All the New Timepieces Introduced at Watches and Wonders 2021…So Far

Chanel

BOY-FRIEND SKELETON X-RAY

Chanel Boy-Friend Skeleton X-Ray  Chanel

The movement of the Boy-Friend watch, originally created in 2015, became more exposed in 2018 when it received Chanel’s a new movement, the openworked caliber 3. It has a special beauty of its own, with components laid out vertically in a series of interlocking circles that flow with the rectangular Boy-Friend case. In the Skeleton X-Ray, it floats in an all-sapphire case, paired with a black alligator strap with a 18k white gold triple-folding buckle. The crown is set with five baguette-cut diamonds. It is a limited edition of 100 pieces.

Case Size: 37 x 28.6 x 8.4 mm

Case Material: Sapphire

Power Reserve: 55 hours

Straps: Black alligator

BOY-FRIEND SKELETON

Chanel Boy-Friend Skeleton  Chanel

“After stripping the Boy-Friend back completely with the X-Ray Skeleton, we chose to go all over with a full beige gold look,” says Arnaud Chastaingt, director of Chanel’s watchmaking creation studio. The Skeleton case is 18k beige gold, Chanel’s subtly-hued proprietary alloy, and it is set with 66 baguette diamonds totaling 2.62 carats. The crown is set with another five baguette diamonds. The golden quilted calfskin strap echoes the pattern on Chanel’s iconic handbags. This is a limited edition of 55 pieces.

Case Size: 37 x 28.6 x 8.4 mm

Case Material: 18k beige gold

Power Reserve: 55 hours

Straps: Quilted calfskin with 18k beige gold buckle set with 23 baguette diamonds

MADEMOISELLE PRIVÉ BOUTON DÉCOR CAMELIA CUFF AND RING

Chanel Mademoiselle Privé Bouton Décor Camelia Cuff  Chanel

At Chanel, the button is a creative medium in its own right, an ordinary and innocuous object elevated to the status of a jewel. For this secret watch, Chanel’s watch designer Arnaud Chastaingt says he “imagined cutting the sleeve off a jacket to keep only the cuff and the buttonhole.”

Chanel Mademoiselle Privé Bouton Décor Camelia Ring Watch  Chanel

At the center of a quilted cuff is an 18k yellow gold button adorned with a camelia motif carved out of mother-of-pearl. It is set with a large diamond in the center and surrounded by 15 smaller diamonds. The 18k gold cord around the dial is set with 52 diamonds, and the dial under the button is set with 142 diamonds. It is a 55-piece limited edition The matching ring has a similar button of diamonds and gold topping a hidden dial paved with diamonds. The ring shank dazzles with 182 diamonds. It is limited to five pieces.

Case Size: Button diameter 2.5 cm; cuff width 3.5 cm

Case Material: 18k yellow gold

Movement: Quartz

Straps: Mordoré leather quilted pattern, trimmed in golden calfskin

PREMIÈRE ELECTRO

Chanel Première Electro  cedric

Petite is the new posh in ladies’ watches, but this rainbow Electro version of the Premiere collection stands out despite its dainty proportions. The triple-wrap strap is multi-colored in the rainbow-colored theme that runs throughout this year’s watch collections. The black-lacquered dial continues the aesthetic with a neon pink Chanel logo. The chain woven into the bracelet is given a black ADLC treatment, and the crown is set with an onyx cabochon. There is also a Premiere Electro Box set with seven 7 watches. The Premiere case shape was inspired by Chanel’s famous No. 5 perfume bottle, and the woven-style strap is a nod to the brand’s signature tweed jacket.

Case Size: 23.6 x 15.8 x 6.2 mm

Case Material: Stainless steel with black ADLC treatment.

Movement: Quartz

Straps: Stainless steel chain bracelet with black ADLC treatment interwoven with neon rainbow leather strap

Drop Date: July 2021

CODE COCO ELECTRO

Chanel Coco Code Electro  Chanel

The Code Coco was designed to resemble the clasp of the 2.55 handbag created by Mademoiselle Gabrielle Chanel. The elongated case is composed of upper and lower squares separated by a middle portion that resembles the distinctive clasp of the handbag. The neon pink calfskin leather strap is quilted like the body of the handbag, a pattern that was intended to give it shape and volume. The case is steel with black ADLC treatment and the dial is black lacquer, set with a single, elegant princess-cut diamond. It is limited to 255 pieces.

Case Size: 39.3 x 25.0 x 8.8 mm

Case Material: Steel with black ADLC treatment

Movement: Quartz

Straps: Pink calfskin with quilted pattern

Drop Date: July 2021

 12 ELECTRO STAR

Chanel 12 Electro Star  Chanel

This is the haute joaillerie piece in the Electro lineup, a master work of baguette cut diamonds lined by an elegant rim of rainbow sapphires on the outer edges of the case and bracelet links. 22 baguette-cut diamonds are set into the case, and 168 are set into the dial. The bracelet is adorned with another 342 diamonds. The case sides are rimmed with 55 baguette-cut rainbow sapphires, and the side edges of the bracelet are set with 160 baguette cut rainbow sapphires. The final tally: 578 baguette diamonds totaling 32.55 carats and 26 baguette rainbow sapphires totaling 13.01 carats, and one  brilliant cut diamond in the crown. It is limited to 12 pieces.

Case Size: 38mm

Case Material: 18k white gold and fully set with diamonds and rainbow sapphires

Power Reserve: 70 hours

Straps: Fully set bracelet in 18k white gold

J12 ELECTRO DREAM

Chanel J12 Electro Dream  Chanel

Chanel infuses a rainbow of sapphires in watches across several collections this year, a flourish of color inspired by the world of Electro music culture. Arnaud Chastaingt, director of Chanel’s watchmaking creation studio, describes Electro as “a radical, eccentric visual universe, reflecting the nightlife and the atmosphere in which it evolved.” The bezel of the J12 Electro Dream is set with 46 baguette fancy colored sapphires totaling 6.47 carats. Another 12 rainbow sapphires serve as hour markers on the white or black lacquered dial, for a total of 6.94 carats. It contains Chanel’s COSC-certified automatic caliber 12.1. Only 55 pieces will be made.

Case Size: 38mm

Case Material: White ceramic and 18k white gold; or black ceramic and steel with ADLC treatment

Power Reserve: 70 hours

Straps: White or black ceramic bracelet

J12 ELECTRO

Chanel J12 Electro  Chanel

This is the sporty version of the sapphire-slathered Electro Dream, with a more subtle application of the same colors. Numerals on the dial and bezel index are given the rainbow color treatment over an all-black backdrop, for a dramatic neon-in-the-dark effect. With 200-meter water resistance and a unidirectional rotating bezel, it will serve you as well on a dive as it will on the dance floor. The steel screw-down crown is set with a with ceramic cabochon and the dial is black lacquer. It is a limited edition of 1,255 pieces.

Case Size: 33 mm

Case Material: Ceramic and steel

Movement: Quartz

Straps: Ceramic bracelet

Drop Date: July 2021

J12 X-RAY ELECTRO CALIBER 3.1

Chanel J12 X-Ray Electro Caliber 3.1  Chanel

This is the rainbow version of the all-sapphire J12 with the Caliber 3.1 skeletonized movement, introduced in clear sapphire last year. Colored sapphire baguettes are also set into the sapphire crystal over the dial, which makes them appear to be suspended in mid-air. The bezel is set with 46 rainbow sapphires. The caliber 3.1 was also designed with transparency in mind, with plate and bridges made of clear sapphire, creating the illusion that the gear train is suspended without support. Each movement, with components that are made to tolerances of 0.5 mm to 1 mm, takes a week to assemble. This will be made in an edition of 12 pieces

Case Size: 38 mm

Case Material: Sapphire and 18-karat white gold

Power Reserve: 55 hours

Straps: Sapphire link bracelet

J12 ELECTRO BOX SET

Chanel J12 Electro Box Set  Chanel

Each of the dozen J12s in this lacquered box set is a unique piece. Together they represent the 12 chromatic gradations of the colored sapphires used on several Chanel watches this year. Each is set with 46 sapphires (6.37 carats) in a different shade. “Inextricably linked, the ensemble forms a unique creation, says Arnaud Chastaingt, director of Chanel’s watchmaking creation studio. “The J12 ELECTRO BOX concept has been conceived as a “performance.” The cases are made of matte black ceramic and steel with black ADLC coating, and it contains Chanel’s COSC-certified automatic movement, caliber 12.1.

Case Size: 38mm

Case Material: Ceramic, and steel with black ADLC treatment

Power Reserve: 70 hours

Straps: Ceramic link bracelet

(Chanel has not confirmed prices or delivery dates as of this posting. We will update as soon as we have info.)

A. Lange & Söhne

LANGE 1 PERPETUAL CALENDAR

A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar Watches  Courtesy of A. Lange & Söhne

There are two big firsts in the new Lange 1 lineup: The first time a solo perpetual calendar has been offered in this collection (with the exception of a tourbillon perpetual calendar at a much higher price point) and the first pink-gold dial on a Lange 1. The 18-karat pink-gold dial set in an 18-karat white-gold case is arguably the standout and the company knows it. Limited to just 150 pieces, it is only the second Lange timepiece to be offered in this dial material. The previous watch in the striking alloy was the Datograph Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon released in 2019. The grey dial set in an 18-karat pink gold will not be limited, but like all Lange models, it will be limited in production. Both come with a moon-phase display with an integrated day/night function and a vivid blue for the backdrop of the “sky” against a solid-gold moon serving as a focal point on the dial.

A. Lange &. Söhne Lange Calibre L021.3  Courtesy of A. Lange & Söhne

As always at this German house, while the dials are typically elegant and sober, the view of the movement through the sapphire-crystal caseback is reserved for horological flourishes. Few movements are as beautiful as those at Lange. Here, the self-winding movement L021.3, the manufacture’s 67th  calibre, shows off a 21-karat gold unidirectional winding rotor, plates and bridges made of untreated German silver decorated in Glashütte ribbing, five gold chatons fastened with blued-steel screws, and a hand-engraved balance cock.

Case Size: 41.9 mm by 12.1 mm

Case Material: 18-karat white gold or 18-karat pink gold

Power Reserve: 50 hours

Straps: Dark brown leather strap for the 18-karat white gold model and red brown leather strap for the 18-karat pink gold model

Price: $116,000 in white gold with a pink gold dial, limited to 150; $104,000 in 18-karat pink gold with a grey dial

Drop Date: June 2021

TRIPLE SPLIT

A. Lange & Söhne Triple Split  Courtesy of A. Lange & Söhne

When the first Triple Split launched in 2018 it was tour de force and a watchmaking industry first (as well as a Robb Report Best of the Best winner). The claim to fame? It is the only split-seconds chronograph in the world that can measure intermediate times and two comparative times for as long as 12 hours. The original came in a white gold case with a gray dial and this year they are coming to the table with an 18-karat rose gold version with a blue dial. The intricate manufacture caliber L132.1, visible through the caseback, further dials in on this piece’s horological fireworks.

