PIRELLI AUTOMATIC SKELETON In black titanium with deep blue accents or touches of white evoking the tarmac so beloved of the tyre manufacturer, the case contains an in-house, self-winding mechanical calibre of 166 components, with a skeletal micro-rotor and fine-tuning in six positions. Entirely openworked with an NAC-coated main plate and bridges and Poinçon de Genève finishing; all this mounted on a black rubber strap inlaid with rubber “from certified Pirelli winning tyres having competed in real races", according to the description, for the benefit of fetishists of the brand. From 50,000 to 100,000$

JAQUET DROZ GRANDE SECONDE SKELET-ONE For the first time, Jaquet Droz presents its emblematic Grande Seconde with a sapphire dial built into a skeleton composition. The casing ring has been omitted, offering greater openness; the hour dial is in sapphire and the oscillating weight entirely openworked, with only the bridges holding the movement, which can be seen in its entirety, together. From 20,000 to 50,000$

DE WITT ACADEMIA SKELETON For this manually wound skeleton movement, Jérôme de Witt has chosen "a highly complex mathematical structure". Based on the satellite principle already created for the 2005 Tourbillon Differentiel, the 100 hours double barrel power reserve is indicated by an arrow located on this differential, which is in constant rotation. Placed at 7 o’clock, the seconds hand changes direction after 30 seconds thanks to a disconnecting gear system, and performs an instantaneous jump that sends it in the opposite direction to mark the following 30 seconds. The seconds are therefore indicated in two different directions, which gives the seconds hand a totally new way of moving. From 50,000 to 100’000$ 73

OPENWORKED

HAUTLENCE VORTEX GAMMA MAGMA Immediately recognisable by the 12 articulated links of its hour chain, which turns for 3-4 seconds every 60 minutes, leaving us time to admire the mechanics in action, this is an volcanic new version of the Vortex Gamma. Its case is made from HLLightColor, a material charged with ceramic nanotube particles, and six three-dimensional sapphire crystals. The minutes dial, made from almost entirely transparent sapphire, has an opening offering a generous view of the calibre. The Magma plays on its contrasts of black, depth, and colour, creating visual effects and an interplay of luminescent and transparent forms. From 100,000 to 200,000$

2018

CORUM ADMIRAL AC-ONE 45 SQUELETTE No sapphire disc here. To create transparency, the floating, filigree date figures, advanced by an invisible transmission system beneath the inner bezel, have been individually blanked by electrical discharge machining. This aerial architecture accentuates the three-dimensional effect of the Admiral 45 Squelette, the in-house calibre of which is visible on the lower bridge. Contrasting with the lightweight, coloured lacework of the figures is the sturdy case in matte black DLC titanium. Transparency married to mass. From 10,000 to 20,000$

SCHWARZ ETIENNE ROSWELL 08 By showcasing its ISO 100.11 in-house calibre, a back-to-front movement with the balance and date mechanism innovatively positioned on the dial side, Schwarz Etienne offers a timepiece that is at once technically sophisticated, playful and educational. The balance operates in full view, as does the entire date mechanism which traverses the whole movement and is displayed in a green aperture at 2 oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock, while a small-seconds dial in the shape of a green pastille revolves at 11 oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock. From 10,000 to 20,000$

RADO TRUE OPEN HEART AUTOMATIC Who would have thought that a ceramic case – hardly a transparent material – could frame a skeleton movement? Or to be more exact, an “open-heart” movement, as Rado calls it. Because this is not so much a skeleton movement as a movement with a dial generously divided into broad black, geometric or circular openings, revealing the main components that go to make it up. From 1,000 to 3000$

CENTURY PRIME TIME The dodecagonal case in sapphire – scratchproof, wearproof and hand-cut – from Prime Time is one of Century’s most recognisable signature features. Here, the case goes for a sporty look, hosting a movement in which the bridges, barrel and main plate are openworked for greater transparency. The sense of depth is accentuated by the thick, raised indices and the openworked hands. From 5,000 to 10,000$

MAURICE LACROIX AIKON AUTOMATIC SKELETON Designed specifically for the Aikon Automatique Squelette, the ML234 calibre is self-winding. Like all the Maurice Lacroix skeleton movements for the past 25 years, this was born of a design choice. The movement is structured by five concentric circles radiating out from the centre of the hollowed barrel, at 1 o’clock. Balance bridge, winder mechanism, oscillating weight – all these elements are hollowed out as far as possible to create a transparent lacework of mechanical parts beneath a sapphire crystal divided by rhodium-plated indices. From 5,000 to 10,000$ 75

SK LLS Memento Mori Memento Moriâ&#x20AC;Ś Remember that you must die! Our time on Earth has a beginning and an end. Without death, there would be no birth. The art of time cannot escape this sine qua non of our existence. And since the dawn of horology, it has reminded us of it. One of the most famous examples is the watch in the shape of a skull that Mary Stuart, haunted by death, ordered in 1560, a time of religious wars, from the watchmaker Moyse of Blois. She wore it on a chain around her neck. But not for long, because in 1587, she was decapitated on the orders of Elizabeth I. Today, what was then a metaphysical reminder has turned into a marketing device. But one so prolific and successful that it gives pause for thought. Is our troubled time so obsessed with death that we secretly try to conjure it by displaying it so systematically on our wrists?

Mary Stuart's watch

BELL & ROSS BR 01 LAUGHING SKULL Bell & Ross has produced variations on the skull since 2009 and recently took its sneering sardonicism one step further with its BR 01 Laughing Skull. The watch has an automaton mechanism built into the new BR-CAL 206 cranium-shaped movement, the four bridges of which support the crossbones beneath the skull. When you wind it, the jaws of the skull begin to move and death bursts into (silent) laughter, reminding us of the vanity of our existence. From 5,000 to 10,000$

SKULLS 2018

FIONA KRÜGER CELEBRATION SKULL Fiona Krüger is the grand priestess of skull watches, the aesthetics of which she has done much to develop with her watch cases that take the shape of a skull itself. Celebration Skull’s decorative 3-layer dial and case are hand-painted with coloured lacquer and Superluminova. Each colour used in the design of the watch has a specific meaning pertaining to the Mexican Dia de Los Muertos celebration (she was born in Mexico), while the Superluminova outline glows in the dark to reveal an iconic skull symbol. From 20,000 to 50,000$

CLVII TIMEPIECES SKULL No one could call this watch beautiful, but is Death beautiful? Somewhat gross and more than a little rock ‘n roll in style, it displays the hours, minutes and seconds through three discs appearing in the aperture above its sunglasses (Death not being keen on light). Equipped with a Seiko Epson automatic movement and mounted on a leather strap that looks as if it came straight out of a mouldering catacomb, this funky take on mortality is affordable, if not presentable. From 1,000 to 3,000$

HYT SKULL 48.8 In the HYT Skull 48.8, everything serves to remind us that life is short and we should make the most of every moment. Is it more a symbol of life than of death? Just like the fluids which, driven by two flexible reservoirs, progress through the capillary to mark the passage of time, without liquid, there is no life! And no time either: time-keeping was born with the first water clocks, more than three millennia ago. A water clock 21st century-style, HYT is thus an instrument of philosophy. All the more so when it displays a skull with hollowed eye sockets. From 50,000 to 100,000$

