In an Olympic event as fast as downhill skiing or speed skating, the margin between winners and losers can be measured by thousandths of a second.

Careers are “forever altered by that tiny difference”, said NBC News. There is a “baseline expectation” that “every result must be perfect”. And that is “determined by the most important team at the Olympics you don’t know about”: the Games’ timekeepers.

‘Tiny calibrations of a split second’

Swiss watchmaker Omega has been the official timekeeper of every Olympic event for nearly 100 years, initially chosen for the 1932 Los Angeles games as it was the only watch brand capable of providing accurate timing to the nearest tenth of a second.

The company dispatched one “intrepid watchmaker” from its Swiss headquarters with 30 high-precision stopwatches in his suitcase, said The Times. “Each night he would take the stopwatches back to his hotel room and recalibrate them, before handing them back to race officials the next morning.”

Omega now provides the timing for all 116 events, including (for the first time this year) ski mountaineering. The intervening years have, of course, seen “extraordinary technical developments”. Omega arrived in Paris for the 2024 Summer Games with “the most advanced tech it has ever delivered”: 350 tonnes of equipment, including 200km of cables, hundreds of scoreboards, and 550 professional timekeepers. The days of a ribbon breaking across a winning runner’s chest are “long gone”. World records are now regularly broken; margins of winning come down to “tiny calibrations of a split second”.

No margin for error

“We’ve come quite a long way since one watchmaker travelled” from Bienne, said Forbes. Planning for the current Milano-Cortina Games began three years ago, with more than 300 timekeepers and 130 tons of equipment dedicated to the Games, including high-speed cameras that can capture up to 40,000 digital images per second. This information can then be fed into AI models specifically programmed for each sport to produce graphic recreations of every movement. Judges have access to that data instantly – and this year, for the first time, so will viewers.

“For a person who is following action sports not on TV every weekend but once every four years, it’s very difficult to understand the differences in performances,” said Alain Zobrist, chief executive of Omega Timing. We are “trying to explain where these differences are and how these differences may impact the judging.”

But the final call is still human: an operator looks at a monitor with footage from the finish-line cameras, and “manually places a cursor where the athlete crosses the finish”, said NBC News.

“What you cannot learn is the pressure that comes with it when you operate it,” said Zobrist. “We take a lot of pride doing it, but it also humbles us a lot.” Billions of people are watching and waiting for the results to appear. An operator knows they’re “not allowed” to make mistakes; “as soon as you push that enter button, the result is released and public”.

Olympic time-keeping has grown so complex that preparations are well underway for the return of the games to Los Angeles in 2028. The only device still used that hasn’t changed since 1932? “A metal bell is still rung by hand to mark a race’s last lap.”

Piaget's Swinging Sixties comeback

The 1960s were a vibrant era for watch design, with bold dial shapes and the use of semi-precious stones like lapis lazuli, tiger's eye and turquoise. Watchmakers embraced avant-garde styles, incorporating unique materials into daring, dynamic timepieces that reflected the spirit of the decade. Piaget was one such pioneer, leading the charge with innovative designs that were elegantly disruptive.

Andy Warhol was a fan of the brand: one of his favourite Piaget pieces was a large yellow gold watch with a cushion-shaped case, featuring stepped or chiselled gadroons. The style has heavily influenced the marque's brand new silhouette, The Sixtie, which has a trapezoidal-shaped case embellished with the same decorative contour lines. Notably, the rounded case is wider at the top than at the bottom, offering a nostalgic nod to the past by celebrating the era's love of abstract forms.

The Sixtie collection offers a range of styles, from elegant yellow gold and steel to bi-metal and diamond-encrusted. Its distinctive shape perfectly captures the nostalgic glamour and sophisticated decadence of the past, with even more variations expected in the future.

piaget.com

Van Cleef & Arpels safeguard high glamour

The Cadenas model is one of Van Cleef & Arpels most historic silhouettes. Introduced in 1935, it was designed to harness the new-wave spirit of the times, fusing the philosophy of Duchampian ready-mades – in this case a humble padlock – with the geometric allure of Art Deco aesthetics.

Unapologetically distinctive, this timepiece balances audacity with restraint – its bold, volumetric look tempered by the quiet ingenuity of a slanted dial that tells time discreetly. No stranger to dressing up in precious gems, the Cadenas has secured its place in watchmaking history with a series of unforgettable iterations, including models embellished with leather and hardwood in the 1970s.

Celebrating the Cadenas' 90th birthday this year, AC&A has released two new dazzling designs that showcase the atelier's world-famous gem-setting expertise: a yellow gold version covered in snow-set diamonds punctuated by two rows of princess-cut sapphires, and a white gold model encrusted entirely with icy white diamonds.

vancleefarpels.com

Cartier's Jazz Age revival

A trip to London's V&A museum, which is hosting a blockbuster Cartier exhibition dedicated to the brand's bejewelled wonders, is a reminder of the marque's long history of crafting incredibly ornate jewellery watches. True to form, the house has this year released a number of gem-set horological marvels, including a yellow gold Baignoire Bangle covered in ‘polka dot’ diamonds, and a series of gem-set Tressage watches noted for their sculptural style inspired by braided material.

But Cartier is also associated with the Machine Age and the more restrained aesthetics of Art Deco style, at once industrial, adventurous and sleekly glamorous. These are themes harnessed by the house’s new Tank à Guichets from the exclusive Cartier Privé collection. Inspired by a vintage design first released in 1928, and worn by jazz legend Duke Ellington, this timepiece is a whimsical paradox: minimalist in its display of the time revealed through two tiny apertures, or guichets, yet unapologetically maximalist in form, with a bold metal sheath that nearly eclipses the dial beneath.

Equipped with a jumping hours complication, this unisex Tank will be offered as an open edition in platinum, yellow gold and rose gold. Additionally, a distinct platinum model featuring an alternate display will be released in a limited run of 200 pieces.

cartier.com

Chanel's true blue

Bleu de Chanel may be the name of the house's best-selling men's fragrance, but the colour navy is also dressing the maison's horological stars. The iconic J12 ceramic watch, first revealed in sleek black 25 years ago, has finally embraced a new shade: an intense, seductive midnight blue. It took Chanel's engineers five years to perfect the colour, as the true hue only emerges after the intense sintering process, in which ceramic and pigment particles are subjected to extreme temperatures, fusing them into a durable, scratch-resistant material.

Achieving the smooth, visually immersive matte finish was another challenge the research team overcame, ensuring the final result is nothing short of flawless. The J12 Bleu has already been turned into new haute joaillerie versions, including a Diamond Tourbillon and a skeletonised Bleu X-Ray iteration set with 196 baguette-cut blue sapphires. Like a piece of fashion couture, each watch is designed and assembled from start to finish under one roof, at Chanel's watchmaking workshops in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.

chanel.com

Patek Philippe's surprise disruptor

Patek Philippe's elegant Twenty~4 women's collection has long been synonymous with the chic sophistication of a gem-set dial. However, in a surprising departure, the watchmaker recently unveiled a new model crafted entirely from rose gold, without a single diamond, yet still delivering an impressive statement for the wrist.

This new release is the first in the collection to feature the perpetual calendar, one of Patek Philippe's most iconic Grand Complications. The brand introduced the world's first wristwatch with a perpetual calendar in 1925, and vintage Patek Philippe models featuring this complication are known to command astronomical prices at auction.

The perpetual calendar is pure watchmaking wizardry. It automatically recognises the differing lengths of months, 30 and 31 days, and even accounts for leap years. Remarkably, it only needs a correction once every 400 years. Super slim with either a satin-brushed silver-tone dial (apparently inspired by shantung silk) or a sunburst olive green dial, this new reference 7340/1R-010 is the perfect union of delicate design and mechanical mastery.

patek.com

In the digital era, when most of us tell the time almost exclusively by glancing at our smartphones, the historic craft of analogue watchmaking may seem like a relic of times gone by.

But far from dying out, the profession of horology is actually "enjoying a resurgence" of interest, said CNN, and the new wave of appreciation for the artistry of watchmaking is being partly "triggered" by Gen-Z aficionados.

Young saviours

For decades, the watchmaking industry had worried about an imminent "labour shortage" as older artisans retired, but even as "baby boomers" continue to hang up their straps, a new generation of enthusiasts have come to represent a "saving point" for the craft, said Johann Kunz-Fernandez, of the Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Educational Program. This year, a "lot of young people, very young people", attended Watches and Wonders, a major watch fair held annually in Geneva, he said – something that "absolutely was not the case before".

Connoisseurs have "heaped praise" on a "fresh generation" of "independent, artisanal watchmakers", all graduates of the Lycée Edgar Faure, a prestigious watchmaking school in eastern France, said the Financial Times last year. Later this year, the Finnish School of Watchmaking will offer an English-language watchmaking degree course for the first time in its 80-year history after would-be students registered interest from as far afield as Canada, the US, the UK, Turkey, South Korea and Iran, said CNN.

Heavily gendered

The watchmaking industry has historically been heavily gendered. Although women have "long been present" in the industry because their "smaller hands" were "seen as beneficial", female workers have been primarily "operators", with the more responsible position of "watchmaker" mostly held by men, said CNN.

However, the Finnish School of Watchmaking said women made up one-third of the applicants this year, amid a rise in interest from female watch-lovers. In 2023, Shona Taine became the first woman admitted to the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants, a prestigious association of independent watchmakers.

In Pakistan, when Isra Arif moved from being an editor to a watchmaker, it "wasn't merely a career pivot", said Pakistan's The News International, but a "quiet act of rebellion" in a sector that's "both niche and heavily gendered". Women's hands aren't "expected" let alone "celebrated", in a field that's been the "domain of men", but Arif is among a new generation hoping to change the sector, for which she sees a healthy future.

"Horology is the perfect amalgamation of precision engineering, creativity and history," she told the newspaper. "The artistry and craftsmanship are things technology can't replace."

This year's Watches and Wonders week-long fair in Geneva reached a record attendance with over 55,000 visitors and a 21% jump in ticket sales from last year, proving that the luxury watch industry remains a captivating world for consumers, driving trends and preferences.

While all luxury makers are facing a significant slowdown, a number of top watchmakers are finding innovative ways to stay relevant. Here are some of the trailblazers for 2025.

Zenith: blue-sky thinking with the Chronomaster Sport

The process of colouring ceramic is a complicated one involving the high-pressure fusion of bonding agents with pigments and powdered zirconium oxide to create a mouldable material. Like an ultra-technical baking process, there's a huge amount of trial and error involved for the ceramic to 'take' the right tone, often requiring expert technicians months and even years to get right.

To mark its 160th anniversary, Zenith has stayed true to its name and looked to the skies for inspiration for a trio of scratch-resistant ceramic releases, dressing its most emblematic chronographs – the Chronomaster Sport, the Defy Skyline Chronograph and Pilot Big Date Flyback, in vivid cobalt.

The biggest crowd-pleaser of the three at this year's Watches and Wonders event in Geneva was the baby of the bunch, the Zenith Chronomaster Sport, first released in 2021 and now more eye-catching than ever in this electric-blue tone that's attractively offset by the tricolour counters in cooler gradients of grey.

Featuring a well-proportioned 41mm case with a mix of brushed and polished surfaces, the watch is powered by the El Primero 3600 movement which operates at the high frequency of 5Hz, allowing the wearer to measure time to a tenth of a second. A limited edition of 160 units.

£20,500, zenith-watches.com

TAG Heuer new F1 models: fast and furious with added fun

TAG Heuer has renewed its role as Official Timekeeper of Formula 1 which also means plenty of new models that channel the excitement and energy of the track. Most dynamic of all are a series of quartz Solargraph watches that appropriate a classic 80s design – the same fun style that was used for last year's collaboration with lifestyle brand, Kith.

This time, the new slightly smaller 38mm watches have solar-powered movements and come in nine bold colourways inspired by F1 liveries – three available now, six as limited editions that will individually drop to coincide with Grand Prix races throughout the year.

Weighing in at a very comfortable 71g, the watches feature cases made of a new resilient bio-plastic called TH-Polylight and showcases the TAG Heuer logo on the dial and embossed on the rubber strap. Pre-orders for the red, blue and green versions can be made in September 2025.

£1,650, tagheuer.com

Rolex's new Land-Dweller: a future collectible

The new Land-Dweller has dominated horological news thanks to its highly textured and patterned design that combines a honeycomb-motif dial, a shimmering fluted bezel and a new flat-link Jubilee bracelet that catches the light from every angle.

The model – available in 36mm or 40mm versions – may need some time to settle in given the nature of its stylistic proposal, a cross between smart dressy and daringly decorative, before assertively claiming its place as an industry disruptor. Why so? For one, it isn't every day that Rolex releases a brand-new silhouette – the last time was in 2012 when the brand introduced the Sky-Dweller. Secondly, this is a design made to be seen with lots of impactful details – for example, the flutes are much wider than on classic models and the dial is adorned with conspicuous hexagonal cells.

From a technical perspective, the Land-Dweller is also making waves because of an entirely new movement, the Calibre 7135. This nifty piece of gadgetry uses a double-wheel, indirect-impulse escapement called Dynapulse, a patented mechanism that, according to the watchmaker, is 30% more energy efficient than a traditional Swiss lever since it allows components to roll against each other without any sliding friction.

It's a 'Marmite' model for now, and it remains to be seen where sales will take it, though it's worth remembering that many models now regarded as timeless classics were initially slow starters. The much-sought-after Cartier Crash is one such example: fewer than a dozen were sold in the early 70s despite its avant-garde credentials. And let's not forget that Rolex also did it with the iconic Daytona, which was poorly received in the mid-70s, and is now widely considered the 'holy grail' of racing watches by collectors. The Land-Dweller may just conquer the luxury landscape in its own time.

Land-Dweller 40mm in Oystersteel and white gold, £13,050, rolex.com

The Pelagos Ultra: Tudor's deep dive

If you were to descend 1,000m below sea level, you'd see all sorts of weird and wonderful creatures like anglerfish, sea spiders and pink sea cucumbers known as 'headless chicken monsters', which have to be Googled to be believed. Of course, you'd also have to be superhuman to withstand the organ-crushing pressure but Tudor's special dive watch would be in its element.

The brand's impressive new Pelagos Ultra is a titan among tool watches, setting new standards in robustness thanks to a near-indestructible satin polished case crafted from grade 2 and grade 5 titanium, equipped with a discreet flush-mounted helium escape valve at nine o'clock on the case band.

You may wonder how Tudor has managed to double the Ultra's water resistance from that of the original Pelagos model which is waterproof to 500m: it's thanks to a tiny increase in its case size from 42mm to 43mm, with an increase in thickness of just 0.2mm, putting Tudor at the forefront of stealthy technical engineering executed with style and elegance. Fitted with a titanium three-link bracelet, the watch has a special fold-over T-clasp which can be adjusted without tools for the perfect fit, whether it's worn over a wetsuit sleeve or under a cotton shirt cuff.

£5,070, tudorwatch.com

IWC's ingenious all-black Ingenieur  

IWC is celebrating the 70th anniversary of Gerald Genta's iconic Ingenieur design with five new models including a special 1,000-piece edition of the Ingenieur Automatic 40 featuring a striking olive green, grid-patterned dial, worn by Brad Pitt in new movie "F1", an Apple Original Films' production slated for release in June. Celebrity endorsements aside, the real star of the show is the inky-black ceramic 42mm edition which created a huge buzz at this year's Geneva watch fair and on social media.

It has a sleek, futuristic aesthetic that's visually deep and immersive, yet beautifully light reflective in all the right places thanks to a three-tiered surface treatment that combines satin-finishing, sandblasting and polishing. This technical feat that required the use of diamond-tipped tools given the robustness of the material, known for its scratch-proof qualities. The timepiece is extremely light on the wrist and boasts a striking gridded dial which creates a captivating dance of patterns as it catches the light.

£16,800, iwc.com

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The Mini Tank Louis Cartier  

This dinky Tank Louis Cartier was a huge hit at April's Watches and Wonders fair in Geneva – so much so that it triggered a wave of interest on Instagram, proving that quartz Tanks have retained their timeless allure through the decades. It's teeny-tiny, at just 24mm x 16.5mm (versus the small model which is 29.5mm x 22mm) but it has all the good looks of its larger counterparts: namely a signature rectangular face with softened lugs, which hug a chic black alligator strap. The only feature missing from its 'parent' model is the chemin-de-fer minutes track, which would have been illegible on this reduced size. 

Designed in 1917 by Louis Cartier, the eldest grandson of the Maison's founder, the iconic Tank is considered an icon of Art Deco design. It set a new trend in watchmaking that favoured clean lines and a machine-like aesthetic to reflect industrial progress, including advances in aviation and the automotive world. Its bold Roman numerals were considered daring at the time of release, since the more decorative Art Nouveau style was still very much in vogue in horological circles. It hasn't appeared in collections as a miniature since the early 1990s, so this is understandably an exciting release with effortlessly cross-generational appeal. Look out too for the new mini Tank Américaine, known for its slightly longer curved case, also cast in 18ct yellow gold. Cartier.com; £3,250

The tiny world of Chanel Novelties  

Chanel's watch novelties are always an exciting talking point. Every year the design team dreams up a visual language that subtly rekindles Coco's spirit by alluding to her great passions, be it astrology, her lucky numbers, favourite holiday destinations and even her lovers. 

This year the lion, her most beloved wild beast, dominates the collection in tiny, bejewelled form or cast in 18ct gold on statement 'hidden face' sautoirs, wristwatches and cuffs. The sewing skills of the maison's haute couture ateliers are also celebrated via some astonishing haute joaillerie timepieces including a sautoir in the shape of a miniature gem-encrusted mannequin and an extraordinary automaton which features a number of these dinky mannequins which dance around a tiny chandelier. These are the staggering one-of-a-kind showstoppers of the collection, but there are also some eye-catching limited editions that are destined to be future heirloom pieces. 

Of special note are four new pink editions of the J12 and Boy.friend timepieces, the most striking of which is the J12 X-Ray Pink Edition, a masterwork of translucence limited to 55 pieces with a 38mm pink sapphire crystal case contoured by a bezel set with 46 baguette-cut bonbon-like pink sapphires. Bold, daring and unapologetically extravagant, it's a symbol of Chanel's ability to constantly surprise. Chanel.com; POA

Hermès, The Cut  

The Cut is the name of Hermès's all-new 36mm model, possibly inspired by the idea of 'being cut from a different cloth', which, in terms of women's sporty timepieces, it certainly is. 

On first inspection, it appears typically classic with bold Roman numerals – but look closely and you'll see that this design tilts towards the unconventional, like all pieces made by the Parisian maison, which somehow always manages to strike a poised position between high luxury and beguiling whimsy. Available in all steel or two-toned in steel and rose gold (with or without diamonds), its main draw is its case, which playfully places a perfectly round bezel within a slightly squarer silhouette, apparently inspired by a child's hand-drawn circle. Adding intrigue to this subtly 'off-kilter' geometry is a crown at 1.30. Engraved with an elegant H, its unusual position endows the design with a touch of the avant-garde, as if the watch face has somehow magically shifted, paused like a spinning top toy. 

The steel version pushes this concept further forward thanks to a grey and orange accented minutes track which is traced by a seconds hand finessed with a tiny Hermès orange dot. Powered by the in-house calibre H1912, all Cut watches are pretty from both sides: a sapphire crystal caseback showcases a rotor entirely decorated with an H pattern. Its sober, graphic design can be livened up by switching to a rubber strap available in white, orange, gris perle, gris étain, glycine, vert criquet, bleu jean and capucine. Hermes; £5,930

Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse  

Every guest at Watches & Wonders 2024 wanted to get their hands on this exquisite unisex piece, one of the most tactile Patek Philippe models to date. The Golden Ellipse was first introduced in 1968, and its case is a work of mathematical precision, the proportions following the Ancient Greek concept of the 'golden ratio' which identifies harmonised shapes – both in nature and in art – as those expressed following a 1:1.61 scale. A similar model with a gold 'beads of rice' bracelet appeared between 1984 and 1999, but this super-slim version (reference number 5738/1R-001) which measures 34.5 x 39.5mm with a thickness of 5.9mm, is the first large size to be fitted with a metal bracelet. 

And it's not just any metal bracelet, but a work of intricate craftsmanship comprising 300 tiny 18ct rose-gold links individually mounted by hand, culminating in a distinctive pattern that looks and feels like it's been lovingly braided. An 18ct rose-gold case frames a black sunburst dial with elegant baton markers, while a subdued crown is set with a black onyx cabochon. It's also worth mentioning the fold-over clasp, itself a thing of beauty engraved with a matching chevron-like pattern along with the watchmaker's Calatrava Cross symbol. It has the advantage of three adjustment positions which is very unusual for a mesh jewellery bracelet, even one of this pedigree. Patek.com; £52,470

Chopard Happy Sport  

In the world of watchmaking, there really isn't a better name for a watch that epitomises the timeless allure of diamonds. Plus, they dance around the dial, which makes this classic model, first introduced in 1993, fabulously fun, because who doesn't love a bit of kinetic magic to wear on their wrist? 

The new all-black 30mm model (also available in a 36mm dial size) really sets off the sparkle of its free-spinning gems encased between two sapphire crystals. Some critics have argued that the oversized gold Roman numerals and gold accents on the crown and lugs clash with the colour of the polished steel case but, on the wrist, this contrast actually adds to the dynamic movement of this design and lends the face a unique luminescence as the stones daintily bounce around. Chopard.com £4,690

Audemars Piguet’s new code 11.59 Starwheel watch has papal provenance. The movement is a modern interpretation of a wandering hours complication first devised for Pope Alexander VII in the 17th century by Giuseppe, Pietro Tomasso and Matteo Campani – otherwise known as the Campani Brothers – who were the clockmaking maestros of the Renaissance.

For the record, Pope Alexander VII was not a power thirsty character, but he was a big spender, especially when it came to his passion for art and architecture. During his 12-year rule, the pontiff struck up a close friendship with the Italian sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini, becoming one of his greatest patrons. He commissioned the artist to design The Throne of Saint Peter in St Peter’s Basilica and to enclose St Peter’s Square with its majestic colonnade.

At the age of 80, Bernini also designed the tomb of Pope Alexander VII in St Peter’s, which shows him peacefully absorbed in prayer. In truth, the pope was often deeply preoccupied by Rome’s political upheavals, not least because he and King Louis XIV of France were often at odds with each other, with the latter often undermining his authority. This couldn’t have helped his chronic insomnia, which he claimed was exacerbated by the incessant ticking of a clock in his room.

With a taste for luxury, a love of craftsmanship and a longing for some decent shut-eye, he requested that the Campani Brothers create a new clock for him with a silent escapement and a display that could be read at night. They came up with the goods in the form of a mechanism that used two apertures (one for odd numbers, the other for even numbers) over a moving disc that took two hours to fully rotate. This quiet and continual movement allowed one numeral to appear every hour, with the passage of time marking itself across a top arc, which was also decorated with the quarter hours and lit by an oil lamp.

Today, the pope’s ornately decorated Campani clock, inscribed with the date 1683, is on display at the British Museum along with a slightly later model from 1700 by John Bushman decorated with a portrait of King William III in gold repoussé.

A sleek, astronomical look

So where does Audemars Piguet fit into this story? The answer is much earlier than you may think, since an ultra-precise wandering hours system was reintroduced by Audemars Piguet in 1991 after one of the marque’s expert technicians read about the 400-year-old mechanism in the Journal Suisse D’horlogerie.

As such, around 30 Starwheel models were produced by the manufacturer between 1991 and 2003 in several different collections, and each one has become highly collectible, with many fetching more than double their reserve price at auction. Indeed, a millennium steel model, made to commemorate the 125th anniversary of Audemars Piguet, sold for more than £36,000 at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Important Watches sale in 2021, trebling its asking price.