Like its predecessor, it will be limited to just 100 pieces, however this gold version will run you $17,200 more—likely a trivial matter for the VIP clients aiming to get their hands on one.

Case Material: 18-karat pink gold

Power Reserve: 55 hours

Straps: dark blue leather with grey stitching

Price: $164,400

Drop Date: Mid-May 2021

LITTLE LANGE 1 MOONPHASE

A. Lange & Söhne Little Lange 1 Moonphase  Courtesy of A. Lange & Söhne

Twinkle, twinkle, little…well, you get the idea. Lange looked to the heavens to lift up its Little Lange 1 Moonphase by introducing a “goldflux” dial—the company’s name for  Aventurine, a glass material that features copper flecks mimicking stars. It is the first time the material has been used in this collection, having previously only decorated the dials of two Saxonia Thin pieces. The “sky,” displayed behind the moon on the subdial at 5 o’clock, is dotted with a cluster 628 stars. The theme continues right down to the shiny leather strap, which has been dyed with sparkling pigments. But if that’s still not enough for you, a second option with a bezel decked in 56 brillant-cut diamonds is also up for grabs. With a diameter of 36.8 mm, this wears and looks a bit more skewed towards the feminine but is still masculine enough to swivel either way. If you need another reason to shoot for the stars, consider it a piece you can share with your significant other.

Case Material: 18-karat white gold

Power Reserve: 72 hours

Straps: Shiny dark blue leather

Price: $44,900 or $56,600 for the diamond bezel version

Drop Date: Mid-May 2021

Jaeger-LeCoultre

JAEGER-LECOULTRE REVERSO HYBRIS MECHANICA CALIBRE 185

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Mechanica Caliber 185  Courtesy of Jaeger-LeCoultre

Boy, oh boy, did Jaeger-LeCoultre come out, literally, swinging this year. The watchmaker pulled out all of its mechanical wizardry to deliver the grandest Reverso to date. Would you expect anything less for the model’s 90th anniversary? It comes with not two, not three, but four dials—a world first involving 12 patents and 11 complications. On the wrist, visible to the outside world, there are only two dial options, functioning the same way as previous Reversos. However, two extra dials have been added to the cradle (essentially, the caseback that holds the flip functioning faces) on the interior and backside. Face one features the hours, minutes, a flying tourbillon between 7 and 8 o’clock which also indicates the seconds, an instantaneous perpetual calendar, a grande date at 5 o’clock, the day and month at 12 o’clock, a leap year indicator at 1 o’clock, and a night and day indicator located at 11 o’clock. Flip it over and the second face shows a jumping digital hour display, a minutes indicator and a minute repeater, with the gongs visible at 6 o’clock, with a system avoiding dead time. Face three (the interior of the cradle) shows the Northern Hemisphere moon phase, month and year. It also includes the draconic lunar cycle or the position of the moon relative to the ecliptic plane, and the anomalistic lunar cycle, indicating the apogee, when the moon is the furthest from the earth on its elliptical cycle and perigee, when it is the moon is nearest to the earth. The former tracks the rise and fall of the moon and the latter is a useful function if, by chance, you wanted to find out when the next super moon is coming. Finally, the fourth face (on the caseback that rests on the wrist) is a moon phase indicator for the Southern Hemisphere.

Famously created for British officers stationed in India in 1931, who needed a device for protecting their watch face during polo matches, the Reverso’s flip-face feature was designed as a safety device for a sports watch. In the latter half of the 20th century, increasingly complicated versions were released.The mid-’90s saw the introduction of the Duoface with two dials and, in 2006, JLC introduced the three-face Reverso. Almost a century later since its birth, it remains the brand’s most recognizable product, but its perception has morphed from a casual and functional timekeeper to an accessory more fitting for a suit and this version is arguably tux material. It’s one hell of a showpiece and, as a result, only 10 will exist in the world.

Case Size: 51.2 x 31 mm with a thickness of 15.15 mm

Case Material: 18-karat white gold

Power Reserve: 50 hours

Straps: Dark blue alligator leather strap

Price: 1.5 million euros (or approximately $1,759,060 at current exchange rates), limited to 10

Drop Date: April 2021

Vacheron Constantin

HISTORIQUES AMERICAN 1921

Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921  Courtesy of Vacheron Constantin

How do you celebrate the centennial of one of the coolest watch designs of the 20th century? By barely updating it at all, of course. To herald the 100th year of the Historiques American 1921, a watch born at the dawn of one of the greatest design eras ever, Vacheron Constantin kept things straightforward. Three new models have been introduced: an 18-karat white gold model in 44 mm on a brown calf leather strap with stitching, another 18-karat white gold piece in 36.5 mm with a smooth and slim burgundy strap and a limited-edition of 100 pieces in platinum, with 18-karat white gold hour markers on a dark blue alligator leather strap hand-stitched with platinum and silk thread.

The cushion-shaped model’s tilted dial and crown, an avant-garde expression of reading the time at an angle, was born during the early heyday of the automobile and was popular with well-heeled drivers trying to read (or adjust) the time while their hands gripped the steering wheel. It was both practical, thrillingly new and elegant. While it can no longer lay claim to the former two descriptions, it remains one of the most covetable watches in the Vacheron Constantin collection.

Case Size: 36.5 mm by 7.41 mm and 40 mm by 8.06 in 18-karat white gold; 40 mm by 8.06 mm in platinum

Case Material: 18-karat white gold or platinum

Power Reserve: 65 hours

Movement: Caliber 4400 AS

Straps: Dark blue Mississippiensis alligator leather for the platinum edition or dark brown calf leather with Serapian patina and burgundy calf leather for the 18-karat white gold version.

Price: TBC

Drop Date: May 2021

TRADITIONELLE  SPLIT-SECONDS CHRONOGRAPH ULTRA-THIN

Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Split-Seconds Chronograph Ultra-Thin  Courtesy of Vacheron Constantin

Part of the company’s Collection Excellence Platine, which is comprised solely of limited editions executed in 950 platinum from the case, bezel and dial to the crown, folding clasp, and leather stitching, this piece will be limited to just 15 worldwide. Powered by the caliber 3500, first launched in 2015 to celebrate the 260th anniversary of the manufacture, the split-seconds chronograph complication, which allows the wearer to measure two different time intervals, is one of the thinnest of its kind measure just 5.2 mm for an overall case thickness of just 10.72 mm. Incredibly, it contains 473 parts and has a frequency of 21,6000 vibrations per hour. A power reserve function at 6 o’clock, totaling 48 hours, was incorporated without requiring additional space thanks to a thin non-spherical differential.

Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Split-Seconds Chronograph Caseback  Courtesy of Vacheron Constantin

The splendor of its extraordinary mechanics can be seen on the flip side in full display thanks to a 22-karat gold oscillating weight that has been designed around the periphery to show of the caliber 3500, while also saving space. It is entirely hand-decorated and is discretely adorned with touches of the brand’s Maltese cross symbol (seen above on the right-hand side and left-hand side just next to the ruby jewel bearing closest to the gold oscillating weight). Each piece will be a numbered.

Case Size: 42.5 mm by 10.72 mm

Case Material: 950 platinum

Power Reserve: 48 hours

Movement: Caliber 3500

Straps: Dark blue Mississippiensis alligator leather hand-stitched with platinum and silk thread

Price: TBC, limited to 15

Drop Date: May 2021

 

OVERSEAS PERPETUAL CALENDAR ULTRA-THIN AND OVERSEAS TOURBILLON

Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin and Overseas Tourbillon  Courtesy of Vacheron Constantin

Following up last year’s Overseas releases, the company is now releasing the Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin and the Tourbillon models in new metals. The Perpetual Calendar, released last year in 18-karat 5N pink gold with a blue dial, the same watch now comes in 18-karat white gold in either a traditional or a skeletonized dial. Meanwhile, the Overseas Tourbillon, which was introduced in stainless steel last year, upgraded its exterior to a new 18-karat 5N pink gold case. Same faces, different body and that’s about it.

Case Size: 41.5 mm by 8.1 mm for the perpetual calendar in both versions; 42.5 mm by 10.39 mm for the tourbillon

Case Material: 18-karat white gold for the perpetual calendar; 18-karat 5N pink gold for the tourbillon

Power Reserve: 40 hours for the perpetual calendar; 80 hours for the tourbillon

Movement: Caliber 1120 QP/1 for the perpetual calendar; Caliber 1120 QPSQ/1 for the skeletonized perpetual calendar; Caliber 2160 for the tourbillon

Straps: 18-karat white gold bracelet for the perpetual calendar; 18-karat 5N pink gold for the tourbillon (both models come with a matching blue rubber or blue Mississippiensis alligator leather straps

Drop Date: September/October 2021

ÉGERIE SELF-WINDING DIAMOND PAVÉ

Vacheron Constantin Égerie Self-Winding Diamond Pavé Watches  Courtesy of Vacheron Constantin

The Égerie collection is no stranger to diamonds. Every single one of the 8 variations comes with a diamond bezel and and diamond ring encircling the date window between 1 and 2 o’clock. And there are already two versions with full pavé diamond dials (one of which comes with a pavé diamond bracelet to match). Those came with a moon phase indicator between 1 o’clock and 2 o’clock instead of a date window. Now, the two latest Égeries, drop the moon phase and bring back the date window on dials set with 547 pavé diamonds. They also introduced a new case size at 35 mm (previous pavé models were 37 mm). The caseback doesn’t spare on luxury either with a view of the self-winding caliber’s 22-karat gold rotor and Côtes de Genève finishing.

Case Size: 35 mm by 9.54 mm

Case Material: 18-karat white gold or 18-karat 5N pink gold

Power Reserve: 40 hours

Movement: Caliber 1088

Straps: Delivered with two interchangeable straps in a night blue and candied chestnut in satin-effect Mississippiensis alligator leather and satin

Drop Date: June/July 2021

MÉTIERS D’ARTS TRIBUTE TO GREAT EXPLORERS

Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Arts Tribute to Great Explorers  Courtesy of Vacheron Constantin

Calling all cartophiles! The Swiss house showed off its expertise in the art of grand feu enameling with a trio of watches to complete its third series in its tribute timepieces to great explorers. The first two, debuting in 2004 and 2008 respectively, were dedicated to history’s renowned adventurers like Magellan and Zheng Hé to Christopher Columbus and Marco Polo. Now the legacy of Bartolomeu Dias, Vasco de Gama and Pedro Álvares Cabral get their imprint on the dial. Each piece retraces the routes of their journeys, specifically depicting certain portions of the Portuguese 1519 Miller Atlas, a map known for its rich illustrations and 12 charts which now resides in the Portuguese Maritime Museum in Lisbon.