L’EPÉE 1839 VANITAS Designed in collaboration with Fiona Krüger, manufactured and assembled by L’Epée 1839, a Swiss manufacture specialising in high-end clocks, this skull-shaped clock is a reminder that we should take advantage of every second of our existence. The hours and minutes are shown by the two hands, and a power reserve indicator is integrated into the mouth of the skull. When it runs out of power, it starts to yawn, showing that it needs rewinding. With a power reserve of 35 days, this monthly ritual is time to stop for a moment and make the most of the present. From 20,000 to 50,000$

SKULLS 2018

CORUM COIN WATCH For Corum, Aleksey Saburov, a Russian engraver now living in New York, diverts popular imagery to create watchmaking works of art from authentic American 5-cent pieces in nickel dating from the early twentieth century, known as “hobo coins”. These impoverished vagrants used to hand-engrave these modest coins in the hope of selling them at a price higher than their face value. The theme of death – hence the skull, surrounded here by snakes – was a natural choice, given their extremely vulnerable living conditions. Today, “hobo coins” have become a luxury. But death is still the same. From 20,000 to 50,000$

ARTYA MINUTE REPEATER TOURBILLON "DEATH IS CALLING" A real punk among watchmakers, Yvan Arpa, the founder of Artya, loves provocation. He has a black belt in karate, has played Russian roulette and juggled with sticks of dynamite, and today presents a unique, complicated and extremely Gothic piece, “Death is Calling”. Each time it chimes, it tells us in no uncertain terms that time is passing and will one day end. From 200,000 to 500,000$

ALEXANDER SHOROKHOFF LOS CRANEOS Dedicated to Frida Kahlo, who had a spectacular but dramatic life full of pain and passion, “Los Craneos“ is made as a doubletime watch in order to illustrate the situation of Frida Kahlo hovering between life and death, a situation that was normal to her. She nevertheless continued to paint and create her world famous artworks. Powered by two different movements, on one time zone is the calendar, on the other time zone is a central second hand. The artists also lived in two time zones real life proceeded normally, while her working hours seemed to fly by with the speed of light. Death was always near. From 1,000 to 3000$

SP RT The age of maturity in watchmaking With greater accuracy and the invention of the chronograph, watchmaking in the 19th century was a booming industry, directly contributing to the rise of the sciences and industry, rail travel and the move towards rationalisation. Watchmaking created essential instruments that drove development in the new era. This was the first wave of globalisation, requiring the world to be split into different time zones to be observed by all countries. So, where does sport come into all this? Sport was developing in parallel at the same speed, becoming more popular and requiring its own timekeeping instruments with the highest levels of accuracy possible. Sport was an important area of experimentation for watchmaking and a driver for change in itself because it had an essential need for chronographs and timekeeping devices. Sport undoubtedly played a key role in the progress of the watchmaking industry and the era as a whole. This role attracted a wider audience and a new audience of enthusiasts. In todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world, nobody needs a chronograph on their wrist for their everyday life. But sports watches remain a vestige of the era: reliable accuracy, robust, highperforming with an aesthetic appeal that endures.

SPORT 2018

CHANEL J12 COLLECTOR ROSE The J12 has made a lasting impression since it first appeared in 2000. For its designer Jacques Helleu, his aim was to create “a sporty watch combining design and technology," at that time in the form of hi-tech ceramic. More than twenty years later, the J12 has been a resounding success and has proven to be an extremely versatile design. With the 38 mm J12 Collector Rose, mixing a white ceramic case with a pearlescent rose dial dotted with 12 diamonds to mark the hours, Chanel has proven that sport, femininity and sophisticated style can all be part of the same design. From 5’000 to 10’000$

BREGUET MARINE CHRONOGRAPHE 5527 In 1820, Abraham-Louis Breguet, official timekeeper to the French Royal Navy since 1815, created the double second watch, or observation chronometer, a forefather of the modern chronograph. So, what could be more natural than for the brand that bears his name to introduce a marine chronograph with a blue dial and wave motif to recall its origins? The attractive piece also comes in titanium for the first time, portraying a sporty character when worn with a rubber strap. From 20,000 to 50,000$ 84

PATEK PHILIPPE AQUANAUT REF. 5968A The Aquanaut first appeared in 1997, twenty years after the famous Nautilus collection, which inspired the Aquanaut, was launched. At the time, Patek Philippe's aim for the rounder watch was to broaden the brand's appeal to a younger audience. The ‘wings’ of the Nautilus model were smoothed down and the watch featured a more square dial and a rubber strap. Both sporty and stylish, the collection helped the brand attract new watch fans, grow its clientele, venture into the women's watch market and release an interesting range of colours. Following the introduction of the Travel Time in 2011 (we’d been waiting a long time) the first chronograph was added to the watch (calibre CH 28-520 C, automatic flyback chronograph). Visually, the chronograph's markers, with a central seconds hand, peripheral seconds track with quarter-second markers and 60-minute timer fit seamlessly into the iconic design, made unique thanks to the orange details that stand out from the black background. From 20,000 to 50,000$

SPORT 2018

PRESELECTED

TUDOR BLACK BAY GMT To Tudor, the Black Bay line is “the result of a subtle combination of historic styles and modern watchmaking. As opposed to simply reissuing a new version identical to the classic, Tudor has distilled over 60 years of diving watch designs into one thoroughly modern piece.” The Black Bay GMT model was one of the stand-out pieces at Baselworld 2018. It features a 41 mm steel case with a Pepsistyle 24-hour bidirectional rotating bezel in anodised aluminium that strikingly resembles the iconic GMT-Master from Tudor's sister brand Rolex. Nonetheless, the Black Bay GMT has many distinctive details. Don’t let that comparison hold you back. From 3,000 to 5,000$

ROLEX GMT-MASTER II In 1954, Rolex launched the GMT-Master reference 6524 in collaboration with the famous Pan Am company. The model has gone on to become the benchmark for GMT watches. The watch has gradually undergone various iterations ever since. Innovation has inched forward without ever affecting the iconic status of the model. In 1955, the graduated 24-hour disc of the GMT-Master’s bicolour bezel – which has since become more than emblematic – was made of Plexiglas. In 1959, it was made of anodised aluminium. In 2005, high-tech ceramic arrived on the scene with the GMT-Master II. In 2007, the bezel and bezel disc were crafted from a single piece of what officially became known as “Cerachrom”, the name given to the inhouse technology. The numerals and graduations are moulded in solid material and PVD-plated with gold or platinum. The piece is UV-resistant. From 5,000 to 10,000$

SPORT

CASIO G-SHOCK MR-G “TETSU-TSUBA” Over 100 million G-Shock watches have been sold in thirty-five years, cementing its status as one of the most popular sports watches in the world. Tetsu-Tsuba, the latest version of the watch, is bursting with technical features and extremely robust. The name comes from a traditional Japanese artisanal metalwork technique. The model proves that the two diametrically opposed worlds of technology and tradition can be combined in one piece. In this case, GPS Hybrid Wave Ceptor technology, which guarantees accuracy in any location worldwide in all conditions, and the traditional art form of Tetsu-Tsuba work seamlessly together. From 5,000 to 10,000$