This year, the Starwheel is back, boasting a sleek, almost astronomical look as part of the watchmaker’s elegant Code 11.59 collection which made its debut in 2019. But why explore such a novel complication now, 20 years on from its last iteration? According to Sébastian Vivas, head of heritage and museum director at Audemars Piguet, the complexity of the display required a strong geometrical reframing. “The shape and structure of the 11.59 lends itself perfectly to this very complex system,” he said. “Architecturally speaking, the starwheel needs space, which it gets from this design’s multiple geometries, and particularly its uniquely shaped octagonal middle case. In fact, when we first launched the 11.59, many watch lovers and experts anticipated this release. We received many requests for it”

Presenting time as a kind of theatre

Certainly, it has gone down well in watch circles and is just the kind of release to boost Audemars Piguet’s allure, which in turn adds prestige to all existing collections. Is the Code 11.59 Starwheel “the future of AP” beyond the iconic Royal Oak timepiece, asked Mark Kauzlarich on Hodinkee. “Of course not, nor does it claim to be. But if AP is to find such a future, it’s not going to be in superheroes or soundboards. It’ll be in the type of watchmaking that the Starwheel represents.”

Die hard Royal Oak fans may be happily surprised by this complicated newcomer, said Zach Kazan on Worn & Wound. “If you appreciate the complex geometry of a Royal Oak, there’s an awful lot of that to be found in the Code as well.”

Vivas has his own reasons for loving the new Code 11.59 Starwheel which he describes as “retro-futuristic”. It has to do with the way that it presents time as a kind of theatre. “It’s so very well-balanced. For the first time, the dial has a central seconds hand which gives the timepiece a sense of dynamism as it sweeps across the dial,” he said. “A sense of movement and depth is accentuated by the contrasting colours of the black middle case, inner bezel and the little spheres against the shimmering blue of a blue aventurine backdrop. Of course, it is a very technical time-telling device, but to me the dial is like a vision of the cosmos set against a star-studded sky. C’est de la magie, as they say in French.”

Philippe Delhotal, the creative director of Hermès’s watchmaking division, has been good for the brand. Very good indeed. In 2015, he created a game charger for the luxury maison: the Slim d’Hermès, a sleek dress watch with, for the first time, mechanical components made entirely in-house. The watch was an instant hit and it gave the brand’s horological department a major boost, so much so that Hermès watches have once again become emblematic of the company’s talent for creating wearable icons that react to the zeitgeist yet harness a timeless craft that speaks of quality and impeccable style. If you think back, this is exactly what Martin Margiela did in the late 1990s with the “double tour” (twice looping) Cape Cod watch, which pretty much put Hermès timepieces on the fashion map.

Indeed, according to an article in The New York Times in 2017, Delhotal has an intuitive way of knowing where opportunity knocks, reporting that, “after less than two years, the Slim line accounts for 10% of Hermès’s entire watch business”. Since then, Delhotal has been thriving at the top, conceiving the design of some spectacular timepieces, including the Arceau Le temps voyageur, the first worldtime iteration of this model, released in April 2022 and noted for its charming local time subdial that glides around a map of the world like a satellite, illustrating a second time zone as it slowly shifts in a circle.

This was a highly complicated release, but Hermès matched it with a chic sporty sellout in the form of Delhotal’s H08 watch, characterised by its robust, industrial looking cushion case and “woven” rubber strap, designed to “embody a harmonious blend of strict discipline and innovation”, according to Calibre magazine.

A balance of softness – see its rounded edges and shadowy tonal contrasts – and machine-like strength given its sturdy blockish structure, the H08 encapsulates a certain audacity and daring that is indelibly linked to the French maison, best demonstrated by its low-profile ultra-luxe “sur-mesure” workshop which makes extraordinary made-to-measure wonders – everything from leather-clad jukeboxes and boxing gloves to custom interiors for classic cars. You could say that Delhotal has captured this branch of luxury that demonstrates a passion and curiosity for objects, allowing serious product design to harness a playful edge.

Material innovation

At the 2023 Watches & Wonders exhibition in Geneva, Hermès made a statement about success with the release of a new H08 mono-pusher chronograph which has a slightly larger 41x41mm case, crafted from carbon fibre composite coated with graphene powder. Moody and seductive, its blackened gold dial decorated with classic orange accents, is complimented by a sunburst satin-brushed ceramic bezel with mirror-polished chamfers. Visually, there’s a “neatener” that completes this streamlined horological composition, in the form of a single button on the black PVD-coated crown that serves to activate the chronograph’s start, stop and reset functions by successive presses. Like a true Hermès classic-in-the-making, the chronograph comes dressed to impress with an orange rubber strap featuring a structure reminiscent of Hermès weaves.

Continuing this fresh and sporty directive are four new “colour pop” versions of the self-winding 39x39mm models with straps available in bright blue, green, orange or yellow. One major difference is that the concrete grey dial now has a brand new contour: a black ceramic bezel and a case hewn from a lightweight composite made of braided and aluminised glass fibre and slate powder, which lends this model a more layered and reflective look.

Watch lovers have noted this further gear shift towards material innovation. As A Blog To Watch said, Hermès has “adopted not only an attractive type of composite material but, for now, one that is also unique to its products”.

The statement intimates that there could soon be more to come in the way of composite cases, and while watch aficionados are wondering when 3D printed profiles might properly catch on, it’s unlikely that Delhotal will take this route given his love of the hand-drafted and handcrafted. “We are known for craftsmanship and creativity,” he told Robb Report in 2016. He’s certainly upheld this belief, and with gusto.

In 1931, Jaeger-LeCoultre launched its famous Reverso watch with a swivelling case – a sleek and streamlined emblem of Art Deco style, originally conceived for polo-playing British Army officers in India who wished to protect the glass of their timepieces from stray mallet swings and polo balls. The watch’s classic and refined style made it popular beyond the playing field, and the timepiece swiftly became an object of desire, embodying contemporary culture and the geometric principles of the new machine age. For more than 90 years, the Reverso has retained its status as an icon of elegance, one which has enriched the history of 20th century horology by conveying a joyous synergy between aesthetics and functionality.

More than just a square-faced horological icon, the Reverso is an immaculately proportioned design breakthrough that adheres to the strict principles of the “golden ratio”. It is no coincidence that it was released the same year as Romanian novelist, publisher and mathematician Matila Ghyka’s masterwork entitled The Golden Number, which sought to explain the wonders of sacred geometry in nature and all the hidden harmonies that go with it..

Hidden harmonies have been the driving force of the Reverso ever since, so much so that the manufacturer has endowed this watch design near magical powers. For example, the Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 Quadriptyque, released in 2021, took six years to conceive and boasts 11 mind-blowing complications and four functioning display faces, which can predict astronomical events such as supermoons and eclipses.

Seamless workmanship

This year, the Swiss watchmaker has released another marvel, the Reverso Tribute Tourbillon Duoface which ingeniously introduces a flying tourbillon to a dual-functioning flippable face, one with a sunburst silver dial, the other with a black dial that also displays a second time zone and a day-night indicator. The tourbillon, which is visible from both sides, had to be radically resigned to fit neatly into the micro machine, a calibre which is only 3.9mm thick.

Instead of the upper and lower bridges that would support it, experts conceived a compact new ball bearing system along with a new patented S-shaped hairspring, allowing the spring and balance wheel to be fixed at the centre of the tourbillon, reducing weight and volume – in fact this whizzing wonder weighs less than a single gram. Seamless workmanship is everywhere, even in the fractional spaces that are imperceptible to the naked eye. For example, the guilloché “clous de Paris” pattern that you see on the gold bridges is made up of 232 hand-engraved lines, each one repeated six times to fully achieve this light-reflecting textural effect. Indeed, there are 254 components in this watch, so assembling each part is an act of almost preternatural precision.

Speaking about the tourbillon at the Watches & Wonders fair in Geneva in March, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s CEO Catherine Rénier said: “This is one of the most highly sophisticated timepieces of the Reverso collection, a fusion of technical prowess and aesthetic mastery.” A statement that surely explains why this model is part of an ultra limited run of just 50 pieces.

Feat of engineering

Jaeger-LeCoultre has also released the Reverso Tribute Chronograph, which is powered by the new in-house 860 calibre. Here, the restrictions faced by the workshop were to do with fitting this round stop-start complication into a square case. The solution was to add the retrograde counter at the bottom of the dial with extra long levers to span the full height of the calibre helped along by slimline clutch to ensure the smooth and precise function of the stopwatch mechanism. To show off this feat of engineering, the back case is completely open-worked, and of course, the wearer can decide which side to show off by simply sliding the face.

Jewellery lovers will be delighted to hear that the Reverso has also had a category boost as a “secret” necklace, directly inspired by gem-set models of the 1930s. The 55cm-long necklace is set with more than 3,000 diamonds and features a suspended dial that acts as a pendant. Swivel it around and time is revealed on a beautiful black enamel, diamond-set dial that oozes Art Deco elegance.

Quiet luxury fashion is on the rise, helped by the unbranded “stealth wealth” styles favoured by the Roys in HBO’s hit TV show Succession and the louche-yet-elegant looks donned by Gwyneth Paltrow during her now infamous ski trip trial. There is, however, always a rule breaker where you least expect one, and this spring, it’s the ultimate “stealth” brand, Rolex, that’s bending the rules and bringing a sense of playfulness to the rarefied milieu of haute luxury.

Historically, Rolex hasn’t been seen as a rebellious brand, preferring to tweak existing models with one or two carefully considered updates at a time. However, all this changed in 2020, when the watchmaker released a series of Oyster Perpetuals with colourful lacquered dials. An instant hit, these “candy coloured” steel iterations are so elusive, they are now on resale sites for more than double their original price, with the bright orange version being the most sought-after with valuations ranging from £13,000 to £16,000.

At this year’s Watches & Wonders exhibition in Geneva, the Swiss marque upped the ante with two new designs that set social media alight: a “Bubbles” version of the Oyster Perpetual in 31, 36 and 41mm, and a “Puzzle” version of the Day-Date 36, both as exuberant as they were unexpected.

The next ‘ultra-collectible’ OP model?

Before the description, it’s important to consider the history, because truth be told, Rolex invariably uses the past to action new unconventional designs, of which there have been many, including the Daytona Cosmograph, which wasn’t well received upon its release in 1963. Indeed, it took a certain Paul Newman to transform this horological motor racing tool into the icon it is today.

Simple steel versions may be like hen’s teeth, but Rolex isn’t all about monochromatic classics. In fact, the company has a long history of brightly coloured dials, some even appearing on chronographs – a 1990s Daytona with a blood red dial sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in 2019 for more than £400,000. It is, however, the Day-Date that has consistently chased rainbows: the brand first popularised coloured enamel dials, known as Stella dials, on this model in the late 1970s and early 1980s when fashion was embracing daring silhouettes and bold colours. Since then, colour at “The Crown” has been a constant feature, although never before has it been so celebrated.

The Bubbles Oyster Perpetual is a fun and joyful model that has a serious side: its spotted pattern reunites the five hues – candy pink, turquoise blue, yellow, coral red, and green – introduced to the range in 2020, compounding the importance of this sell-out series and turning this particular edition into a sneaky tribute piece.

“Who would have thought that Rolex was this fun?”, said Jason Pitsch on Professional Watches. The Bubbles could become the “next ultra-collectible OP model”.

More obviously playful and whimsical is the Oyster Perpetual “Puzzle” edition of the Day-Date 36 in yellow gold with a dial decorated with tiny jigsaw puzzle pieces in similar multicoloured hues. Instead of displaying the 12 o’clock, this Day-Date has the unusual cachet of revealing one of seven inspirational words – Happy, Eternity, Gratitude, Peace, Faith, Love and Hope – while the window at three o’clock reveals daily one of 31 exclusive emojis in place of the date.

If this launch seems unusually idiosyncratic for Rolex, consider perhaps the brand’s verve for “reactionary” designs and marketing. For example, in 1967, the Sea Dweller became the first dive watch to be fitted with a helium gas escape valve and commercial models of this ultra-accurate and robust timepiece followed in the early 1970s. These weren’t so much intended for use as to immerse the wearer in a world full of adventure including the great advances in ocean exploration that were happening at the time. Comparing undersea achievements to an emoji language isn’t the point, what matters is Rolex’s unabashed ability to seize the zeitgeist and boldly claim its share of it.

The ‘Emoji Rolex’

Today, there are more than 3,000 emojis available to use and we all do use them. A number of universities and institutes have also used emojis to study changes in contemporary language, which adds weight to the argument that this new Rolex watch has already established itself as a emblem of modern communication. Because as simplistic as it may sound, emojis connect communities globally, even more so than time.

The Day-Date is “associated with buttoned-up elegance and prestige” that it earned the moniker of the “Rolex President”, said Bilal Khan on WatchTime. So taking this watch and repurposing it as the “Emoji Rolex”, sends a “loud and clear message” from the brand: “don’t take them so seriously and don’t try to box in their creative vision.”

Plus, the fact that the watch is explicitly designed to create an emotional response from a (more or less) tradition dial is pretty clever. Why? Because unless you are wearing a smartwatch or fitness device, using your wristwatch to ground you in the present, make you smile, and perhaps even save your life as tool watches once did, is less of a concern these days for makers and wearers – if anything, most of us use a phone to tell the time.

So, love it or hate it, the Day-Date “Puzzle” is unquestionably a strong design piece that perfectly encapsulates emoji culture as a uniting global phenomenon. Yes, it’s a luxury item, but it wants to be understood by everyone, much like the first commercially available Sea Dwellers. That, in itself, deserves a tiny heart at three o’clock for ingeniously using popular taste to create something niche, fun and exclusive.

In 2022, Patek Philippe introduced the Calatrava Reference 5226G to its collection – a vintage style with a white gold case and a charcoal grey dial finessed with a slightly grainy texture recalling the coarse-grained leather of antique camera cases. Sleek, simple and sophisticated, this watch touched on the enduring romance and nostalgia of this classic dress model first launched in 1932.

This year, the luxury Swiss watchmaker known for its savoir-faire, in both craft and micromechanical expertise, has gone down a much sportier route for the Reference 6007 Calatrava model, proving that when it wants to, the manufacture likes to show its “more exuberant” side, said Mike Razak on A Blog to Watch.

Three new white gold versions – with yellow, blue or red accents and a matching seconds hand – delicately hint at motor racing thanks to their modern graphic style, pops of colour and embossed guilloché centres patterned with a “carbon” design that looks a little like a chequered flag, and which is repeated on the calfskin strap. The strap is possibly the biggest departure for this classic style since each iteration has stand-out stitching to match the red, blue or yellow colour accents of the dial as well as a block colour leather back in one of these primary shades.

Measuring 40mm in diameter and 9mm thick, the 6007G is equipped with the relatively new self-winding caliber 26-330 S C, which can be seen through the sapphire case back and which boasts a 45-hour power reserve. While seasoned Patek pilgrims and watch purists may have flinched a little when it was initially revealed, it definitely shows a brave shift in thinking on behalf of the Swiss watchmakers. Because if you are “looking after your Patek for the next generation”, as its long-held strapline goes, it stands to reason that younger consumers will gravitate towards a sporty model that retains an heirloom feel, one that embraces a dynamic set of design features in a way that still feels authentic and faithful to the past. In terms of longevity, relevance and versatility, it’s a smart move.

It does feel “very Patek” that, for its “colourful Calatravas”, it would choose the three primary colours, said Anthony Traina on Hodinkee. “No reason to spin the colour wheel around too far.” While perhaps more expensive than an old Calatrava – starting at a reported $37,850 (£30,456) – the new 6007G “strikes a workable balance between traditional and modern, sport and dress, restrained and colourful”.

This is after all what happens at heritage houses like Louis Vuitton, Prada and Hermès when they revamp, rekindle or reconfigure a classic handbag or luggage collection. Tomorrow’s Patek Philippe customers are all too familiar with this kind of artistic curation that embraces the experimental and the unexpected.

Like the Anglepoise light, the Bic biro, the Dieter Rams-designed Braun radio, and the “Valentine” Olivetti typewriter, Mondaine’s classic clock face, conceived by Hans Hilfiker in 1944, is an icon of design, as is the brand’s matching classic watch. An emblem of the Bauhaus’ reductive spirit, the Mondaine dial is recognised by its bold black hour batons and red “lollipop” seconds hand.

A familiar feature at Swiss train stations – the Mondaine clock has been used across the Swiss Federal Railways network for the past 70 years – it is also a symbol of punctuality and pragmatism.

Collections have nonetheless evolved and developed in a quietly elegant fashion. For example, there’s the Mondaine Giant edition equipped with an oversized dial and the Simply Elegant range noted for its slimline case. This said, the core design has remained a constant throughout the decades. The brand has mastered the art of stealthy changes, embracing contemporary trends as a subtle undercurrent. A case in point is the Classic collection of watches which now come dressed in a sustainable vegan grape leather strap, made of 75% eco-composite vegetable and 25% recycled PET materials.

Modaine’s move reflects the wider fashion industry’s steady directive towards alternative, plant-sourced materials. For example, last year Nike released a pair of Air Max trainers with panels made of pineapple leather, while Italian tech-textile firm, Orange Fiber, recently won the second edition of the Vogue YOOX Challenge with its range of sustainable fabrics derived from citrus fruit by-products.

The watchmaker is, however, well practised in the field of sustainability. It may come as a surprise to learn that the entire Mondaine group – which includes Luminox, M-WATCH, Pierre Cardin, and is family-owned by second generation brothers André and Ronnie Bernheim – is one of the few global watch brands to be 100% CO2-neutral. In addition to this, watches and clocks are produced using 80% solar energy in Mondaine’s state-of-the-art factory which opened in 2009 in Biberist, Switzerland.

The hand-assembled Classic model – available in a variety of case sizes, in either brushed or polished stainless steel with straps in brown or black grape leather – has been a runaway success. Some styles have already sold out proving that even icons of design can benefit from an ecological rethink.

Available from John Lewis, priced from £189 to £209.

How does a traditional watchmaker broaden its influence in the wider cultural landscape? The answer for Vacheron Constantin – maker of some of the most complicated and exquisite timepieces to have left any workshop table – is through music. It stands to reason: musical assemblies, otherwise known as chiming watches or minute repeaters which are considered one of the most difficult feats of engineering in the world of horology, are a house speciality at VC. And just like a self-authored “greatest hits” album, the legendary Swiss marque likes to outdo itself with ever-amazing inventions.

You only have to think back to the brand’s 2020 release called “Les Cabinotiers split-seconds chronograph – Tempo”, a double-sided chiming watch with a chronograph function and a perpetual calendar plus a host of functions dedicated to astronomy. Comprised of 1,163-parts, it is a work of art that beggars belief – if it were human-sized, it would warrant its own Marvel movie. It really is that astounding.

A love of music chez VC has led to a mentorship programme that sits completely outside the brackets of its expertise, although only in literal terms. Conceptually speaking, the idea behind this support system – which aims to offer young musicians a helping hand with industry advice and studio time among many other things – syncs perfectly with the MO of the manufacturer, dedicated to preserving rare watchmaking skills and ensuring they are passed through the generations.

The non-profit platform, known as the “One of Not Many Mentorship Program” is an ongoing collaboration established in 2018 between Vacheron Constantin and Abbey Road Studios in London. Helming the initiative for 2022 is French musician, director and all-round polymath, Yoann Lemoine, AKA Woodkid, whose work weaves in and out of multiple genres including illustration, video direction, graphic design, songwriting and production. This has created a springboard of opportunities that have led him to work with the likes of singers Katy Perry, Lana Del Ray and Pharrell Williams, as well as Japanese game designer Hideo Kojima, fashion designer Nicolas Ghesquière and Parisian street artist JR.

If anything, Woodkid should be cast to play the aforementioned Marvel character, a kind of transmorphic watch/man hero, given his many artistic predilections and creative ticking parts. As “meta” as this sounds, there’s no denying that VC – one of the oldest watchmakers still in existence established in 1775 – is venturing into more fluid and abstract territory with this project, which can only be a good thing. In fact, the company has already shown how music can be used with flair and ingenuity in its timepieces: it was at Abbey Road Studios that Vacheron Constantin organised the recording of the acoustic imprint of its Les Cabinotiers chiming watches, presented in 2020.

While he waits for his Hollywood call, Woodkid has grasped his more relatable crusader role with both hands, singling out Ewan J Phillips, a young singer-songwriter from the London area, as his bright star, making him the first musical wunderkind to join the VC mentorship fold. Phillips’s new song Say You Never Loved Me is now available on vinyl and streaming services.

‘I was fascinated by the level of precision and perfectionism’

Here, The Week speaks to Woodkid about this unique mentorship project that combines song with the rarefied craft of watchmaking.

How did you get involved in this project? What was you initial reaction?

It’s always very pleasant to collaborate with brands that are about craft and expertise. So I said yes instantly. There is something about the ideology of VC that reminds me of ideals and goals that I have in life as a creator. I was also very touched by the idea of transmission and collaboration of this project.

What have you learnt about watches thanks to this collaboration?

I didn’t know much about watches before to be honest. I was fascinated by the level of precision and perfectionism it requires, especially at VC. I have always been fascinated by the question of time, almost in a metaphysical way, so learning more about how watchmaking is about capturing time in such a small space is something that really inspires me.

You have worked with pop icons like Harry Styles to progressive composers like Philip Glass. What has been your most exciting project to date?

Maybe composing a track for the Paris 2024 Olympics at the Tokyo ceremony. I have to say this was a great honour but also a great challenge, but I always love to explore new fields of expression.

Does anything frighten you?

Yes, being forgotten and the passing of time in general. Failing also, or conveying the wrong message. But I get better at dealing with it!

You are undoubtedly a polymath, what would you like to work on that you haven’t yet?

I’m always very interested in anything creative. I recently collaborated on the creation of a perfume, which was extremely exciting and new for me. I would love to develop my skills towards video games now.

Can you tell me more about Ewan? What made him stand out?

He has a timeless pop sensibility, it has do to with the way he sings, the way he writes. I always like when someone’s music can travel eras. And he has a great voice, which is always an amazing tool to work with.

Can you tell me what you think mentoring means?

I’m not sure excatly, but I know certain things from my personal experience as an artist. As someone who has worked with many other artists, those are the things that I love to share. I think I know about identity and emotion, which are two things that are essential to be a great artist.

What advice would you give anyone who wants to support a young talent if it’s not financially?

We all know things, to be sure about what you know, and what you are an expert at, you need to be aware of what you don’t know, and have the humility to accept that you are not mastering every field. It’s not about knowing everything or having an answer to everything. It’s a lot about identifying your expertise and qualities. We are all expert at something.

Did you have a mentor? If so, who?

I’ve had a few yes, My first manager was very referential for me, I also have friends that I admire and that I borrow a lot from. The knowledge of the people you love for their intelligence and their point of view is very valuable.

Aside from musical fame, what do Jay-Z, Justin Bieber, John Mayer and Stormzy have in common? The answer is a shared love of the Royal Oak timepiece which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. With more than 500 iterations to date, this sporty favourite, which is noted for its octagonal case punctuated by eight hexagonal screws and named after a trio of British warships, was introduced by Swiss watch manufacturer Audemars Piguet with a view to changing the course of horological history.

It did so with verve and imagination – in fact, such is the ongoing interest in this model, that it now has a dedicated section on the brand’s website called AP Chronicles, an expansive online encyclopaedia more than 100 chapters long that required the input of ten people, including historians, archivists, watchmakers and specialist collectors.

To say that people are passionate about this watch is an understatement. It is without a doubt one of the most enduringly sought-after objects in the history of luxury design. And yet, it started out as a bit of a wild card. Designed in 1970 by late watchmaker Gérald Genta (who later conceived Patek Philippe’s equally iconic Nautilus model among other chart toppers), the original 5402 model was conceived as a disrupter, one that would shake up a flagging market. The quartz crisis had almost brought the whole industry to its knees, and the only mechanical or automatic watches deemed worthy of a higher price tag were cast in gold. It was an incredibly bold and audacious move by Audemars Piguet to champion a prestige watch hewn from steel at a time when steel tool watches were increasingly powered by battery.

The gamble paid off, albeit gradually and over the course of a decade. In fact, it was not until the early 1980s that the model – industrial-looking yet elegant, sporty yet smart – was truly considered as the driving force behind a paradigm shift in the field of watch design. Dubbed the “Jumbo” on account of its 39mm case, which was considered oversized for the time, the Royal Oak 5402 was noted for its two-part monocoque case, integrated bracelet, ultra-thin mechanism and criss-cross “tapisserie” dial. Since its inception, there have been all manner of dial colours and sizes for both men and women, with versions released in gold, platinum, brush gold, steel and gold or set with diamonds.