It requires an intense amount of delicate craftsmanship and time to create these dials—a full month’s work for each, including 11 firings in a kiln at temperatures up to 900 degrees Celsius (or 1,652 degrees Fahrenheit). Every single color used requires a separate firing. The artistry extends to the 22-carat pink gold oscillating weight, which is crafted in the shape of a wind rose, a tool that depicts wind speed and direction, in a tribute to the explorers’ seafaring adventures.

Case Size: 41 mm by 11.68 mm

Case Material: 18-karat 4N Pink Gold

Power Reserve: 40 hours

Movement: Caliber 1120 AT

Straps: Dark blue Mississippiensis alligator leather

Drop Date: January 2022

LES CABINOTIERS PLANETERIA

Vacheron Constantin Planetaria  Courtesy of Vacheron Constantin

Every piece to come out of Vacheron Constantin’s ultra-ultra-elite Les Cabinotiers atelier is noteworthy for superb craftsmanship and the best technical watchmaking expertise the house has to offer. Dating back centuries, this revered arm of the Vacheron Constantin enterprise has long been dedicated to making unique pieces for some of the deepest pockets in watch collecting. If you have to ask the price, don’t even bother. This year’s Planetaria is the cherry on top of the crème de la crème Les Cabinotiers offering. Of the three released this year so far, it is the only one to come with an entirely new movement that was four years in the making.

It took 745 components to create the retrograde jumping perpetual calendar regulated by a double-axis armillary tourbillon and accented with two three-dimensional representations of the hemispheres that provide a 24-hour and day and night indications. The 3D globes rotate in opposite directions on a 24-hour graduated scale around the rim and a crown-integrated pusher allows the wearer to simultaneously adjust both of their world-time functions with ease.

In the center, two moon phases appear in accordance with their position in each hemisphere, rotating with the 3D globes. They will require just one correction every 122 years. Mixing a perpetual calendar function with multi-dimensional indications as well as a space-hogging double-axis tourbillon is a balancing act of engineering in mere millimeters. Even the thickness of the sapphire crystal glass was reduced to a super-thin 0.35 mm. For the collector that has everything, this will be an extraordinary curiosity to add to the cabinet…and, hopefully, a treasure to wear boldly (and very carefully) on the wrist every now and then.

Case Size: 46 mm by 20.20 mm

Case Material: 18-karat 5N pink gold

Power Reserve: 60 hours

Movement: Caliber 1991

Straps: Dark brown Mississippiensis alligator leather with alligator leather inner shell

LES CABINOTIERS MINUTE REPEATER TOURBILLON SKY CHART LEO CONSTELLATION

Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Tourbillon Sky Chart Leo Constellation  Emilie Deloire

For a collector that prefers a little more pizazz, this watch mixes substance and spectacle with high-horology mechanics, a burst of gems and complex guilloché techniques. First up, the 413-component caliber 2755 TMRCC combines a one-minute tourbillon displaying the small seconds hand (with a bar that took 36 hours of polishing and chamfering), a sky chart visible on the caseback depicting the Milky Way and constellations as they appear in real time (performing a complete rotation in one sidereal day or 23 hours 56 minutes and 4 seconds), and a minute repeater that chimes the hours, quarters and minutes on demand.

Topping off the horological prowess is an opaline dark blue dial with a rendering of the lion created by hand using delicate guilloché to create the multiple triangles of its graphic form. Typically, the machines used to do this work create circular or geometric forms, but the feline’s polygon patterns with linear engravings make the work infinitely more difficult. It’s hard to stress how challenging it is to do this work until you’ve tried your hand at it yourself but, suffice to say, keeping in the lines and the same repetitive pattern on these old-school machines is not simple and requires extraordinary patience and skill. The lion is finished with a setting of brilliant-cut diamonds. Encircling the animal is an 18-karat white gold case set with 100 baguette-cut sapphires on the lugs, crown and bezel.

Get your claws out if you want a swipe at this singular star gazer.

Case Size: 45 mm by 15.10 mm

Case Material: 18-karat white gold

Power Reserve: 58 hours

Movement: Caliber 2755 TMRCC

Straps: Dark blue Mississippiensis alligator leather with alligator leather inner shell

Price: Upon request, one-of-a-kind

LES CABINOTIERS REGULATOR PERPETUAL CALENDAR MOONLIGHT SAPPHIRE

Vacheron Constantin Regulatore Perpetual Calendar Moonlight Sapphire  Courtesy of Vacheron Constantin

In the 18th century regulator clocks were weight-driven timekeepers with pendulums featuring a deadbeat escapement. The hands each worked off of a different mechanism to ensure greater accuracy and they omitted complicated features like calendars that would affect precision. In a nod to that expertise conceived roughly two centuries ago, the hours and minutes dial is positioned at 12 o’clock. Astronomers also used regulator clocks for their precision to track the path of the heavenly bodies, therefore the moon phases go a step further than the more pervasive versions available today. The duration of the lunar cycle is 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes and 2.8 seconds (or 29.5305881 days). Typically in modern moon phase functions, the lunar cycle is rounded off to 29.5 days using a 59-tooth gear with two lunar cycles, which results in a one-day discrepancy every 32 months. Striving for a more accurate model, Vacheron Constantin used a 135-tooth gear which results in a one-day discrepancy every 122 years and 46 days.

In contrast to the astronomical hat tips, the perpetual calendar off-sets the old ways of telling time by the moon and stars with a more modern version of timekeeping reading the days and months through apertures on either side of the hours dial, along with a leap year indicator at 4 o’clock and a date displayed by a pointer with the moon phases in a subdial at 6 o’clock. A rather handy feature until the digital era came along. Today, however, the know-how needed to create one is a bonafide art form.

Case Size: 42 mm by 11.8 mm

Case Material: 18-karat white gold

Power Reserve: 40 hours

Movement: Caliber 2460 RQP

Straps: Dark blue Mississippiensis alligator leather with alligator leather inner shell

Price: Upon request, one-of-a-kind

Panerai

ECOLOGICO E-LABID

Panerai Ecologico E-LabID  Panerai

Just when you thought it would never come. Several brands like Ulysse Nardin, Breitling, Chopard and H. Moser & Cie have dabbled in sustainable or recycled materials in either cases, straps or alloys, but Panerai just blew all of its competition out of the water with the arrival of its new Panerai Ecologico E-LabID made from 98.6% recycled materials. It is the first watch to be made almost entirely of sustainable material. It is also the first watch to use 100% recycled SuperLuminova on its dial and hands and 100% recycled silicon for the movement escapement. Its case, sandwich dial and bridges are all composted of EcoTitanium, a trademarked recycled titanium allow made from lightweight aerospace-grade metal using 80% recycled product. Even the sapphire crystal and hands reuse waste. In fact, most of the major components of this watch do.

Conceived in Panerai’s research and development arm, Laboratorio di Idee, the watch is currently still in concept phase but is expected to go into production next year. But it’s not just a feat for the planet, the company is considering this a blueprint for other brands and partners to make use of the innovation. To that end, they have created an entirely new supply chain to equip the industry with recycled parts. It required partnering with nine various suppliers in the watch industry as well as aerospace and automobile parts specialists including Siltronix ST and Sigatec for silicon, Eramet for titanium, ProCadrans for dials, Monyco and RCTritec for SuperLuminova, Novo Crystal for sapphire crystal, Ugitech for steel and Morellato for straps. Many had never worked with recycled product before until partnering with Panerai. The brand is also committing to upcycled packaging which will be expanded across the company’s collections.

Case Size: 44 mm

Case Material: EcoTitanium

Power Reserve: Three days

Straps: Recycled Grigio Roccia fabric with light blue stitching and trapezoidal EcoTitanium buckle

Price: 60,000 euros (approximately $70,994)

Drop Date: 2022

ECOLOGICO LUMINOR MARINA eSTEEL

BRONZO BLU ABISSU

The Bronzo is back! For its 10th anniversary of one of the brand’s most collectible and hard to get timepieces, a new (and much more universally wearable) 42 mm size has been introduced. Previously, of the five editions made to date, it was only available in 47 mm. Panerai was among the first to use this now popular metal in watchmaking as a nod to the early days of diving’s bronze helmets. It is revered for the special and unique patina that it develops over time.

You can safely bet that this smaller model is going to have an immediate waitlist, turning the Bronzo into pure gold. While this one won’t be limited in production, and therefore arguably more accessible, its output will be only about 500 per year. Get in line.

Case Size: 42 mm

Case Material: Bronze

Power Reserve: Three days

Straps: Vintage blue suede with ecru stitching

Price: 15,500 euros (approximately $18,340) produced in a very limited run each year of no more than about 500

Drop Date: April 2021

LUMINOR CHRONO, LUNA ROSA, and MONOPULSANTE CHRONGRAPHS

Panerai Luminor Chrono Collection

Panerai Luminor Chrono Collection  Panerai

Believe it or not, this year marks the first time Panerai has released a collection dedicated to chronographs. The five new models making their debut on the first day of Watches and Wonders all feature the chronograph pushers on the left side of the case, to balance the Luminor’s signature crown-protecting bridge on the right. Three fall into the unlimited Luminor Chrono range (PAM1109, PAM1110, PAM1218), while one, the Luminor Chrono Luna Rossa (PAM1303), is a sporty special edition of 1,000 pieces dedicated to the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team.

Panerai Luminor Chrono Luna Rossa  Panerai

The final piece of this quintet, the Luminor Chrono Monopulsante GMT Blu Notte (PAM1135), belongs to a new sub-collection called Complicazioni, which will feature complicated pieces encased in rare materials in highly limited editions. Available in 200 pieces, the blue-dialed single pusher column-wheel chronograph also boasts GMT functionality. Ready, set, go!

Panerai Luminor Chrono Monopulsante GMT Blu Notte  Panerai

Case Size: 44 mm

Case Material: Stainless steel (Luminor Chrono), brushed steel (Luminor Chrono Luna Rossa), matte black ceramic (Luminor Chrono Monopulsante GMT Blu Notte)

Movement: Automatic P.9200 caliber for all but the Monopulsante GMT, which is powered by hand-wound mechanical Caliber P.2004

Straps: Alligator leather, rubber and polished steel bracelet (Luminor Chrono); bi-material fabric and rubber in blue and white (Luminor Chrono Luna Rossa); deep blue calfskin and rubber (Luminor Chrono Monopulsante GMT Blu Notte)

Price: 8,900 – 26,500 euros (about $10,560 – $31,450)

Drop Date: July 2021

Cartier

CARTIER TANK

Tank Must

Cartier’s Tank watch has long served as a symbol of the house’s emphasis on elegance. The new Tank Must line, which nods to the Must de Cartier watches that gained popularity in the 1970s, offers an updated look: a case with more rounded edges than, say, the Tank Solo, outfitted with new aesthetics and technological innovations.

