The recently concluded Watches & Wonders 2023 kicked off on March 27 in Geneva with a dazzling showcase of timepieces from 48 of the world’s most prestigious brands. The annual watch fair was held at the Palexpo and ended April 2. Read on for all the biggest highlights of the event.
While last year’s Watches & Wonders event was particularly buzz-worthy as it marked its return after a two-year hiatus, the 2023 presentation was equally exciting with 13 new brands coming onboard. These were: Alpina, Beauregard, Bell & Ross, Charles Zuber, Charriol, Chronoswiss, Frederique Constant, Grönefeld, Hautlence, Hysek, Kerbedanz, Pequignet, and U-Boat. With the exception of Armin Strom and H. Moser & Cie, timepiece enthusiasts also saw the other watchmakers from the 2022 edition, which included Baume & Mercier, Chanel, Chopard and Van Cleef & Arpels.
Watches & Wonders 2023: A celebrity cameo by Julia Roberts on day 1
Chopard celebrated the opening of Watches & Wonders in Geneva on Monday, March 27, by inviting its Brand Ambassador Julia Roberts to attend, causing quite a stir. The Hollywood actress also stars in the new ‘Chopard Loves Cinema’ campaign – directed by James Gray – that launched on March 20.
The Maison’s booth at the fair was entirely decked out in the theme of this campaign, featuring the new films and visuals of Julia Roberts wearing Chopard jewellery and watches. The brand’s Co-Presidents, Caroline and Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, also announced a new milestone in the ‘Journey to Sustainable Luxury’ – a long-term programme that Chopard has been committed to to promote social and environmental criteria. A key element of this initiative is using 100 percent ethical gold for the production of its watches and jewellery since 2018.
Other things to expect at this year’s Watches & Wonders
What was particularly interesting about this year’s edition of the horological extravaganza — which has traditionally been a by-invite-only affair for journalists, watch collectors and industry personnel — was that it opened its doors to the public for the first time on April 1 and 2. Also on the agenda were guided tours around the various booths, talks on watchmaking topics and trends, and an exhibition by Swiss photographer Karine Bauzin centred on the concept of our relationship with time. A full schedule can be found here.
The show organisers also rolled out a side event titled “In the City”, that was held around Geneva and comprised various activities spanning free tours of the Patek Philippe Museum, animated presentations in the boutiques of watchmakers such as A. Lange & Söhne, Hublot and Jaeger-LeCoultre, and dance and music performances.
As Watches and Wonders 2023 has come to a close, here are all the major timepiece launches and highlights you need to know about.
Watches and Wonders 2023: Key highlights and timepieces
Rolex reveals a slate of new additions including its first Daytona after 23 years
There’s much to look forward to at Rolex. It has introduced a historic new Daytona on the expression’s 60th anniversary, which also comes 23 years since the release of the previous model. The Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona is powered by the in-house Calibre 4131 that incorporates a Chronergy escapement and Paraflex shock absorbers, and has a three-day power reserve.
Five variations are available, but a standout is the 950 platinum expression that has a transparent sapphire crystal case back revealing a new 18ct yellow gold oscillating weight within. The handsome watch is crafted with an ice blue dial surrounded by a chestnut brown ceramic bezel.
Other highlights include a new Perpetual 1908, which is inspired by one of the first Rolex watches with a Perpetual rotor. 1908 refers to the year that the Rolex trademark was officially registered in Switzerland. There are four expressions in white or yellow gold, with choices of an intense white or black dial. The watch is fashioned with a slim case adorned with a bezel that is partly domed and partly fluted. It features a transparent case back to show off the movement and craftsmanship within, and is driven by the new Calibre 7140.
For those who can’t resist a pop of colour, the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 is a stunner with its vibrant dial speckled with hues of turquoise blue, red, fuchsia, orange, green and yellow. The watch is decorated with 31 emojis that change daily in its date window at 3 o’clock, and seven inspirational words such as “happy”, “eternity” and “love” in the day window at 12 o’clock.