To celebrate the golden jubilee, the watchmaker has released an array of anniversary models including four versions directly inspired by the original Jumbo 39mm style. These models come in stainless steel, platinum, as well as 18-carat pink and yellow gold, and each one is fitted with a dedicated Royal Oak “50 years” oscillating weight matched to the hue of the case. Most noteworthy is what is hidden from view: for the first time in five decades, the Royal Oak Jumbo is powered by a new ultra-thin calibre known as ref. 16202, which ramps up the power reserve from 40 hours to 55 hours. In all, there will be 72 anniversary releases throughout the year, comprising open worked models, chronographs, diamond set pieces and skeletonised flying tourbillon masterworks.

‘Royal Oak opened the door to countless interpretations’

To dig deeper into the roots of this cult classic, The Week spoke to Sebastian Vivas, heritage and museum director at Audemars Piguet, who explains the mythology of this very special design.

Is it true that Gérald Genta sketched the Royal Oak in a single evening?

When we started to study the Royal Oak origins, we gathered all the available sources including first-hand archives, orders, registers, publications, testimonies and interviews. Gérald Genta’s personal testimony provided the backbone of the article dedicated to the 5402 model genesis, published in AP Chronicles. All sources of information have been carefully studied to establish the facts. Your readers will discover in this small online encyclopaedia that reality is always more surprising, complex and nuanced than expected. To answer your question, all sources converge to confirm that the watch was designed overnight – simply because that was Genta’s usual way. We have good reason to believe Genta, when he tells us that a diving scaphander inspired the visible screws on the bezel. But contrary to popular belief, the octagonal shape of the design was not inspired by the portholes of the Royal Oak warships, because the watch shape predates the watch name by more than a year and a half.

Why is it called Royal Oak?

From the first drawing in April 1970 to mid-1971, the watch was often named “Safari” internally, and sometimes “Excalibur”. Genta advocated for a name inspired by the world of diving. On 3 September 1971, a meeting was organised to find a perfect name, evoking sport, wide open spaces or virility. Among the suggestions, we find “Grand Prix”, “Surfrider”, “Kilimandjaro” or “Oxford” – nothing particularly convincing. All witnesses of the time agree that it was the Italian agent Carlo de Marchi who came up with the name “Royal Oak”. It was brilliant. Royal Oak opened the door to countless interpretations, including naval battles, conquest at sea, noble armour and saving trees. It recalls the story of Charles II, King of England, who owed his life to an oak tree that had sheltered him from Cromwell’s troops and which subsequently became a symbol of strength and beauty. [This act of elevation] is a little like how watchmakers ennobled the steel by crafting it very finely.

Why was a women’s model so pivotal in the success of the Royal Oak?

Even at Audemars Piguet, many people did not remember that the first Royal Oak, model 5402 launched in 1972, was not modified for the first four years of its existence. It was 39mm, cast in steel with a dark blue dial and an ultra-thin calibre 2121. Today, who would launch a revolutionary watch, supported by a dedicated campaign and events calendar without evolving or changing it for so long? Georges Golay, the former CEO of Audemars Piguet had understood that the “enfant terrible” of high watchmaking needed time and space to exist and to be accepted. Designed by Jacqueline Dimier and launched in 1976, Model 8638 (29mm) for women was the very first variation of the Royal Oak. It created a second wave of surprise by becoming the brand’s most masculine watch to be dedicated to women. Its success opened up all sorts possibilities. It demonstrated that the Royal Oak could evolve and become a creative playground. The following year, a gold version was introduced, as well as a medium sized model with a 35mm case.

Why was a luxury steel watch such a bold move in 1972?

In the late 1960s, although society was changing fast, the world of watchmaking was still very much attached to tradition. Casual luxury did not really exist in the watch industry. Sport and trendy watches were produced in large quantities, made in steel, signed by Omega, Rolex, Tag Heuer and many others. Luxury watches were in gold, signed by Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet. The Royal Oak bridged these two worlds. Its oversized case was inspired by sport. Its ultra-thin prestigious movement and its refined dial belonged to the world of tradition. Both worlds met in the high-end finishes of the extremely complex steel case and tapered bracelet. This level of sophistication had never been achieved on a steel case before. Because steel is much harder than gold, it required the development of a new know-how. It was so difficult to produce that the steel Royal Oak was more expensive than many gold watches. The market soon realised that value was in the craftsmanship. The watch was warmly welcomed because it was the first that could be worn on a sailboat, as well as in the boardroom. Simultaneously cool and formal.

Which model did Gérald Genta wear himself?

Gérald Genta wore the first jumbo model, 5402 series A175. In an interview recorded in 2011, he explained that he had replaced the bezel of his steel watch with a yellow gold bezel: “Georges Golay [then managing director of Audemars Piguet] didn’t know about this gold bezel, but I made one for Les Ambassadeurs [a famous Geneva retailer].” Evelyne Genta, the designer’s widow, has decided to sell this watch at Sotheby’s Geneva in May 2022, in order to finance the Genta Foundation, and offer the possibility to young designers to realise their projects.

Sourcing pieces for the AP museum and researching for the AP Chronicles must have drawn you towards some interesting characters...

This brings me back to the first question. Listening to the long interview Gérald Genta recorded in 2011, a few months before his death, went beyond the search for information. It really allowed us to connect with this incredible personality. His deep voice, his slow tone, his energetic Genevan accent, his dark humour. made us feel very close to him. When we met with Evelyne Genta, who was not only his wife but who had run the Genta company for many years, this personal dimension became even deeper. She shared some great stories with us. Genta was an artist with a strong personality, a genius. He often designed watches for specific clients, with their character in mind. When the client asked to modify the design slightly, he would apparently just walk away from the discussion, saying that they could design the watch themselves, whether they were simple entrepreneurs, sultans or kings!

Tell us something most people may not know about the Royal Oak

We have just discovered that most of the [vintage] Royal Oak models were produced in very small quantities. This is a real surprise. Of the 86 models we have individually and intricately studied, only 18 were produced in quantities of more than 200 examples and only eight have a production of more than 1,000 watches. Fifty-two models were produced in quantities of less than 50 – 37 of which account for ten watches each. And the rest – that’s 19 – are unique pieces! Although the Royal Oak 5402 was the first watch produced in larger quantities by Audemars Piguet, the numbers have always remained relatively limited, in particular to preserve our crafts.

You may not have noticed, but one of the most disruptive brands in fashion at the moment is not a ready-to-wear label but a watchmaker. For nearly a decade, Timex has been stealthily creating new models that plug into the zeitgeist by smartly striking a balance between fun collaborative projects and elegant, uncluttered designs. Over the past three years especially, there have been some ingenious partnerships under the leadership of the company’s Italian design director Giorgio Galli, including the 2019 union with cult sportswear brand Supreme which produced a limited series of digital watches that sold out in seconds. Other big hits include a collaboration with British menswear designer Nigel Cabourn and the recently released Timex x Hypebeast M79 model – a sell-out sports watch with an eye-catching fuchsia and navy bezel, limited to just 500 pieces.

Timex knows how to create a buzz, but the business is also keen to rekindle the brand’s 20th century charm, reissuing cool, retro designs from the 1970s and 1980s, a time that most watchmakers would rather forget because of the quartz crisis. It also plays up to its pop culture credentials: on sale at the moment is the quirky Timex T80 x Space Invaders model which actually plays the game’s unforgettable electronic sounds.

What’s important to note, however, is the idea of equilibrium that Galli has established within the company, offsetting the brand’s adventurous and playful side with a more serious pledge towards pure, unadulterated form, namely in the shape of his eponymous Giorgio Galli S1 Automatic. First released in 2019, this sleek, super minimalist 41mm model was an instant hit with consumers and was hailed by industry folk as a masterstroke of clean, conservative design thanks to its uncluttered dial and cage-like case which has a sweeping, almost architectural look.

It’s no wonder it has become a hero product: as a designer, Galli is a self-confessed purist who considers every line and contour in relation to comfort and wearability. His materials-driven aesthetic puts the onus on simplicity, affordability, elegance and tactility, but this watch had to go against the grain, as he explains: “With the S1, I wanted to create something completely different, that wasn’t influenced by market trends. I felt that historically, Timex had a powerful legacy but having worked here for many years, I wanted to condense some of these ideas, to strip them back and show them through a new lens. [The S1] is my version of a ‘Grand Timex’, a niche proposal that is fairly priced but more elevated, more of a prestige product.”

Brand new to the fold is the 38mm-wide iteration of the Giorgio Galli S1 Automatic, powered by a Japanese Miyota calibre 9039 which has a power reserve of 42 hours. The watch is available in a trio of sunburst dials – Inverness Green, Atlantic Blue, and Iceland Stone Grey – tones that are inspired by Galli’s love of photography. “The reason the watch bears my name is that I wanted to take full responsibility for this model,” he said. “It’s also my way of creating my own statement in the company, to place myself within its history. The watch carries a lot of elements that I’ve applied to other designs over the years. For example, the cutouts on the case [the deep side slits that sweep into the lugs] is a construction that I conceived many years ago for a Nautica [Timex Group] watch, refined for this model. They lend a strong futuristic feel to the timepiece.”

Galli did not expect the watch to be the runaway success that it is. “It’s not that I didn’t think it should be a success. I did! It’s just that in the watchworld, it’s almost impossible to predict how a product will be received. It can take years, so when it doesn’t, it’s even more of a surprise.”

The S1 part of the name stands for “Series 1”, which suggests Galli has more models in the pipeline. So is an affordable S1 chronograph a consideration? “Affordability is important and chronographs are expensive watches for our audience,” he said. “You have to know your customer. I may explore the idea of a GMT, but let’s see how the series evolves.

“Making a good looking watch and maintaining a fair price point is actually very complicated. For example, we use metal injection modelling for the case which is less costly than creating separate parts but it also ensures accuracy for a strong industrial look. The Japanese movement is very good quality but the fact that it is not Swiss is an additional save. It gives exactly the same results. The straps are made of high quality rubber, which was really important to me. There are certain elements in the S1 which you would expect in a much more expensive watch. How you execute your vision is what matters.”

The art of investing in watches

With interest rates showing no signs of improving, investors’ options are limited to only a few avenues which will prove beneficial in the long term, said Joseph McKenzie, founder of pre-owned luxury site Xupes. Property, collectable cars, wine and art are all good options, but one of the most inviting and potentially lucrative is watches. “With some Rolex models being worth almost double on the pre-owned market seconds after they have left the store, it’s no wonder savvy shoppers are turning to luxury timepieces.”

Are watches a good investment?

Investing in watches “is a bit of a controversial topic”, said David Klint on EuropeanWatch.com. The term “investment watch” can “conjure images of flippers who are in it to make a quick buck and have no passion for watches”. However, there is a “bigger picture” when it comes to investment models: luxury watches are very valuable and that value can increase drastically over time. “But that doesn’t mean a watch enthusiast can’t be both passionate about the art of watchmaking and invest in the watch emotionally and appreciate the investment potential of a timepiece financially.”

Can watches really be a good investment? “It’s not a simple yes or no answer,” said Jorg Weppelink on Chrono24. Similar to the vintage car and furniture markets, the watch industry has seen “an increase in the number of investors trying to make money buying and selling watches, mostly at high-profile auctions”.

Not every watch sold at auction will appreciate in value going forward – only a few will double or triple in value in the near future, Weppelink added. “Many speculative prices are based on the hype surrounding certain models” and there is “no rational explanation for the prices paid at these auctions”. But as the saying goes, “a fool and his money are soon parted”.

Do watches retain or increase their value?

Which brands tend to increase in value over time? It’s a question that many watch collectors – especially new ones – always want answered, said Fratello Watches founder Robert-Jan Broer on WatchTime.com. The short answer is simple, “Rolex and Patek Philippe”, Broer said. The longer version is “a bit more complicated, as there are a number of aspects that play an important role”.

The Rolex Daytona is a “prime example” of a watch that has shown considerable price growth over the last few years on the pre-owned market, “with no sign of stopping”, McKenzie said.

Where can you buy vintage watches?

Depending on the model, it can be “significantly cheaper to buy a vintage timepiece at auction, rather than a new model”, said watch consultant Adrian Hailwood, who has held senior positions at Fellows, Woolley & Wallis and Dreweatts. “It’s in vintage sales that auction records tend to get set. The real driver for the collector is to get something with historical significance, rather than a new mass-produced version. By definition, all vintage watches are limited editions, even if the number produced runs into the hundreds of thousands.”

WatchFinder.co.uk and Chrono24.co.uk are “excellent sites”, said Jessica Diamond, watch editor at The Sunday Times Style. Also, keep your eye on the auction houses – “smaller ones are where the bargains lie”.

What is the most expensive watch ever sold at auction?

In the world of record-breaking watch auctions, Patek Philippe is the “one name that matters more than any other”, said Jeremy Freed in GQ. It may not have the same “household name status” as its younger Swiss siblings Rolex and Omega, said Emma Al-Mousawi on Elite Traveler, but its watches have “steam-rollered past all others in the auction room”.

At the Only Watch auction held in conjunction with Christie’s in November 2019, a Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime 6300A-010 sold for a record $31.19m. The one-of-one version is the “most complicated Patek Philippe wristwatch ever made” and the watch world “justifiably lost their shit” when it went under the hammer, Freed added.

Other major auction sales include a 1943 Patek Philippe Stainless Steel 1518 which sold for $11.14m in 2016 and Paul Newman’s “Exotic” Rolex Daytona which sold in 2017 for $17.75m.

Currently, the most expensive watch in the world is the Graff Diamonds “Hallucination”. “Truly breathtaking and brilliantly fantastical”, it has a “eye-wateringly” high price tag of $55m, said Luxe Digital.

Watch out – there could be risks

As with any potential investment there are always a number of factors to consider before you commit, said Xupes founder McKenzie. The pre-owned market has grown rapidly and with this growth comes risks. Fraudulent or stolen goods, poorly serviced watches, and so-called “Frankenwatches” (which feature cobbled together parts from a number of watches) are all factors that are worth considering. And of course it is very important that you are careful who and where you buy from.

Superlative watchmaking is still the preserve of the Swiss with names like Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Audemars Piguet and Jaeger-LeCoultre continuing to cast an air of horological magic over the Vallée de Joux, the spiritual home of high-end watches and meticulous handcrafts.

But great watchmaking has found a place to prosper here in Britain thanks to a number of new daring companies that are pushing the envelope in terms of design and mechanics, bringing new flair to the affordable watch market.

Here we explore five home-grown brands that are fusing traditional heritage with a sense of modernity and a pinch of British irreverence.

1. AVI-8

“Our desire to produce timepieces is directly inspired by iconic airmen, aircraft and events throughout British military aviation history,” said one of the founding members of AVI-8. The collective has chosen to remain anonymous, but AVI-8’s network of specialists includes seasoned watchmakers, aviation enthusiasts and historians.

Each pilot watch is a tribute to a particular story in aeronautical history, be it a hero of the skies such as Sir Douglas Bader, an iconic fighter plane such as the Spitfire or an Armed Forces community such as the Royal British Legion, with whom AVI-8 partnered to celebrate its 100th year in 2021.

Both the Flyboy Royal British Legion Founder’s Chronograph and Flyboy Royal British Legion Chairman’s Meca-Quartz were limited to 1,000 pieces with a percentage of each sale donated to the charity in support of veterans and their families.

All AVI-8 models are powered by robust movements with an even split between self-winding mechanical automatics and Japanese “Meca-Quartz”, a hybrid that uses quartz for the main functions of the watch and a mechanical movement for the chronograph module. All timepieces are noted for their bold displays with large numerals, conspicuous hands and prominent crowns in-keeping with the traditional pilot watch design. Retrograde chronographs are best-sellers thanks to their more-than-accessible price point.

avi-8.com

2. William Wood Watches

William Wood Watches founder Jonny Garrett set up his brand in 2016 in memory of his late firefighter grandfather after whom the company is named. His timepieces are unconventional but all the more ingenious for it: he uses upcycled fire hose material destined for landfill to make his watch straps. Each strap represents a different fire brigade – red for the London Fire Brigade, khaki green for the British Armed Forces Fire & Defence Unit for example – with a percentage of each watch sale going directly to firefighter charities around the country. There’s more to the brand than clever recycling since Garrett has applied great attention to the form and function of his products which adhere to the classism of vintage tool watches.

Prestige models belonging to the Triumph and Valiant ranges are particularly interesting. The former is a classic sports watch with a twist: it is powered by a Sellita SW510 chronograph movement (made in Swiss Jura) and equipped with a dial that subtly riffs off the dashboard gauges of a fire engine cockpit. Turn it around and you’ll see the rotor swing in a custom-made caseback inspired by a fire-alarm (£2,495). With his sporty and handsome Valliant model, Garrett proposes the smart idea of movement choice: your watch can run on a high spec Swiss-Made SW200 Automatic Movement by the Sellita Group (£1,150) or the workhorse NH35 Automatic Movement by Japan’s Seiko Group (£695). A nice touch to note: the crown of every watch shows the helmet emblem of the brand which is set in brass melted down from an original 1920s British firefighter’s helmet.

williamwoodwatches.com

3. Fears Watches

Nicholas Bowman-Scargill is the re-founder of Fears watches, Britain’s oldest watch company established in 1846 in Bristol. He’s also a bit of a leadership hero: when Covid-19 struck and sales plummeted, he took a job in a local supermarket to keep his business afloat, working nights stacking shelves and managing his office by day. Things began to pick up in the spring of 2020 prompting him to plough all his efforts into Fears seven days a week. It paid off, because his (albeit small) production of luxury timepieces are regularly sold out online.

Fears’ “Archival 1930” Deco-style model (£3,500 for the classic and £3,950 for the small seconds version) has a rectangular face, vintage-look champagne dial edged with railway-track minute scale and is presented on a burgundy leather strap handcrafted in Belgium. It also has the charming cachet of being powered by a previously unused/meticulously reconditioned vintage ETA movement. As one of the brand’s best sellers, its elegantly curved profile and slim-line proportions recall an age of sophistication and discerning style.

No less handsome but more classically curvaceous is the Brunswick model noted for its graceful cushion-shaped case and beautifully hand-rendered dial available in a number of surface finishes from blue lacquered with graduated shading to brilliant silver toned thanks to a Rhodium coating.

fearswatches.com

4. Marloe Watch Company

Established in 2015 by friends Gordon Fraser and Oliver Goffe, the Marloe Watch Company is based in Kinross, Scotland, and founded on the “slow-living” principle, which champions unfussy, sleek design that evinces a sense of timeless modernity. Presently, there are seven watch collections and each one is rooted in a British-led narrative that feels well explored and refreshingly authentic.

For example, The Haskell model, designed for the “modern traveller” takes its name from the Haskell Strait, the ocean passage which Captain Robert Falcon Scott crossed as he set off from Ross Island in Antarctica. The cool retro looking Pacific model is inspired by the buzz surrounding the dawn of the jet age and in particular the de Havilland Comet, the world’s first commercial jet plane to cross the Pacific and circumnavigate the globe.

This is a company that equates design with storytelling, so every detail has been carefully thought through with a “less is more” approach. Designed in the UK, all watches are powered by Swiss-made mechanical movements.

marloewatchcompany.com

5. Farer

British brand Farer is famous for its solid Swiss calibres and colourful dials. The watches are conceived at the company’s London studio and are named after British adventurers and vessels – a nice touch that lends the models a sense of heritage and prestige. This historic inclination is also a sign of focused production since all collections must adhere to a strong USP that is anchored in traditional values, namely one that champions “the well made”.

Quartz and automatic models are assembled by reputable Swiss-based firm Roventa Henex. This is a revelation that Farer is refreshingly open about: the production of white label movements is often a guarded secret in the world of watchmaking. Recently, the label introduced the black dialled Erebus to its three hand collection, a minimalist model best described as an exercise in restraint. Like all Farer watches, there’s an idiosyncratic touch in the form of a bright red arrow at the tip of the seconds hand.

farer.com

A bonus podcast series brought to you by MoneyWeek and The Platinum Card from American Express. In the last episode, Olly Mann talks to John Stepek, executive editor of MoneyWeek, and Silas Walton, founder of luxury marketplace A Collected Man, about investing in watches .

You can subscribe to The Week Unwrapped on the Global Player, Spotify, Apple podcasts, SoundCloud or wherever you get you get your podcasts

Spend for the future

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Important information

If you’d prefer a Card without any rewards, other features or a Cardmembership fee, an alternative is available – the Basic Card. Go to americanexpress.com/uk/basic-card for more information. Applicants must be 18 or over. Approval is subject to status, and Terms and Conditions apply.

Membership Rewards points are not earned on balance transfers, cash advances, American Express travellers cheque purchases, foreign exchange, fees and interest charges for returned payments, finance charges, late payment and referral charges, fees/charges including joining, annual and Membership Rewards fees. Membership Rewards Terms and Conditions apply to all Membership Rewards points redemptions. Visit americanexpress.com/uk/mr-terms.

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American Express Services Europe Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

This article does not constitute personal advice and is not a personal recommendation on the specific products mentioned. If you’re not sure whether an investment of this type is right for you, please seek advice from suitable financial advisers who will be able to advise based on your personal circumstances. If you choose to invest, the value of your investment could be at risk and fall, so you could get back less than the amount you put in originally.

Investing in watches is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

November is going to be a busy month for watch collectors. Auction house Phillips, in association with Bacs & Russo, a watch consultancy, is holding two high-profile sales in Switzerland. The first, “The Geneva Watch Auction: XIV”, on 5 and 7 November, promises to be a showstopper. Top billing goes to an “astonishingly well preserved” Patek Philippe wristwatch reference 2499 from 1952 (pictured). This first series example in yellow gold bears the stamp of its Venezuelan retailer, Serpico y Laino, on the bracelet and comes with a CHF4m (£3.2m) high pre-sale estimate.

Given its “unparalleled” rarity, according to Phillips, it may come as a surprise to watch aficionados, who previously had no idea this particular watch existed, that there is also a second previously unknown 2499 for sale. Both are perpetual calendar chronographs (meaning a watch that displays calendar information while also having the ability to record time); the second 2499 is a second series with a “superb dial”. It is expected to sell for at least CHF800,000 (£630,000). Rare pairs of watches appears to be a theme. Phillips is also offering a fascinating and highly desirable Rolex “Deep Sea Special” (see below); as is Christie’s in Geneva on 8 November.

The Michelangelo of watches

Four Grande & Petite Sonnerie watches by Swiss watchmaker Philippe Dufour, which chime the hour and quarter hour depending on whether they are set to “grande” or “petite sonnerie” mode, are among the other highlights of the Phillips auction. “To us and a huge community around the world, Philippe Dufour is the horological equivalent of Michelangelo,” say senior consultant Aurel Bacs and Phillips watch specialist Alexandre Ghotbi. “The importance of his work cannot be overstated.” Dufour began making his Grande Sonnerie pocket watches in the early 1980s, before miniaturising the movement to be able to fit on a wristwatch, of which five with white enamel dials were made. The yellow gold version of the wristwatch is the most valuable of the quartet up for sale, valued by the auction house at up to CHF2m (£1.6m).

A sale of incredibly rare pieces

Collectors will also be keeping their eyes on a complete set of five “incredibly rare” and “historically relevant” F.P. Journe “Souscription” N°1 watches. New to the market, these watches were sold to existing clients and friends of watchmaker François-Paul Journe under subscription, in order to finance the creation of his own brand in 1999. “[He] is certainly one of the most talented watchmakers of his generation… [whose] creations have gained incredible traction,” say Bacs and Ghotbi.

Collectors would appear to agree. Sotheby’s in Hong Kong held its “Important Watches” sale last week, at which a F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain “Souscription” wristwatch sold for almost HK$16m (£1.5m). A yellow gold Patek Philippe 2499 first series of the kind mentioned above, that had been restored in the early 1990s, also made its market debut at the Sotheby’s auction. It fetched HK$9.9m (£930,000).