2018

FAVRE-LEUBA RAIDER BATHY 120 MEMODEPTH When the Bathy was first introduced in 1968 it was one of the first wristwatches to come with a pressure membrane and centre hand to measure depth more accurately. For its 50th anniversary, the Raider Bathy 120 MemoDepth comes with an updated depth gauge. A special pressure membrane integrated into the back of the case allows water to enter a chamber where pressure is measured to determine depth up to 120 metres, twice that of the original Bathy watch. Depth is indicated on the dial by the blue centre hand. The watch also has a depth memory function to record the maximum depth reached during a dive. The membrane and movement are hermetically separated, protecting the watch. From 5,000 to 10,000$

PRESELECTED

SINGER TRACK1 HONG KONG EDITION The AgenGraphe, (the name comes from Jean-Marc Wiederrecht’s firm Agenhor) the calibre powering the Singer Track1 stands apart from all previous chronograph movements. The result of a decade of development, it completely redefines fundamental principles that have remained unchanged for decades. The underlying idea was to enhance the legibility of the chronograph – which is usually poor – with the use of small counters spread out across the dial. Thanks to a radically new architecture, the AgenGraphe brings together all the chronograph functions in the centre of the watch, allowing for an easy and intuitive reading of elapsed time. To further enhance legibility, the chronograph incorporates jumping minute and hour indicators. The Hong Kong Edition is the third iteration of the watch. From 20,000 to 50,000$

EBERHARD & CO. NUVOLARI LEGEND For over thirty years, Eberhard has celebrated the exploits of racing driver Nuvolari in a collection of sports chronographs. The most recent is the vintage-look Nuvolari Legend. Featuring an automatic movement, the watch comes in a 39.5 mm or 43 mm steel case. The chronograph has a minute display at 12 oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; clock, hour display at 6 oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; clock and a spiral tachometer scale in km/hr in the centre. From 3,000 to 5,000$

CHOPARD MILLE MIGLIA 2018 RACE EDITION Chopard has created a special-edition watch to celebrate thirty years of partnership with the Mille Miglia race. The design is inspired by the dashboards of classic cars. Other details also reveal the automobile-inspired design, such as the notched crown resembling a petrol-tank cap and pushers shaped like engine pistons. The strap is perforated in the style of driving gloves. The movement is COSC certified. From 5,000 to 10,000$

BELL & ROSS BR 03-92 DIVER BLUE Bell & Ross introduced their first diving watch with a square case in 2017, demonstrating their ability to create professional underwater instruments. In the same mould as the Hydromax from 1997, which is water-resistant to 11,100 m, and the BR02 range launched in 2007, the BR03-92 Diver translates the signature square design into the world of diving, an area where round watches dominate. The BR 03-92 was a new point of departure leading to an entirely new collection. The BR03-92 Diver Blue and BR03-92 Diver Bronze are the two most recent additions to the collection. From 3,000 to 5,000$ 89

SPORT

HAMILTON KHAKI X-WIND AUTO CHRONO LIMITED EDITION Inspired by the original Khaki X-Wind Auto Chrono designed for timekeeping in the air, the 2018 limited edition features the maximum number of functions needed by pilots, including an innovative drift-angle calculator. The bearing structure of the dial makes reading the watch intuitive, whether the wearer is reading one of the chronographâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s three displays, the date window at 9 oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; clock or the rotating bezel with clearly visible markers. The watch includes a COSC H-21-Si calibre, the first Hamilton chronograph movement with a silicon hairspring. The non-magnetic material is particularly useful for pilots, as they often travel through areas with strong magnetic fields such as airports. From 1,000 to 3000$

2018

LONGINES HYDROCONQUEST The HydroConquest watch is a true diving watch, water resistant up to 300 m with a uni-directional rotating bezel, screw-in crown and back, protective crown cover, double security folding clasp and integrated diving extension. It comes in two versions: a 41 mm diameter chronograph model and a calendar version with three hands measuring 41 or 43 mm in diameter. Both come with an automatic mechanical movement. From 1,000 to 3000$

CERTINA DS ACTION DIVER SEA TURTLE CONSERVANCY Launched in 1959, the DS concept (Double Safety) uses special O-ring gaskets between the crown and the case back to comply with ISO 6425 for professional diving watches. This special version is water resistant up to 300 m with a screwdown crown and case and a unidirectional bezel with hands coated in Super-LumiNova. The watch includes the automatic Powermatic 80 ETA movement, famous for its eighty-hour power reserve. Less than 1,000$

TISSOT SEASTAR 1000 The Tissot Seastar 1000 automatic Powermatic 80 has all of the functions a diver could need: water resistance to 300 m, luminous hands, with an additional luminous dot on the seconds hand, a diving scale marked minute-by-minute up to twenty minutes, then every five minutes, screw-in crown and back. The 43 mm diameter watch is worn with a steel strap with a folding clasp and diving extension or rubber strap. Less than 1,000$

SPORT

BULOVA SPORT CHAMPLAIN PRECISIONIST Powered by the Bulova proprietary Precisionist eight-hand quartz chronograph movement with a 262kHz vibrational frequency, eight times greater than standard timepieces for unparalleled accuracy. Stainless steel and blue IP steel screw-back case with screw-down crown, black carbon fibre chronograph dial with date feature and red accents, curved mineral crystal, textured blue polyurethane strap with three-piece buckle closure, and 300-metre water resistance. Less than 1,000$

2018

JEAN MARCEL OCEANUM CHRONOGRAPH The meeting point between sport and timeless elegance. This watch comes with an automatic chronograph movement based on the ETA 2894-2 and is water resistant up to 300 m. Only 200 watches have been created (100 blue and 100 salmon pink), featuring a sapphire case back and a leather, rubber or Milanese mesh strap. From 1,000 to 3000$

HANHART PRIMUS DIVER Established in 1882, Hanhart supplied the Navy with chronographs, including the famous single-button Calibre 40, and stopwatches. Today naval officers, leisure sailors and divers wear wristwatches or use stopwatches from Hanhart both on and under the water. The Primus Diver's fluted bezel with inlaid red marking is reminiscent of the design of the watch manufacturer's legendary chronographs and is realised as a concave, unidirectional rotating bezel featuring a scale for calculating the dive time. It can be adjusted in an anticlockwise direction and has a detent set in steps of a minute. Automatic chronograph movement HAN3809 (bicompax). From 3â&#x20AC;&#x2122;000 to 5,000$ 92