It comes in three variations in 18-ct yellow, white or Everose gold, and has a vivid dial with a jigsaw puzzle-inspired motif that’s created using champlevé enamelling. The hours are marked by 10 baguette-cut sapphires in six different hues set according to the main colour of the dial, which is turquoise blue on the 18 ct yellow gold and 18 ct white gold versions, and orange on the watch in 18 ct Everose gold.
A. Lange & Söhne gets its first self-winding chronograph
A. Lange & Söhne introduces the Odysseus Chronograph, its first-ever self-winding chronograph movement. The watch, which is limited to 100 pieces, comprises a sleek black dial with a red chrono seconds hand enclosed within a 42mm stainless-steel case. Like the brand’s previous Odysseus timepieces, it has matte surfaces and chamfered edges. The watch also comes with an innovative function that resets the chronograph hands to zero, and is driven by a L156.1 DATOMATIC calibre.
Baume & Mercier marks its 50th anniversary with a new 39mm Riviera
Baume & Mercier‘s emblematic Riviera, which was first created in 1973, now comes in three 39mm Baumatic iterations for the first time. The watch retains its signature twelve-sided bezel and smoked sapphire dial. The Riviera M0A10714 arrives in polished and satin-finished stainless steel, with a smoked blue sapphire dial that’s decorated with a transparent wave transfer pattern. It’s attached to an integrated interchangeable blue rubber and alligator strap with tone-on-tone overstitching. Meanwhile, the Riviera M0A10715 features a smoked grey sapphire dial with a transparent wave transfer design and an integrated strap with three rows of polished and satin-finished links. As for the Riviera M0A10720, it’s composed of a sand-blasted titanium bezel with a central bezel ring in 5N gold-plated PVD steel, a smoked grey sapphire dial with a transparent wave transfer decoration, and integrated grey rubber strap with a canvas texture.
Bell & Ross goes for green with the BR05 Green Gold
Bell & Ross gets verdant with the new BR 05 Green Gold, whose design is inspired by the iconic BR 03, and has a gorgeous green dial that seems to change shade — from fluorescent to a rich bottle green — depending on the lighting. The watch has an integrated gold case and bracelet, and on its caseback is a gold oscillating weight. More about the timepiece and Bell & Ross’ other releases here.
Cartier reinvents the classics
Over at Cartier, classic icons such as the Tank, Baignoire and Panthère get fresh new reinterpretations and additions. The signature Tank for instance, now comes in a new iteration called the Tank Normale, an hour/minute timepiece with a skeletonised movement and a 24-hour complication. It’s available in yellow gold or platinum and is limited to 50 numbered watches, as well as a bejewelled rendition festooned with brilliant-cut diamonds that’s limited to only 20 numbered pieces.
Meanwhile, the Baignoire watch boasts a refreshed oval dial, new proportions and Roman numerals complemented with a gold ribbon. As for the La Panthère De Cartier, it’s an exquisite jewellery watch that comes in yellow or rose gold. It’s decorated with black lacquer details and tsavorite eyes, or in diamond-paved white gold with eyes of emerald. The watch is equipped with a sleek magnetic system with no visible hinges.
Chopard refreshes its old favourites
After kicking off day one with a bang by bringing in actress Julia Roberts as a guest speaker, Chopard presents an impressive slate of new watches for 2023. Leading the pack is a reissue of the Chopard LUC 1860 — the very first timepiece of the collection presented in 1997. Its latest iteration features a beautiful guilloché gold dial in salmon on a 36.5mm case sculpted from Lucent Steel, a brand-exclusive alloy which is composed of 80% recycled materials. The watch is powered by the L.U.C 96.40-L movement — a variation of the first-ever L.U.C calibre, which marked the conception of the Chopard Manufacture watchmaking workshops in 1996.
Another outstanding release is the revamped Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph, which now sports a refreshed design and case size that’s been downsized to 40.5mm. It’s crafted in Lucent Steel with an ultra-legible dial inspired by automotive bodywork, and a glassbox crystal for a retro look. Four models of the watch are available. Three of them showcase bezels, crowns and pushers made fully in Lucent Steel, while the last one is a bi-material option that combines Lucent Steel with ethical 18k rose gold. The pushers are styled in a motif resembling brake pedals, while the crown has been embellished with more notches to improve the grip. The lugs are welded on either end of the case, and the pin buckle has been redesigned with polished and satin-brushed finishes. The four dial colours are inspired by race cars: The Lucent Steel watches come in renditions of Verde Chiaro (light green) and Rosso Amarena (cherry red) paired with a circular satin-brushed finish, or in Nero Corsa (racing black) with an engine-turned finish. As for the bi-material option, it has a dial in circular satin-brushed Grigio-Blue (grey blue).