The Holy Grail for Rolex collectors

The Deep Sea Special, two of which are appearing at auctions with Phillips and Christie’s in Geneva next month (see above), is “something of a Holy Grail among Rolex collectors”, says James Stacey for Hodinkee. It is famous for being able to survive a trip to the bottom of the ocean. In 1953, Rolex set out to design a watch that could reach depths in excess of 35,000 feet below the waves without being crushed.

That’s easier said than done, says Stacey. “Humans can’t simply dive that deep, or really anywhere close.” It’s the height of a commercial airliner at cruising altitude, but inverted. After many years of test dives, on 23 January 1960 Rolex finally strapped the Deep Sea Special to the side of the Bathyscaphe Trieste, a submarine crewed by US Navy Lieutenant Don Walsh and Swiss oceanographer Jacques Piccard, and waited as their watch descended to the bottom of the Mariana Trench in the Pacific, the deepest place on Earth.

The Deep Sea Special reached a depth of 35,787 feet – and survived. That particular watch is now on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC. But Rolex made 35 commemorative versions in 1965, says Bryan Hood in the Robb Report. The integrated bracelet combines stainless steel and gold, while housed beneath a gigantic domed crystal is a black dial with gold markers.

On the back of the case, the date of the dive and its water-resistance rating is etched. Examples of the commemorative Deep Sea Specials have only appeared at public sale five times – on the last occasion one sold for HK$3.4m with Christie’s in Hong Kong (£262,000 at 2009 rates). This time both examples should sell for more. Phillips has placed a CHF2.4m (£1.9m) high estimate on theirs.

This article was originally published in MoneyWeek

All Reservoir watches are designed with racing, marine or aircraft counters with a retrograde minute and jumping hour hand. The new Reservoir Hydrosphere Bronze timepiece is all about diving with a bonus feature like no other: the watch, a limited edition of 50 pieces, includes a deep sea experience with multi-award-winning underwater photographer Greg Lecoeur in the Port-Cros national park, Hyères, France set to take place this coming September.

Lecoeur, a promoter of ocean biodiversity working to preserve coral health, protect wildlife and combat climate change, is known for his ethereal and incisive shots that plunge us deep into underwater worlds and explore the fragility and beauty of these mysterious hinterlands.

Originally from Nice on the Cote d’Azur, Lecoeur was an entrepreneur before he changed career paths in his late twenties. An intrepid traveller, the then amateur lensman travelled the world with a backpack and honed his skills as a photographer over several years, earning a living as a diving instructor. Before long, his portfolio of images of marine life - everything from giant turtles in the Galapagos to blue marlin piercing through the Pacific near Baja, Mexico - earned him plaudits and important work in the field of marine reportage.

In 2016, his work was awarded the Grand Prize for Nature Photographer of the Year by National Geographic with a photo taken in South Africa during the Sardine Run. In 2020 he won The Underwater Photographer of the Year prize for his impactful image of crabeater seals swimming around an iceberg in Antarctica.

The Reservoir Hydrosphere timepiece (£4,600) is well worth the attention - a suitably robust release that will appeal to underwater explorers not least because its dial takes its cues from scuba diving pressure gauges. On a more technical note, the satin finished bronze case has a ceramic unidirectional rotating bezel with two scales for reading dive-decompression levels before and after the return of the retrograde hand. Like Rolex’s Sea-Dweller and Omega’s Seamaster Diver 300, the watch has a helium valve which releases the helium bubbles that become trapped in the casing, a crucial addition given that this model is water-tight to 250 metres. The hand is coated in a luminous lacquer that stores light during the day to then reflect it in dark conditions, while the hour window is covered with a magnifying glass to optimise visibility.

Here, Lecoeur speaks about some of his most famous images, which may just persuade you to invest in this unique purchase which comes in its own special presentation box complete with the dive invitation, second rubber strap and exploration notebook illustrated by his photographic work.

Magical setting

“This exploration of the polar waters of the Antarctic Peninsula was one of the most beautiful moments I have ever had. Here, in this distant uninhabited territory, diving is a real challenge. The hostile climate above the surface, and the freezing temperature of the water are not ideal conditions for a diver. But yet, under the ice, life abounds. Initially I set off to document the sea leopard, one of the encounters that struck me the most was the unexpected one with a group of crabbier seals. Despite their name, cerebrate seals do not eat crabs, but only krill. Here, one of them was moving happily along the icebergs, A very strong moment in this absolutely magical setting.”

One of my favourite photographic subjects

“Sharks are animals absolutely essential to the health of the oceans. At the top of the food chain, they thus regulate the lower links. They are unfortunately victims of their reputation. Yet they are elegant animals, moving with grace. Their swim - both leisurely and powerful - is hypnotic. At the height of evolution, they have seasoned extremely developed senses to become super predators. Here, the oceanic white tip shark, well known as the longimanus, is accompanied by a pilot fish: it is an ideal shelter for them, warding off their predators. It is a pelagic shark living offshore, and able to detect prey from several kilometres away. Very inquisitive, he does not hesitate to approach divers. He is one of my favourite photographic subjects to this day.”

A moving encounter

“Originally from Nice, I spent a lot of time, from an early age, exploring the Mediterranean waters, especially offshore. They reserve a rich and poorly understood biodiversity. One of the most moving encounters I have had there is one with pilot whales. These smart animals are also extremely social and develop extraordinarily strong bonds. To be far from the coast, under the surface of the water, in front of this united group which came to investigate me delicately, was a truly timeless moment.”

An abundance of life

“Making these kinds of images represents a particularly exciting challenge. Indeed, it takes a lot of time in the open sea and a lot of patience to spot schools of sardines, surrounded by predators. Bird activity thus indicates the direction and signs of predation. Having the chance to attend a ‘Sardine Run’ is therefore a fabulous moment: all the marine predators hunt in unison and team up for a great feast. The most spectacular are the seabirds, in particular the Cape Gannets. They pierce the surface of the water at an incredible speed, to find themselves in the middle of an abundance of life.”

Pendant watches are an invention of the 16th century. A predecessor of the pocket watch, they were worn on heavy chains around the necks of European royals as a sign of prestige and power. Today, pocket watches are phenomenally anachronistic but high jewellery watch pendants have retained their allure, adding a sense of intrigue to the artistry of gem-setting and goldsmithing with their minute mechanical gadgetry. Plus, there’s something rather magical about wearing time close to your heart on an exquisite necklace or brooch.

Here are some favourite examples: Catherine The Great, a devoted patron of the arts who supported the gem and jewellery craftsmen of St. Petersburg (albeit for selfish reasons), commissioned a pendant watch festooned with pave diamonds, finessed with a ruby cipher for Catherine II. Hollywood princess, Vivien Leigh, cherished her antique “teardrop” watch pendant which she wore as a brooch. The diamond timepiece, crowned with a large diamond bow, was a gift from her husband Laurence Olivier and was sold at auction in 2017 along with an original screenplay for Gone With The Wind. Another Hollywood heroine, the Parisian-born Claudette Colbert, who once played Cleopatra just like Leigh, loved to attach her watch pendant to her favourite multi-strand pearl necklace. Lacquered in blue enamel and intricately painted with little golden stars, the lipstick-shaped pendant had sliding “windows” to conceal the time and a gold top tassel for an extra chic finish.

High jewellery watch pendants may not be especially pragmatic but it is precisely because they are so whimsical that they are such a delight to behold. Reaching the apex of this niche craft is Van Cleef & Arpels, a jewellery house that specialises in elegance with a modern touch that embraces the playful and the unexpected. Its icons of design are well known: sparkling creations fashioned in the form of animals, fairies and ballerinas; sumptuous transformable jewels that continue to set a precedent when it comes to versatility of wear, and the famous Alhambra collection with its pretty trèfle (four-leaf clover) design outlined by beaded gold.

Indeed, the Alhambra is one of the most recognisable emblems in the world of fine jewels and an enduring symbol of uncluttered, feminine style. Since its inception in 1968, the good luck motif has been shaped in a variety of precious metals with pendant flowers cast in an abundance of textures and colours: with diamonds, blue agate, grey mother-of-pearl, Tiger’s Eye, onyx, chalcedony, guilloché yellow gold... the variety of precious stones and complex surface techniques are too numerous to mention as are the fresh and youthful silhouettes themselves, ranging from simple bracelets and earrings to statement “between the finger” rings and long sautoir necklaces. The latter, a long necklace endowed with 20 trèfle motifs, was popularised by a number of glamorous muses in the 1970s, among them Jane Birkin, Françoise Hardy (pictured below in 1973), Romy Schneider and Grace Kelly, who had such an extensive collection of Alhambra jewellery that she often took to wearing three sautoirs at once.

Inspired by this long stylish model, Van Cleef & Arpels has released an all time first: a collection of Alhambra secret watch pendants presented on an extended chain. Much thought has gone into the watch’s irresistible “peekaboo” design: time is revealed by simply pivoting the precious cover of each pendant, as if you are opening a miniature jewellery box. It’s an action that captures the very essence of playful luxury, one of the main tenets of this historical Maison, which first came into being in 1906 when it first set up home in Paris’ famous Place Vendôme.

Four designs have been unveiled: guilloché rose gold or carnelian, each contoured with pave diamonds and cloaking dials cast in white mother-of-pearl; a yellow gold and diamonds model with a guilloché yellow gold dial and a limited edition turquoise edition, with case sides set with pave diamonds and a white mother-of-pearl dial.

In all, some 15 stages of selection, workmanship and checking succeed one another, resulting in a unique piece that will stand the test of time.

vancleefarpels.com

Swatch has never lost its knack for making cool watches. And it’s a particular strand of cool too: artful, playful and affordable, its designs also have an innovative edge that appeals to a wide scope of consumers including serious watch lovers. Swatch quartz movements also make a lovely sound that is instantly recognisable. Another secret to the Swiss marque’s success is - quite fittingly - good timing. The company mastered the art of collectable “drops” decades ago with its limited edition art watches, long before the sneaker industry caught on to this method of marketing. It knows how to create a buzz and crucially how to foster positive change in the shifting cultural landscape in a way that creates intrigue.

The Swatch Art Peace Hotel in Shanghai, which offers young artists studio residency, is one example; another is the brand’s most recent release - a range of bioceramic watches. They come in the form of the oversized 47mm Big Bold silhouette with a see-through case which showcases the timepiece’s sculptural mechanism to full effect. Released earlier this spring, the model is two parts ceramic, one part bio-sourced plastic. The design has been cast in monochrome shades, pastel hues of pink and blue, as well as four new dual colour combinations, seen above.

But what’s it really all about? In physical terms, the new Big Bold is ultra scratch-resistant and lightweight with a soft silky texture that feels like velvet against the skin - a novel concept in itself. It is, however, the science that really shines.

Bernardo Tribolet, Swatch vice president of marketing, gives the lowdown on this latest innovation...

What is bio-sourced plastic and how is it sourced?

“Bio-sourced materials are made from renewable biological resources. Our bio-sourced materials come from the castor plant, and are produced from castor oil. The castor plant is a naturally drought-resistant plant, meaning naturally resistant to most pests, and has little value in the food chain to humans and animals. There is no food competition since the land where it grows cannot be used for crops for human or animal consumption. We successfully introduced the bio-sourced plastic in September 2020, and it marked the first time a watchmaker has succeeded in replacing all conventional materials with bio-sourced materials.

“Our bioceramic material is sourced from a mix of two-thirds minerals (ceramic powder ZrO2), one-third bio-sourced material as well as colouration pigments. This hybrid material unites the best properties of both worlds: the hardness of ceramic makes bioceramic more resilient than pure plastic and the flexibility of plastic makes bioceramic less breakable than pure ceramic.

“At Swatch, our mindset has always been driven by innovation with purpose. The search for new materials, new production methods and new forms of expression has always been a constant thread. Within the 38-year old path of Swatch Innovation, the bio-sourced chapter is our latest step in this journey.”

Could you explain the design? It is much larger than many of your collection timepieces...

“We are celebrating the launch of this new material with our Big Bold statement piece. Its size allows us to perfectly showcase the material’s properties, its pureness and sharpness which give a special depth to the product in the literal sense. Thanks to the Big Bold’s 47mm dial, the architectural details and the beauty of the movement are perfectly displayed.

“The choice of colours was carefully curated, starting with unicolour models for the launch of bioceramic – after all, the material is our protagonist. Making the design icons black and white was an obvious choice, and we’ve also selected the colour of the year - grey - along with an optimistic blue. My favourite remains the pink model, a powerful proof that this colour is a fashion statement.”

When brothers Nick and Giles English set up Bremont in 2002 they had one aim in mind, to help rebuild the British watch industry. The aim may have been straightforward but the task itself was enormous. Indeed, since Rolex relocated its operations from London to Geneva after the First World War, the UK, despite an extraordinary heritage, had become an also-ran in the world of watchmaking. In other words, with no British manufacturing industry to talk of, the English brothers were looking at starting from scratch.

But 19 years on, with the opening in March of Bremont’s The Wing, its new manufacturing facility, the realisation of this dream has taken a massive step forward. Built on the edge of the brothers’ hometown of Henley-on-Thames, this 35,000 sq ft state-of-the-art building is a new manufacturing centre with a machine shop and watch assembly that promises to create genuine British-made timepieces.

The result is a triumph and plays to Bremont’s strengths. Even in the earliest when the brand had no choice but to buy-in components and outsource assembly to Switzerland it always felt that this was a journey with a clear destination in mind.

The roots of Bremont have always been in aviation. Both brothers are pilots and the name itself comes from the French farmer – Antoine Bremont – in whose field the brothers had to make an emergency landing in their vintage biplane in the 1990s. To celebrate this, local Henley architects Spratley and Partners have created a low, curved building inspired by an aircraft’s wing. Inside it is equipped with high-tech filtration systems to create a dust-free environment. Huge windows mean the facility is flooded with light and for its environmental credentials it has a living roof.

“We started building one-and-a-half years ago,” says Giles English, “and the result could almost be described as Bremont Mark Two. From the beginning, we have been trying to invest in bringing watchmaking back to the UK and this will enable us to do full movement assembly and make more movement components as well. This is the foundation for our next 20 years and that’s what gives us the kick.”

It is more than just a factory, however. It is a home. “We wanted to build a place where Bremont owners can come and see a watch being built,” explains English. “This is rare, even in Switzerland. We have included a full entertaining space with a bar in there so you can just hang out, alongside a boutique and a museum. You can look at a watch on a wrist and think, ‘Why does this cost £5,000?’ My answer is to say come and see the people and the skills involved and you will get it. Perhaps, with the gift of hindsight, we didn’t pick the best time to build this but then again, coming out from the problems of the past year, people now want to come and see us.” It should be mentioned that profits from future tours will go to children’s charity, the Jon Egging Trust.

Not surprisingly, the single biggest headache was funding as the brothers refused to compromise. “We wanted to make it look really good so we hired an amazing architect and worked with Soho House designers for the interior. Budgets very quickly went through the living roof!” And it didn’t stop there. For the exterior landscaping Bremont hired Andy Sturgeon, one to the UK’s most celebrated modern garden designers.

Watch-making will always be at the heart of the project, however, and this year Bremont has also announced a new collaboration with F1’s Williams Racing plus a new ambassador, former Royal marine and mental health advocate Jason Fox as well as a number of brand-new models. So, there’s already plenty to learn even before you book your post-lockdown visit to Henley.

All images by Alan Schaller

“I am a geek,” says Takashi Murakami. On a video call from his hometown Tokyo, the Japanese contemporary artist is contemplating the impacts of recent global events on his personal life, and on his work. “I stay in my studio all day, all the time,” he says. When worldwide travel bans and local lockdowns forced several of his planned gallery exhibitions to be postponed, Murakami rejoiced in the time this schedule-reordering had suddenly freed up. “This is a very nice change,” he says of the pause to his peripatetic lifestyle. “I stepped back.”

And so, instead of boarding long-haul flights, installing shows or finishing new artworks – Murakami creates across painting, sculpture, prints and film – to itinerary, the artist instead caught up on television. Netflix, Amazon Prime and the Disney Channel, he tells me, are among recent favourites. Gaming, the evolution of virtual reality and everyone spending more time in front of screens at home are all developments that have led Murakami to wonder whether to adapt recent artworks to reflect a new reality. “I want to communicate with people.”

One way Murakami has stayed connected is on Instagram. It was via social media that he discovered the work of emerging artists, and that he shared his own news. It's Murakami’s Instagram posts which reveal that while his schedule cleared up, he continued to create prolifically, and with fervour.

Previously nicknamed “Japan's answer to Andy Warhol”, Murakami and his team – the staff-count at his Kaikai Kiki Co. artist management agency is at 200 – unveiled streetwear designs, a wood-carving executed by Japanese furniture maker Karimoku and a flower-motif cast iron pancake pan. Then, for American rapper Travis Scott, Murakami designed Melted Utopia Dream, a dazzling pendant later cast and set by Manhattan jeweller Eliantte & Co. Next, Murakami’s sketches gave shape to Flower Parent and Child Cookie Can: Cherry-Blossom Viewing, a sweet baked treat released in time to mark the annual horticultural event. The team also continued work on his sophomore film, Jellyfish Eyes Part 2, before announcing the sale 108 of digital NFT works in March.

It all helps to illustrate Murakami’s Superflat. Sharing its title with a 2000 group exhibition of contemporary art that Murakami curated at Los Angeles’ Museum of Contemporary Art, his Superflat theory describes Japanese art history as centred on two-dimensional – and thereby flat – work. This, so Murakami has since impacted contemporary Japanese image-making including manga comics. Superflat is also a comment on the evened societal structure and popular taste of post-war society in Japan. His theory has since been classed a contemporary art movement; it has seen Murakami master work that jumps easily from fine to commercial art, all the while paying little mind to definitions of high or low culture.

Vibrant, joyful and rich in detail, Murakami’s work is peopled by anime-like characters. “I have dozens of characters,” he proffers. “Each of my characters is packed with its own birth story and peculiar logic.” The cast includes Kiki and Kaikai – one pink, the other white and with rabbit-like features – Oval Buddha and a group of particoloured mushrooms. Murakami’s work nods to both the traditions of Japanese art and the island nation’s popular culture; it’s a visually intoxicating blend that has proven catnip to collectors and institutions alike.

The artist’s work has been exhibited globally, with solo shows installed at Moscow’s Garage Museum, several Gagosian galleries, the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo and the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art (Oslo), among others. In 2009, as his debut career retrospective in France, Murakami dotted paintings and sculptures across 15 rooms of the Palace of Versailles. “I think our job as artists is to always strive to be a punctuation mark in history,” says Murakami. “I think about my artworks’ expiration dates in the span of 100 or 200 years.”

Murakami knows about history-making art. He was born and raised in Japan’s capital city Tokyo; at high school, he became fascinated with anime. “I wanted to go into the animation industry,” he says, recalling dreams of drawing manga characters. Instead, as a student at the Tokyo University of the Arts, Murakami changed tack: he eventually completed a Ph.D. degree in Nihonga, a traditional practice founded in many centuries of Japanese art history. Next, the artist changed direction once more. “This traditional thing; I [had] to bow too much to the teachers,” he says. “I don’t want to do that, I cannot do that.”

Murakami’s next move was inspired by the bold, experimental and outsized work of contemporary American artists arriving in Japan. “Meeting a new painting generation – Julian Schnabel, Anselm Kiefer, Francesco Clemente – opened my eyes. It looked like super freedom,” he enthuses. In 1994, he upped and moved to the USA with help from the Asian Cultural Council; in New York City, he began creating work, supported by the PS1 International Studio Program. Once returned to Tokyo, Murakami set out to fine-tune his proposition.

Murakami has since collaborated widely, putting his spin on Evian bottles, Supreme skateboards and Kanye West's album covers. He has partnered with Japanese fashion make Comme Des Garçons and Parisian heritage maison Louis Vuitton; the latter saw Murakami redress its storied monogram pattern to best-selling success.

Early last year, Murakami touched down in Nyon, Switzerland. Here, to the north-east of Geneva, the artist visited the home of luxury watchmaker Hublot. “I toured the factory and was absolutely, truly blown away,” he remembers. “Seeing how it enfolded both the super high technology and artisan techniques and values.” A partnership between Murakami and Hublot took shape then. “There were virtually no difficulties; it was all excitement,” he says of the project.

In January this year, his Hublot Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black made its debut at the Swiss brand’s Ginza boutique in Tokyo. Limited to 200 pieces, it’s a visually striking wristwatch and one with artistic ambitions: a sizeable 45mm satin-finish polished black ceramic case is matched with a total of 563 pavé-set black diamonds, tracing a flower motif. Says its creator: “People think of the smiling flower when they think of Takashi Murakami, so it was an obvious choice.”

The timepiece, which is fitted with Hublot’s emblematic rubber strap, is also a feat of engineering. Ingeniously, the petals of Murakami’s flower are affixed to a custom-devised ball bearing system. Billed as a rotating décor, it sees flower corolla follow the wearer’s every move. It’s a precious animation. Murakami said: “I was convinced that it would be possible for them to make the kind of watch I envisioned.”

1. Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight 925

Named after the marque’s “Big Crown” model born in 1958, Tudor’s Black Bay Fifty-Eight is arguably the brand’s most recognisable tool watch. It’s had countless iterations but none so surprising as 2021’s release, the open back Black Bay Fifty-Eight 925. The clue’s in the name: 925 refers to the watch’s silver case, marking the first time that Tudor has used this material in a diver’s watch.

You may wonder why the brand has opted for this metal over the proven durability of stainless steel, but this isn’t any old silver. “The chosen alloy is a secret that the brand keeps close to its chest,” the company says.

What is clear is that this 925 alloy is much more scratch-resistant than regular silver and extremely lightweight. A satin finish also lends it a soft glow that is quite unlike the more reflective patina of steel. Aside from the warm taupe of the dial - well-chosen against the silver - the watch has all the cherished hallmarks of this much-loved model, including an enlarged triangle at 12 o’clock and “snowflake” hands first introduced in 1969. Powered by the in-house MT5400 calibre, the watch has a hefty power reserve of 70 hours.

A nice historical touch comes in the form of the fabric strap, supplied for more than a decade by Julien Faure, a 150-year-old family-owned business based in St-Etienne, France, specialising in textiles woven on ancient jacquard looms.

£3,230; tudorwatch.com

2. Hermès H08

This is quite simply a great looking self-winding timepiece. Sporty, sleek, and ultra-modern, it’s got future classic written all over it. If you look closely, the watch face and bezel are formed by a shape within a shape within a shape: a circle contoured by a rounded square and octagon. In theory this should be bulky on the wrist but Hermès is famous for its clean lines that lend objects - everything from Birkin bags to handmade leather saddles - a smooth sculptural finish.

The H08 has a softly angled surface that is full of depth, adding to the luxury look of this 39mm model. It’s called H08 for two very different reasons. In visual terms, the abstract look of these tiny numbers on the dial reflect the shape of the case but they are also said to hold symbolic meaning: with the “O” representing emptiness and the 8 denoting infinity, as a kind of academic nod to the space/time conundrum. A lovely touch is the delicate seconds hand, finessed with a tip of signature orange which sweeps around a universe of black.

There are three variants of this design, two with black nickel dials and satin-brushed titanium cases, and this one, the most shadowy of all, boasting a black gold-coated dial set in a graphene-filled composite case with satin-brushed ceramic bezel, and dressed in a black rubber strap secured by a titanium butterfly clasp.

£7,250; hermes.com

3. TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300

Watch lovers will be delighted to hear that this classic TAG, first released 40 years ago, is now more refined than ever. Its all-new framework relies heavily on clever light-refracting angles and highly defined edges that contribute to a more lightweight feel.

Look first at the bezel and you’ll see it now has 12 sides - a seemingly small change that actually called for the more challenging task of creating a matching ceramic insert and fluting each facet to facilitate the smooth rotation of this new dodecagon-shaped bezel. On the dial, deeply engraved horizontal lines create a lovely sense of depth and recall the deck planks of a ship. The hour markers are also more prominent: no longer circular but octagonal in form to echo the more compact shape of this timepiece, which is equipped with shorter lugs and sleekly chamfered case edges.