SEIKO PROSPEX 1968 COMMEMORATIVE EDITION In 1968, just three years after Seiko’s first diver’s watch was made, Seiko’s engineers raised the bar with a hi-beat diver’s watch with 300 metre water resistance, which became one of the foundation stones on which Seiko’s future diver’s watch development was based. It had a 10-beat high precision automatic calibre, a onepiece structure, screw-down protection crown and unidirectional rotating bezel. 50 years after, Seiko presents a commemorative version of this watch. Its signature feature is the deep green col-

our of the dial and bezel. Durability and strength are the watchwords; the zirconia ceramic bezel is highly resistant to scratches and shocks, the stainless steel case has a super-hard coating and the sapphire crystal has an anti-reflective coating both inside and out. The minute markers on the bezel are painted with a specially powerful Lumibrite to increase the legibility of the rotating bezel. In addition to the steel bracelet, a high strength silicone strap also accompanies the watch. From 1,000 to 3000$ 93

SPORT

MICHEL HERBELIN NEWPORT CHRONOGRAPH AUTOMATIC Michel Herbelin has completely redesigned its automatic chronograph, fitted with a Sellita SW510, to mark the 30th anniversary of its Newport collection originally created in 1988. The 43.5 mm case comes in stainless steel, while the dial features three sub-dials, all finished in anthracite-grey PVD. The updated rectangular push-pieces are located on either side of the crown, which is still notched but now comes in a conical shape, accentuating the geometrical design of the case. Water-resistant to 100 m, the tricompax chronograph can record elapsed times up to 12 hours. Three sub-dials at 3, 6 and 9 o'clock display 30-minute and hour counters and a small seconds hand. A worldwide limited edition of 300 numbered timepieces was launched at Baselworld 2018. From 1,000 to 3000$

2018

BAUME & MERCIER CLIFTON CLUB INDIAN LEGEND TRIBUTE CHIEF Baume & Mercier has created a series of sports watches to celebrate its partnership with Indian Motorcycle, which was founded in the USA in 1901. The collection includes the Clifton Club Indian Legend Tribute Chief model, featuring an automatic chronograph housed in a 44 mm satin-finished stainless-steel case emblazoned with ADLC details. The black dial with riveted indexes is encircled by a tachymetric scale to measure speed. The hour and minute hands are coated in Superluminova. The signature style of Indian's motorcycles can be seen in the watch design: the red seconds hand of the chronograph displays the brand's iconic “I” and the date 1901 is engraved onto the date disc and the case back features the famous Indian headdress. From 3’000 to 5,000$

SQUALE 1521 50 ATM PROFESSIONAL This watch is designed by Charles von Büren, the founder of Squale. Since the fifties, Squale has been creating its own diving watches, and the most recent model has to be the most simply elegant of the entire range. Water resistant up to 500 m, the watch has an attractive compact design at 42 mm in diameter and 13 mm in thickness. The custom shape of the case protects the screw-down crown at four-thirty, while the orange minute hand makes the watch easy to read. The watch comes in three different finishes: high-gloss polished steel, sandblasted steel, or matte PVD. There is also a wide range of lacquered dial colours available. The movement is an ETA Swiss 2824-2 automatic. Less than 1,000$ 94

TRASER P68 PATHFINDER AUTOMATIC Traser invented the self-illuminating technology trigalight®, so it’s no surprise that light is the main feature of the P68 Pathfinder Automatic and all other Traser watches. Trigalight® functions without external light or energy sources, guaranteeing complete visibility even in the most demanding environments. Trigalight® takes the leading role when Super-LumiNova elements have faded. A glimpse inside the case reveals the secret of the P68 Pathfinder Automatic: a compass that can be operated with one hand using the crown at 8 o’clock. Used in combination with the position of the sun and the hour hand, the compass makes it easy to determine the wearer’s current position and the cardinal directions. Less than 1,000$

CITIZEN ECO-DRIVE DIVER 200M CHRONOGRAPH PROMASTER This ISO-compliant chronograph features water resistance for diving up to 200m and a unidirectional bezel, screw down crown and push buttons. This model features a 1/5 second chronograph that can measure up to 60 minutes. Promaster’s photo-luminescent markings absorb light fast, stay bright for a long time and cover a generous proportion of the hands. EcoDrive generates energy to drive the watch even in dim light and stores the surplus in a rechargeable cell. On a single full charge, it can run for up to six months in total darkness, eliminating the need to replace or recharge batteries. Less than 1,000$

LOUIS ERARD CHRONOGRAPH 1931 TITANIUM Coming in anthracite-red and anthracite-blue versions, the first titanium model by Louis Erard is elegant, sporty and defiantly modern. The ultra-light case is made from resistant sandblasted titanium. The 44 mm chronograph incorporates the design aspects of the successful 1931 line, particularly the visible wheel at 12 o’ clock. The automatic ETA 7750 Valjoux mechanical movement is inside the case back. From 1,000 to 3000$ 95

T UGH The OTT side of watchmaking Watches are getting smaller, with unnecessary additions being cut back. In all segments of the watch market, super-size watch faces are today considered over-the-top and too ostentatious. OTT is going out of style. Large-diameter watches are still around, but they are mostly Chinese fashion watches that end up being sold off on the secondary markets. Yet, while the reign of the oversized watch is in decline, it still has its fans amongst casual and professional adventurers. They need robust watches ready for all eventualities, watches that are genuine pieces of equipment. Some might say they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make them like they used to. Others would say, they havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t made them like that yet. Many new watch models have the bulky parts of their mechanics inside the movement, which is usually on full display, but Tough watches have retained substantial middles. And makers aren't afraid to add more accessories, if required. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s true that the world of adventuring, with is rugged conditions, hostile terrain, freezing cold and burning hot temperatures, has challenged watchmakers to create innovative pieces. Watches have become more robust, reliable and resistant, with innovative materials and functions, creating some truly outlandish results.

RICHARD MILLE RM 25-01 TOURBILLON ADVENTURE SYLVESTER STALLONE This model features a compass with a mirror, a level, a bi-directional 'dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bezel to get your bearings, a hermetically-sealed cache of water purification tablets, torque indicator, function indicator, power reserve indicator, tourbillon, competition chronograph movement, 24-hour time display and minute display, all in a 50.85mm x 23.65mm diameter case made from carbon TPT and titanium, water-resistant up to 100m. What more could you need?! The watch was developed with Sylvester Stallone and could be yours for a cool 983,000$. 97

TOUGH 2018

ZRC NORTH ADVENTURE “My equipment is a matter of life and death, and this watch is an essential part of that. For me, it's a practical tool. I can use it as a compass when the sun is out, a calendar whenever I want and a light when I go diving,” says ice diver and adventurer Alban Michon. Inspired by ZRC’s Grands Fonds model launched at the start of the sixties, this special version was designed in collaboration with the explorer. It's modest in size, at 40.5mm, but has oversized hands and a large Superluminova regulator. The famous crown at 6 o'clock still appears in this model, and the ETA 2824 movement has been reworked to ensure that it’s still reliable at negative temperatures. The watch also has a uni-directional notched bezel, a reverse winding mechanism and an automatically adjustable “diver” strap. The watch is reviving the great tradition of tool watches. It’s also totally affordable at CHF 2,790.