Chopard has also reinvented its iconic Happy Sport with a dainty 25mm case (the collection’s smallest one yet) in Lucent steel, ethical gold and dancing diamonds. It comes in seven models with varying materials, colours and blue straps, and diamond settings. Wearers can choose from options in fully polished Lucent Steel; festooned with a diamond-set bezel; or in steel adorned with a crown, cabochons and a polished or diamond-set bezel in ethical 18k rose gold. Dial-wise, they can pick from hues of silver, blue, pink or green.
Grand Seiko makes waves with 3 show-stopping releases
After a memorable Watches & Wonders debut last year with the Evolution 9 collection of mechanical sports watches, Grand Seiko once again makes a splash in 2023 with the Tentagraph, its first-ever automatic high-beat chronograph. It’s powered by the new Tentagraph Caliber 9SC5 movement with a frequency of 10 beats per second and has a power reserve of three days. The watch features a vertical clutch and column wheel to control the chronograph and ensure accuracy. The dial is adorned with Grand Seiko’s signature “Mt. Iwate pattern”.
Its other launches include the Grand Seiko Masterpiece Collection Hand-engraved Manual-winding Spring Drive Limited Edition SBZ009. As its name suggests, the Platinum 950 watch is made one by one and meticulously engraved by hand by skilled artisans in Shiojiri in Nagano Prefecture. The town is close to a forest of white birch trees, which lies at the foot of the North Yatsugatake Mountains and serves as the muse for this Grand Seiko watch.
On the silver-hued timepiece dial and case are textured patterns reminiscent of the majestic trees in winter — each watch is first polished using the Zaratsu technique to achieve a distortion-free reflective surface, before being manually engraved with individual grooves. It’s powered by a manual-winding Spring Drive Caliber 9R02 and has a 84-hour power reserve. The watch is produced in a limited run of 50.
There’s a jewellery watch too, and it’s ultra exclusive with a limited run of just eight pieces. The Grand Seiko Masterpiece Collection Spring Drive 8-day Jewelry Watch SBGD213 is a glittering masterpiece with a platinum case sheathed in diamonds and sapphires set by hand. Some 112 diamonds are embedded in the case’s upper surfaces, while the bezel is set with 60 baguette-cut diamonds. On the crown is a single brilliant-cut blue sapphire, while the dial features tapered blue sapphires and baguette diamonds as hour and minute markers encircling a centre of mother-of-pearl. If that’s not luxurious enough, an additional 48 diamonds and 12 blue sapphires are festooned around the markers. The timepiece is powered by a manual-winding spring drive Caliber 9R01 with a power reserve of up to 192 hours (or eight days).
All three watches will be released in boutiques in June 2023.
Gucci heralds a new chapter of fine watchmaking
The Italian fashion house has revealed a dazzling line-up of fine timepieces mounted with gemstones and decorated with whimsical motifs the likes of dancing bees, planets and the sky. The G-Timeless Dancing Bees, for example, is a stunning work of art with its moving bee details, which are set atop dial options of green opal or turquoise stone. It’s covered in diamonds, which make their way along the crescent-style tourbillon and around the bezel and crown. Then there’s the G-Timeless Planetarium, which the epitome of extravagance with its array of gemstones on the dial. Four permutations are available, but our favourite has got to be the pink gold variation (pictured) that comes with a brown strap, and is set with rubies, fire opals, pink tourmaline, and mandarin garnet.