The most exciting addition is a Tank with a photovoltaic dial that generates its own electricity through exposure to the sun, not unlike a small and very chic solar panel. In another nod to the future, it’s mounted on a vegan leather strap. There’s also a charming trio of monochromatic watches in blue, green and red, as well as variants on bracelets instead of the signature black leather straps. Two versions even have cases set with diamonds.

Like other models in the Cartier Tank family, the Tank Must is offered in small, medium, large and extra-large versions. The XL sizes feature Cartier’s 1847 MC automatic movement, which boasts 40 hours of power reserve. The other sizes use quartz movements.

Tank Louis Cartier



The Tank Louis Cartier, introduced in 1917, has enjoyed countless iterations over the last century-plus. Its 2021 updates, a red version encased in 18K yellow gold and a blue take in 18K pink gold, feature Roman numeral hour markers applied on red and blue outlines that offer each dial a distinctly graphic appeal. These models, offered in the XL size, are manually wound and house Cartier’s 1917 MC movement, with 38 hours of power reserve.

CARTIER PRIVÉ

Cloche de Cartier

Introduced in the 1920s, the Cloche de Cartier is named for its shape: turn it on its side and it evokes the bell jars used to cover collectibles, candles and, of course, the rose from The Beauty and the Beast. When looking at it head-on, you’ll notice that 12 o’clock is where 3 o’clock normally is. This means you can read the time without turning your wrist at an angle, and that the watch can be stood up on the flat side of the case and used as a small desk clock when you take it off.

Cartier is offering a classic version in yellow gold, pink gold and platinum, each a limited edition of 100 pieces. For something a little more striking, there are also three skeletonized versions in gold, platinum and platinum set with diamonds.

Case Size: 37.15 x 28.75 mm

Case Material: 18-karat yellow gold, 18K pink gold, platinum or platinum set with diamonds

Power Reserve: 38 hours

Straps: Brown, gray, black or blue alligator straps

Price: TBD

Drop Date: TBD

CARTIER LIBRE

Cartier Libre Baignoire Tortue Watch

It feels somewhat insufficient to call Cartier’s bejeweled timepieces jewelry watches when so many of them can stand on their own as both excellent pieces of jewelry and as great time-tellers. The Cartier Libre collection threads that tension perfectly, and the dual nature of these pieces is on display in its new Bagnoire Turtle Watch, one of two new pieces that draw on the house’s archival shapes and the menagerie of animals it has immortalized in precious gems over the centuries. This bathtub-shaped timepiece uses diamonds, tsavorites, sapphires and anthracite to evoke a tortoise’s shell. They’re only making 50 of them, and there’s really no wondering why.

Case Size: 32.39 x 25.47 mm, thickness: 7.57 mm

Case Material: 18-karat rhodium-finish white gold

Power Reserve: Quartz movement

Straps: Navy blue alligator leather

Price: TBD

Drop Date: TBD

Cartier Libre Tortue Snake Watch

If you miss one tortoise, there’s another, but this one uses black- and coral-colored enamel, mother of pearl and closed-set diamonds to evoke snakeskin. This watch is also issued in a limited edition of 50.

Case Size: 31 x 39 mm, thickness: 6.73 mm

Case Material: 18-karat rhodium-finish white gold

Power Reserve: 38 hours

Straps: Black alligator leather

Price: TBD

Drop Date: TBD

CARTIER PRECIOUS WATCHES

Cartier Panthere Songeuse Watch

The Cartier panther has been carefully watching over the French house for eternity; in this new jewelry watch, offered in three distinct iterations, it takes a three-dimensional form that feels almost protective, as if it could spring into motion at any time to ward off anything that might take up too much of your precious time. Two of the dials are set somewhat randomly with diamond paving by hand; the combination of different sizes of the stones is meant to emphasize their natural beauty. The spots on a version mounted to a diamond bracelet feature spots crafted from sapphires, another version on an alligator strap has them in black lacquer.

A third version blends the black lacquer and sapphire spots and includes a special contribution from Cartier’s Maison des Métiers d’Art: champlevé enamel. This is what gives its diagonal stripes such an alluring gradient effect and, because the work to perfect it takes four full days, is probably why Cartier is only making 30 pieces of this example.

Case Size: 28.4 mm x 7.8 mm

Case Material: 18-karat rhodium-finish white gold

Power Reserve: Quartz movement

Straps: Diamond bracelet or black alligator leather strap

Price: TBD

Drop Date: TBD

Cartier Reptilis Watch

With its slinky, scale-like diamond-paved chevrons, you could just as easily call this the Cartier Art Deco Watch. But the rigidity of that period’s decor perhaps doesn’t capture the flexibility this bracelet design displays as it encircles the wrist.

Case Size: 12.8 mm x 6.6 mm

Case Material: 18K rhodium-finish white gold

Power Reserve: Quartz movement

Straps: Diamond bracelet

Price: TBD

Drop Date: TBD

Cartier Rosary Watch

The black dots placed on each of the circles of diamonds (and as the singular hour marker at 12 o’clock) elevate this piece from an evening watch to a graphic statement.

Case Size: 17 mm, thickness: 8.26 mm

Case Material: 18-karat rhodium-finish white gold

Power Reserve: Quartz movement

Straps: Diamond bracelet

Price: TBD

Drop Date: TBD

CARTIER FINE WATCHMAKING

Rotonde de Cartier Watches

Cartier’s mystery clocks have captivated onlookers since they were introduced in 1912. A new trio of watches marries that innovation, using discs of sapphire crystal to make parts of their movements appear suspended in space with no apparent connection to the mechanism, with skeletonized elements for a unique effect. The watches (above, from left to right: Rotonde de Cartier Astromystérieux, Rotonde de Cartier Astrotourbillon and the Rotonde de Cartier Skeleton Mysterious Double Tourbillon) are offered together in five limited edition sets, housed in a special box with a pair of cufflinks whose bars can be swapped to better suit the color of the alligator straps on each watch.

Case Size: Varies, from 43.5 mm x 11.9 mm to 47 mm x 14.9 mm

Case Material: Platinum

Power Reserve: Varies, from 48 to 55 hours

Straps: Blue or green alligator strap

Price: TBD

Drop Date: TBD

PASHA DE CARTIER

Pasha de Cartier 41 mm Chronograph Watch

Since its introduction in 1985, the Pasha collection has grown from strength to strength. One of its two new iterations for 2021 is a bold chronograph that features striking blue cabochon pushers and even a rotating bezel. It splits the difference between a hardworking sports watch and an elegant statement piece. You can view its movement through its sapphire caseback.

Case Size: 41 mm x 11.97 mm

Case Material: 18-karat yellow gold or stainless steel

Power Reserve: 47 hours

Straps: blue or gray alligator leather; QuickSwitch steel bracelet

Price: TBD

Drop Date: TBD

Pasha de Cartier 30 mm Watch

In addition to a larger case, the Pasha also has a new much smaller case. The 30 mm variant follows in the wake of a 35 mm watch released just last year. But its size doesn’t make it less versatile, something Cartier displays with a variety of case, strap and bracelet combinations. You’ll find it’s as well suited to stainless steel as it is to 18K pink gold and diamonds.

Case Size: 30 mm

Case Material: 18-karat pink gold, 18K pink gold with diamonds, stainless steel

Power Reserve: Quartz movement

Straps: 18-karat pink gold bracelet; stainless steel; red, gray, navy blue or pink alligator straps

Price: TBD

Drop Date: TBD

Ballon Bleu and Ballon Blanc de Cartier

As one of Cartier’s youngest and most popular lines, it’s no surprise that the house is offering a number of new takes on the Ballon Bleu this year. In total, the infamous circle-within-a-circle design new features 13 new additions in 33 mm and 40 mm case sizes. There are also two new Ballon Blanc watches; at 26 mm and 30 mm, these feature diamond-set bezels and replace the blue cabochon usually featured at 3 o’clock with another larger diamond at 4 o’clock.

Bulgari

OCTO FINISSIMO PERPETUAL CALENDAR

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar Watches  Courtesy of Bulgari

In what is becoming an annual exercise for the brand since 2014, Bulgari has yet another world record on his hands. The latest Octo Finissimo, is the slimmest perpetual calendar in existence at just 2.75 mm thick (thinner than two quarters stacked together) in a case measuring 40 mm by 5.80 mm. It marks the 7th world record for the manufacture. It is an extraordinary accomplishment for a high-complication that’s known to take up plenty of space due to the complexity of components required to create it. It comes in either a platinum version on a blue alligator leather strap, which weighs just 95 grams, or a more sleek and streamlined titanium edition on a bracelet, an even lighter watch at 74 grams.

The Octo Finissimo watches, known for their ultra modern design, are anything but traditional, and eschewing the standard for classic perpetual calendars, this watch comes without a moon phase function in order to achieve both a minimalist design and save space. Bulgari added a retrograde function for the date and the years—part of the brand’s DNA from Gerald Genta, a watchmaking company it acquired in 2000. Incredibly, it fits 408 components into 5.80 mm. This was achieved by integrating the perpetual calendar into the inital Octo Finissimo caliber and adding 150 components in 0.4 mm of additional thickness to the movement. It would hardly seem believable if Bulgari hadn’t already proved, multiple times over, that achieving the seemingly impossible is a house specialty.

Case Size: 40 mm by 5.80 mm

Case Material: Platinum or titanium

Power Reserve: 60 hours

Straps: Blue alligator leather or sandblasted titanium

Price: $89,000 in platinum; $59,000 in titanium

Drop Date: July 2021

OCTO FINISSIMO TADAO ANDO

While the Octo Finissmo Perpetual Calendar is, no doubt, the headliner of Bulgari’s releases, collectors shouldn’t sleep on Japanese architect Tadao Ando’s latest collaboration with the company. The conceptual piece is the second creation from Ando. The first, which debuted last year, had a dial with a similar aesthetic of concentric circles, surrounding a tourbillon, inspired by black holes that were meant to represent the disappearance of time. This year, offers a new twist on the concept with a golden crescent moon (an accent, not a moon phase), referred to as mikazuki in Japanese, which represents the first quarter of earth’s natural satellite as it begins to appear in the sky. The idea? It is meant to represent the reappearance of time—a symbol of hope as the world continues to grapple with the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

The first edition, from 2019, was reserved for the Japanese market only, but Bulgari received so many requests for the limited-edition piece it brought Ando back into the fold for a second. While the time-only watch will be limited to only 160 pieces, it will be available worldwide.