VICTORINOX I.N.O.X. CARBON LIMITED EDITION The Carbon Limited Edition has a 43-mm matte carbon case that’s 50% lighter and five times stronger than steel. The camoinspired khaki dial and military time display printed in red are covered by a sapphire crystal dome. The watch also features a detachable protective bumper that contains a torch “with a flashing mode to signal your location in the event of danger”. The multi-strand nylon orange paracord straps can, when required, be used as a shoelace. The watch is powered by a quartz movement and the watch comes with a camouflage-print Swiss army knife, all for CHF 995. Bringing adventure right within arm's reach! Less than 1,000$

MW&CO ASSET 2.1 The Asset 2.1 is immediately identifiable by its ‘damper’-style cylinder horns that give the watch its 'tough’ appearance. The ‘dampers’ can be used to adjust the length of the watch for ergonomic comfort and are made from 14 different parts fitted to the nearest micron. The wearer can decide to fit their watch with one or two pairs of 'dampers’, as they wish. The grade-5 titanium case is 15.9mm thick and encloses an automatic flyback chronograph Eterna movement. MW&Co is a young French brand. Their products can be purchased directly from their website. From 10,000 to 20,000$

LUMINOX CARBONOX+ Luminox has been using Carbonox since 2006 to make its watches as tough as possible. The introduction of Carbonox+, an ultra-light carbon long bar compound in which carbon fibres account for 40% of the compound, has doubled the watch's durability and resistance to traction. Stand-alone Luminox Light Technology provides optimum night-time visibility 24/7 for 25 years guaranteed. You can read the time in any imaginable situation—on the water, underwater, on the ground or in the air! Less than 1,000$

GVCHIANI MASTERBLOCK The massive 49mm x 50mm-thick watch is fitted with a unique X-shaped sapphire crystal that looks like it was made just for adventurers. Cryptocurrency adventurers, to be more specific. The DLC titanium case is shaped like a blockchain and the X-shaped dial comes from Bitcoin (XBT); it is adorned with four QR codes, one of which is always decipherable. Even the strap evokes the 'chain’ in the blockchain network. Each Masterblock has its own blockchain address, so every step of production is recorded and every new Masterblock is connected to the previous one, making its own ‘chain’. The real adventurers of the 21st century are in cryptocurrency. From 10,000 to 20,000$ 99

NEW A DISPL YS Freeing watches from two-handed tyranny It's no easy task, freeing watches from the two hands that show the hour and the minutes! No easy task, because it is through the movement of these two hands that the eye is able to perceive what time it is in an immediate, graphic manner, without this information having to be converted into figures by the brain. The reason for this is simple: the hands are not there to tell us the exact time right now, but to show us – again, graphically and without calculation – the time remaining until our next deadline (appointment, departure, job to do, etc.). Watchmakers have long been seeking to surpass or bypass this banal way of showing the time. For a while, digital displays seemed to have provided a solution. But really, who cares whether it's 10:51:32, 33, 34, 35 or 36, when the minute hand shows us at a glance that we have just under eight minutes left before 11am. And on a day-to-day basis, this "imprecision" is largely sufficient. That said, the search for ways to eliminate the two hands offers watchmakers plenty of aesthetic and technical fields to explore. It enables them to offer watches with a whole new appearance and astonishing mechanical systems, maintaining the hope – or the illusion – that the supremacy of the two-handed watch might one day end.

100

PRESELECTED

ULYSSE NARDIN FREAK VISION We owe the concept of the Freak to the congenial Ludwig Oechslin, who developed it for Ulysse Nardin back in 2001. Its basic principle is a carousel-tourbillon mounted on a baguette movement which transforms its rotation into a mechanism that displays the time. Since then, it has never ceased to evolve. Here, it comes in a fully modernised case with an upper bridge in the shape of a shipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hull. For the first time, it is also equipped with the new and highly efficient Grinder Automatic Winding System and the Ulysse Nardin Anchor constant force escapement, made entirely in silicon and featuring a circular frame with a pallet fork at its centre that pivots without friction. From 50,000 to 100,000$ 101

NEW DISPLAYS 2018

URWERK UR-111C In the Urwerk tradition, none of the indications of this brandnew UR-111C watch are conventional: the minutes are shown in two different ways – digitally for precision, and linearly for the pleasure of the eyes (this new creation is a descendant of the UR-CC1 King Cobra watch inspired by a Louis Cottier prototype). Jumping digital hours. Squeletonised seconds visible thanks to optical fibre transmission. In addition, the roller on the case performs the usual crown functions. Designed by a Sci-Fi addict. From 100,000 to 200,000$

HAUTLENCE HL VAGABONDE “To create new approaches to reading time – such has been the vocation of Hautlence since 2004” states the brand. It is with this purpose in mind that the Vagabonde, too, sets out to explore satellite time display. Set on different levels, four discs divide up the centre of the dial. The largest, in sapphire, displays the minutes across a 2400 sector. Orbiting around this central point, they are once correctly aligned, three smaller, openworked discs reveal the hour numerals, the typography of which is reminiscent of a digital display. From 20,000 to 50,000$

URWERK UR-210 BLACK PLATINE Released in 2012, the UR-210 is one of Urwerk’s greatest successes, one of the culminating achievements of its research into satellite complications. The oversized, 3D retrograde minute hand encloses the cube displaying the hours as it glides smoothly over the 60-minute scale through an arc of 120°. At the end of its route, the imposing retrograde hand covers the distance separating the 60-minute marker from the 0-minute marker in one-tenth of a second, with a loud “click”. Another wholly novel characteristic is its ability to measure winding efficiency during the previous two hours, and the possibility given to wearers to adjust the winding mechanism themselves. From 100,000 to 200,000$

102

PITA BARCELONA MOLINOS ORBITAL Minimal and orbital. Three outsized gear wheels tell the time: the largest shows the minutes and the smallest, at the centre, the hours. Both of them, turning around the central axis, interact with a third wheel, the upper and lower teeth of which have been calculated so as to turn the minute wheel once an hour and the hour wheel twice every 24 hours. No crown disturbs the pared-down aesthetics of this watch, the setting mechanism of which is on the case back. A fine achievement. From 5,000 to 10,000$

PRESELECTED

H. MOSER & CIE ENDEAVOUR FLYING HOURS For the first time, H. Moser & Cie makes it possible to use discs to read the time. Together, three discs display the hour and a central sapphire disc displays the minutes. Provided by a module based on the self-winding HMC 200 calibre and inspired by satellite systems, this display manages to preserve and even enhance the very refined aesthetics and readability that distinguish the range offered by H. Moser & Cie. From 20,000 to 50,000$

TRILOBE Devoid of hands yet ultra-classical in style, the Trilobe displays the time with the aid of three revolving rings: the hours on the outside, the minutes on the middle disc and the seconds at the centre. The latter, entirely openworked disc brings the dial to life, showing glimpses of the mechanism’s components. It reproduces the design of one of the most famous stained-glass windows of the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris in the form of a double trefoil, called a “trilobe”. More trilobes can be spotted in the shape of the three fixed markers pointing to the hour, minute and second. From 5,000 to 10,000$ 103