Hermès H08, Arceau Petite Lune and Slim Hermès Cheval de Légende
The sporty Hermès H08 collection gets two new models this year. First up, the H08 gets a fresh look with bold new colour variations of green (CEO Laurent Dorset’s favourite colour), blue, orange and yellow that inject a bit of fun and technology to the sporty-chic line. The hues are accented on the woven rubber strap, the markers and hands and even on the watch glass seal. But what’s most interesting is the introduction of a new composite material to the cushion-shaped watch case: 56 layers of braided and aluminised glass fibre are compressed together to form the sturdy but light case. Slate powder is also added to create a reflective, silvery effect that accentuates the black ceramic bezel and crown. Its concrete-grey dial comes with black hands and luminescent applied Arabic numerals.
The other new model, the Hermès Chronograph, is an eye-catching orange watch fashioned from multi-layered composite and features a cushion-shaped case made of carbon fibre and graphene powder. It has a satin-finished and polished titanium bezel, and a black PVD-coated crown with an orange-rimmed monopusher at 3 o’clock. Consecutive presses of this button activates the chronograph’s start, stop and reset functions. According to the maison, it chose to incorporate a monopusher function to streamline the design and make the overall aesthetic of the watch less bulky. The black-gold-treated and blackened dial is embellished with rhodium-plated applied Arabic numerals coated with Super-LumiNova, and touches of orange.
Another highlight is the Arceau Petite Lune. Imagining the moon with two mysterious planets on an aventurine dial with diamond stars. The moon is in mother-of-pearl. The larger planet is made of aragonite and the smaller planet is in opal. The aventurine dial is done over mother-of-pearl also to add textural interest on the dial.
Also noteworthy is the Slim Hermès Cheval de Légende, which is based on the 2010 scarf by the same name created by artist Benoit Pierre Emery. To recreate the art on the dial, artisans had to drill tiny holes into the white enamel dial, then fill the cavities with 1,678 golden beads before firing the piece in an oven to set the beads into the enamel. It’s a limited edition of 24 pieces. There’s also a blue version, where instead of gold beads, the dial is set with 1,678 blue enamel beads.
IWC’s Ingénieur Automatic 40 recalls a ’70s Gerald Genta design
The IWC Ingénieur Automatic 40 brings back the original Gerald Genta design from 1976, with a few modern tweaks, most notably on the bezel where the five screws are now aligned and symmetrical. It comes in steel and titanium options, with the titanium being around 40 percent lighter in weight. Because the case design and bracelet are re-engineered, the watch sits very comfortably on the wrist. The steel models come with variations of black, aqua and silver-plated dials (see video below), while the titanium one has a grey one.
The watches are equipped with the IWC-manufactured 32111 calibre and a 120-hour power reserve. They are water-resistant up to 100 metres, and have soft-iron inner cases that protect their movements from magnetic fields.
Jaeger-LeCoultre rolls out new Reverso masterpieces
Jaeger-LeCoultre focuses on its Reverso watches this year. Its Reverso Tribute collection gets three new models this year. The timelessly elegant Reverso Tribute Chronograph is a nod to the iconic 1996 Reverso Chronograph and houses a new Calibre 860. It has a skeletonised dial that showcases the chronograph and movement within. Another new launch is the Reverso Tribute Duoface Tourbillon, which boasts two dials with completely different looks. One is sleek and elegant with Dauphine hands and a flying tourbillon against a silver dial, while its reverse side is partially skeletonised and displays a second time zone and day-night indicator.
Jaeger-LeCoultre has also created four new renditions of the Reverso Tribute Small Seconds, which come with sunray-brushed dials in colourways of black, burgundy lacquer, and silver, ensconced within a redesigned pink gold case.
Other highlights include the Reverso Hybris Artistica Calibre 179, which merges the technical finesse of the Maison’s signature multi-axis tourbillon to excellent craftsmanship. It comprises a double-sided, Duoface movement with glowing dark blue lacquered dials housed within a pink gold case. The watch naturally requires a larger case to accommodate its staggering 382 components, including a Gyrotourbillon, but its lugs have been specially reconfigured to make it wearable and comfortable.