There are six new stainless steel models: three 43mm versions and three newly sized down to 36mm, marking a unique scaling down in diameter and one which will no doubt attract many new collectors. A new integrated metal bracelet allows for an expansion or retraction of up to 1.5cm, ideal for actual divers who wish to wear their watch over a wetsuit - and it’s water-resistant to an impressive 300m.

For those who just like the thought of exploration, the watch’s case back carries a symbolic engraving of a deep sea diver’s helmet. Available from June 2021.

43mm model £2,500.00; 36mm model £2,350.00; tagheuer.com

4. Cartier Cloche

A fresh addition to the Cartier Privé Collection, which resurrects classic vintage designs, is the Cloche or “Bell” timepiece. This indisputably idiosyncratic watch first appeared in diamond form in 1921, followed by a more masculine gold version the following year.

The Cloche has since had a fair few rebirths, including one in 2007 - a model decorated with Roman numerals and limited to 100 pieces. That was the last time any tribute was produced, but this year’s collection makes up for lost time with the widest selection to date, counting rose, yellow and platinum models as well as intricate skeletonised versions - one gold, one platinum and one platinum set with diamonds.

The shape is inspired by a traditional service bell - the idea is that you can rest the watch in a vertical position like a desk clock. Despite the classic look, it is equipped with brand new in-house mechanical movement capable of ticking over for 38 hours on its power reserves.

Numbers are limited: 100 pieces have been produced of the solid dial versions and 50 each of the platinum and gold skeletonised models. Only 20 diamond Cloches will be made.

Price TBC; cartier.com

5. Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921

Also reborn from the stylistically daring world of the 1920s is Vacheron Constantin’s Historiques American 1921 with slanted dial and top corner crown. While this special centenary edition – encompassing two white gold models, one with a 36.5mm dial the other with a 40mm dial – may lean towards the avant-garde, it remains resolutely chic, smart, and well rooted within the realms of distinguished dress watches.

The model’s cushion-shaped case acts as a wide open frame to a playful dial with clashing perspectives. The mechanics of this watch have been carefully adapted to match the timepiece’s twisted design: the manual-winding manufacture calibre 4400 AS is visible through the sapphire crystal caseback and is offset from its usual axis, adding even more visual intrigue to this unconventional re-release.

A third model called the American 1921 Collection Excellence Platine, is entirely sculpted in platinum and comes in a 100-piece individually numbered limited edition available exclusively in Vacheron Constantin boutiques.

£31,200; vacheron-constantin.com

6. IWC Big Pilot’s Watch 43

What makes one pilot’s watch stand out from the next? If you start with pedigree, IWC holds the advantage: in the 1930s, the Swiss watchmaker developed many of the technical and aesthetic features that were to define the genre. Today IWC remains a brand synonymous with impactful tool watches, and it continues to celebrate the aviation industry with tribute models: see its Spitfire and Blue Angels editions.

The IWC Big Pilot’s Watch - noted for its oversized crown and wide legible dial - is an absolute classic and it is now available in a new, smaller case size of 43mm for the first time, with a choice of black or blue dial. The watch’s automatic Pellaton winding system - a long-serving IWC invention that uses the rotor’s smallest movements in either direction to wind the mainspring - has now been reinforced with tiny ceramic parts which are more efficient and robust. The strap is a testament to IWC’s trailblazing spirit: the integrated “EasX-CHANGE” system allows you to switch it from leather to stainless steel at the touch of a button.

£7,200; iwc.com

7. Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tadao Ando

When it comes to watches and artist collaborations, your first thought might be Hublot: in recent times the Swiss marque has partnered with American sculptor Richard Olinski (2019) and Japanese talent Takashi Murakami (2021) to produce Pop Art versions of its iconic Big Bang model.

Now Italian marque Bulgari, also part of the LVMH fold, has created its own artistic statement, one that syncs perfectly with the cool restraint of its ultra slim Octo Finissimo timepiece. It has been designed in partnership with self-taught Japanese architect Tadao Ando, a master of minimalism who creates majestic places of peace and tranquility from monolithic masses of concrete.

This mini sculpture for the wrist, hewn from black ceramic, presents time in its most concise form. A swirling blue lacquered dial is interrupted by just four elements: the hour and minute hands, a slither of golden moon at 5 o’clock and an independent seconds hand which creates an illusionary spiral as it turns against the textured background. Like all of Ando’s enigmatic structures, this limited edition timepiece is utterly compelling - a whirlpool of ideas in miniaturised form.

POA; bulgari.com

8. Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer

Any new Rolex release is big news. The watchmaker is known for stealthy design changes rather than grand modifications, so the new Explorer is quite a leap towards innovation.

Originally devised by Rolex for Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, who wore their Explorers on Everest in 1953, this enduring classic, still achingly cool 70 years on, is back to its original size of 36mm. It’s safe to say that when Rolex makes a big statement like this, a trend begins, so keep your eyes peeled for smaller versions of iconic models appearing throughout the industry. The updates don’t stop there: this new-gen version comes in Rolesor (two-toned steel and 18ct yellow gold) for the first time, as well as classic Oystersteel.

Equipped with the new in-house calibre 3230, released last year, this is a robust heirloom piece with some striking good looks, particularly when the lights go down: its black lacquered dial has indexes and hands optimised by Chromalight lume, which glows bright blue (almost neon) in the dark.

Rolesor version, £8,700; steel £5,150; rolex.com

The Nautilus has become such a recognised, classic design it is difficult today to imagine the furore it caused when it was first introduced in 1976. Designed by the legendary Gérald Genta it was then in the vanguard of an entirely new class of timepieces – the luxury sports watch. Like its peers, it was a reaction to the Japanese quartz revolution that had shaken the Swiss watch industry to its very foundations for a simple reason – precision was no longer. And so Patek Philippe realised it had to come up with something completely new that would excite the upcoming generation of customers.

Like so many other great moments of creativity, the Nautilus came about in a flash of inspiration. History has it that Genta came up with the idea while dining alone in a restaurant when he spotted executives from Patek Philippe sitting together in a corner. For some reason, he thought of the portholes of transatlantic liners and sketched his first design in five minutes – fittingly the inspiration for the name came from the submarine commanded by Captain Nemo in Jules Verne’s novel 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea.

Whether true or not, the story confirms the fact that great design itself is timeless. The horizontal lines of the guilloché dial – sometimes referred to as “the garage door” – still look contemporary today. Of course, in the years that have followed the Nautilus has evolved but is still a testament to the genius of Genta’s original design. However, to the surprise of many, Patek Philippe has announced that the steel 5711 Nautilus family, which debuted in 2006, will be discontinued after this year, after having reached the point where the waiting list was more than ten years long.

With a nod to contemporary style, the latest – and, of course, last – members of the steel Nautilus 5711 family launched this year now include an olive green dial in a stainless steel case or with a diamond-set bezel. Alongside these, the new reference 5990 Travel Time Chronograph comes in rose gold with a more traditional blue sunburst dial or a spectacular pave-set option for the Reference 7118.

But we will all have to wait until next year to see what the latest chapter in the Nautilus history might hold. In the meantime, with these final pieces we can enjoy a classic cliff-hanger.

Victoire de Castellane’s palette is precious. When sketching small treasures at her Paris atelier, the artistic director of Dior Joaillerie paints with rare gems. “For me, colour in jewellery is very important and I adore using all the stones,” de Castellane tells me when I ask to describe her latest offering. “For this collection, I used malachite, lapis lazuli, mother-of-pearl and carnelian. There is some pink opal and tiger’s eye.”

Unveiled this spring, the French tastemaker’s new Gem Dior creations count 11 pieces of jewellery (among them a pink gold and diamond ring and a yellow gold bracelet finessed with lapis lazuli, malachite and seafoam green chrysoprase) and seven exquisite wristwatches. In name, de Castellane’s latest work nods to her landmark Gem Dior high jewellery collection debuted two years ago, a body of work that she has since summed up as “abstract-organic” and “not figurative” in style.

With Gem Dior, de Castellane celebrates the noblesse of her materials; here, chance and the non-ordered appeal – in the designer’s words, it’s an “organised disruption”. When it came to first naming her designs, the word “gem” was chosen in euphonious homage to the French ‘J’aime’, for “I love”. And there is much to be enamoured with here.

Taking its design cues from nature and Parisian haute couture – at Dior, both have been passion points since the house's founding in 1947 – a new Gem Dior watch artfully clashes lapis-lazuli, tiger’s eye, turquoise, carnelian and blush pink mother-of-pearl, all set in asymmetrical yellow gold links which make up a fully articulated bracelet.

When first drafting the unusual, collage-like bracelet, de Castellane recalled images of Monsieur Dior pinning fabric swatches to paper, in preparation of his fittings. Sans clasp, the timepiece has been engineered to be worn as one would an open cuff. In shape, an octagonal case owes to the natural shape of mineral formations and frames a cut of textured deep-green malachite with a yellow gold bezel dazzling with diamonds and a turquoise insert. De Castellane may well be watchmaking’s brightest colourist.

In the Orange County city of Costa Mesa, Van Cleef & Arpels may have found an alternative option to international travel, or at least a way to tie over Francophile Californians counting down the days until crossing the Atlantic is permitted once again.

To be unveiled at the South Coast Plaza – to date the largest shopping centre on the United States’ West Coast – a Paris-themed display by the Place Vendôme master jeweller sets its Lady Arpels Pont des Amoureux collection of timepieces within an immersive mise en scene, which can be explored upon booking.

Van Cleef & Arpels first launched its Pont des Amoureux line of timepieces in 2010: drawing from its house archives, pictorial dials frame scenes of love, devotion and courtship. On view in Costa Mesa will be a new addition to the offering: the Lady Arpels Pont des Amoureux Jour watch is, as its name suggests, conceived for daytime wear.

Other additions include a bejewelled model; its dial shows signature lovers’ kiss set against the backdrop of changing seasons. “Love stories have inspired Van Cleef & Arpels’ creations since 1906,” says Helen King, president and CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels Americas. “The Pont des Amoureux collection is a reflection of the Maison’s unique imagination and watchmaking virtuosity.”

Unfolding across 1,000 sq ft of the South Coast Plaza’s Jewel Court, the display is chaptered into four rooms. Grouped around a verdant garden, rooms house an IRL recreation of Pont des Amoureux dials, and in turn concretise creative takes on astronomy, fairies, ballerinas and Paris cityscapes – at Van Cleef & Arpels, all have made for recurring themes that have inspired precious creations. As does the four-leaf clover, captured most famously in its Alhambra pendant. In California, the maison is set to debut a new luck-bringing Alhambra watch pendant.

Watches can come in all shapes, sizes and designs - and in the luxury sector, brands really take their skills to another level.

In this collection, we pick out seven watches that push the boundaries of horological design and workmanship with hi-tech mechanics, irreverent design and mind-boggling mechanisms.

1. Tiefenmesser Bronze Plume

Reservoir x Atelier Marceau

Reservoir is a radical watchmaker with a cool USP: dials are inspired by racing, marine and aircraft counters with a retrograde minute and jumping hour hand. This model has a braided strap that looks a little like marquetry. It is in fact the work of Maxime Leroy, a master plumassier or feather artisan, from France’s Atelier Marceau. Remarkably, the strap is a fusion of woven rooster feathers on leather – seen here on the Reservoir Tiefenmesser which riffs off a submarine counter.

£4,350; reservoir-watch.com

2. Traditionnelle Tourbillon Chronograph

Vacheron Constantin

This watch from VC’s Grandes Complications workshop demonstrates its superlative talent for elegant complex technical mechanisms. Combining a monopusher chronograph with a tourbillon, the calibre of this pink-gold timepiece counts 292 components. The spectacular hand-finishing includes circular graining, chamfering and Côtes de Genève decoration. And there’s no chance of accidentally setting off the chronograph: a dynamic activation system responds only when adequate pressure is exerted on the pusher.

£POA; vacheron-constantin.com

3. Project Z14

Harry Winston

Hewn from zalium – a hi-tech zirconium- based alloy that is extremely lightweight, corrosion-resistant and said to be harder than titanium – Project Z watches set a new standard in watchmaking when the first models were released in 2004. The model’s three-dimensional dial looks like it might have been inspired by a jet engine. This latest iteration pushes the boundaries of futurism thanks to a retrograde seconds hand and a highly texturised chamfered bezel which adds even more depth to the dial. Limited to 300 pieces.

£POA; harrywinston.com

4. Executive Dual Time in rose gold

Ulysse Nardin

The big news is that this watch has had a complete design overhaul, inspired by the daring aesthetics of the marque’s Skeleton X model; however, the dual time zone function, first patented in 1994, remains the same, which stands to reason as it’s one of the smoothest ever conceived. The hourhand adjusts forward or backward with the simple touch of the plus and minus pushers located opposite the crown, while the window at nine o’clock displays a 24-hour second time zone. No fuss, but ever so clever.

£18,100; ulyssesnardin.com

5. BR 05 Chronograph

Bell & Ross

Bell & Ross released its BR 05 collection in 2019 – a series of dressy sports watches with integrated bracelets. The style still adheres to the brand’s aviation-inspired design codes, but with added panache. The latest addition, the BR 05 chronograph available in navy blue or jet black, has a touch of 1970s flair thanks to two slightly curved subdials. There’s also black rubber strap for those who want to crank up the sporty feel.

£4,800; bellross.com

6. 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold ‘Homage to F.A. Lange’

A. Lange & Söhne

One of three special pieces celebrating 175 years since Adolph Lange opened his first workshop, this piece brings into focus the rattrapante chronograph. The mechanics that power this function give rise to some mesmerising multitasking: the rattrapante sweep-seconds hand can be stopped independent of the chronograph sweep-seconds hand and resynchronised with it. This allows you to measure different intervals within the course of a minute. FYI, honeygold is the marque’s propriety gold alloy, and is apparently harder than platinum.

£115,650; alange-soehne.com

7. RM 72-01

Richard Mille

For 20 years, Richard Mille has been an unstoppable force in watchmaking. His latest invention, the RM 72-01 (available in black/white ceramic, titanium, or 5N red gold) is yet another example of his fearless approach to this micro craft. This is the marque’s first in-house chronograph and a world first: it incorporates a patented double-oscillating pinion mechanism that allows the energy to be fed directly from the seconds wheel to the chronograph function, meaning the base movement is unaffected when the chronograph is engaged.

£POA; richardmille.com

It was two years ago that Cécile Guenat, the director of creation and development at the Swiss watchmaking brand Richard Mille, presented her debut collection.

The RM 71-01 was influenced by a combination of modern and traditional design, and was forceful in look. Now, it goes technicolour. And takes the verve of 1970s disco, and the glamourous women who became synonymous with it, as inspiration for a new iteration: the new RM 71-02 Automatic Tourbillon Talisman.

“I always wanted to work with colour,” says Guenat, “and the Talisman collection template presented an exciting challenge, to transform its black-and-white vocabulary into something totally different.” In the past, coloured stones had usually been reserved for special editions; this time they are the central focus and no-holds-barred.

Ten watches span a rainbow-bright palette of exuberant stones: sapphires, tsavorites, rubies, amethysts and, for the first-time at Richard Mille, hematite - which is a silvery black ferric mineral that can be polished to a high lustre.

The contrast effect between all the tones and textures makes for a discotheque diffusion around the wrist, positively mimicking the sequin-strewn and lamé disco fashion of the time, all hyper-realistic, expressive and flashy. Indeed, that had been the idea - to capture the spirit and freedom of the era; the rise in club culture and the glamour of Studio 54, the vibrancy, colour and iconoclasts that came with it.

Each watch is named after a noted name of the culture. “These personalities need only a first name to recall their enduring legacies - Bianca, Grace, Carmen, Gloria, Paloma, Liz, Jessica, Jane, Diana, Donna,” says Guenat, who of course is referring to Jagger, Jones, D’Alessio, Gaynor, Picasso, Taylor, Lange, Fonda, Ross and Summer, respectively.

The brand is no stranger to supporting pioneering women and counts Cristie Kerr, one of the most decorated women golfers in history; Ester Ledecká, the Olympic-winning skier and snowboarder; and Diana Luna, another top female golfer; among its friends and partners. The history of Studio 54 had immediately appealed to Guenat when she began work on this collection, and she had found herself listening to disco, funk and R&B. “This collection is so different from anything we’ve done before,” she says, noting that the Bonbon collection (2019) had introduced Richard Mille to a more colourful and fun aesthetic.

Limited to seven pieces per model, all watches feature the self-winding in-house CRMT1 tourbillion calibre with a diamond-set oscillating weight. Bianca channels rock ‘n’ roll royalty, set with pink sapphires, tsavorites, peridots and diamonds and paired with a dial plate of tsavorites, peridots, rubies and hematite and pink opal, with an index in diamonds, pink sapphires, peridots and tsavorites.

While Diana’s all-star aura is captured with sapphires, rubies and diamonds on the case and crown with a dial plate of rubies, lapis lazuli, white mother of pearl and turquoise and an index in sapphires and rubies. And Jane, a champion of activism, is cast in sapphires, yellow and pink sapphires, diamonds and spessartites and the dial plate in rubies, spessartites, yellow sapphires, diamonds, turquoise and opal with the index in diamonds, yellow and pink sapphires and spessartites.

“The stones themselves proved a considerable challenge,” says Guenat of a process that took more than six months in research and placement consideration. Each stone had been specially selected by the director for its symbolic qualities. But the watch design extends beyond that, too. There is also a focus on the bracelet element. Coloured metallic patent leather embossed with understated botanical motifs at the 12 o’clock and geometric emblems at the 6 o’clock. Again, the colour use is compelling, pioneering and empowering. While, technically, the collection incorporates the Calibre CRMT1, the eighth in-house movement from Richard Mille, also its first automatic tourbillion movement.

Hublot is a newcomer to watchmaking when compared to a number of other Swiss luxury brands. While many of Hublot’s peers celebrate at least one century of manufacture, 2020 marks just four decades of production for the young brand. Alas, at Hublot’s nerve centre, its manufacture in Nyon, a short drive from the heart of Geneva, 40 years of creation have sufficed to master revolutionary solutions to a centuries-old craft. Carlo Crocco established Hublot in 1980. A maverick watch entrepreneur, Crocco based his wristwatch’s simple outline on the shape of a ship’s “hublot”, the French term for “porthole”.

Crocco also pioneered what would be become known as the “Art of Fusion”, an innovative approach to materials and their combinations. Crocco, for instance, was the first to combine Malaysian rubber with precious gold sourced in South Africa. It was when Luxembourgish watchmaker Jean-Claude Biver joined Hublot in 2004 that the brand’s sales started to skyrocket.

In the world of watches, Biver is yet to be surpassed as a brand-builder; when taking on Hublot, he spotted a gap in the market for a supersized luxury sports watch, and so he tasked the company’s designers to create one. This new watch, confidently christened Big Bang, celebrated the make’s modern ethos. There’s its design – at Hublot, sporty, forward- thinking and iconic are keywords – and the brand’s Art of Fusion, which makes for some surprising combinations. It proved a winning recipe and gave Hublot a competitive edge against the most successful brands in the space. In little over ten years, sales figures soared, quadrupling during the period that Biver ran the company.

Biver himself describes the brand’s ethos – modern design, material ingenuity – as being what makes Hublot so special. “It’s the fact that connects yesterday with tomorrow, tradition and innovation.” The Art of Fusion has been realised in many of the unique case materials that Hublot has showcased over the last 40 years, such as its Magic Gold, a unique combination of gold and ceramic; King Gold, another gold and platinum composite; and Red Ceramic, a red alloy unique to Hublot’s manufacture. Hublot also raised its presence in the market by launching partnerships that proved both daring and unique.

Moving the brand away from the sports that watchmakers are traditionally attracted to – sailing, show jumping, golf – Biver instead decided to take a risk. Noting that no other luxury watchmaker was in the space, he decided to embrace the world of football. Hublot was the first Swiss luxury watch brand to do so. A stream of current and former players were adopted by Hublot as ambassadors and the Big Bang has adorned the wrists of soccer superstars including Pele, Diego Maradona and Kylian Mbappe. Hublot also partners Chelsea and Bayern Munich, all the while sponsoring the timekeeping of England’s Premier League.

Biver’s strategy was so successful that other high-risk sports have been embraced by Hublot, including boxing. Elsewhere, Hublot has enjoyed a nine-year relationship with Ferrari and while it is not the first watch manufacturer to associate with the motoring brand, it has extended the relationship beyond the Formula 1 team to all areas of motor sport.

To commemorate four decades of manufacture, Hublot has teamed up once again with Parisian luxury brand Berluti, working with its creative director Kris Van Assche.

The Big Bang Unico chronograph is issued as a limited edition, with just 100 models. The timepiece celebrates the two brands’ legacy of craft and innovation, incorporating Berluti’s famous Venezia leather and polished patina alongside Hublot’s Art of Fusion materials. Each Hublot Big Bang Unico Berluti Cold Brown comes in its own custom-designed chest (pictured) and with a Berluti shoehorn, keyring and travel case.

To Riccardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot, the extraordinary partnership with Berluti marks a milestone in watchmaking. He says: “For the first time, we have chosen the Big Bang Unico model as the basis of our collaboration. The final result combines an exercise in style, due to Kris Van Assche’s flair for fashion, with an amazing technical feat made possible by the expertise of our watchmakers, designers and engineers, all of whose know-how was required to master the conception of this new bezel.”

£21,700; hublot.com

Timekeeping and sound have long been linked – even if in our modern, digital age that nexus doesn’t quite, erm, chime. The word “clock” itself is derived from “cloche”, the old French world for “bell”, which has roots in “clocca”, Latin for the sound of a chime. In medieval Europe, those chimes – emanating from the town hall and turret clocks at the village church – divvied up daily life, and even when mechanical timepieces became more widespread, audible timekeeping was still relied on. “Prior to the invention of radium, which came into major use around World War I, it was the only way to tell the time at night,” says watch writer and historian James Dowling. Indeed, urban legend has it that minute repeater chiming watches - the ne plus ultra of complicated timepieces and plaything of the rich - came about as a sybaritic way to tell time in the dark.

That maniacal focus on precision, quality and, of course, developing ever-better measuring instruments for which to deliver such accuracy, eventually led to the establishment of Jaeger-LeCoultre the watchmaker. Founder Antoine LeCoultre was pretty obsessed with instruments himself: a decade after setting up shop, he invented the Millionometre, the first device to measure the micron to refine the manufacture of watch parts.

Unsurprisingly, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s unique roots in music boxes and watchmaking saw the minute repeater become something of a house speciality, and after debuting its first one in 1870, by 1900 the house had some 100 minute repeaters to its name (and more than 200 chiming watch calibres). Many were innovation firsts. There was the three-hammer minute repeater in 1880 that, instead of two hammers, now sounded a low note for the hours, a high note for the minutes and a three-note bell for quarters. “So instead of a ding, there’d be a ding-ding,” Belmont explains. “It was a much nicer melody.”

Post World War II saw life change radically, both socially and technologically – and Jaeger-LeCoultre played its part in 1950 with the debut of the Memovox alarm watch (a mashup of memo, for memory, and vox, voice). And while alarm timepieces were nothing new - Eterna had invented a wristwatch model in 1908, and even Jaeger-LeCoultre had made the first alarmed table clock a year later - the Memovox broke ground. “Before, watchmakers had added modules to existing watches to make the alarm, whereas the Memovox was designed from the start as an alarm watch,” says Dowling. Such innovation captured the imagination, making the Memovox a must-have item for businessmen on the move: it could wake you up, remind you of important meetings, even of your car-parking time to avoid fines and, in 1959, Jaeger-LeCoultre invented a diving watch that could ping underwater. “It was probably one of the world’s first smartwatches,” says Belmont. “It was a mechanical watch with a function that could be used for different purposes.”

The Memovox still resonates today – signature school-bell chime and all – and this year two new models have been added. The caseback is now transparent, allowing one to enjoy the chiming mechanism in all its glory – namely those 77 hammer strikes per second – while a new timer function enables setting of the alarm based on the number of hours due to elapse (versus based on a particular time). Resounding stuff.