NEW DISPLAYS

RESSENCE TYPE 2 E-CROWN When designing his first watch, industrial designer Benoît Mintiens asked himself: “If mechanical watches were an invention of the 21st century, what would they look like?” His answer: a mono-surface dial composed of discs adjusted to the micron. Exit the physical hands. These are replaced by simple northsouth graphical lines reproducing the angles at which we are used to reading the time. The main and auxiliary dials are in constant rotation, like moons around a planet. Numerous technical innovations upderpin this achievement. The very latest, the e-Crown, has an in-house embedded electro-mechanical system capable of recording, controlling, adjusting and above all setting the time of the Type 2 e-Crown® Concept without any human intervention. From 20,000 to 50,000$

2018

PIERRE JUNOD BY MARIO BOTTA One single hand, for the minutes – we generally know what hour it is – and a sapphire disc marked with a double line for the hours. Reading it, while very different from what we are used to, is totally intuitive. This is the display solution opted for by the famous architect Mario Botta, who regularly collaborates with Pierre Junod, a watchmaker specialised in design watches at affordable prices. ETA quartz movement. Less than 1,000$

KLOKERS KLOK-08 MIDNIGHT BLUE KLOK-08, the neo-retro design of which was inspired by the Sixties, turns all the usual rules of watch-reading upside-down. The dial has two concentric discs – one disc common to the hours and the minutes and another for the seconds – that turn in an anti-clockwise direction and display the time along a vertical axis at 12 o’clock. “Time is rhythm. Klokers puts the movement and rhythm back into the dial. We want to create visual curiosity and change the ways we’re used to reading time, to throw people off balance and force them to pose the question of how to tell what time it is. We have to 'unlearn' in order to break these excluding moulds,” explains one of its two founders, Nicolas Boutherin. Less than 1,000$ 104

QLOCKTWO W39 110 letters, sorted in a mysterious matrix, indicate all times of the day. Only with light. Only with the push of a button. Only on request. The words on the clock face change every five minutes. In each corner, illuminated points represent the minutes in between - in over 20 languages. "The time is not forcing itself on the user, the time only appears when we ask for it," explains Andreas Funk, Founder and CEO of B & F Manufacture. Winner of the Red Dot Design Award 2018. From 1,000 to 3,000$

105

BAROCCO The “irregular pearls” Appearing first in the sixteenth century, the adjective “baroque” comes from the Portuguese barocco, which meant a pearl with an irregular shape. From there, it came to refer to an artistic movement, born in Italy, aimed at countering the austere aesthetics advocated by the Protestant Reformation. It was a movement that put the accent on exuberance and larger-than-life forms, overloaded ornamentation and florid, even eccentric, aesthetics. Baroque tendencies have always come and gone in watchmaking. Its current resurgence is a something of reaction to the minimalism and purity of form that gradually established itself as the dignified “canon” of a whole horological aesthetic aimed at timelessness. All the more so since the recent financial crises had discredited the excesses and hubris then prevailing. But the wheel turns, and exuberance, ostentation, overloaded decoration, contrasting colours and forms are on their way back in.

106

MINASE 5 WINDOWS BY KANAGAWA With its very unusual construction, the 5 Windows from the independent Japanese watchmaker Minase has attracted attention due to the modernity and the originality of its architecture. As this watch proves, this architecture is capable of adapting to every treatment, even the most decorative and baroque. As is the case here with the 5 Windows, whose case and dial have been hand engraved by the master engraver Kanagawa. From 30,000 to 100,000$ 107

BAROCCO 2018

TOCKR C-47 RADIAL CUSHION Who would have imagined that aeronautical inspiration – in this case the radial engine of the Douglas C47, the pistons of which radiate outward like the rays of a mechanical sun – could give rise to a baroque motif? And yet radial forms were part and parcel of the Baroque, from its great suns to its urban planning. Here we have an improbable and astonishing combination in the shape of this self-winding 42mm watch powered by a Leschot movement. From 1,000 to 3,000$

LINDE WERDELIN SPIDOLITE RIPPLES The SpidoLite Ripples combines the most technically complex watch of Linde Werdelin with engraver Joanne Ryall’s “poetic embellishments”,. The watch boasts a fully skeletonised case made of 18k rose gold, forged carbon and Alloy Linde Werdelin “ALW”, an aerospace metal developed to achieve ultimate weight reduction and strength. The engraving on the watch is inspired by the small series of waves that appear on the surface of water or snow when blown by a slight breeze – ripples. From 10,000 to 20,000$

FRANCK DUBARRY CRAZY WHEEL TATTOO BRASS Everything is baroque in this piece, starting with the open architecture of the movement, featuring an exclusive 3600 Flying Bridge module, developed & produced in-house in the Swiss Jura; the innovative mix of materials (grade 5 titanium, forged carbon, brass, Kevlar, Elastogator...) and the decoration of the case inspired by the Maori tattoo art. From 10,000 to 20,000$

108

GUCCI G-TIMELESS FLORAL PRINT Few people, if any, will not have seen the recent advertising campaigns by Gucci that play in a very baroque manner with the bizarre and hyper-ornate, creating strange mixes of forms and colours. Flower-painting was born at the height of the Baroque period and for a long time was regarded as one of the emblems of the Counter-Reformation. And so finding it here comes as no surprise; printed, moreover, on an aquamarine dial in Shanghai leather. From 1,000 to 3,000$

DOLCE & GABBANA GATTOPARDO The recent collections by Dolce & Gabbana were inspired by the famous film The Leopard by Luchino Visconti, the final apotheosis of the Baroque style in 1860s Palermo. Among the accessories of the Gattopardo collection features a watch of the same name, with a dial in coloured mother-of-pearl, and a case and oscillating weight richly hand-engraved with the volutes typical of Baroque ornamental art. From 20,000 to 50,000$ 109

VINTAGE & NEO-VINTAGE The appeal of nostalgia "La nostalgie, c’est le désir d’on ne sait quoi” ("Nostalgia is the desire for the indefinable something")—Saint-Exupéry. But what does this mean for vintage? Obviously, it's a form of nostalgia, but does it also involve desire? If so, it's a fierce, powerful desire. What was initially a fairly marginal interest in pieces from the fifties, sixties and seventies rapidly expanded beyond the mostly young circle of new collectors where it originally took hold. Vintage gradually became a dominant interest, and a booming economic sector in itself (if it’s ever possible to put a number on the vintage phenomenon, we’ll be sure to include it in an upcoming issue!). The vintage trend has seeped into all markets to become “neo-vintage”, a style adopted by almost all brands looking to make something new from something old. No watch category has been unaffected, from dress watches to sports watches. (Take a look and see if you can spot the trend in our different galleries.) The most significant type of nostalgia harks back to the era when watches were both an expression of style and functional. This was a time when tool watches reigned supreme, when wearers could use their watches for measurements, as chronographs, to display the time in different parts of the world, to take their pulse and get their bearings. Wearers expected their watches to accompany them to the North Pole, the depths of the oceans, into the stratosphere and even to the Moon. While it's true that watches today still have all of these functions, watches no longer have a monopoly on precision timekeeping. They have been replaced by much more powerful tools. The vintage trend is a nostalgia for a time gone by that isn't going to come around again. So, neo-vintage is an attempt at reviving the era.