On the jewellery watch front, the manufacture doesn’t disappoint either. The Reverso One Precious Colours bears testament to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s expertise in decorative crafts and jewellery techniques. Its Art Deco-styled, white mother-of-pearl dial is decorated with gold brackets in its corners, and features applied numerals and Dauphine hands. It’s surrounded by an enamelled frame and diamond-set gadroons and lugs. When the case is turned over, its reverse side can easily double up as a bracelet with its eye-catching display of miniature-painted grand feu enamel patterns. These come in two permutations of blue with black on a pink gold background (which is paired with a blue alligator strap), or in green on a white gold background (which is paired with a green alligator strap). Both are sprinkled with diamond accents for an additional touch of extravagance.
Another key item is the Reverso Secret Necklace, an opulent Art Deco-inspired sautoir comprising a delicate chain of diamond-set links and polished onyx beads that culminate in a suspended gem-set Reverso. On the back of its pink gold case are geometric details mounted with white diamonds and black onyx. Its convex sides are bedecked with grain-set diamonds, while more white sparklers make their way around the dial and signature brackets at its corners. Boasting over 3,000 diamonds, the Reverso Secret Necklace is the result of 300 hours of hard work for the brand’s artisans. The Reverso Secret Necklace runs on a manually-wound Calibre 846 and has a power reserve of 38 hours.
Montblanc presents the 8000 capsule collection and a glacier grey Iced Sea Automatic Date
Montblanc has introduced the new Montblanc 8000 capsule collection as a tribute to alpinists and the world’s 14 highest peaks. The collection comprises four timepieces specially crafted to function in harsh conditions. They are equipped with a new Zero Oxygen case that intercepts oxygen from causing fogging or oxidation of the components within. Design-wise, the beautiful watches feature dials adorned with shapes and patterns reminiscent of glaciers, ice and rocks, which are created using an old Italian technique dubbed the Sfumato effect, where colours blend gradually into each other. Find out more in our feature here, and view our video below, where the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen The 8000 is pictured first and second.
Another standout release is its 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date in glacier grey — a new colour for this year. It features a grey glacier pattern dial inspired by the ice of the Mer de Glace (Mont-Blanc mountain’s largest glaciers) and has been crafted to give the impression of looking into the depths of a glacier – with all its minerals captured in time for millennia. The 41mm timepiece comes with a stainless steel interchangeable bracelet which can be easily switched for a black rubber strap, and its caseback sports a 3D engraving of an iceberg and a black scuba diver exploring glacial waters.
The brand has also rolled out a limited-edition coffret housing the green and blue variations, which were launched last year. All three watches are decorated with different coloured laser engravings of Mont-Blanc: The grey model depicts Les Grandes Jorasses, the blue edition features the Aiguille du Moine, and the green one displays Les Drus.
Oris gets whimsical with the ProPilot X Kermit edition
One of the most talked about watches at the fair is undoubtedly the Oris ProPilot x Kermit collaboration edition, which is a fun, special edition of the 39mm ProPilot X Calibre 400. Like the beloved Muppets character, the dial is in an eye-popping bright green. It’s crafted with a titanium case and features a date window at 6 o’clock where a Kermit the Frog emoji will appear on the first of every month.
Panerai expands its Radiomir range
Over at Panerai, the brand’s first annual calendar complication comes to life in the new Radiomir Annual Calendar, which features a dial that displays the day and date through two openings. An external moving disc indicates the current month, and changes this information instantly every month (regardless of whether it’s 30 or 31 days) due to a cam in the movement. There’s also a corrector on the left side of the case that enables the day to be altered if needed.
The watch runs on the automatic P.9010/AC caliber, and has a 45mm cushion-shaped case housing a sun-brushed sandwich dial within. It comes in two options: A blue dial ensconced in a Goldtech (a gold material composed of platinum and copper, developed specially by Panerai) case on a blue hand-dyed matte alligator strap, and a burgundy dial with a Platinumtech case on a black alligator strap.
Another new highlight is the vintage-styled Otto Giorni, which is inspired by the first Radiomir prototype launched in 1935 and features a Brunito eSteel case that’s hand-finished and covered in PVD coating for a deliberately weathered look. It has Panerai’s signature sandwich dial, which comes in references of blue and grain-shaded dark brown. The timepiece is adorned with a supple calf leather strap that matches the dial colour and is embellished with a pebbled effect and contrast stitching so it looks more seasoned with frequent wear. It’s powered by a hand-wound P.5000 calibre and has an eight-day power reserve.