Case Size: 40 mm

Case Material: Sandblasted ceramic

Power Reserve: TBC

Straps: Sandblasted

Price: $18,100, limited to 160

Drop Date: May 2021

SERPENTI MISTERIOSI CLEOPATRA

Typically, secret watches (known for their discreet hidden hours and minutes) come with a case covering, but in this latest Serpenti model time is hidden beneath a faceted hexagonal see-through rubellite of over 5 carats. (Let’s not forget that Bulgari first slithered onto the scene as a jeweler.) While this piece is certainly more about the gems—encrusted with 4,000 snow-set diamonds, 2 citrines, 2 amethysts, 1 aquamarine, 1 tourmaline chrome, 1 tanzanite, and 1 peridot—its unique vision for blending time, literally, into the jewels is a brilliant new take on high-jewelry watches. And there will be only one of these in the entire world.

Case Size: Not applicable

Case Material: 18-karat rose gold

Power Reserve: Quartz movement, not applicable

Straps: Not applicable

Price: 665,000 euros (or approximately $783,414 at current exchange rates), one-of-a-kind

Drop Date: TBD

DIVA’S DREAM DIVISSIMA AND ALLEGRA

If you are in the market for a more consistently wearable red carpet piece, instead of the showstopper above (of which only one person will own), the Diva’s Dream Divissima and Allegra collections have plenty to offer. Two new Divissima’s offer a new smaller size in 33 mm in two versions—fully diamond or emerald and diamond iterations with fan-shaped appendages that form a floral looking bezel. Meanwhile, the Allegra is said to be inspired by the “joyful mess of nature” despite their orderly composition. Lucia Silvestri, Bulgari’s creative director of jewelry, was said to use the light coming through her 4th floor view from the company’s Roman headquarters overlooking the Tiber river as a starting point for the stones. Diamonds are mixed with 6 different cuts of citrines, amethysts, peridot, blue topaz and rhodolite. If these pieces are anything to go by, the view, four stories up, at Bulgari HQ is pretty spectacular.

Case Size: 33 mm for Diva’s Dream Divissima; 36 mm for Allegra

Case Material: 18-karat white gold or rose gold

Power Reserve: Quartz, not applicable

Straps: Black, taupe, dark blue or green alligator leather

Price: $65,000 for 18-karat white gold and white diamonds or emerald and white diamonds; $29,300 for 18-karat rose gold with multi-colored stones and white diamonds; $31,300 for 18-karat white gold set with multi-colored stones and white diamonds

Drop Date: June 2021

Hermès

H08

Hermès H08  JVA Studios

The H08 is part round, part cushion-shaped, part sports and part dress watch—a design that’s hard to define in the same way the Nautilus and Royal Oak were when they were introduced in the 1970s. Hermès explains the name thus: “Zero embodies emptiness, while 8 symbolizes infinity. Like a journey between nothing and everything.” As with all Hermès collections, the unusual numeric font is specific to the model. The links in the bracelet are H-shaped, and the webbing detail on the rubber strap resembles detail on Hermès leather accessories. The H08 is Hermès’s new pillar men’s collection, and it contains the H1837, the brand’s first in-house caliber.

Case Size: 39 mm

Case Material: DLC coated titanium; brushed titanium or graphine composite

Power Reserve: 50 hours

Straps: Titanium rubber; blue, black or charcoal webbed; black or orange rubber

Price: $5,500 to $8,900

Drop Date: April 2021

SLIM D’HERMÈS C’EST LA FÊTE

Hermès Slim d’Hermès C’est La Fête  Courtesy of Hermès

The whimsical scene on this paillonné dial is drawn from a men’s silk scarf created by Japanese artist Daiske Nomura, who blends Hermès motifs, such as horses, with cartoon, manga (comics) and video game culture. The mischievous skeleton figure, riding a horse in tailcoat and top hat, is a take the vanitas/memento mori theme. Paillonné enameling involves inserting gold and silver leaf onto the dial to create a design in relief. It is then painted with layers of enamel and fired in a kiln. It contains the ultra-thin Manufacture Hermès H1950 automatic movement. C’est la Fête is limited to six pieces.

Case Size: 39 mm by 39 mm

Case Material: 18-karat white gold

Power Reserve: 42 hours

Straps: Blue alligator

Price: Upon request, limited to 6

Drop Date: May 2021

Tag Heuer

AQUARACER PROFESSIONAL 300 COLLECTION

Since 1983, TAG Heuer’s Aquaracer, a dive watch based on the beloved 1978 Heuer Ref. 844, has used a 12-sided unidirectional rotating bezel as its calling card. This year, the once-stagnant collection, renamed the Aquaracer Professional 300, benefits from a massive overhaul — the signature dodecagonal silhouette is about the only thing that hasn’t changed. The updates are both visible and behind the scenes, and include a new scratch-resistant ceramic insert, an upgraded sapphire crystal, a slimmer case and bezel, improved legibility and ergonomic fixes to the rotating mechanism on the bezel that make it smoother, quieter and easier to set. On the caseback, the watch features a refined version of the famous scaphander diving suit that first appeared on the Aquaracer in 2004, making a subtle but definitive point: Underwater explorers (even of the armchair variety), this watch is for you.

AQUARACER PROFESSIONAL 300 TRIBUTE TO REF. 844

Alongside the core collection of seven references, TAG Heuer is also introducing a limited edition heritage piece, the Aquaracer Professional 300 Tribute to Ref. 844. Encased in titanium, the piece is distinguished by elements that hark back to the original Ref. 844, such as a red 24-hour scale on the flat black dial, vintage lume, and a black perforated rubber strap. Availability is limited to — you guessed it — 844 examples.

Case Size: 43 mm for four of the core collection’s seven references, and 36 mm for the other three; 43 mm for limited edition

Case Material: Six in stainless steel, with the choice of black, blue or silver dials; one 43 mm piece in high-tech matte Grade 2 titanium with a green dial; and limited edition in Grade 5 titanium

Movement: Calibre 5 Automatic

Straps: Adjustable stainless-steel three-row bracelets and Grade 2 titanium three-row bracelet for core collection, and perforated black rubber strap for the limited edition

Price: $TK

Drop Date: June 2021

Louis Vuitton

LOUIS VUITTON TAMBOUR CURVE GMT FLYING TOURBILLON

Louis Vuitton Tambour Curve GMT Flying Tourbillon  Louis Vuitton

At first glance, Louis Vuitton’s new GMT watch might look like another chronograph. Look closer and you’ll see that’s not the case at all. The things you thought were totalizers? Those are actually a flying tourbillon carriage at 9 o’clock and a second-time zone display at 3 o’clock. The two pushers on the case let you move set the zone indicator by moving it forward or backward. It’s a bold departure from traditional watchmaking norms that showcase how playful and audacious Louis Vuitton’s manufacture is willing to get.

Case Size: 46 mm x 13.15 mm

Case Material: Titanium, 18-karat pink gold

Power Reserve: 65 hours

Straps: Black rubber

Price: $79,000 to $103,000

Drop Date: May

LOUIS VUITTON TAMBOUR STREET DIVER

Most dive watches never dip beneath the ocean’s surface, so it’s refreshing to see one designed to live on the street. Louis Vuitton’s new Tambour Street Dive flips the script on traditional dive watch architecture to reveal something more urbane. To wit: the rotating external bezel has been replaced by an angled flange beneath the sapphire crystal that you can turn with a secondary crown. The dial itself is highly legible, thanks to chunky Super Luminova hands and indexes. Three models feature automatic movements while a fourth smaller version is powered by quartz. But all of them can survive a trip into the deep: each has a depth rating of 100 meters.

Case Size: 44 mm (or 39 mm)
Case Material: Stainless steel
Power Reserve:
Straps: Rubber
Price: $5,200 to $16,400
Drop Date: April 2021

LOUIS VUITTON TAMBOUR CARPE DIEM

More actual skeleton than merely skeletonized, the Louis Vuitton Tambour Carpe Diem is a modern reimagining of the jacquemart watch, the minute repeaters that used decorative automatons to “strike” the bells on their fine faces. Here, the jacquemarts (both the skull and the snake move) tell the time by moving to reveal it. Press the snake-shaped pusher on the gold case and the snake encircling the skull moves to reveal the hour. Then, the tail slides to indicate the minutes and the mouth moves to reveal the words “Carpe Diem” in a gothic script. If that’s not enough motivation to seize the day, the power reserve takes the shape of an hourglass. Tick, tick, tick.

Case Size: 46.8 mm by 14.42 mm
Case Material: 18-karat pink gold
Power Reserve: 100 hours
Straps: Black alligator
Price: Upon request
Drop Date: TBD

IWC

BIG PILOT 43

IWC Big Pilot 43  Courtesy of IWC

The big news at IWC is that the Big Pilot is being downsized a notch. Ever since the timepiece, based on a 1940s military observation watch, was reintroduced in 2002 with the Grosse Fliegeruhr Ref. 5002, it has sported a 46 mm case. With its prominent crown—a nod to the early aviation era when pilot’s needed a larger appendage to adjust the time while wearing gloves—it has always been a showpiece, but not always the easiest daily wear. Now in 43 mm, the company is offering a more accessible size. But that’s not the only new design feature of the Big Pilot’s fuselage. Purists will be pleased to see that precious cargo like the date window and power reserve have been dropped in favor of a cleaner time-only design mimicking the aesthetic of the early vintage model. Not to forgo some level of exhibition, the piece features a glimpse of the in-house caliber 82100 automatic movement through the sapphire crystal caseback.

IWC Big Pilot 43  Courtesy of IWC

Case Size: 43 mm by 13.6 mm

Case Material: Stainless steel

Power Reserve: 60 hours

Straps: Brown or blue calf leather or stainless steel bracelet

Price: $8,400 on a leather strap; $9,350 on a bracelet

Drop Date: May 2021

PILOT’S WATCH CHRONOGRAPH 41

IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41  Courtesy of IWC

If you’re looking to dial down in size without sacrificing horological bells and whistles, the new 41 mm Pilot’s chronograph should do the trick. Powered by the in-house caliber 69385, the piece ensures precise stop times up to 12 hours. The stopwatch function uses a column wheel with two functional levels and a bi-directional pawl winding system that converts the energy exerted by the wearer’s arm into tension for the mainspring. This chronograph has been a mainstay in the IWC collection, so this introduction is mostly about the new size. However, all new models also come equipped with the company’s new quick-change system for straps allowing the wearer to easily alternate between leather or rubber straps or a stainless steel bracelet.

IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41  Courtesy of IWC

Case Size: 41 mm by 14.5 mm

Case Material: Stainless steel

Power Reserve: 46 hours

Straps: Brown or blue calf leather or stainless steel bracelet

Price: $6,500 on a leather strap; $7,200 on a bracelet

Drop Date: April 2021

BIG PILOT PERPETUAL CALENDAR

IWC Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar  Courtesy of IWC

In the last 15 years since IWC first put its perpetual calendar movement into the Big Pilot collection, 37 versions have been released. The latest is a stainless steel model with a midnight blue dial and a matching leather strap. The elite caliber 52615, first developed by revered watchmaker Kurt Klaus in the ’80s, is known for its ability to automatically recognize different month lengths and leap years. It also does not require a manual correction (a feat that is a notorious pain with this kind of elite complication) until 2100, so that you can safely leave your ancestors or the next owner with the tedious task. The year display, placed just above 7 o’clock will accurately update until the year 2499. Meanwhile, you can read the date display and power reserve daily at 3 o’clock and the month display at 6 o’clock. The weekday display and small seconds share the 9 o’clock subdial. Finally, the moon phase at 12 o’clock depicts the cycle of both the Northern and Southern hemispheres and only needs to be adjusted by one day after 577.5 years.

Case Size: 46.2 mm by 15.4 mm

Case Material: Stainless steel

Power Reserve: 168 hours or 7 days

Straps: Blue calf leather

Price: $29,900

Drop Date: April 2021

BIG PILOT’s WATCH PERPETUAL CALENDAR TOP GUN EDITION “MOJAVE DESERT” and BIG PILOT’S WATCH TOP GUN EDITION “MOJAVE DESERT”

IWC Big Pilot Top Gun Edition “Mojave Desert” Watches  Courtesy of IWC

When IWC first released its sand-colored “Mojave Desert” timepieces in 2019, they were a hit. Stylistically speaking, they offered an ultra-cool alternative to typical case materials and outdid even the most striking vivid ceramic hues from other brands thanks to its neutral tone that felt simultaneously edgy and subdued. So, it’s no surprise that this year, the company followed up by introducing the tone to its Big Pilot collection on not one, but two new versions. They include a perpetual calendar model, equipped with the same caliber 52615 present in the steel Big Pilot above and a more basic version featuring a date window and power reserve indicator. The latter comes with a titanium caseback engraved with the Top Gun logo. And they will be just as hard to get as previous Mojave Desert models. While they aren’t technically limited in number, they will be limited in annual delivery. Be prepared to blend in with the rest of the waitlist.

Case Size: 46.2 mm by 14.6 mm

Case Material: Ceramic with a titanium caseback

Power Reserve: 168 hours or 7 days

Straps: Sand-coloured rubber strap with textile inlay

Price: $35,000 for the Perpetual Calendar, limited to 150 per year; $14,800 for the model with date and power reserve, limited to 250 per year.

Drop Date: April 2021

Montblanc

STAR LEGACY METAMORPHOSIS LIMITED EDITION

Montblanc Star Legacy Metamorphosis Limited Edition 8  Montblanc

This is a new blue version of the magical Metamorphosis tourbillon/moon phase complication Montblanc launched in 2019 in a grey dial. The name refers to its complex shutter system that reveals two sets of complications.

In the closed position, the Exo Tourbillon’s “exterior” balance wheel hovers above the dial at 12 o’clock, and at 6 o’clock a day/night ring surrounds a rotating globe. In the open position, the tourbillon is exposed under a sapphire crystal bridge, surrounded by a jumping date, and at 6 o’clock, the day/night ring is replaced by a moon phase, surrounded by a starry sky. It contains the 718-component caliber MB M67.60.

Case Size: 50 mm by 18.9 mm

Case Material: 18-karat white gold, limited to 8 pieces

Power Reserve: 50 hours

Straps: Blue sfumato alligator

Price: $253,500

Drop Date: May 2021

STAR LEGACY SUSPENDED EXO TOURBILLON LIMITED EDITION

Montblanc Star Legacy Suspended Exo Tourbillon Limited Edition  Montblanc

The larger-than-life Exo Tourbillon, launched in red gold in 2018 and in a skeletonized version last year, puts on the ritz this year with a sparkling aventurine backdrop. The Exo in the name is derived from the Greek for “external” and refers to the massive balance wheel positioned outside the tourbillon’s rotating cage, hovering 3.2mm above the dial. The goal was to make it more visible; mission accomplished. Raising it thus allows the tourbillon cage to shrink, making it more energy efficient. It is kept in place by a one-armed bridge so as not to obscure the workings below.

Case Size: 44.8 mm by 15.03 mm

Case Material: 18-karat white gold

Power Reserve: 50 hours

Straps: Blue alligator

Price: $107,500, limited to 18

Drop Date: May 2021

HERITAGE PYTHAGORE SMALL SECOND LIMITED EDITION

Montblanc Heritage Pythagore Small Second Limited Edition  Montblanc

The ancient Greek mathematician for which this watch is named invented the Golden Section, the divine proportions that represent beauty and harmony. The formula was used to calculate the position of bridges and the shape of components in caliber MB M14.08, an evolution of caliber 48, created in the 1940s by Minerva. That’s the beauty on the inside. On the outside, it is the sfumato (gradient) dial that stands out. Inspired by Minervas from the ’40s and ’50s, it is colored and then lacquered in tones of burnt caramel or blue. The 39mm white gold case, with its curved and faceted horns are another nod to vintage Minervas.

Case Size: 39 mm

Case Material: 18-karat rose or white gold in 148 pieces each

Power Reserve: 80 hours

Straps: Alligator

Price: $20,200

Drop Date: April 2021

1858 GEOSPHERE LIMITED EDITION 

Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Limited Edition  Montblanc

The graduated beige-to-brown dial, bronze case and ceramic bezel of the Geosphere echo the colors of a desert landscape in honor of Italian adventurer Reinhold Messner’s solo trek of 2,000 kilometers across the Gobi Desert. The caseback has a 3D, colored engraving of the desert’s famous Flaming Cliffs, which glow red and orange at sunset – and are also notable because specimens of Velociraptors have been found there. Two rotating north/south hemisphere globes double as day/night and 24-hour indicators. The numerals, cathedral hands and cardinal points on the bezel glow green at night with generously applied Super-LumiNova.

Case Size: 42mm

Case Material: Bronze

Power Reserve: 42 hours

Straps: Brown sfumato calf leather with bronze coated steel clasp

Price: $6,500

Drop Date: April 2021

HERITAGE MANUFACTURE PERPETUAL CALENDAR LIMITED EDITION

Montblanc Heritage Manufacture Perpetual Calendar Limited Edition  Time Photo SA

Montblanc’s MB 29.22, introduced two years ago, uses only wheels and cams, while most perpetual calendar movements use levers. The variation makes it possible to set the watch in both directions via the crown, with rapid adjustment of one month under a minute. The additional function of a second time zone is a bonus. This year’s limited edition has something that reflects a theme in Montblanc’s new collections: a “burnt caramel” dial. It starts with a sunray decoration at the center and a grainé (grained) finish on the hour ring, followed by the application of color in gradient shades of brown and then a coating of translucent lacquer.

Case Size: 40 mm

Case Material: 18k rose gold

Power Reserve: 48 hours

Straps: Brown sfumato alligator

Price: $27,200, limited to 100

Drop Date: April 7

Hublot

It wouldn’t be Watches & Wonders without a few entries from the creative geniuses at Hublot. And this year, their efforts place a premium on their long history of turning tough-to-work-with materials and color treatments into audacious statements for the wrist.

BIG BANG INTEGRAL TOURBILLON FULL SAPPHIRE

Hublot’s manufacture made horological history in 2016 when it produced the first watch case made entirely from sapphire crystal. This year, it’s back with another first: a new Big Bang variant whose case and integrated bracelet are all made from the material.

Inside the Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire you’ll find the brand’s new HUB6035 automatic manufacture calibre, created to enhance the watch’s visual effect. Almost all of the visible screws were removed from its Automatic Tourbillon movement, and the bridges and mainplates were reworked to give them the feeling of being suspended in space. Of the 37 components that make up the case, five are made entirely from sapphire crystal. It’s entirely understandable that Hublot will only be making 30 pieces.

While pandemic travel restrictions mean we haven’t yet seen this piece on the wrist, we imagine it’s not different from wearing a ray of light.

Case Size: 42 mm x 15.25 mm

Case Material: Sapphire crystal

Power Reserve: 72 hours

Straps: Integrated sapphire crystal bracelet

Price: TBD

Drop Date: TBD

BIG BANG SANG BLEU II



The original Big Bang Sang Bleu, which debuted in 2016, looked like the kind of watch Dr. Strange might wear to his Illuminati induction ceremony. The new Big Bang Sang Bleu II, a take on the follow-up collaboration between Hublot and tattoo artist Maxime Plescia-Büchi, looks like the version Dr. Strange would make for himself in a lab. Thanks to its skill in coloring ceramic, Hublot will now offer the style in blue, gray and white cases, each limited to 200 pieces. All three colors serve to highlight its geometric stance and unique architecture—and are a departure from the previously offered gold, titanium and black ceramic.


Case Size: 45 mm x 16.5 mm

Case Material: Satin-finished ceramic

Power Reserve: 72 hours

Straps: Rubber

Price: $27,300

Drop Date: TBD


BIG BANG UNICO YELLOW MAGIC

Embuing ceramic with a bright and vibrant color that lasts is a technical feat that required years of research and development to master. But now that it has both red and blue under its belt, the manufacture is moving on to the final primary color: yellow. The Big Bang Unico Yellow Magic splits the difference between a highlighter and a New York City taxicab. It’s slightly electric, but the discoverability of its skeletonized dial might make you want to wear it more than once or twice a month. That is if you can get your hands on one: Like the Red Magic and Blue Magic watches before it, this is a limited edition, and only 250 pieces will be mad.

Case Size: 42 mm x 14.5 mm

Case Material: Polished yellow ceramic

Power Reserve: 72 hours

Straps: Rubber

Price: $26,200

Drop Date: TBD

Zenith

DEFY EXTREME

Zenith Defy Extreme  Courtesy of Zenith

This big, sporty version of the Defy has a 45 mm case, but since it comes in titanium, the watch is lightweight despite its size. The grey titanium is offset in two of the three models’ dials with either rose gold or blue accents, including a 12-sided bezel ring and crown protectors on the gold version. The titanium on the blue version is finished to emphasize the facets of the metal, with polished, satin-brushed and matte surfaces. The automatic El Primero 9004, the highest-frequency chronograph movement in regular production today, beats at 360,000 vph and can time 1/100^th of a second. It is water resistant to 200-meters, and comes with three straps that can be swapped out easily.

Case Size: 45 mm by 15.4 mm

Case Material: Titanium, micro-blasted titanium and polished rose gold or brushed, polished and micro-blasted titanium (pictured, in order, above)

Power Reserve: 50 hours

Straps: Titanium bracelet, rubber strap, or velcro strap

Price: $18,000 for the titanium; $22,000 titanium and rose gold; $18,000 for brushed, polished and micro-blasted titanium

Drop Date: April

DEFY SPECTRUM

Zenith Defy Spectrum WatchesZenith seems determined to infuse the Defy collection with a never ending burst of color. The bezels on each of these five limited editions is set with a different colored gemstone variety: green tsavorite, orange sapphire, blue sapphire, amethyst or black spinel. All of the cases, which are stainless steel, are set with 288 diamonds. Movement components are PVD treated to match the gemstones, and the rubber straps are colored to match. Never has such a sporty 1/100^th of a second chronograph been so red-carpet ready. Only 10 pieces of each edition will be made, available exclusively in Zenith boutiques.