110

111

VINTAGE

VACHERON CONSTANTIN FIFTYSIX For Vacheron Constantin, the new Fiftysix collection inspired by reference 6073 from 1956 represents “a new chapter in our history... an important new step as this original line, inspired by a historical Vacheron Constantin watch... instils a modern momentum capable of opening up the world of fine watchmaking to every enthusiast.” Or, in other words, it’s destined to attract a new generation of fans, the infamous millennials everyone’s raving about. So, is the modern now going to come from the past? From 10,000 to 20,000$

2018

TISSOT HERITAGE 2018 Inspired by the Tissot wristwatch from 1943, the Tissot Heritage 2018 design pays tribute to the original model. This version featured a nickel and titanium alloy case, a seconds subdial and a 27 mm calibre exclusive to Tissot. The contemporary model features a silvery dial that is domed and has a vertically brushed finish, leaf-shaped hands, a sapphire crystal with antireflective coating and a manually wound mechanical movement. Tissot has described its design approach as “nostalgia with panache”. Less than 1,000$

LEICA L1 This isn't so much a new version of an existing model as a completely new watch inspired by the famed cameras that had their finest hour in the ‘vintage’ period. The finely-worked stainless steel case, grooved crown and curved crystal on the dial side of the watch, along with a myriad of other small details, evoke the signature simplicity of the lens of a Leica camera from 1914. An attractive manually-wound mechanical movement designed by Lehmann Präzision adds the technical touch Leica is known for. From 10,000 to 20,000$

112

CARTIER SANTOS The Santos has come in a variety of different forms since the original was designed in 1904. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been reinvented at least once a decade on average. We're not going to go into the timeline of the watch here, but suffice it to say that it was the first wristwatch, and it has also had the longest-lasting appeal, with all the ups and downs, moments of glory and moments that would be best forgotten that that entails. This is something that goes beyond simple vintage. For the new release this year, the watch has been updated, but its signature square shape is much the same. There are still eight screws on the bezel, but the bezel itself and the case are thinner for a sleeker style that sits more comfortably on the wrist. Cartier is looking back to the past to guarantee its future. From 5,000 to 10,000$ 113

VINTAGE

GLASHÜTTE ORIGINAL SIXTIES DATE PANORAMA This watch features a domed crystal (now in sapphire), curved hands, original Arabic numerals and a retro curved degradé dial effect. The surface of the dial is lightly textured “made using traditional tools and stamps stored in the archives of dial manufacturer Pforzheim.” The sixties style is reminiscent of the “Spezimatic” mechanical watch series launched in 1964. While the watch is now powered by automatic calibres developed and manufactured in-house, the objective of the collection was to “bring the creative spirit of the swinging sixties into today’s world.” From 5,000 to 10,000$

2018

JAEGER-LECOULTRE POLARIS The Polaris isn't just a new watch, it’s an entire new collection that Jaeger-LeCoultre have described as “a new core part of the brand that redefines sporty elegance.” This statement reveals the importance the brand has attached to the fledgling collection. For all that the collection is new, however, it is inspired by the Memovox Polaris from 1968. Jaeger-LeCoultre has described the new collection as “embodying the very spirit” of the previous design. The new watch is emblematic of the neo-vintage trend, reusing major features of the original design with a more modern style. From 5,000 to 10,000$

DELMA SHELL STAR BLACK TAG In 1975, Swiss family brand Delma, founded in 1924, launched its first professional diving watch under the name “Shell Star.” The model has since become symbolic of the brand and has inspired several watch designs. It’s back again, this time with a 44 mm-diameter model featuring a helium relief valve, waterresistance up to 500 m and a see-through back. The new design comes in DLC stainless steel with an ETA 2824-2 calibre. From 1,000 to 3,000$

114

OMEGA SPEEDMASTER CK 2998 LIMITED EDITION Omega has recently unveiled the new Speedmaster CK 2998 Limited Edition, continuing to build on one of its most popular watch designs. The original was released in 1959 and has since become one of the most popular vintage Speedmasters in the world. Omega has retained many of the iconic features of the original watch that inspired the design but has added several updates. All three subdials are black, as well as the minutes track. The polished ceramic bezel features a white enamel pulsometer scale. The pulsometer scale in particular is a special feature of the CK 2998. In the original models, customers could choose from four different versions of the timing bezel: tachymeter, pulsometer, decimal or telemeter. The new Speedmaster has an Omega 1861 calibre, a main feature of the Moonwatch collection. From 5,000 to 10,000$

115

VINTAGE

IWC PILOT WATCH CHRONOGRAPH There’s no need to go back to the fifties, sixties or seventies, people are already using the word ‘vintage’ to describe this pilot watch inspired by the first IWC mechanical Fliegerchronograph launched in 1994. Even at the time, reference 3706 was associated with a vintage look. The instant classic is going back to its original design: a quarter-seconds scale to measure short periods of time and rectangular hands covered in a luminous material. The robust 79320 calibre measures splits and additional time up to 12 hours. Like all of IWC’s pilot watches, the movement is protected against magnetic fields by a soft iron case and the crystal is resistant to sudden drops in pressure. From 3,000 to 5,000$

2018

URBAN JÜRGENSEN THE ALFRED Neither vintage nor neo-vintage, but inspired by a truly classic design, The Alfred is named after Jacques Alfred Jürgensen (1842–1912), the last watchmaker in the Jürgensen family. The watch is the perfect encapsulation of the century-old tradition, with tear-drop shaped lugs, a domed crystal, signature hands, grenage dial created using a traditional grenage technique and the classic seconds subdial. The watch is powered by the Urban Jürgensen P4 calibre. From 10,000 to 20,000$

BREITLING - NAVITIMER 8 B01 CHRONOGRAPH 43 LIMITED EDITION Navitimer 8 watches are based on the designs of the Breitling Huit Department founded by Willy Breitling in 1938. The Department’s name refers to the eight-hour power reserve of the dashboard instruments designed by the company. The watches are inspired by one of Breitling's most iconic pilot watches, reference 768 from 1941. The rotating bezel and triangular hour markers attracted pilots to the watches. There’s a strong vintage touch to this limited-edition model in everything except how it is sold, which is thoroughly modern thanks to a partnership with Mr Porter, a leading online retailer. From 10,000 to 20,000$

116

ORIS BIG CROWN POINTER DATE BRONZE VERSION Oris has launched, relaunched, or even re-relaunched its Big Crown Pointer Date pilot watch. The history of the watch dates back to 1938, when it first came out. The model then fell by the wayside to an extent and was relaunched in the eighties “to demonstrate Oris’ mission to champion the eternal values of the mechanical watch”, as it said at the time. The brand was then somewhat forgotten once again, and is now being relaunched, this time with the Pointer Date version in steel and bronze. The bronze version is particularly attractive, with a pistachio green dial that goes perfectly with the colour and texture of bronze. Once vintage, always vintage. From 1,000 to 3,000$