“It symbolises energy and adventure,” says George Bamford, describing the bright, flame-like orange tone that has become a signature flourish of the Bamford Watch Department, his London-based personalisation business. It was when working on his second team-up with Swiss heritage make TAG Heuer that Bamford singled out the colour as a symbol of energetic exploration and a certain “go forth” spirit.

Issued this winter as a limited edition of just 1,500 models, the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Bamford Limited Edition with 43mm case is crafted from matt-finish grade 2 titanium. Favoured for its lightweight and robust, corrosion-resistant properties, grade 2 titanium is a hard wearing metal; in addition to watchmaking, it’s use can be traced in aeronautics and the production of sports equipment. A jet-black dial – emblazoned with both brand's insignias – is matched with orange lacquered, black-gold-plated hands; both hands and indexes are treated with white Super-LumiNova®, a practical finish that allows for optimum legibility.

“[This] is the ultimate tool watch and from diving equipment to climbing carabiners and rope, the colour orange always pops up so it seemed the perfect choice for this go-anywhere, do-anything watch.”

There are nods to TAG Heuer’s heritage too: Bamford researched the brand’s biography in its company archives and his modern take on one of its emblematic creations borrows choice details from historic models. There’s the shape of the indexes, which nod to a 1979 TAG Heuer stopwatch and the orange tone, too has TAG Heuer lineage: it can be spotted in museum pieces such as the Heuer calculator.

“The orange design elements and sporty bezel are reminiscent of TAG Heuer pieces that were launched between 1979 and 1994 such as the first racing stopwatch which has orange minute markers and the calculator which has orange elements,” he explains. “All paved the way for the Aquaracer collection and it is this history which inspired me.”

£3,250; bamfordwatchdepartment.com

Sébastian Vivas describes the feeling one has upon first seeing the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet. An impressive but not imposing piece of spiralling architecture, the museum marries the brand’s original and historical Founder's House watchmaking workshop from 1875 – when Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet formed their business - with a forward-thinking and welcoming space in the Swiss Jura Mountains, north of Geneva. “There is something special happening at that moment,” Vivas observes of visitors’ initial reactions upon arriving in the village of Le Brassus, in the Vallée de Joux, which is known for its horology heritage and beautiful landscapes. “From the outside, the building is very elegant and very well integrated. Most of the visitors come in advance and go around the building. They want to photograph it.”

An Instagram opportunity is an intriguing proposition for a world steeped in such tradition and exclusivity. “And it’s surprising for us because we are not used to that, to people going around taking pictures.” But, with sweeping glass walls that appear as though they have burrowed up from the ground in perfect formation and a winding roof conceived as a single sheet of brass-coated steel (a technical feat emblematic of the balance spring in a timepiece), it shouldn’t be.

The contemporary spiral-shaped glass pavilion was dreamt up and presented by the Danish firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) in 2014. It has been designed to withstand the harsh temperatures of the local climate and, pertinently, to combine time with design. “This is the reason why we really fell in love with the building,” explains Vivas, who joined Audemars Piguet as the make’s heritage and museum director in 2012 – about the same time that plans for a new museum began. The Swiss luxury watchmaker launched an architecture competition in 2013. “In the field of architecture, it [the new building] was telling the same story of complexity,” he praises of its realisation. Audemars Piguet’s museum artfully combines light, gravity and movement.

Load-bearing glass, for example, integral to the design and precise to the millimetre, meant there was no room for error. The idea of having a museum, however, had been planted long before all of this. “It’s about sharing with our clients and with our partners who we are and what we do,” explains Vivas. “We can see it started in the 19th century when Piguet and Audemars started to travel with their suitcases and show what they did. It took time to build a network of clients and distributors, who [then] also came back [here] to see the way the watchmakers worked.”

A “museum” really began to take shape in the 1990s. It was in 1992 that the first room dedicated to Audemars Piguet historical watches was opened, part of a long-term vision to show the technical prowess of the product. For example, of approximately 1,500 or so watches produced between 1882 and 1892, more than 80% are recorded to have included at least one complication; and, up until 1951, when the concept of a “model” was introduced, each watch had been made unique - though Audemars Piguet still champions the production of small series to enable the ultimate in craftsmanship.

It was in 2004 that the exhibition room was enlarged to become a museum and by 2012, with the expansion of the company, there came the need to expand the offering once more. “So it started with this question: how to offer our clients, to our visitors, the best experience so that they can feel the heart of Audemars Piguet?” Vivas says. “We wanted the building to be both highly emblematic, visible, memorable and entirely integrated into the local environment to pay tribute to the beauty of the [surrounding] nature.”

Three core pillars therefore provided the criteria for its design. First was the family. Audemars Piguet is a family-owned company, still independent today, something which is extremely important to the brand. Family also extends to count the brand’s community of customers and its highly skilled watchmakers. Second, the transmission - by which is meant the intergenerational sharing of technical know-how and passion of watchmaking, and the skills to repair both current and future creations. And lastly was the idea of an oxymoron. “Really, it’s about combining opposites,” Vivas explains. The local company with deep roots in its small valley home, at once isolated and connected to the world; the tradition of specialist knowledge on the one hand and an embrace of cultural influence on the other. “Local and international; past and future,” he says. Arguably, it’s this last attribute, a summary perhaps of the previous two, that has become Audemars Piguet’s most important guiding principle.

And once through the museum’s doors, all these elements become apparent. The original atelier, warm with wood panelling and the story of the founding history, has been carefully restored and is now surrounded by Audemars Piguet’s new chapter, including exhibition spaces, a masterclass room and an acoustic lab. The eye rests on celebrated designs (there’s the 1899 Universelle complete with 21 functions, 13 hands and 1,168 components), the landscape outside and the watchmakers busy at work.

“The love and the passion for the craft and skill is there,” Carolina Bucci tells me. The Italian fine jewellery designer began working with the watchmakers in 2016 on a reinterpretation of its iconic Royal Oak design, a personal favourite of hers. It was a partnership that continued again in 2018.

This month, she will launch the third phase of this relationship for sale at Audemars Piguet’s global network of boutiques. A collection entitled K.I.S.S. (meaning Keep It Super Simple), her designs take the balance spring as inspiration to create jewellery. “The skill required to make this piece is intensive,” she recognises and recalls a visit to Le Brassus in which she discovered just that. “I was in the workshop and the master watchmaker was on the floor in his white coat and I said, ‘what are you doing?’. They had dropped a balance spring on the floor and had been looking for it for two days. My natural reaction was, ‘well, can’t you just make another one?’ That was met with, ‘it takes a week!’.”

Which is the beauty of the museum, says Vivas. “It’s made for everybody. It’s not made only for connoisseurs or for collectors, but also for people who had no idea what a watch is. It’s full of small experiences and playful elements. The idea is to have fun and to feel this emotion, the pleasure of the mechanics.”

And the Audemars Piguet family spirit has proved to enhance the visitor experience even more during this current climate. Though meant to have opened back in April to great festivities and celebrations, the museum obviously couldn’t and chose instead to get on and open to the public in June. “When you ask people at the end of their journey ‘what did they enjoy the most?’ – nobody has the same answer,” says Vivas. Exactly the kind of feedback he likes.

When Mario Puzo, author of The Godfather novels, came to write screenplays for the first two films in the series it was a cinch - he just followed the books. But, despite winning two Oscars for his work, he decided he should learn more about screenwriting so bought a book on the subject. He was bemused to read on the first page, “study The Godfather movies as perfect examples of the art”. Likewise, if, from a standing start, you want to be considered among the capo dei capi in the world of watchmaking, study the story of the Tambour by Louis Vuitton.

When the brand decided to enter the watchmaking world in 2002 it first set out to create an instantly recognisable case and came up with the Tambour - French for drum. Initially it boasted a Zenith El Primero movement but to rely on others is not the LV way so it was already looking around to take things to the next level. It soon discovered Michel Navas. The Spanish-born watchmaker had been in the business since he was ten years old, and has worked on some of the most feted names in Swiss watchmaking. With his long-time colleague Enrico Barbasini, Navas had founded La Fabrique du Temps in 2007, a small atelier creating new movements and complications for a select number of high-end clients.

From the start, Louis Vuitton was one of these and, in 2009, the brand launched the ground-breaking GMT Spin Time that the team had created, using rotating cubes rather than an hour hand. It was greeted with rapturous applause. “By 2011, Louis Vuitton was looking to explore how we could work more closely,” recalls Navas, “and decided the answer was to buy La Fabrique du Temps. Louis Vuitton wanted to build a serious high-end watch brand and we had the savoir faire to make this happen.” It has been a match made in heaven and, in less than a decade, the brand is now a serious contender. The team was gathered under one roof in Geneva. “So much more convenient for travelling to HQ in Paris but, more importantly, it also meant we were eligible to apply for the Geneva Seal.”

Created in 1886, this is the oldest and arguably the world’s most prestigious - and exacting - certification in horology. Currently, only six brands’ movements have been awarded the certification. Of these, Louis Vuitton boasts three. “The first was in 2016,” says Navas, “with the Tourbillon Volant. I was so happy. The Geneva Seal demands the highest quality in the world. Every part of the movement – down to the screws – has to be finished by the watchmaker.”

The latest to be awarded certification was the Tambour Curve earlier this year. Navas and his team are always pushing themselves to take the Tambour to the next level. One of the most feted watches is the Moon Mystérieuse Flying Tourbillon. This is haute horlogerie at its best, with the movement appearing to float within the case. No wonder he is a happy man. “Working for Louis Vuitton is such a pleasure,” he declares. “The team loves the challenge of interpreting the DNA of the brand and its desire for modernity while always respecting the traditions of high watchmaking. We are free to push the limits of new complications while remaining true to the brand’s heritage.”

The inspiration for innovation comes from many different places. “Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with an idea,” says Navas, “or it comes over a coffee with a colleague. At other times we are challenged to create something special.” For example, as a sponsor of yacht races such as the Louis Vuitton Cup. “In a regatta it doesn’t matter so much who comes first or second,” he explains, “it is the difference between the two. So, we were asked to come up with a piece that could measure this. The result was the Tambour LV Cup Régate.” And with three Geneva Seals under their belt in less than two decades, however you measure it it’s hard to deny that, in the horology stakes, team Louis Vuitton and Navas are already clear winners.

Seven years after he first moved to premises on Paris’s avenue Montaigne in 1946, Christian Dior’s elegant townhouse set-up was home to 1,000 employees and counted 28 workshops.

It was here, on the French capital’s northern Rive Droite bank of the river Seine that Monsieur Dior mastered myriad dressmaking techniques. House specialities included the artful pleating of fabrics, as evidenced in designs for day and night.

Dior’s 1955 A-Line collection proposed slim-fitting elongated jackets with generously pleated skirts; in 1954, the couturier had unveiled his scarlet red Zair ball gown, sculpted from many layers of light-as-air silk chiffon tucked and gathered with origami-like precision. It’s haute couture masterpieces such the Zair that spring to mind when considering the Parisian make’s latest addition to its Grand Soir selection of timepieces.

First presented in 2010, Dior Horlogerie’s Grand Soir collection expresses the brand’s haute couture heritage through the art of watchmaking. The Grand Soir Plissé Précieux – its name roughly translates as precious pleating – takes many-folded fabric as its design cue, imagining a tulle dress swirling underneath glass.

Here, a 36mm pink gold case is matched with a grey satin strap and a pink gold bezel is set with round-cut diamonds; it frames a sun-brushed white gold dial finessed with pleated and net-like openwork elements fashioned from pink and white gold. Round-cut diamonds sparkle across the dial: placed using the complex gradient snow-setting technique (diamonds of varying sizes are set to form a seemingly spontaneous pattern), the iridescent formation nods to another Dior dressmaking skill, that of delicate embroideries.

£42,300; dior.com

Main image: Thomas Lohr; Collage: Patrick Waugh

Hermès’ best-loved Cape Cod is a study of paradoxes. First, there is the timepiece’s name: a flagship design of all-Parisian make Hermès, the Cape Cod is christened after a popular New England summertime holiday spot in Massachusetts, in the north-eastern United States. Then, there is its idiosyncratic shape. At first glance a right-angled watch, the Cape Cod’s blueprint in fact places a square within a rectangle. A trick of the eye, its sharp-edged dial is framed by two extended lugs meeting in a rounded curve.

Henri d’Origny first unveiled the Cape Cod in 1991. In a career that has been recognised with France’s Légion d’Honneur order of merit, D’Origny has dreamt up a myriad of orange-boxed products (porcelain tableware, vibrant silk Carré scarves and printed ties among them) many of which have since become Hermès calling-cards.

For his 1991 timepiece, he drew inspiration from the Hermès archives: borrowed from ships’ metal anchor chains, Hermès first introduced the Chaîne d’ancre shape as a brand motif in 1938. When sketching the Cape Cod’s case, d’Origny drew the mirror image of two Chaîne d’ancre half-links, at their centre the watch’s geometric dial.

Since its launch, the design has inspired a great many iterations: to date, the Cape Cod has sparkled with yellow gold cases (some set with icy diamonds) or midnight blue lapis lazuli dials, its strap has been cut from rare leathers or tactile Milanese mesh. Its arguably biggest advancement was first presented in 1998, when Martin Margiela – the Belgian designer worked with Hermès as a creative director from 1997 to 2003 – encircled wrists twice with his Double Tour leather watchstrap.

This year, Hermès pays tribute to the artistry of goldsmithing. Christened after the French term for “hammered”, the brand’s new Cape Cod Martelée is delightful to touch: to achieve its undulating surface, Hermès’ master artisans beat steel in a precisely calibrated pattern. Worn on a black Barena calf leather strap – both single and Double Tour versions are available – the forged silver-tone case is matched with a lacquered shadow-hued dial of anthracite gray and black tones.

£2,730; hermes.com

Cartier: new Dumont XL

Sometimes you want a watch that’s easy to wear, refined and suggestive of discerning style. If anything has these attributes in spades, it’s the XL version of Cartier’s Cartier-Dumont.

Measuring a generous 46.6mm x 33.9mm, the watch is powered by a hand-wound mechanical movement and comes in three models: all steel, a steel case with pink-gold bezel, and full pink-gold, each delivered on an alligator strap.

Steel version £5,400; cartier.com

Montblanc Heritage Monopusher Chronograph

For fans of vintage-feel chronographs, the handsome Montblanc Heritage edition looks the part right down to its subdials, narrow bezel and dauphine hands. Then, of course, there’s the striking salmon colour, expertly texturised thanks to sunburst brushing and grainy stippling. It’s large, at 42mm x 14.7mm, so stands out on the wrist, which can only be good.

£4,200; montblanc.com

Rolex: new 41mm Oyster Perpetual

The iconic Oyster Perpetual is now available in a 41mm size and dials come in seven colours including tangerine orange and baby pink. The hero model is this retro looking version with silver sunray dial and 18-carat gold hands and hour markers – details which radiate a lustrous blue when lights are low thanks to a coating of luminescent Chromalight. All models are equipped with the self-winding calibre 3230, also waterproof to depths of 330 feet, so it can be worn during high impact water sports, such as scuba and saturation diving.

£4,700; rolex.com

Bremont ionBird

Bremont has teamed up with Rolls-Royce to become the official timing partner for its all-electric speed record attempt. Taking flight in early 2021, Rolls Royce’s Spirit of Innovation aims to be the fastest zero-emissions aircraft in history. Bremont’s involvement is twofold: it has installed a Bremont stopwatch in the cockpit, and test pilots will be equipped with this vintage-inspired 43mm chronometer called the Bremont ionBird. The watch’s clear GMT function is buffered by some serious anti-shock technology while its case is hewn from lightweight aviation grade titanium.

From £4,495; bremont.com

Longines Heritage Military Marine Nationale

Based on a vintage design first commissioned by the French Navy in 1947, this 38.5mm model encapsulates what Longines does best: classic watchmaking. Nods to the original are obvious: see the rounded boxed glass, screw-down crown, cream dial with large numerals and blue steel hands. The thickly set bezel also connects it to military watches of the past, as does the inscription “Fab Suisse” (for Fabrique Swiss) on the dial, which replicates the stamp employed on the Longines wartime pieces.

£1,570; longines.com

Grand Seiko 60th Anniversary Mt Iwate

This new steel limited edition, made in celebration of the Japanese watchmaker’s 60th anniversary, evokes the radiant blue sky over Mount Iwate at dawn that greets the watchmakers of the Grand Seiko Studio in Shizukuishi. The red tip of the slim seconds hand represents the rising sun that punctuates this landscape. Turn the watch around, and you’ll see a red ring around the oscillating weight - apparently a visual metaphor for the warm light that floods through the studio every morning. Rather beautiful, then, in both form and spirit. Limited to 2,550 pieces.

£4,550; grand-seiko.com

Piaget: the new Polo

Born in 1979, the Piaget Polo is a watch designed for tastemakers. Worn by the likes of Andy Warhol, it combines understated masculinity with an economy of line. Recognisable from its cushion-shaped dial set into a round case, this 43mm version is limited to 888 pieces. The rich green guilloche dial is paired with pink-gold coloured hands, gold indexes and date window frame. The timepiece is powered by Piaget’s 1110P self-winding movement whose slate-grey oscillating weight can be admired through a sapphire crystal caseback.

£11,400; piaget.com

Hublot Classic Fusion 40 Years Anniversary

In 1980, Hublot shook up the watch world with its unconventional Classic Fusion timepiece, a gold watch on a rubber strap. To mark its 40th anniversary, the brand has reinvented the sporty luxe model noted for its angular case and circular bezel with visible screws. Now powered by a high performance self-winding mechanical movement, the 45mm model with black-lacquered dial is arguably the most understated design of the Hublot family – and yet is still cutting-edge. It is available in a choice of yellow gold, titanium or black ceramic.

Titanium model £6,900; hublot.com

IWC Portugieser Automatic 40

IWC’s popular Portugieser family has been enhanced with a host of new additions this year. The complex Portugieser Yacht Club Moon & Tide is the first watch from IWC to feature a new tide indication. Purists will be thrilled to see the return of the iconic Portugieser Automatic 40 which has all the sleekness of its predecessors only in a more compact form. Its movement is powered by a Pellaton pawl-winding system with components made of virtually wear-free ceramic, which ensure a power reserve of 60 hours.

£6,450; iwc.com

Jaeger LeCoultre Polaris Memovox Mariner

Reborn in 2018 to mark the 50th anniversary of the marque’s classic diving model, the Polaris has become a hero piece. Now comes the closest match to the 1968 original: a serious dive watch with a mechanical alarm function. Don’t be deceived by its smart look: the new Mariner is water-resistant to 300 metres. In fact, it actually exceeds the ISO 6425 certification test, the official standard for diver’s watches. Its alarm function is a wonderful nod to the past – a signifier of the brand’s belief in art for art’s sake.

£15,800; jaeger-lecoultre.com

The launch of a navy blue version of Tudor’s Black Bay Fifty-Eight diving watch created a huge buzz this summer, with the new timepiece prompting a sales rush and reams of discussion among fans on specialist sites. But few may be familiar with the long and fascinating history behind this modern classic.

Tudor was established by Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf just after the Second World War with a clear directive: to produce affordable, high-quality watches that were as robust as they were stylish and reliable. Rolex’s reputation for performance and luxury provided the perfect springboard from which to launch this sister brand, and exploration played a key role in establishing these firm foundations of trusted brand loyalty.

In 1953, the Swiss marque set out to prove the hardy properties of the newly launched Tudor Oyster Prince by putting it through a series of “Trial of Destruction” tests - the watches were worn for hours on end by a variety of blue-collar workers including coal miners, stonecutters and construction men, who appeared in illustrated form in magazine advertisements. Right from the onset, then, Tudor firmly aligned itself with the notion of durability and dependability.

In 1958, Tudor released its now-legendary reference 7924, or Big Crown, model, a diver’s watch equipped with a large screw-down crown and thick domed crystal, strong enough to withstand water pressure to 200 metres. While not the first Tudor dive watch – reference 7922 was introduced four years earlier and was waterproof to 100 metres – the Big Crown was a game changer and instantly claimed a place in the pantheon of breakthrough tool watches. Remember, these watches were more than a time-telling instrument; they were engineered to assist military divers and help save lives. In 1964, Tudor supplied watches to the American Navy, but it was the French Navy that proved to be an important test-bed for the Big Crown reference 7924.

Indeed, military personnel helped shape Tudor’s dive watches: the famous snowflake hands first appeared on dive models in 1969 and were developed in direct response to a request from the French Marine Nationale (MN) to make watches more legible when exploring dark waters. The colour blue has an important place in the story, too: throughout the 1970s, Tudor provided dive watches to the MN that carried a blue dial and matching blue bezel – and continued outfitting France’s combat divers with them well into the 1980s.

To civilians, derivatives of the Big Crown came with the promise of unmatched durability and the romance of deep-sea discovery – above all, they were affordable and impeccably made, and were even compared to armour in advertising campaigns. Tudor’s pioneering early dive models were a source of inspiration for the brand’s contemporary Black Bay model.

Launched in 2012, this vintage-inspired piece, replete with modern tech, totally reinvigorated Tudor’s reputation as a leading tool-watch maker. More accurately, the Black Bay is Tudor’s success story that keeps on giving: each new watch from this bestselling family generates a huge amount of interest thanks to Tudor’s investment in high-performance movements and materials, as well as eye-catching designs that honour a rich maritime legacy.

Which brings us on to Tudor’s latest release, the Black Bay Fifty-Eight Navy Blue – a 38mm addition to the series which reflects the slim-line proportions Tudor's 1950s design codes. As the name suggests, it is cast in navy blue, a nod to the livery of the aforementioned 1970s MN models.

The timepiece is powered by Tudor’s in-house calibre MT5402, which exceeds the standards set by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), guarantying a precision of -2 and +4 seconds per day. Tudor rightly calls this movement “weekend-proof”: the MT5402 runs for 70 hours, meaning you can take it off on Friday - though the latest Black Bay Fifty-Eight is a model you’ll that probably want to wear constantly.

From £2,520; Tudorwatch.com

For the majority of the year Valtteri Bottas gets to race Formula 1 cars around some of the world’s best circuits. But what does the Finn do when he’s not competing on the track?

We spoke with the Mercedes driver and IWC Schaffhausen ambassador to discuss his life away from F1, his time during lockdown and his Finnish origins.

The 31-year-old, who finished runner-up in last weekend’s Portuguese Grand Prix, is currently second in the 2020 F1 drivers’ standings behind Silver Arrows team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

Here’s what he had to say...

Mental strength and handling pressure

“I’ve never had a mental coach. I’ve always found my own way to be ‘in the zone’ and focus on the things that matter. My mental preparation comes with the preparation that I do physically, ahead of a race weekend and of course between races too. Knowing I have done everything I can to be in my best physical shape gives me great peace of mind.

“In general, us Finnish people are pretty calm. In this sport you really need to be. You can’t get upset about small setbacks whether they are during the race or after. The Finnish word ‘sisu’ is a good way to describe proper willpower. It’s about never giving up and doing everything you can to achieve the goal you have set yourself. It’s a mindset really.

“In this sport, it is common to overthink things when you are under pressure. Your mind and body don’t work as they should. Basically, if you feel too much pressure, you try too hard. In the past, I have had to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. I’ve learned a lot throughout my career and now I know when it’s getting to the point when I’m trying too hard. I tell myself to enjoy the driving. I make sure I remember the pleasure I get out of it. That always works.”

Life during lockdown and other interests

“I used to go clay pigeon shooting a lot in the UK, especially during the winter months, but because of the present travel restrictions, I haven’t done any at all this year. I spent most of the lockdown in Finland where there weren’t as many restrictions [on movement], so I was able to drive, which is important. I was go-karting and rallying for a week. I was also in Lapland in the north enjoying winter sports and ski-doo [snowmobiling]. Then I went south to my lake house for a couple of months, where I followed a routine, just really training and driving a lot.

“My favourite off-track road is in my home town of Nastola. I remember racing and cycling along it as a kid, so it brings up nice memories. I tried my first go-kart when I was five and was racing when I was six, but other than that, it was the usual stuff [that kept me busy], like riding my bike and skateboarding. I was pretty wild as a child. I couldn’t really stay still. My parents told me that when I started go-karting it really calmed me down because finally I could put energy and focus into something.”