Zenith Defy Spectrum Movements  Courtesy of Zenith

Case Size: 44 mm by 15.4 mm

Case Material: Stainless steel

Power Reserve: 50 hours

Straps: Rubber

Price: $35,900, each limited to 10 pieces

Drop Date: April

DEFY 21 ULTRABLUE

Zenith Defy 21 Ultrablue  Courtesy of Zenith

The electric blue version of Zenith’s uber-fast chronograph, released early on March 24th, is a sequel to the all-violet version introduced last year, as Zenith continues to roll out the Defy in monochrome colors. This particular hue was the defining color of Zenith’s A386, one of the first watches with the legendary El Primero automatic high-frequency chronograph caliber. The Ultrablue contains the El Primero 9004 movement, the highest-frequency chronograph in regular production today, capable of timing events to within 1/100th of a second. You can see the chronograph seconds hand whipping around the dial once per second, something achieved by adding a second gear train for the chronograph.

Case Size: 44 mm by 14.5 mm

Case Material: Titanium

Power Reserve: 50 hours

Straps: Black rubber with blue cordura-effect rubber insert

Price: $13,500

Drop Date: April

H. Moser & Cie

ENDEAVOUR TOURBILLON CONCEPT TIGER’S EYE

Moser’s minimalist approach to dial making seems like the ideal venue for tiger’s eye stone, which mimics the patterns of the fierce feline’s irises. The fibrous bands of color seem lit from within and come to life if you move the dial. Moser calls it a natural interpretation of its signature fumé dial. There are two versions: blue (known as falcon’s eye) and red (ox’s eye). The gemstone industry loves lore and tiger’s eye in all forms is said to confer protection and guarantee good health and prosperity. And you will need plenty of the latter for this beauty, punctuated by a one-minute flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock.

Case Size: 40 mm by 11.2 mm

Case Material: 18k white gold for Falcon’s Eye or 18k red gold for Ox’s Eye (50 pieces each)

Power Reserve: 72 hours

Straps: Blue or brown alligator

Price: $75,900

Drop Date: April 2021

 PIONEER CENTER SECONDS MEGA COOL

Moser edges closer to putting its logo on a dial, something it has staunchly avoided in the interest of purity, with this model. The barely-there logo is applied in transparent lacquer at 12 o’clock, in keeping with the minimalist aesthetic that Moser describes as “traditional without being too proper.” While you might miss the logo, you can’t miss the hands, indexes, and flange dots, which are generously luminated. The hands are overlaid with strips of Globolight, a ceramic-based material that contains Super-LumiNova, making them stand out against the “Blue Lagoon” fume dial. This is a go-anywhere watch, with 120-meter water resistance.

Case Size: 42.8 mm

Case Material: Stainless steel

Power Reserve: 72 hours

Straps: Steel, rubber, alligator or Kevlar

Price: $15,300

Drop Date: April 2021

PIONEER TOURBILLON MEGA COOL

This is one of the few tourbillons that you would feel comfortable wearing while swimming. It is water resistant to 120 meters and its deep sea green dial glows in the dark for better visibility in the deepest water. The three-dimensional hands are made in two sections and overlaid with strips of Globolight, a ceramic-based material that contains Super-LumiNova. Inside, the in-house automatic tourbillon caliber HMC 804 with a double hairspring improves accuracy, isochronism and reduces friction. The escapement is designed as a module, which makes it easily removable for servicing and adjustment.

Case Size: 42.8 mm

Case Material: Stainless steel in a limited edition of 50 pieces

Power Reserve: 72 hours

Straps: Rubber, alligator, steel or Kevlar

Price: $54,900

Drop Date: April 2021

Ulysse Nardin

BLAST HOURSTRIKER

Two years ago, Ulysse Nardin teamed with Devialet, a French firm specializing in high-definition audio, to create the Classico Hourstriker Phantom, a limited-edition striking watch with a more powerful chime. Now, the brand has made the esoteric chiming mechanism visible on the openworked dial of its new Blast Hourstriker, which also features a flying tourbillon, adding a captivating visual element to the watch’s acoustic performance. Packaged in a sleek rose gold and black DLC-coated titanium case designed to resemble a stealth airplane, the timepiece epitomizes the look — and sound — of contemporary watchmaking in motion.

Case Size: 45 mm

Case Material: 18k rose gold and black DLC titanium with Glassbox sapphire glass

Movement: Automatic UN-621 Manufacture caliber with flying tourbillon and manual-winding chime

Straps: Velvet, rubber or alligator

Price: $104,400

Drop Date: April 2021

DIVER X SKELETON

Merging two of its best-known collections, the Diver and the Executive Skeleton, Ulysse Nardin’s new Diver x Skeleton embodies the radical design choices that have come to define the 175-year-old brand in the 21^st century. Dominated by a blue PVD X achieved through a complicated tiered construction, the practically see-through dial features hour markers that appear to float, as well as a mix of finishes that create a mesmerizing play of light on its face. With a bezel crafted from blue Carbonium, a robust, lightweight material borrowed from the aerospace industry, and a case coated in blue PVD and embellished with vibrant pops of orange, the model is equal parts sporty and sophisticated.

Case Size: 44 mm

Case Material: Blue PVD and blue Carbonium

Movement: Automatic UN-372 caliber

Straps: Blue or orange rubber strap

Price: $19,500

Drop Date: April 2021

UFO CLOCK

In developing its ambitious new UFO table clock, Ulysse Nardin set out to capture 175 years of horological history in a single timepiece. To honor its historic expertise as a maker of marine chronometers as well as its reputation for bold, futuristic watchmaking, best represented by the legendary Freak wristwatch of the early Aughts, the brand challenged itself to imagine what a marine chronometer designed in 2196 would be like. The 663 components contained by the glass-blown bell jar of the UFO have been constructed upon a gentle swing to evoke the perpetual movement of the ocean. Equipped with three dials, allowing the display of three different (interplanetary?) time zones, the UFO truly is out of this world.

Case Size:  250 mm by 150 mm

Case Material: Aluminum and blown glass

Movement: UN-902 caliber

Straps:  N/A

Price: $41,000

Drop Date: April 2021

Greubel Forsey

GREUBEL FORSEY GMT SPORT

Greubel Forsey is no stranger to the GMT, but its new GMT Sport is a bold departure from its previous efforts.

It’s mounted on an integrated bracelet—Greubel Forsey’s first-ever in metal. The watch features a 45 mm titanium case with a hand-polished, contoured bezel designed to gently hug the wrist.  Inside, components including the mainplate and bridges are rendered in a matte blue to enhance legibility and to highlight the inner workings of the watch. There’s a tourbillon between 12 and 2 o’clock that ensures accuracy, and a second time zone at 10 o’clock. The globe between 7 and 8 o’clock makes one revolution every 24 hours; because it’s oriented from the North Pole, it also functions as a handy day/night indicator.

While you won’t get a view of anything inside through the caseback, there is a disc with the names of 24 cities from each time zone. The cities that observe Daylight Savings Time are indicated with a light background, so you can read both UTC and summer time for all two dozen locales.

Case Size: 45 mm by 15.7 mm

Case Material: Titanium

Power Reserve: 72 Hours

Straps: Integrated titanium bracelet or rubber strap

Price: CHF 520,000 (or approximately $551,096) for the bracelet model; CHF 480,000 (or $508,704) for the rubber strap model

Drop Date: Available for order now with delivery in September for the bracelet version

Chopard

L.U.C GMT ONE BLACK and L.U.C TIME TRAVELER ONE BLACK

Chopard L.U.C. Time Traveler One Black  Chopard

A duo of travel complications in the L.U.C collection are getting a monochrome reboot. The Time Traveler One Black world timer and the GMT One Black are newly minted in cases made of ceramised grade 5 titanium, which means the metal has been hardened by heating it at extreme temperatures. The Time Traveler’s claim to fame is that it shows the time in all 24 time zones at once, thanks to a rotating 24-hour ring. On the GMT, Local time is indicated with central dauphine hands and the 24-hour home time with a pointed GMT hand. Each is limited to 250 pieces.

Case Size: 42 mm

Case Material:  Ceramised titanium

Power Reserve: 60 hours

Straps: Rubber

Price: TBC

Drop Date: April 2021

L.U.C. PERPETUAL CHRONO

Chopard L.U.C. Perpetual Chrono  Chopard

Chopard’s first perpetual calendar chrono movement L.U.C 03.10-L was a milestone for Chopard when it debuted in 2016, 20 years after opening its manufacture in Fleurier. It is not only COSC certified, but finished inside and out to the exacting standards of the Geneva Hallmark – flip it over to see the results of this finishing on the movement. This year it follows the brand’s time travel watches into the realm of lightweight titanium, with a 20-piece limited edition. It’s a rare metal for this complication, and it makes the fairly large case (45mm) more wearable. The high-precision orbital moon phase is accurate to one day’s deviation every 122 years.

Case Size: 45 mm

Case Material: Grade 5 titanium

Power Reserve: 60 hours

Straps: Nubuck calfskin

Price: TBC

Drop Date: April 2021

RED CARPET ESPERANZA

Chopard Red Carpet Esperanza  Courtesy of Chopard

This is the first glimpse of what Chopard will optimistically introduce this year in a 74-piece Red Carpet collection. It’s a theme the brand knows well as the longtime sponsor of the Cannes International Film Festival, where it decks out the beauties with the baubles for the red carpet. The case and bracelet are set with 14 carats of Zambian emeralds, known for their strength and deep color, in both pear and round shapes. They are arranged laurel style and surrounded by 41.89 carats of pear-shaped and round diamonds, a composition that takes 515 hours of setting.

Case Size: TBC

Case Material: Ethical 18-karat white gold

Movement: Quartz

Straps: Gem-set bracelet

Price: Price upon request

Drop Date: April 2021

L.U.C XP ESPRIT DE FLEURIER PEONY

Chopard L.U.C. XP Esprit de Fleurier Peony  Chopard

The peony is clearly the favorite flower of  Chopard co-president Caroline Scheufele – it has had its own collection since 2014. It has been rendered in mother-of-pearl, gold engraving, paper cutting and now grand feu enamel, as a bouquet of pink peonies in various stages of bloom. The peony is important in China, where it is considered an omen of good fortune that will bring prosperity, honor and a happy marriage. The movement, L.U.C 96.23-L, is hand engraved in the Fleurisanne style, with scroll and floral motifs. Each dial takes a week to create, which may explain why it is limited to eight pieces.