MATHEY-TISSOT 1886 Mathey-Tissot sought the services of Eric Giroud to create, or indeed, ‘recreate’ a modern classic for the brand. This followed a recognition that some of the brand’s models were selling very well on eBay and other online retail platforms and that seventies style was back in fashion. A special watch custommade for Elvis Presley was hidden away in the brand’s storage. Inspired by the discovery, but not content with simply recreating the watch, the meticulous Eric Giroud wanted to express the quintessential Mathey-Tissot seventies style by focusing on the elegance of simplicity. From 1,000 to 3,000$

MIDO COMMANDER SHADE PVD OR ROSE Mido launched its first Commander watch in 1959. It immediately became an iconic piece and has been sold continuously ever since. For the brand’s 100th anniversary, they have released an almost identical model to the Commander Shade from the seventies, with a single-piece 37 mm round case in polished steel. Wearers can choose a PVD or rose gold finish. The smoked sunray satin-finished dial is on full display in the streamlined design inspired by the 1979 model. The dial's two-tone graduated finish in taupe and silver is protected by an acrylic crystal. The watch features an ETA 2836-2 automatic movement. From 1,000 to 3,000$ 117

C NNECTED Time to bury the hatchet? Smartwatches have become an everyday item. The Apple Watch is a "wrist accessory" that has been adopted by millions of aficionados from Sydney to New York and from Tokyo to Brasilia. At the same time, Swiss watchmakers have been surfing the vintage wave in a bid to appeal to younger generations. Sales are on the increase. It seems that traditional Swiss mechanical watches have never been so prized as in the era of Instagram... and the Apple Watch. Who would have thought it? The bold are now betting on hybrids: 2018 has seen the first connected mechanical watches emerge. But those who fear the market may be saturated can breathe a sigh of relief. It has become segmented. To each their own terrain. Seven billion humans is more than enough to feed these markets. Both segments can prosper. The ultra-connected world, with its beeping wristbands, is seeing value in these eternal, ticking timepieces!

118

APPLE WATCH SERIES 3 (AND NOW 4) While its fourth edition prepares to hit the market featuring new functions for health as well as for seniors, the Apple smartwatch has become a success. Almost five million units had been shipped by the second quarter of 2018 (with a total of 17.7 million the previous year, according to IDC). The third edition was a new departure in that it could function independently, without the need for users to have their smartphone nearby for it to operate. This change was highly anticipated. Nevertheless, traditional Swiss watchmaking is in rude health. "When is a watch not a watch?" It's a major debate! Less than 1,000$

119

CONNECTED

FREDERIQUE CONSTANT HYBRID MANUFACTURE 2018 marks the emergence of the first watches to combine a traditional mechanism with a connected module (rather than the full digital Apple Watch or the mechanical-smart interchangeability of TAG Heuer Connected). These include FrĂŠdĂŠrique Constant, who have followed up their quartz Horological Smartwatches with a Hybrid model featuring an automatic movement. On the outside, its looks are scarcely distinguishable from the elegance of the other creations from the Geneva manufacturer. Combined with a smartwatch, it is notable for its activity tracking capabilities. It's a new stage in the relationship between traditional watchmaking and new technologies. From 3,000 to 5,000$

2018

TAG HEUER CONNECTED MODULAR The brand has introduced the latest modular and customisable version of its Connected model, with a smaller diameter of 41mm. The head of the watch is interchangeable, from a 3 hand Calibre 5 mechanical to a connected module, aimed at combining the durability of a mechanical watch with the obsolescence of connectivity. In doing so, TAG Heuer has positioned itself boldly among new generations, the watch having as much value for marketing visibility as for the actual sales that it generates. The brand has also launched a Full Diamond model at a price of $180,000... From 1,000 to 3,000$

HUBLOT BIG BANG REFEREE A major sponsor of international football, the Nyon brand used the football World Cup in Russia to publicise their first smartwatch, taking heed from prior experience within the group. Alongside offerings from TAG Heuer, Hublot and Louis Vuitton, LVMH has confirmed its position as a pioneer in the exploration of digital wristwatch solutions among the traditional watchmaking industry. The 49mm Big Bang Referee also signals a move upmarket for smartwatches. With their extravagance, sporty identity and relative youth, Hublot are almost certainly risking less than some of their competitors in trying their hand. The question remains: is it a purely stylistic ambition or something greater? From 5,000 to 10,000$ 120

LOUIS VUITTON TAMBOUR HORIZON The travel company offers one of the most elegant connected watches on the market, moving away radically from an excessively "electronic" aesthetic. Integrated into the Tambour collection with its clearly identifiable case, the Horizon range offers very specific functions such as flight data ("My Flight"), travel guides ("City Guide"), and a new game function "City Game", as well as geolocation to identify the best addresses during your stay abroad. It is also possible to customise the dial using the brand identities: Monogram, Chessboard, Colour bands... It's a highly targeted and well thought-out use of connectivity. From 1,000 to 3,000$

121

CALIBRES Quartz is not dead!

In this issue we have made clear the parallel trajectories of connected and vintage mechanical watches. In this context, things might not be looking so good for quartz, caught between a rock and a hard place. A programmed decline would logically have begun with the halting of innovation. However, the opposite seems to be the case: laboratories have been hard at work in the field of watch electronics. This issue's cover star Longines has set itself the task of achieving quartz ultra precision with their V.H.P. collection. The company has been using mobile phones to help with quartz precision! Keeping with the Swatch Group, "mother of all calibres" ETA has also been innovating in quartz by designing an ultra shock-resistant model. In Japan, Citizen is also joining the race with a concept calibre that features formidable precision. The mechanical movement ecosystem is also joining in, with watchmakers such as Vaucher Manufacture continuing their upmarket offerings. The field of innovation in movements seems to be thriving: quartz precision, mechanical elegance, connected hybrids... anything goes!

122

CITIZEN CALIBRE 0100 In 1975, with the Crystron Mega, Citizen launched the world’s first quartz watch accurate to ± 3 seconds per year. It then went on to embrace light-powered technology in the form of the Eco-Drive to produce highly accurate timepieces. This year, for its 100th anniversary, Citizen drew on this experience to achieve yet another milestone: a quartz calibre with an annual accuracy of… ± 1 second! The extraordinary Calibre 0100, which runs at a frequency of 8.4 MHz, is a prototype and has been presented in a pocket watch. We might, however, see first applications as of next year!

123

CALIBRES 2018

VAUCHER MANUFACTURE SEED VMF 6710 The Seed VMF 6710 is a new high-performance automatic column wheel chronograph developed by Vaucher Manufacture. The chronograph complication is more difficult to produce that one might instinctively think, and it has probably never been as popular as it is today, so it makes sense to see this move by the high-end calibres specialist. The chronograph combines high frequency (5Hz), a column-wheel command, a vertical clutch and a triple return-to-zero hammer. It is available in short series.

ETA HEAVYDRIVE HeavyDrive is ETAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new system for use in quartz movements, that will enable them to tolerate heavier hands than is usually possible. The HeavyDrive can detect, but also most importantly manage, the effects of impacts. The systemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s integrated circuit prompts the motor to produce an opposing force to counteract the one caused by the impact. The seconds hand sees a 200% increase in unbalancing mass, while the minutes hand is increased by 20%. This new technology will be applied to a collection of 21 movements.

124