Life outside of F1

“I’ve been so fortunate in my life to have been able to experience so many nice things; all new experiences are always really cool. Outside of F1, a recent personal achievement was a 200km bike ride that I completed with my girlfriend during the lockdown. I’ve never cycled so far before, only just over 100km I’d say. We did it in just under seven hours from my lake house to the Russian border.”

Day-to-day cars and back-seat driving

“I own one car, a Mercedes-AMG GT S in blue, because blue is my favourite colour. Soon I’m hopefully getting the [Mercedes]-AMG One with the Formula 1 engine; it’s supposed to come next year, so I’ve been waiting for that. I think I’m a good back-seat driver, as long as it’s normal driving! Today, my coach drove me to the airport and I just sat back and chilled. If it’s full [throttle] driving or rallying though, then I’d never be in the passenger seat.”

Characteristics of Finns

“I think one of the biggest misconceptions people have about the Finns is that we don’t talk much, but once we are in a group we are comfortable with, then we can really talk a lot! It’s actually something my girlfriend noticed. She’s an Aussie and she also thought of us as pretty quiet [people] but once she saw me out with my best friends, she was like, ‘Whoa! What’s happening? You’re talking so much!’ Perhaps we are reserved in a way, but once we allow others to be close to us, we are friends forever and there is complete trust.”

Valtteri Bottas wears the IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Annual Calendar Edition “Le Petit Prince”, similar to the current 46.2mm edition below, with stainless steel case and radiant blue dial. The timepiece boasts an impressive 168-hour power reserve. £11,900; iwc.com

Few images offer a greater contrast to coronavirus confinement than that of a 75ft racing yacht flying above the waves. But if the thought of setting sail sounds calming, think again.

Just ask British sailing hero and Rolex testimonee Ben Ainslie to describe the sensation of being aboard Britannia II, the new foiling monohull that he and his Ineos Team UK will be racing in the imminent competitive cycles that precede the 36th America’s Cup in New Zealand next March.

“It’s a very unique design of boat. [The race marks] the first time we’ve seen foiling monohulls of this scale, so it’s a bit like being on a fairground rollercoaster,” Ainslie says of this incredible speed machine, dubbed “the Flying Beast”.

“The biggest sensation is that of the wind on your face,” he adds. “We are doing speeds of up to 70km an hour and then we have about 20km of wind, so that’s about 90km of wind across the deck of the boat. It’s hard to see and to hear people.”

For spectators, the third regatta of the America’s Cup World Series in Auckland, scheduled for December, promises to be an incredible display of agility and grit as the Ineos crew and four other teams - Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team (Italy); Emirates Team New Zealand; American Magic (USA); and Stars & Stripes Team USA — battle it out on the waters of Waitemata Harbour and the Hauraki Gulf in their AC75 class vessels.

“The rule of the [AC75 class] is set around the defined geometry of the boat, but then beyond that you are quite open with what you can do, which is the big draw of the America’s Cup, because it’s a technological race as much as a sailing race,” says Ainslie. “Between the teams, the boats will look very different. We must therefore keep an eye on the opposition - work out who is performing well, or who isn’t and why - while focusing on our own campaign to ensure we are doing absolutely everything possible to generate the maximum performance from our boat.”

Ainslie is the most decorated sailor in Olympic history, as well as a four-time Rolex World Sailor of the Year. His shatterproof ambition has propelled him through various sailing genres while overcoming seemingly insuperable challenges. And following his superlative solo career, Ainslie tasted glory at the America’s Cup in 2013, when he proved instrumental in leading the Oracle Team USA to victory. Soon after came more big news, when he formed the Ineos Team UK, with a mission to bring the “Auld Mug” home.

“The America’s Cup started at the Royal Yacht Squadron but has never been won by a British team and the goal for all of us is to change that,” explains the sailor, who when we speak is about to depart for New Zealand, where he, his wife and their four-year-old daughter will stay until March.

Ainslie’s role as a Rolex testimonee makes perfect sense, given the Swiss marque’s discerning taste when it comes to its sporting heroes: others honoured with this prestigious family title include motorsport legend Jackie Stewart, tennis ace Roger Federer, golfing great Jack Nicklaus and from the world of sailing, Robin Knox-Johnston, the late Francis Chichester and Bernard Moitessier.

The watchmaker’s connection to the sea runs deep. As well as bringing the world a series of iconic nautical and diving watches, the brand has an affiliation with competitive yacht racing that dates back more than 60 years. Rolex became the first official watch of the New York Yacht Club in 1958, and last year announced a partnership with SailGP, the annual race series often described as the “Formula 1 of sailing”, contested in 50ft foiling catamarans. Ainslie and his team won their first ever SailGP event title in February in what was season two of the global championship.

Ainslie has to quarantine with his family for 14 days when he arrives in Auckland, but says he can’t wait to get then back on the water, after having a very productive summer with his crew. “The Solent, where we did the majority of our training, is very similar to Auckland Harbour - the geography of the surrounding coastline is similar and both places are known for their strong tides, so it’s been a great testing ground for us,” he says.

In practical terms, one of the hardest challenges faced by the team is conforming to the strict weight limits set by the competition. Equipment accounts for the lion’s share of this allowance, leaving the eleven- race crew an average body weight “allowance” of 90kg each. And that has required the team to follow a demanding fitness regime to stay in shape. Rolex has also assisted on this front, with a unique sports model for the champion yachtsman.

“The team at Rolex has been incredibly thoughtful by giving me a titanium Yacht-Master 42,” he says. “I’m extremely honoured to have it, plus, from a performance perspective, every little bit of weight that we can save, helps us to go faster with the boat.”

Anniversary watches are often geared towards serious fans with a forensic understanding of the legacy of the original model, but Omega is bucking that trend with a cool jubilee edition that has mass appeal.

The Omega Speedmaster Silver Snoopy Award 50th Anniversary features everyone’s favourite beagle in a space suit. And that’s not all: Snoopy becomes a canine astronaut within the magical universe of this chronograph. All will be revealed, but first a little history.

Back in 1960, as the space race hotted up, Snoopy became America’s official space dog, with Nasa nominating the cartoon pooch as its official mascot to act as a watchdog during space missions. In fact, so serious was Snoopy’s role that the Apollo 10 lunar module was codenamed “Snoopy and the Command Module Charlie Brown”. The Apollo 10 mission in May 1969 was a dress rehearsal for the moon landing two months later – so you could say that Nasa paid “Peanuts” to shoot a rocket into space.

Snoopy’s role didn’t end there. The pup also became a symbol of heroism for the US space agency. The Silver Snoopy Award, established in 1968, is a prize given by Nasa to people and companies who have significantly contributed to space exploration by ensuring flight safety and mission success. It comes in the form of a silver pin lapel - each of which has been flown in space and has a certificate to prove it - decorated with the motif of a skipping Snoopy in a spacesuit.

In 1970, Omega was honoured with this award in recognition of the brand’s contributions to space exploration, including the Apollo 13 mission. The Omega Speedmaster became known as the Moonwatch when Buzz Aldrin wore his during the legendary 1969 moon landing, but the Speedmaster also played a vital role in saving lives during this mission.

Now, Omega has unveiled a new anniversary Speedmaster featuring an embossed silver rendition of the same skipping Snoopy surrounded by stars on the 9 o’clock subdial.

However, the real magic is reserved for the caseback, which serves as a mini screen for a cool animation featuring three cosmic elements: a texturised moon (applied to the sapphire via a process called micro-structured metallisation), a small Earth disk that spins in sync with the small seconds hand, and Snoopy sitting inside a tiny command module ready for take-off.

Fourteen seconds after the chronograph function is actuated, Snoopy flies to the far side of the Moon in a smooth arch thanks to what Omega calls a “magic hand”. The count of 14 is a nod to the role that the original Omega Speedmaster played during the Apollo 13 mission.

During a critical moment, the astronauts had to shift the angle of the command module in order to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and return safely home; in order to do this, they were told by Mission Control to complete a 14-second engine burn, which they timed with astronaut Jack Swigert’s Speedmaster.

It’s a lovely detail that shows a real dedication to storytelling in the making of this new timepiece.

The 42mm watch comes with a blue fabric strap and is presented in a special Apollo 13 box along with a magnifying glass so you can get geeky over the details. Fans should be sure to look for the iconic “Dot over Ninety” on the tachymeter scale and the classic quote, “Eyes on the Stars”, which is hidden within the black universe of the caseback.

The Omega Speedmaster Silver Snoopy Award 50th Anniversary costs £8,250 and is available from the end of October; omegawatches.com

There is no shortage of talented independent watchmakers out there creating exciting timepieces, often with limited resources. But there are also a lot of not very good ones, creating boring and forgettable watches and charging way over the odds for them.

To help you navigate your way to an affordable mechanical watch that is genuinely worth the money, The Week Portfolio has scoured through the market to sort the horological wheat from the timekeeping chaff.

DIY Watch Club

It is hard to overstate how much we here at The Week Portfolio love DIY Watch Club.

If you have even a passing interest in mechanical watches, chances are you will be curious about what is going on behind the dial. You may even be aware of the community of passionate watch modifiers - or modders - who take watches apart and put them back together again with different dials, bezels, hands and crowns.

If that sounds like fun, but you don’t really know where to start, the DIY Watch Club offers the perfect way in. They will send you all the tools you need to put together a range of different dive watches and dress watches, which arrive in parts ready to be assembled.

With your purchase comes access to well-produced how-to videos that will hold your hand through the process, taking the guesswork out of it. We opted for the DWC-D01 (below), one of the dive watches the company offers, featuring a black dial and housing a reliable Seiko movement.

The construction process is relatively straightforward, with just a couple of hairy moments - the worst of which was the application of the second hand. This step comes with its own video which warns that if you mess the application up too badly, you will break the movement and it will be game over.

With a shaking hand, we eventually managed to apply the tiny pointer and get through the rest of the process to emerge from the roughly two-hour task with a glorious dive watch that looks great on the wrist and, with a depth rating of 200 metres, could genuinely be put to work beneath the waves.

The “finished” product is, of course, only the start of your watchmaking journey. Once you get a taste for it, you may soon find yourself back on the DIY Watch Club website looking for new components including straps, hands and dials - or heading out into the wider internet to pick up even more exotic parts from the burgeoning watch mod community.

By the time you are done, your watch will truly feel like a one of a kind because, well, it will be.

Prices begin at around £190; diywatch.club

Ciga watches

One of the most interesting indie watchmakers of the moment is Ciga Design, a Chinese brand that has won a bevy of design awards in its short history.

The watches in its collection reveal a creative impulse that is highly eclectic. Many companies iterate with each new watch they produce, refining previous products as they go, or at least displaying a discernible DNA which is present across the range. Not so with Ciga which seems intent on creating something genuinely new with each new watch.

The most recent two releases stand as an excellent case in point.

The Z Series (above) is a watch with more than a passing resemblance to the celebrity-favourite watch brand du jour, Richard Mille. The watch has the same case shape, a kind of bowed ellipsis with flattened-off ends.

It is an imposing scale, but given the case is made from titanium, it feels incredibly light on the wrist, a detail which may have contributed to the Z Series winning the 2020 German Design Award.

The dial is skeletonised, revealing the beating heart of the movement below, and hands are tipped with red to lift them out of the movement. The effect is a surprisingly subtle face - a departure from those of Richard Mille, which can be cacophonic, verging on vulgar.

The J Series (below) is subtler still, with a dial inspired by Zen Japanese rock gardens. If there is a connection between the J and the Z it would be the skeletonisation of the dial, which here also reveals the movement below. Apart from that though, the two look almost like watches made by different manufacturers.

One thing that is common to the pair of them is the beautiful packaging they arrive in - a sleek white box that opens like a book, with spaces cut out for the watch and the two straps which come as standard with each.

Particularly handsome is the mesh bracelet that comes with the J series, a stainless steel Milanese strap, which contours perfectly to the wrist. The alternative is a polymer strap, which carries on the Japanese rock garden theme with lines that look like raked sand. Both straps offer a very different look and it is nice to have alternatives as standard with a watch purchase.

Ciga’s other watches are equally diverse, including a watch that looks something like a hollowed out Apple Watch, and other radical departures. This is a brand that genuinely offers something for everyone.

Z Series price from £185, J Series price from £288; ciga-design.net

Humism

Crowdfunded watch start-ups are a dime a dozen these days, but every now and then a brand emerges with a totally new concept that captures collectors’ imaginations.

So it was when Singapore-based design studio Humism launched a range of kinetic watches that utilise an automatic movement in concert with two or three rotating discs to create a dynamic piece of artwork for our wrists.

Indeed, Humism smashed through its funding goals in just 30 minutes after launching its inaugural Kinetic Art watch collection, Philosophies, in February 2017.

Take your pick really, all the designs are gorgeous and entirely mesmeric. To our eye, however, the Rhizome might just be the most beautiful of the lot.

Prices from £230; humism.com

Mr. Jones Watches

Creativity and experimentation used to be core values of watchmaking, but these days many of the world’s best-known brands prioritise legibility and traditionalism over originality.

Explaining the trend, news and reviews site A Blog to Watch says: “As consumer tastes ebb toward conservatism during unpredictable economic times (as we are in now), more experimental or artistic designs often get pushed to the side.”

And as a result, the so-called art watches of yesteryear have become increasingly difficult to find, especially at an affordable price point.

Enter London-based timepiece brand Mr. Jones Watches, which has built up a loyal following by creating a range of innovative designs dreamt up by tattooists, artists and graphic designers.

There is so much artistry on offer at Mr Jones, with cool movements that place numbers in unexpected places, or support floating dial elements and other clever tricks. The Week Portfolio is partial to The Last Laugh Tattoo XL, but the colour Venn is also appealing, as is A Perfectly useless afternoon. Possibly the perfect summer watch.

Prices from £175, mrjoneswatches.com

James Bond’s timepiece transformed

The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M (above) “feels like it took 26 years to get right”, says Cole Pennington on Hodinkee. Past designs teetered back and forth between luxury watch and utilitarian tool and if it weren’t for the on-screen endorsement by Pierce Brosnan, “the suavest Bond of them all”, would the watch have hung around in Omega’s lineup for as long as it has? It’s a good thing it did, says Pennington.

The changes Omega has made in this latest incarnation have “truly transformed the watch”. The newest case is 13.5mm thick and 42mm wide. The Diver 300M Co-Axial Master Chronometer (pictured) is water resistant to up to 300 metres and the dial has been changed to highly polished ceramic from enamel, which “serves as a perfect canvas for a laser-etched wave pattern”. From £4,170, omegawatches.com

Breitling’s bohemian chic

It is fitting that Breitling, whose brand extols derring-do and pioneering adventuring in the face of adversity, has continued to plough on despite the challenges coronavirus has caused for the watch industry, says Johnny Davis in Esquire. The Breitling Superocean Heritage ’57 Capsule Collection – based on the brand’s original dive watch, the 1957 SuperOcean – is “a tribute to the laid-back lifestyle of the surfers of the 1950s and 1960s”.

The 42mm watch is available with a classic black dial on a black vintage-inspired strap, but also in a colourful limited version – only 250 are being made. It is the “embodiment of pure bohemian chic” and is “surely one of 2020’s most notable releases”. £3,990, breitling.com

A bespoke masterpiece

If you’re looking to stay away from mass-produced timepieces and instead want something unique, you’re not alone. The demand for customisable luxury watches is on the rise and, “when it comes to understanding the true meaning of luxury”, the world’s oldest diamond company is “a master”, says Tracey Llewellyn in The Daily Telegraph.

For watch and jewellery maker Backes & Strauss, founded in 1789, commissions from private clients are nothing new, but CEO Vartkess Knadjian has noticed an increase in demand for bespoke pieces. The client has the option to select the case material and gemstones, as well as their cuts and setting, and whether the dial is gem-set, enamelled or hand-painted. Prices range from £50,000 to well over £1m, backesandstrauss.com

The world’s thinnest mechanical watch

The historic master of the thin watch, Piaget, had its record for the thinnest mechanical watch broken by Jaeger-LeCoultre in 2015, says Tim Auld in the FT's How To Spend It. Jaeger LeCoultre’s Master Ultra-Thin Squelette’s case was just 3.6mm in depth, while Piaget’s Alitplano Ultimate 900P had previously set the mark at 3.65mm. “For the sake of 0.05mm, you might have thought they’d call it quits, but the quest to design watches ever closer to the airy thinness of gold leaf remains a compulsion to the world’s leading makers.”

Piaget’s 2mm-thick hand-wound Altiplano Ultimate Concept (pictured) has restored its title, “its 167 tiny parts, like a troupe of angels dancing on a pinhead, intricately whirring within a cobalt alloy case 2.3 times stronger than gold”. The collection comes in three finishes and a choice of ultra-thin alligator-skin or technical-textile straps. Customisation is also possible. Price on application, piaget.com

This article was originally published in MoneyWeek

Of all the complications that can adorn a wristwatch, the tourbillon is perhaps one of the most curious.

The whirring, oscillating mechanical feature, which often emerges from the surface of a watch’s dial, these days serves no real purpose other than to dramatically increase a watch’s price. But once upon a time this was not the case.

The tourbillon was originally invented to make pocket watches more accurate. The turning oscillator, in theory, aimed to counter the impact of gravity on a gentleman’s timepiece, which would usually spend the majority of the day in a single position: upright in one’s pocket.

Once watches moved to the wrist, however, this problem ceased to exist - yet tourbillons have remained extremely popular with fans of haute horology, and can add hundreds of thousands of pounds, or more, to a watch’s price.

This year, Breguet, the brand that invented the feature, has released a new tourbillon watch: a blue-dialled version of its Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Automatique. In celebration of the release, The Week Portfolio caught up with the company’s CEO Marc Hayek to find out more about the brand’s connection to the unusual complication.

What is Breguet's connection to the tourbillon?

Among other genius inventions, Abraham-Louis Breguet is the creator of the tourbillon, which he patented on June 26, 1801, or rather on 7 Messidor, year IX, since at the time the Republican calendar was still in force in France.

What does a tourbillon do and how does it work?

At a time when timepieces were worn vertically on the body, Abraham-Louis Breguet took great pains to devise a way of negating the effects of the Earth’s attraction on the functioning of the oscillator and, on the basis of this, improving the chronometric accuracy of the movement.

Then the idea came to him to incorporate the balance wheel and spring as well as the escapement (lever and escape wheel) in a mobile casing rotating on itself. Breguet devised the name “tourbillon” for the double rotation of this cage and its parts in reference to the long-forgotten notion of a planetary system rotating around a single axis. Fantastic in its design, captivating in its function, the invention has never ceased to command respect, right from when it was first presented to the present day.

What is new in the Blue Version of the Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Automatique?

For the first time Breguet has adorned the dial of its extra-thin self-winding tourbillon with a touch of deep blue, by using the traditional grand feu enamel technique.

Tourbillons aside, which complications do you admire on a watch most? And which do you find most useful?

Watching to a moon-phase indication never stops to be mesmerising. It has something mystical with a touch of poetry. Considering the practical side, I find it useful to have the date indication on my watch.

In the age of quartz watches and smart devices, why should people be interested in the history of mechanical horology?

Except that all watches (mechanical, quartz or smart ones) give time, they have nothing else in common. Today, everything seems so normal but imagine what it meant to develop an accurate timepiece with the technologies they had 250 years ago? Watchmakers were more like scientists! This rich history and legacy is strengthening from generation to generation and there is no reason this should ever come to an end.

What is the value of something that is handmade over something made by a machine?

Nowadays where everything has to be made quickly with no tolerance for even a tiny defect, handmade craft keeps an authentic charm, which no machine can replace. A creation made by hand gives a soul and a unique history. Two timepieces will never be exactly the same but isn’t it wonderful to keep uniqueness in such a standardised world?

Will tourbillons still be being made in 100 years time?

Even though I am not a soothsayer, I wish to believe that there still will be watch lovers in a century who understand the complexity of such a complication. Moreover, the tourbillon is linked to one of the greatest watchmakers of all time. Carrying a tourbillon is like having a part of the history of watchmaking on the wrist.

For more, visit breguet.com

Until fairly recently, the concept of customising luxury watches was the preserve of elite collectors – a small and rarefied branch of haute horology catering to those who could afford exquisite one-off creations, often commanding six-figure sums. Customisation in the wider world of luxury is, of course, big business – from monogrammed bags to personalised vintage whisky, there’s something for everyone, with your name stamped/engraved or sewn on for added authenticity – but in the world of fine watches there are other things to consider, namely the desire to protect the traditional codes of design.

The case against customisation is a valid one in relation to the great horological brands that move stealthily when it comes to aesthetic changes and new releases. Put simply, you wouldn’t expect to find a customising tool on the Rolex website, because each model conforms strictly to in-house standards that are set according to heritage, design and technological advancements.

Interestingly, the flipside of his argument is gaining traction: a number of prestige brands are keen to appeal to a younger generation who expect variety when it comes to their luxury purchases – and naturally a bespoke piece is the ultimate signifier of choice and personal taste. As such, a number of watchmakers have embraced customisation as a means of creative expansion and business growth, particularly brands with a strong couture/high-jewellery division.

Dior has entered this realm with a brand new bespoke service for its Grand Bal collection. This smartly engineered watch places the oscillating weight, otherwise known as the rotor, on top of the dial, transforming it into a canvas for intricate decoration. The rotor swings gently as you move, mimicking the sway of a Dior gown. Given the couture credentials of the timepiece, customisation was a natural progression for this model: the new Dior ‘created-to-measure’ service allows clients to pick and choose their own adornments for the rotor, from feathers and delicate lace motifs to pleated, painted and pearlised textures. The customisable components, which also include a variety of straps as well as dials in coloured lacquer, mother-of-pearl or gemstones, are neatly stored in a large black leather-clad coffer – a bit like a portable specimen cabinet for Dior horologists.

Bulgari’s classic Serpenti watch features a single or double wrap- around interchangeable bracelet, making it one of the most versatile jewellery watches around: the simple structure of the timepiece allows you to seamlessly slide the oval-shaped face onto a different leather or gold chain bracelet for a brand new look. You can go a step further, too: in 30 Bulgari boutiques worldwide, customers can create their very own Serpenti model thanks to the in-store My Serpenti app, a game of mix’n’match that allows customers to digitally mock-up a whole variety of case, dial, gem-setting and strap configurations until they find their perfect match – apparently there are 312 combinations to choose from.

The art of bespoke luxury runs deep at Hermès. The famous French maison has a specialised workshop in Pantin, on the outskirts of Paris, where skilled artisans conceive exceptional objects that are tailored to the desires of individual clients. This little-known division, named Le Sur-Mesure, specialises in unique creations: everything from one-of- a-kind bicycles and boxing gloves to the interiors of private planes and superyachts. Hermès watches are made in Switzerland, but the spirit of Le Sur-Mesure reverberates through the horological division, too. As Laurent Dordet, managing director of the luxury house’s watches division, explains, “In Hermès boutiques, customers can buy additional straps in 32 colour variations. Special orders can also be arranged if a client wants a different colour strap altogether, or one in a different size, or indeed one made from a different kind of leather. We can also change the finer details, including the colour the loops and the stitching.” It seems that anything is possible as long as you have the budget, though Hermès is one of the few luxury investing in its signature Cape Cod, Nantucket and Heure H timepieces.

If you can’t quaff Cartier champagne (reserved only for esteemed clients and presented in beautifully faceted crystal bottles) head to the Cartier Strap Bar, the inspired name of the maison’s bespoke watch service. In store, you can ask for the inside of your Cartier watch strap to be laser-engraved with your own handwriting in a selection of four fonts. There are 23 strap colours, 20 stitching colours and two lining options to choose from, but, of course, no happy hour deals. Alternatively, watch straps in a rainbow of colours are available for most Cartier models online, where you’ll also find a digital engraving tool to compose a message on the caseback of various models including the Tank Solo, the Ronde Solo and the Santos de Cartier.