Patek Philippe reinterprets its signatures
Classic designs get a fresh new look and innovative new features at Patek Philippe. For instance, the Grandmaster Chime — the manufacture’s most complicated watch — has been reimagined in a bicolour version for the first time. Its double-face reversible case, which comes with a patented rotation mechanism, now comes in a combination of white gold and rose gold. The Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Reference 6300GR-001 also features two brown opaline dials, with a hand-guilloched Clous de Paris or hobnail pattern on the side that indicates the time of day. It’s attached to a two-tone chestnut brown patinated alligator strap and bicolour folding buckle.
The brand has revealed new Calatrava models too, a highlight of which is the Calatrava 24-Hour Display Travel Time Reference 5224R-001 with a Travel Time dual time zone and an original 24-hour display. It’s fuelled by the new caliber 31-260 PS FUS 24H self-winding movement, which has a patented system that allows local time to be adjusted via the crown, and is enclosed in a rose-gold case. Its blue dial is marked with numerals, hour markers and five-minute cabochons hand-applied in rose gold.
Here’s a brightly hued watch guaranteed to add pizzazz to any ensemble — the Calatrava self-winding Reference 4997/200R-001, which pairs a rose-gold case with a purple dial and strap. The dial is embossed with concentric wave details and is covered in more than 50 coats of translucent lacquer to create visual effect of depth. The case is crowned with a diamond-set bezel and contains the caliber 240 ultra-thin self-winding movement.
The brand has also launched a jewellery watch. The Gondolo Serata Reference 4962/200R-001 is a striking rose gold timepiece mounted with spessartites arranged in a double colour gradient, and features a brown-lacquered dial with floral motifs.
Piaget dazzles with an exuberant repertoire of high jewellery watches
Looking to its roots in watchmaking and jewellery craftsmanship, Piaget has unveiled a collection of exquisite high jewellery watches reminiscent its bold and beautiful designs from the 1960s and 1980s. In the spotlight are two opulent sautoir watches comprising gold chains hand-twisted to form homogenous links — a tedious process that takes some 130 hours. One tassel-style sautoir is a flamboyant marvel with its 25.38ct oval cabochon Zambian emerald attached to an oval-shaped dial (a signature 1960s Piaget shape) and accompanied by many smaller emeralds and diamonds. The other sautoir is a one-of-a-kind piece inspired by a 1969 design and is fashioned in rose gold with a hand-engraved dial fringed by twisted gold. It’s dusted with 6.41 carats of diamonds.
Another standout is the Limelight high jewellery cuff watch in rose gold with round-cut blue sapphires and a turquoise dial. It’s embellished with Piaget’s signature Décor Palace engraving technique, where an artisan makes incisions into a bracelet of gold links to produce grooves and marks varying in thickness and depth for an intentionally imperfect look. The cuff watch is also available in two other references — one with a white opal dial and diamonds on a rose gold band, and the other with a black opal dial and emeralds on a white gold bracelet decorated with wintry motifs.
If that’s not extravagant enough for you, Piaget has also revisited its Aura high jewellery watch, which was first produced in 1989 and caused a stir back then with its showstopping array of diamonds in near-invisible settings. The 2023 iteration takes things up a notch by incorporating colour-gradated blue sapphires alongside baguette-cut diamonds. These complement a diamond-set dial with a sunburst pattern. The jewellery watch required over 260 hours of gem-setting work and is fashioned in white gold.
Roger Dubuis goes futuristic
Known for marching to the beat of its own drum, the Roger Dubuis booth – dubbed the “Hyper Life Factory” – was a futuristic space that saw guests served by AI (artificial intelligence) bartenders and entertained by a robot dog. It was a befitting stage for the launch of the brand’s only major novelty for 2023: the Monovortex Split-Seconds Chronograph. The watch is equipped with a Conical Monovortex Tourbillon positioned at 9 o’clock with a 360-degree trajectory to ensure precision, and contains a Turborotor Cylindrical Oscillating Weight, which is placed vertically at 12 o’clock so that gravity pushes down on it like a spinning barrel — pushing the boundaries of physics. This promises efficient winding of the watch and adapts to the movements of the wearer’s wrist. It’s powered by the RD114 Calibre and features a Split-Seconds Chronograph that’s built with a double column wheel system and complemented with a Rotating Minute Counter.