Case Size: 35 mm

Case Material: Ethical 18-karat rose gold

Power Reserve: 65 hours

Straps: Green alligator

Price: TBC

Drop Date:April 2021

IMPERIALE SOVEREIGN ELEGANCE AND NATURAL ELEGANCE

Chopard Imperiale Collection  Chopard

The Imperiale collection is all about the grandeur and nobility of great empires, with masculine imagery like sword-shaped hands and lugs shaped like classical columns. Yet this is a ladies’ collection, with feminine colors, plenty of diamonds and a wearable case size. The dial of the new Elegance model is green textured mother-of-pearl. The more neutral Natural version is guilloched at the center in the collection’s signature arabesque motif. Bezels, lug covers, cabochons and crown are set with diamonds. A combination of diamond markers and Roman numerals is applied to the dials.

Case Size: 36 mm

Case Material: Ethical 18k rose gold

Power Reserve: 65 hours

Straps: Burgundy or green leather

Price: TBC

Drop Date:April 2021

L’HEURE DU DIAMANT

Chopard L’Heure du Diamant  Chopard

This opulent collection is dedicated to showcasing diamonds in their best light, and there is no better way to do that than to go big. A 4.44-carat halo of large diamonds is set prong-style around the dial to let in in and reflect as much light as possible. The result us a degree of dazzle rarely seen on a jeweled watch. The bracelet revives the tree bark-textured look popular in the 1960s, sculpted in gold using a proprietary technique. It appears to be woven, and feels like silk on the wrist. The mother-of-pearl dial is set with 12 diamond hour markers.

Case Size: 30.80 mm

Case Material: Ethical 18-karat white gold

Power Reserve: 42 hours

Straps: 18k white gold bracelet

Price: TBC

Drop Date: June 2021

L.U.C. QUATTRO SPIRIT 25

Twenty-five years ago, Chopard created what it calls Quattro technology to harness the power of four mainsprings for a mechanical movement, and this year it celebrates with its first jumping hour movement. The 100-piece L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 collector’s edition has an eight-day power reserve, which is outstanding compared to the usual 42 hours in a typical single-barrel movement. That means not only can you leave your watch for the weekend without winding it, but you could go on holiday for a week and when you return, it would still be ticking. This is especially impressive for a jumping hour, which requires a lot of energy from the mainspring.

Chopard’s four-barrel system normally delivers 216 hours of power reserve. The jumping hour version, with the L.U.C 98.06-L caliber, delivers 190 hours. The dial is as pure as it gets, with a white grand feu enamel background painted with a black grand feu enamel railway-style minute track, broken only by the gold-rimmed hour window at 6 o’clock.

Case Size: 36 mm by 9.84 mm

Case Material: Ethical 18-karat white gold

Power reserve: 65 hours

Straps: Blue alligator leather

Price: $61,000

Drop Date: April 2021

IMPERIALE MOONPHASE

Aventurine glass is often chosen for the dials of moon phase watches because the sparkly surface evokes stars in the night sky. Chopard takes the effect up a notch by sprinkling the dial and bezel of the Imperiale Moonphase with three carats of diamonds. The inner dial is studded with the five main constellations of the northern hemisphere: the Big Dipper, Little Dipper, Cassiopeia, Cepheus and Draco. The model’s signature quilted motif, in the subdial at 6 o’clock, rotates to count the seconds. Chopard’s astronomical moon phase movement, caliber 96.25-C, is COSC certified and will not need adjustment for 122 years.

Case Size: 36 mm by 9.84 mm

Case Material: Ethical 18-karat white gold

Power reserve: 65 hours

Straps: Blue alligator leather

Price: $61,000

Drop Date: April 2021

L.U.C. QF Jubilee

Chopard L.U.C QF Jubilee

The Jubilee represents the 25^th anniversary of Chopard’s manufacture, not of Chopard the company, which was founded in 1860 by Louis-Ulysse Chopard, but a celebration of the rebirth of Chopard as a manufacture in 1996, and bears all the hallmarks of the elite L.U.C collection: it is not only COSC certified, but has met the rigorous standards of the Fleurier Quality Foundation, and contains an elite caliber, the L.U.C 96.09-L with two mainspring barrels for a 65-hour power reserve. This is the first stainless steel case for the L.U.C collection. The 25-piece limited edition comes with an ethically sourced calfskin strap.

Case Size: 39 mm

Case Material: Stainless steel

Power Reserve: 65 Hours

Straps: Brown calfskin

Price: $14,500

Drop Date: April 2

DANCING DIAMONDS

Chopard has not only been a watchmaker for more than 100 years, but has long been an important manufacturer of high jewelry, with roots in the jewelry-making district of Pforzheim, Germany. Sourced from the world’s top suppliers, the company is known for its red carpet pieces and colored gemstones. The latest, the Dancing Diamonds, is a set of three watches set with a halo of marquise-cut diamonds, blue sapphires or pink sapphires. Hovering over the lower dial are five of the brand’s signature happy diamonds, which move freely between two sapphire crystals. The dial is pavé-set with round diamonds, surrounded by a bezel of diamonds.

Case Size: 40mm wide x 10.3mm thick with Geneva Seal hallmark

Case Material: 18k white gold set with 9.92 carats of diamonds, or 13.53 carats of pink sapphires or 13.65 carats of blue sapphires

Movement: Quartz

Straps: Gray, blue or pink satin

Price: Upon request

Drop Date: April 2021

Ferdinand Berthoud

RÉGULATEUR SQUELETTE FB RS

This ultra-exclusive new watch, limited to just 20 pieces, is aimed at elite collectors and has a mission statement to follow. Just 20 pieces of the new Régulateur Squelette movement will be produced and the brand is offering clients a choice between a more streamlined round case or an edgier octagonal version. Same face, different bodies. In conjunction with the new release, the brand is vowing to communicate the total number of units created for each in-house caliber going forward (many brands will reuse the same caliber in a different casing without telling the clients, thereby reducing exclusivity).

“Our primary objective is to safeguard collectors’ interests,” said Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, President of Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud in a press statement. “By explicitly specifying a pre-determined number of movements, we engage in a fully transparent procedure. Collectors are as sensitive to the rarity of their timepiece as they are to that of the calibre powering it. By communicating about both, we are placing watch movements and customers firmly front and centre, thus preserving the integrity of their collection.”

Looking beyond the ethos, the skeleton movement is another brand first. The regulator chronometer movement, complete with a fusee-and-chain transmission, was inspired by the Marine Clock No. 8 created by the brand’s namesake in Paris in 1768. The hours are indicated at 2 o’clock and the minuted are read off the dial at 12 o’clock, while the seconds are displayed around the circumference of the dial. A large tourbillon, mirror-polished with chamfered surfaces and polished flanks and a sandblasted underside, is featured at 6 o’clock with the power reserve located at 10 o’clock. The decoration of each movement alone requires 12 different types of specialized craftsmanship that took nearly a year of trails.

But the brand took great pains to elevate everything right down to the case material. The steel is carburised, meaning it has a surface (up to 1200 vickers) resistant to scratches and corrosion, while the gold version is certified to be of ethical origin.

Case Material: Stainless steel for the FB 1Rs.6 or 18-karat rose gold for the FB 2Rs.2

Power Reserve: 53 hours

Straps: Black or brown hand-sewn alligator leather strap

Price: Upon request

Drop Date: April 2021

Louis Moinet

LOUIS MOINET 8 MARVELS OF THE WORLD

This ambitious collection of eight one-of-a-kind timepieces from independent watchmaker Louis Moinet pays homage to eight of the world’s most powerful monuments, including the Colosseum in Rome, the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Petra in Jordan, the Pyramid of Khufu in Egypt (pictured in order above) and the Taj Mahal in India, the Great Wall of China, the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro and Macchu Picchu in Peru (pictured in order below). Founder Jean-Marie Schaller, an inveterate traveler, has rendered the landmarks on the dial of each watch using gold and gemstones. Finely detailed and polished rose gold, for example, recreates the steps of the Colosseum, while a slab of turquoise represents the water in front of the central dome of the exquisitely-painted Taj Mahal. Sold as a set, the watches arrive in a Louis Moinet-branded travel trunk made of natural elm burr and adorned with a silver-coloured Fleur de Lys. The black leather interior features a print of an 18th century globe drawn by Johann Gabriel Doppelmayr. At a time when so few people are traveling, these exquisite timepieces are your ticket to dream.

Case Size: 47 mm for the Colosseum, Petra and Machu Picchu models, 45.4 mm for the rest

Case Material: 18k rose or white gold

Movement: Calibre LM 35 with 60-second tourbillon movement

Straps: Alligator

Price: $2.5 million

Drop Date: April 2021

Roger Dubuis

EXCALIBUR SINGLE FLYING TOURBILLON

In 2005, 10 years after its founding, Roger Dubuis introduced the Excalibur collection, setting the stage for more than 15 years’ worth of horological innovations centered on the whirling mechanism known as a tourbillon. This year, the brand returns to those roots with a new Excalibur Original timepiece, exalting just a single tourbillon, and available in three bold executions of 88 pieces each — one in non-tarnishing pink gold (DBEX0836), one in cool silver cobalt (DBEX0838) and one in grey DLC titanium (DBEX0889). The manual-winding movement has been upgraded so that it now boasts 72 hours of power reserve and improved durability. Talk about a new beginning!

Case Size: 42 mm by 12.7 mm

Case Material: Pink gold (EX0836), cobalt (EX0838) and grey DLC titanium (EX0889)

Movement: Mechanical manual-winding RD512SQ

Straps: Interchangeable black leather straps with Quick Release System

Price: $149,000 (EX0836), $143,000 (EX0838) and $138,000 (EX0889)

Drop Date: TBC

EXCALIBUR GLOW ME UP

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Glow Me Up  Courtesy of Roger Dubuis

By day, the new Excalibur Glow Me Up (DBEX0963) from Roger Dubuis is a fairly standard example of the brand’s boundary-breaking watchmaking: The skeletonized dial provides a view of the Geneva brand’s hyper-contemporary movement style (like all of the brand’s calibers, this one bears the prestigious Poinçon de Genève). At night, however, the disco lights come on — literally. The diamonds that ring the bezel sit atop luminescent material that lends them a fantastic multihued glow. But that’s not all — luminescent material also coats the chamfers of the calibre, lighting up the iconic star-shaped bridge. The world premiere timepiece, available in a limited edition of eight pieces, is equipped with the reengineered RD512SQ calibre, with a power reserve of 72 hours — just long enough to survive an epic weekend of partying (outdoors, naturally).

Case Size: 42 mm by 12.7 mm

Case Material: EON Gold (a non-tarnishing pink gold alloy)

Movement: Mechanical manual-winding RD512SQ

Straps: Interchangeable black leather strap with Quick Release System

Price: $215,000

Drop Date: TBC