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s famous Reverso watch is the Swiss horological superstar of hidden messages: for almost 90 years, skilled engravers and enamelists have decorated the model’s iconic swivel face with commissioned symbols, words and initials. In fact, there is little that these expert craftspeople can’t do on this tiny format – ultra-special models feature reproductions of famous paintings by the likes of Van Gogh, Seurat and Alphonse Mucha in miniature on the backs of the ‘flippable’ Reverso watch case. Jaeger-LeCoultre recently launched an online commissioning tool that makes the process of personalisation more accessible to those looking to embellish their own (vintage or new) Reverso timepieces with a chic design – shoppers can choose from dates, initials, cursive lettering and Chinese zodiac symbols, along with coloured lacquering.

But what about watch brands that don’t offer their own bespoke options? Innovative modification specialists are the answer. Bamford Watch Department (BWD), a London-based operation widely regarded as an expert tinkerer of high-end watches, became the official customiser for LVMH brands TAG Heuer, Zenith and Bulgari in 2017. The business is known for its edgy and inky renditions of classic models, with dials electrified by accents of bright glow-in-the-dark Super-LumiNova, often in aqua blue, a Bamford trademark. The BWD website takes customising to a new level with options to change almost every aspect of each watch, from the case coating to the colour of the seconds hand.

Those determined to get their hands on a customised Rolex should look to horological saboteurs MAD Paris – an avant-garde ‘upon order only’ outfit that isn’t exactly popular with purists. The clue is in the name: MAD adapts elite models – anything Rolex, as well as rarities produced by the likes of Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Cartier – into subversive art statements for the wrist. Some are laden with high-carat jewels, others have blacked-out dials or rainbow hands, and others still have skeletonised dials in lieu of their historical configurations. This rare pre-designed model below is on sale at Matches Fashion and priced at £51,000.

For traditionalists, this is the stuff of nightmares; judging by the comments on the MAD Instagram feed, these modified timepieces are contentious to say the least. But then, ruffling a few feathers is all part of the fun, and when it comes to customising, surely the point is to do exactly as you please.

Not only does Rexhep Rexhepi have the coolest name in the world of watchmaking, his timepieces – superlatively complex and made in his small workshop in Switzerland – are highly sought-after by the horological cognoscenti. Aged only 33, Rexhepi is one of the youngest success stories in Swiss watchmaking and, what’s more, the first in his family to step into this rarefied world. He did so with a bang, too: Rexhepi’s very first release in 2012 – under the brand name AkriviA, from the Greek word for ‘precision’– was a tourbillon monopusher chronograph he had made from his home workbench. An audacious feat of engineering, the piece defied all expectations of a debut watch – somewhat akin to a fledgling rocket engineer rolling out a Falcon 9 from his shed.

Since then, Rexhepi has produced many more high-tech marvels, including a chiming jump- hour tourbillon (the AK-03) and the non-tourbillon AK-06, which created a big buzz among collectors upon its release in 2017 because of an open-worked dial that showcases an ingenious power reserve system. More recently, he released the award- winning neoclassical Chronomètre Contemporain (below) with its grand feu enamel dial – the first watch that bears his own name in place of the AkriviA signature.

The earliest release was bought by friends of Jean-Claude Biver for the watch supremo’s 70th birthday. (A legend in the industry, Biver – who now serves as non-executive president of LVMH’s Group Watch Division – is credited with reversing the fortunes of numerous luxury brands, including Blancpain, Omega, Hublot, TAG Heuer and Zenith.) As a new independent watchmaker – Rexhepi and his team of nine produce just 30 timepieces a year, each taking around three months to complete – this is the ultimate industry accolade. But then, Rexhepi learnt from the best: aged just 15, he was accepted onto an apprenticeship scheme at Patek Philippe where he spent three years learning the ropes of this prestigious marque, from assembly to decorative techniques such as perlage.

Rexhepi’s passion for watchmaking was ignited after a significant life change: born in Kosovo and brought up by his grandmother, he was forced to flee his war-torn country at the age of 11 and move to Switzerland to live with his father, who encouraged his son’s fascination with watches, though not always when it came to his own: “I loved the soft ‘tik-tok’ of my father’s Tissot watch – I would take it while he was sleeping, just so I could observe it. I just couldn’t understand how it worked. I tried to open it on various occasions, which caused a few arguments!” he laughs.

Inspired by Geneva’s many manufactures – “In Switzerland, you are surrounded by watches,” he says – the young Rexhepi was a star pupil at Patek Philippe. “The amazing thing about Patek is how specialised each workshop is,” he proffers. “You learn so much and in such detail, from watch assembly and intricate adjustments to the complex restoration of components.” Being inquisitive, he got itchy feet soon after his three-year stint: “I realised I was drawn to experimentation. I wanted to work across various areas of watch assembly, which just wasn’t possible at Patek.”

Rexhepi was hired by the now-defunct BNB Concept, a specialist in high-end movements, known especially for its innovative tourbillon complications. “I stayed there three years, working on some really fascinating prototypes,” he says. “Building and developing movements, well, it was pure engineering, which is what I have always been drawn to.” Rexhepi had one more dream to fulfil after this: to work for François- Paul Journe, widely regarded as a genius in the modern watch world. Once again, the young wunderkind made this a reality. “Working for François-Paul Journe was a revelation, because not only did I witness his craft but I also learnt how he managed his workshops and how he worked across many products with his team. When I left, at the age of 25, I felt more like a ‘man’,” laughs Rexhepi.

“I decided to branch out on my own, but it was a slow, organic process. I made my first watch, but I realised fairly quickly that I had no structure in place to make more. The first step was to get my work seen, so I showed my watch to as many journalists and collectors as I could. The feedback was really positive, but you can’t build a reputation quickly – I had a lot more to prove before I was able to make any sales. “In fact, I made my first sale two-and-a-half years later in 2014. At 25, you don’t really think about the obstacles, which I’m grateful for, because I just stubbornly pushed on regardless! But when I did sell that first watch, something clicked into place. I pledged to always stay true to my gut feeling, to always make watches that I feel personally connected to.”

There are a still more goals to reach: AkriviA does not yet produce all components in-house, although last year Rexhepi introduced case-making to his marque’s repertoire. “Every year, I work towards bringing more and more in-house, because it gives you so much more freedom as a watchmaker. Very soon, hopefully within a year from now, we hope to be totally independent.” So, are the mechanics of a watch more sacred that its decoration? “As a watchmaker, my drive is to create compelling movements, but if you have a beautiful movement in a watch that doesn’t aesthetically captivate people, it is no good to anyone,” says Rexhepi. “For me, the finished product must be a work of absolute harmony.”

The Heritage Black Bay diver orchestrated quite the renaissance for Tudor. Ever since the Heritage Black Bay broke cover at BaselWorld 2012, Tudor has gained ground on its competition and myriad new fans along the way.

Since that launch we’ve seen a host of variations on the Black Bay recipe - differing bezel and face colours, different case sizes, multiple bracelet and strap option, etc - but the version we’re looking at here represents the bravest move from Tudor yet.

With the Heritage Black Bay Dark, Tudor has leveraged the trend for aftermarket, all black watches, and created such a beast itself. The 41mm case is PVD coated, giving it a beautifully uniform matte black finish, while the face and bezel are also black, along with the crown - make no mistake, this is a very black watch. It’s worth noting that while the black finish is undoubtedly appealing, and sets the Black Bay Dark apart from its siblings, it’s also something of a marketing exercise. This watch, and the recently launched Black Bay Chronograph Dark, are the official timepieces of the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team - see what they did there? Thankfully, and arguably very cleverly on Tudor’s part, there is no obvious association with the All Blacks visible on the watch itself.

The black is broken up somewhat by the white numerals around the bezel and the hour markers on the face, while the large, snowflake hands help bring just enough light to proceedings, without spoiling the intended darkness of the design.

The signature large crown draws attention to itself, despite having no contrasting colour, while the lack of crown guard makes it even more prominent, dominating the right side of the case. The case itself is a good size that would suit a large cross section of buyers - 41mm is fairly conservative, although the trend for oversized watches seems to have waned somewhat - and won’t dominate smaller wrists.

The original Heritage Black Bay employed an ETA 2824 movement, and there was really nothing wrong with that. It was a solid and reliable choice, found in a plethora of timepieces in and around the pricepoint that Tudor pitched its diver at. But the Black Bay Dark comes equipped with an in-house movement designed and manufactured by Tudor. The calibre MT5602 is an automatic movement with a 70 hour power reserve, and a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour. The MT5602 is also COSC certified, which is a nice touch, and will certainly make the Black Bay Dark even more attractive to some buyers.

While the diameter of the case isn’t excessive, it is quite chunky, sitting noticeably prouder on the wrist than a Rolex Submariner does. Whether that’s good or bad is, as is often the case with watches, a matter of taste. To be fair, the girth of the case is somewhat exacerbated by the strap we chose. The Heritage Black Bay Dark comes with three strap options - a black PVD coated steel bracelet, a black aged leather strap and a dark grey fabric strap. We chose the latter, and while it proved to be incredibly comfortable on the wrist, and very easy to adjust, it did look slightly at odds with the thick case design.

Like all dive watches, the Black Bay Dark has a unidirectional bezel, which can be easily employed as a visual marker for minutes spent under the water. The bezel itself is constructed from anodised matte black aluminium, which looks totally in keeping with the PVD-treated steel case. In a world dominated by ceramic bezels the Black Bay Dark feels slightly retro, but given its heritage positioning, that’s no bad thing.

The Black Bay Dark is rated to a depth of 200m, which is somewhat at odds with the more usual 300m rating seen on dive watches like the Rolex Submariner or Omega Seamaster. Whether that matters to you really comes down to whether you’re actually a diver, and then whether you’d actually wear a watch like this when you do dive. It’s probably a safe bet that the vast majority of dive watches have never been deeper than your average swimming pool.

At £3,010 the Tudor Heritage Black Bay Dark is quite the bargain given its in-house movement and COSC chronometer certification. But this isn’t a watch that you’d be drawn to because of its keen price, it’s an undeniably handsome timepiece with the kind of retro-chic appeal that makes it almost timeless. And while the original Heritage Black Bay ticked many of the right boxes, that beautifully uniform black finish elevates the Black Bay Dark above its siblings, and so many of its contemporaries. And now that England have knocked New Zealand out of the Rugby World Cup, you can buy one without feeling guilty.

For more, visit tudorwatch.com

Creativity and experimentation used to be core values of watchmaking, but these days many of the world’s best-known brands prioritise legibility and traditionalism over originality.

Explaining the trend, news and reviews site A Blog to Watch says: “As consumer tastes ebb toward conservatism during unpredictable economic times (as we are in now), more experimental or artistic designs often get pushed to the side.”

And as a result, the so-called art watches of yesteryear have become increasingly difficult to find, especially at an affordable price point.

Enter London-based timepiece brand Mr. Jones Watches, which has built up a loyal following by creating a range of innovative designs dreamt up by tattooists, artists and graphic designers.

The Week Portfolio caught up with the company’s founder and creative director Crispin Jones to find out why and how he is aiming to make people think differently about their time.

You’ve won lots of attention with your memento mori watches. Do you think tracking the time is inherently connected to feelings of mortality?

Yes, absolutely - I think that the two concepts of time telling and mortality are very tightly intertwined. There is a tradition within pretty much all cultures around the world of the memento mori - an object designed to remind us that life is brief.

Traditionally, these took the form of jewellery or keepsakes in the shape of skulls and so on, early watches also had a tradition of carrying the same motifs, generally on the dials although sometimes by having a watch case shaped like a skull. It seemed neat to me to marry up the motif of the skull with the time keeping function of the watch and have the whole design unified.

Do you come up with the idea first for your designs and then look for a calibre that will help you execute it, or is it the other way around - calibre first and design afterwards?

Normally these days we work with external illustrators and generally we give them carte blanche to design whatever they want, we then work out the best way to realise the design within the range of calibres we have available.

Occasionally it’s the other way around - i.e. that we want to use say a jump-hour movement and so create the design around this.

In an age where timekeeping is largely done by digital devices, watches continue to offer an opportunity for self-expression. Why, then, do you think so many watch companies are so conservative in their designs?

Honestly this is one of the biggest mysteries to me. I kind of understand why someone like Rolex or Omega would be conservative - after all with these brands you’re buying into tradition / heritage etc and you want your Rolex to look like what everyone expects a Rolex to look like.

What I find really puzzling is that there are so many brands who are content to make something which looks a bit like a Rolex. I always thought was weird, even before I started making watches - as a comparison inexpensive car brands don’t try to make cars which look sort of like they’re Ferraris.

The other branch of watch design which I find puzzling is the Dieter Rams style ultra-minimal design, to me there are a multitude of those brands who all make things which look more or less the same. I guess there’s a real market for that kind of design, but it really leaves me cold.

How did you get interested in watches in the first place?

Growing up I had no interest in watches - I wanted to be an artist. I went to art college to study Sculpture for my bachelor degree. For sculptors there is a really close link to the practice of photography, as you generally always have to photograph your work to document it. In the photography department at university, I learnt to use Photoshop (this was 1995 so Photoshop was a real game changer!) I started using Photoshop to manipulate images and basically create sculptures that didn’t exist (since you were assessed on the documentation it kind of made sense to me to cut out the time consuming part of the process which was making the sculptures).

After I graduated I had to find a job, so I started working as a graphic designer and continued making artworks digitally in my own time.

After two years in the real world I wanted to get back to study further so I applied to a course called “Computer Related Design” (CRD for short) at the Royal College of Art. CRD was concerned with any creative use of technology, which was very forward looking for the late 1990s. I graduated from this course in 2000 and spent around five years making one off pieces for exhibition. These were neither really fine art, nor design but some intersection between the two disciplines.

Some examples of this kind of work:

ZXZX, this was a device I made which was designed to achieve a perfect score at the 1980s arcade game Track & Field:

An Invisible Force: a table that answers questions - you place the question card that you want answered in the metel slot on the left and press it down. As the answer is revealed the metal slot gets hotter and hotter, so you have to endure a level of pain in order to see the whole answer - if you take your hand away then the table resets:

Social Mobiles: this was a set of one-off mobile phones which were designed to alter the users behaviour to make it less disruptive to those around them:

In about 2005 I started to look at ways to change my practice to make it more sustainable for me. Making the one-off pieces for exhibition was rewarding in many ways, just not financially. I started to think about ways in which I could produce products which shared the same creative approach, but which I could also sell. I’d made a one off set of watches for exhibition and I thought about making a small production run of these.

The original Mr Jones Watches series:

I thought that there are loads of inexpensive watches out there, so my initial thought was simply that I could use some of the inexpensive manufacturing and combine it with interesting design to create a new kind of product.

I started off googling watch manufacturers and emailed them a bunch of questions about minimum order, if they could make my case design, and if they could print hands on transparent discs. Quite quickly there was only one factory writing back to me, they said the minimum order is 500 watches. I can make my own case and as many different designs within this 500 as long as I paid the setup fee for each design.

I thought with my fine art background that I could do five watches, each in a numbered edition of 100 pieces. I ordered samples, tweaked them and in spring 2007 I had the first watches ready, which I presented at the Milan Furniture Fair (which is less a ‘Furniture’ fair and more like an annual festival of design). I actually sold a few of the samples in Milan and overall the watches were well received. In July I received the main delivery and launched Mr Jones Watches with five designs.

Also you can see the first website here.

By the autumn one of the designs (The Accurate - see picture at the top of the page) had sold out and two others (The Mantra and The Decider) were low on stock. I thought great - people will start ordering some of the other two now, but they didn’t - they just kept asking when I’d make more of The Accurate. I decided to update the design to differentiate it from the first edition and reissue all three watches as part of the grandly named “Permanent Collection”.

The following year I repeated this format - I released five new 100 piece edition designs; two of them were popular enough to reissue and so they were added to the permanent collection.

This has become a sort of business model for us, that we still use: any new design is released in an initial numbered edition. If it’s popular then the design is updated and it’s reissued as part of the permanent collection.

So really my interest in watches stems from them as a form of wearable technology and because they embody so much of our personal aspiration and sense of worth.

Are there any watches among your own designs that get more wrist time than others?

It varies at different times, currently I’m really loving the XL Last Laugh Tattoo, I really like that it feels big but also balanced (I’m not generally a fan of super large watches, so it was a real challenge for me to get the case feeling right). In the past I had a long time of wearing Sun & Moon in the regular size. I like wearing the gilded watches (Robotto Shi, Nuage) when it’s sunny because the gilding always looks great in sunshine.

What other small watch brands do you most admire?

Not sure if they count as small, but I like Christopher Ward - I like that even though they’re small compared to some of the Swiss brands, they developed their own movement and have developed various modules to alter the time display.

I admire Roger Smith hugely, I think his work maintaining and building on the traditional craft of watch making are an inspiration.

Finally I really like what anOrdain, we worked on some enamel dials a few years back and I know from that experience how challenging it can be. The dials they produce look superb.

And which traditional brands do you like?

I really don’t care for many of the traditional brands’ current output, but thinking about these brands in their mid-20th century heyday I’d say Longines for their beautiful movements - I don’t think you can beat a 12.68 with gilded plates and blued screws, especially if it’s powering an RAF issued 6b/159 navigator’s wristwatch.

I love IWC in this mid-century period, I think they’re hugely underrated, the quality of their movements is superb.

I have a really strong feeling for Jaeger LeCoultre in the post war years - they were such an innovative and slightly strange company during this period, it almost felt like they weren’t happy unless they were doing something that nobody else was (the Futurematic, the Memovox automatics, even pre-war with the Reverso and the Atmos clock).

I love Smiths who were the last English manufacturer of quality wristwatches, their output (especially the diversity of it) gives such a strong sense of Britain in the 1950s and 60s.

Do you have any grail watches you lust after? What would you put in your collection if money was no object?

Oh certainly I have a few!

If I had to pick one though I’d go for a Charles Frodsham double impulse chronometer watch (money no object I’d opt for a 22 carat gold case!) I think what the team there have created should stand as an inspiration for any of the people who look to revive one of the traditional watch brands.

And finally, what are you working on next?

My current major project is our new combined retail and production space, we’re looking to renovate an old shop and have all the production on-site as well as all the order dispatch and a small retail area.

Currently, although we’re a small company we’re rather too spread out and bringing everything together in one space will help pretty much all aspects of what we do. We’re hoping to be moved in by Christmas, or early in the new year so at the moment we’re in the really fun phase where it’s all planning and working out how to organise the space, which I’m really enjoying!

For more, visit mrjoneswatches.com

Crowdfunded watch start-ups are a dime a dozen these days, but every now and then a brand emerges with a totally new concept that captures collectors’ imaginations.

So it was when Singapore-based design studio Humism launched a range of kinetic watches that utilise an automatic movement in concert with two or three rotating discs to create a dynamic piece of artwork for our wrists.

Indeed, Humism smashed through its funding goals in just 30 minutes after launching its inaugural Kinetic Art watch collection, Philosophies, in February 2017.

With more designs and series now being perfected, The Week Portfolio caught up with brand founder David Sze to talk about his success and what the future holds.

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How did you come up with the core idea for Humism?

When I first decided to design watches, I came up with a whole bunch of designs that were pretty interesting in and of themselves. However, I still felt something was missing. I wanted a design that wasn’t just “cool”, but based on a concept that I’ve never seen before. This led me to go back to the fundamentals, to try to explore the watch’s potential as an arts canvas. The answer I came up with was: movement – a watch is basically a moving, kinetic sculpture on your wrist. I knew then that I wanted to use that movement to create visual art. It then took months of design research for me to actualise this initial idea. I drew a huge amount of inspiration from the Kinetic Art movement, when artists in the 1950s used movement in their pieces to create stunning visual art.

And then how did you set about turning that idea into a reality?

Realising my concept was a difficult process. Most manufacturers have never heard of watches that use discs before. Discs, compared to normal watch hands, are much heavier and have a larger surface area. They thus greatly increase the difficulty of the design. I talked to more than 20 watch manufacturers before settling on one that had the competency and professionalism to attempt such a complicated project. Even then, it took 15 months to get from the start of prototyping to the final product, around three times longer than more common designs. It took lots of experimentation (and failures), to make sure the final product is both durable and aesthetic.

You have used Seiko calibres across your range. How important was it for you to have a good movement in your watches?

Really important! I knew from the start that we were going to need to use an automatic movement, as the sweeping second hand was crucial for the design. I looked for a movement that combined reliability, durability, and a price that won’t put the watch out of reach of most people. I was considering the Miyota 8215 for a while, before finding out that it had a stuttering seconds hand, which would have ruined the kinetic movement. Eventually, I decided to upgrade to the Seiko NH35, much lauded for its workhorse reliability. It hasn’t disappointed us yet!

What led you to turn to Kickstarter for funding?

As a newly founded design studio, Kickstarter allowed us immediate access to a huge pool of potential fans. People on Kickstarter also tend to be more open to creative and innovative designs that push boundaries, which I felt was the perfect fit for us. Kickstarter also gave us exposure to publications and press that won’t have discovered us otherwise – our initial campaign was featured by Yahoo, MSN, Monochrome, UNILAD, etc.

And what has the reaction been?

Absolutely fantastic, and more than I could have hoped for. I was completely overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of our backers throughout the course of the campaign. I would receive comments and emails everyday complimenting the unique designs, which really motivated me as a designer. The comments I felt the most striking were from people who have never worn a watch before, telling me that my designs made them want to wear a watch. Receiving comments like that would make my day.

And what have you done differently this time round?

In the past year since our last Kickstarter, we have been constantly tweaking different parts of our designs, based on the feedback of our first round of backers and our own extended testing. While the overall design seems quite similar on the surface, small changes such as increasing clearance, switching to a lasering process for the custom rotor, upgrading our discs’ material, even changing the structure of our box, have really increased the durability and refinement of the watches.

How did you get interested in watches in the first place?

To be honest, I am a designer first, and a watch fan second. As a designer, the watch holds a lot of potential as, with the proliferation of mobile phones, it has (almost) lost its “function” as a time-keeper. This allows us to get creative with it, opening up numerous possibilities for artistic expression. Further, the watch itself is a unique and challenging medium, as it combines 2D design, 3D design, and kinetic design. That combination of challenge and possibility fascinated me as a designer.

And which other new brands do you think are doing interesting things?

The two that leaps to mind is Mr. Jones with their playful, cartoonish art-on-the-dial, and Ziiiro, with their colourful minimalism. Both of these brands are also created by artists and designers, which imparts a fresh perspective on the medium.

For more information about Humism, visit humism.com

To back the brand's latest Kickstarter project, go to kickstarter.com/projects/humism

A little research into London's St Katharine Docks reveals a rich history. In the 12th century, it was the site of a church and hospital which operated as kind of monastic hostel for crusading knights. Travellers began to settle and the community swelled.

By the 15th century, this area - considered a community outside of London - was a buzzing trade zone; but with overpopulation came lawlessness and by the 17th century the precinct became poverty stricken and infamous for its insalubrious slums.

It wasn't until the great civil engineer Thomas Telford came along in 1828 that this area was rejuvenated – in a controversial move, over 11,000 people were displaced to make way for one of the most active docks in the world, famous for its brimming warehouses stocked with wine, marble, spices, tobacco, ivory, and barrels of rum.

Starting 17 June, there’s an even greater reason to visit this fascinating area: Panerai’s two-masted ketch, Eilean, will be lowering its anchor here for a two-week stop.

The yacht, originally built in 1936 by Fife Shipyard of Scotland, is a true icon of artisan design - readers who grew up in the ‘80s may well remember Eilean from the 1982 music video for Duran Duran song Rio - Simon Le Bon sat astride the ship’s prow and swayed/clicked his fingers a lot.

Having completed a TransAt Classic race in January, from Lanzarote to St Kitts in the Caribbean, Eilean is being transformed into a prestigious pop-up for this very special UK mooring: visitors will be able to purchase their brand new Panerai watch on board this luxurious vessel; timepieces on display will include the new 2019 Sailing Chronographs (like the one below) and watch fans will also be able to pre-order elusive models including the PAM01020 (below in rose gold) and the PAM00764.

Eilean will briefly set sail on the 22nd of June when participants of the Panerai Challenger Trophy - a charity initiative for the benefit of children whose lives have been transformed by sailing and water sports - for a one-of-a-kind voyage aboard this elegant but oh-so-cool ship that ‘dances on the waves’ rather than the sand.