The Roger Dubuis Monovortex Split-Seconds Chronograph comes in a 47mm casing made of hyper-tech MCF (Mineral Composite Fibre), a material developed by Roger Dubuis that’s 2.5 times lighter than ceramic and 13% lighter than carbon. It’s fashioned in a fiery red hue and pink gold, and is adorned with titanium, black and grey coatings, and carbon details.
TAG Heuer celebrates the Carrera with a slate of new novelties
TAG Heuer’s novelties for 2023 are all focused on the 60th anniversary of the Swiss watchmaker’s emblematic Carrera watch. A standout is the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph, which has a 39mm stainless steel case topped with a glassbox, which is essentially a box sapphire crystal similar to the domed hesalite crystals found on the watch’s 1970s models. The crystal is carefully crafted so that its curve seamlessly spreads over the tachymeter scale that goes around the dial edge and inside the case. The timepiece comes in two models: one with a blue dial and blue calfskin leather strap, and the other with a black-and-silver “reverse panda” dial.
TAG Heuer has also unveiled the Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon (which sports a similar glassbox design but has a 42mm case and an aperture on its dial at 6 o’clock that reveals a tourbillon), and redesigned Carrera Date 36mm, which comes with new proportions that make it slimmer and more comfortable to wear, and a refreshed crown and bracelet. The latter is powered by the new Calibre 7 Automatic movement and has four fabulous dial colour options of blue, pastel green, silver and pink. The first three variations will be available from April 2023, while the pink one will be released in May.
A sports watch we’ve certainly got our eye on is the bi-colour Aquaracer Professional 200, which is now available in 18k rose and yellow gold with the new Calibre TH31-00 automatic manufacture movement. The watch comes in four steel and gold models with a stainless-steel case (in options of 30mm or 40mm), solid-gold bezel inlay and crown, and gold-plated detailing on its hands and hour markers. The smaller 30mm models have 11 Top Wesselton diamond-dot hour markers (weighing 0.107 carats in total) and a mother-of-pearl dial.
TAG Heuer has also revealed a jewellery watch in the form of the Carrera Plasma Diamant D’avant-Garde 36mm, which features 124 custom-made pink and white lab-grown diamonds of a total on 15.5 carats on the aluminium bezel and bracelet, as well as on the chronograph case, crown, dial, and indexes. According to the brand, more gemstone colour options are in the pipeline. The TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma’s signature crown diamond is a single, 1.3-carat, pink lab-grown diamond. The watch is powered by a Calibre 7 Automatic, which is visible through the sapphire open case back.
Tudor spotlights its Black Bay collection with new novelties
Recalling the aesthetics of the reference 7922 released in 1954, Tudor introduces the all-new Black Bay 54 in a 37mm case with a satin radial-brushed black dial with gilt accents. Its unidirectional bezel is devoid of graduated hash marks, while its seconds hand mimics the look of the original with its lollipop design. It runs on Manufacture Calibre MT5400 and has a 70-hour power reserve. The watch comes in strap options of rubber or a stainless steel three-link “rivet-style” bracelet. It’s the smallest Black Bay at the moment — Tudor downsized the Black Bay Fifty-Eight from 41mm to 39mm over the last few years, and now this Black Bay 54 is in 37mm. But it still comes with the same 200m water resistance as its predecessors.
Meanwhile, the Tudor Black Bay gets a fresh new look with a burgundy bezel and fitted with a METAS (Federal Institute of Metrology) certified self-winding movement. It’s powered by the Manufacture Calibre MT5602-U and comes on strap options of rubber, three-link or five-link “rivet-style” bracelet.
Also noteworthy is the Tudor Black Bay GMT which now gets a new opaline dial to complement its blue and red bezel. It has a satin-brushed stainless steel 41mm case and runs on a Manufacture Calibre MT5652 with 70-hour power reserve. For straps, wearers can choose between fabric or a stainless steel three-link “rivet-style” bracelet.
Ulysse Nardin reveals the Freak One, a reboot of its iconic Freak watch
Ulysse Nardin presents the Freak One, which retains the visual and functional codes of the very first Freak in 2001 with its signature no dial, no hands and no crown design, where the movement itself tells the time. What sets the new timepiece apart from its predecessor is how it incorporates features from earlier editions of the Freak. These include the 2001 watch’s notched bezel, the 2013 Freak Cruiser’s open gear train, the 2018 Freak Vision’s legibility codes, and the black DLC-coated titanium and rose gold details present in newer models like the 2022 Freak S. It’s also regulated by a silicon hairspring released in 2008, and an escapement treated with DIAMonSIL, a synthetic diamond and silicon plasma surfacing treatment first applied to the original 2007 Freak to make the movement abrasion and shock-resistant. The Freak One is the brand’s flagship watch for 2023, and is powered by the Caliber UN-240 Manufacture.
Vacheron Constantin’s Overseas model gets the retrograde moonphase treatment
As its name suggests, the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Retrograde Moon Phase introduces new features in the from of a moon phase and retrograde date. These are paired with a six-sided bezel, fluted crown, polished and satin-brushed finishes and a translucent lacquered dial. The watch is powered by an in-house Calibre 2460 R31L/2 and comes with a 40-hour power reserve.
Van Cleef & Arpels presents a lavish assortment of jewellery watches
Not many brands can top the magnificent showcase of jewellery watches presented by Van Cleef & Arpels. Its Perlée collection now includes an elegant line-up of five timepieces crafted with fluid lines and round shapes fringed with a double row of golden beads finished in mirror-polished rose gold or diamond-paved white gold. Their dials are bedecked with pavé-set diamonds, guilloché rose gold or mother-of pearl, and a hidden push-button is fixed at the back of their case to enable the wearer to set the time easily. Our pick? The effortlessly pretty rose gold option that has a guilloché rose gold dial.
Another newcomer to the Perlée range is the secret pendant watch, which is inspired by 17th-century pocket watches. It has a curved, bejewelled pendant that can rotate to reveal the dial. Van Cleef & Arpels has rolled this beauty out in three gemstone variations: Rubies set in rose gold, sapphires in yellow gold, and emeralds paired with yellow gold. Those who prefer something a little more unconventional can consider the three other options adorned with precious stones: Chalcedony with white gold, rose quartz with rose gold, and sodalite with yellow gold.
The jeweller’s signature Alhambra or four-leaf clover motif gets its own jewellery watch too. The Sweet Alhambra watch is composed of alternating rose gold and reddish-orange carnelian stone motifs that culminate in a dial featuring the same iconic shape but in a larger size.
If we have to pick a favourite, though, it’ll certainly be the Ludo secret watch, now available in a new size and two combinations of materials — rose gold with diamonds, or rose gold with pink sapphires. The watch features a flexible, brick-pattern meshwork that’s hand-assembled and resembles a belt, with the guilloché white mother-of-pearl dial hidden at its heart.
Zenith’s new Pilot watches get an aviation-inspired overhaul
Famously known for its vintage aesthetic, Zenith’s Pilot collection has been revamped with a new look that draws design cues from aviation. The Big Date Flyback features a new version of the El Primero 3600 calibre with a 42.5mm case and is offered in two options including a black ceramic version with luminescent white markers and hands that contrast against an opaline black corrugated dial. The other variation comes in stainless steel with its minutes totaliser decked out in alternating colours, and its central chronograph seconds hand and chronograph minutes hands dressed in bright orange tone — referencing the iconic 1997 El Primero Rainbow.
Meanwhile, the Pilot Automatic gets a new case design in choices of black ceramic or stainless steel, featuring a flat-top round bezel fixed on top of a rounded 40mm case. The ceramic option is microblasted for a sleek matte finish, and the steel iteration comes with surfaces that are vertically satin-brushed with polished chamfers. The watch’s signature oversized crown has also been restructured with a more angular shape.
Videos and additional reporting by Stephanie Ip, François Oosthuizen and Allyson Klass
(Main image: Hermès, Featured image: Cartier)
