Few watches are as synonymous with artistic styles as the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso and Art Deco design. And that’s for good reason because the Reverso collection dates all the way back to the early 20^th century and the emergence of the Art Deco movement It’s a bold and luxurious style and JLC have doubled down on that with a new dial decoration on the Reverso Tribute Chronograph Full Pink Gold.

Jumping straight to that dial, it’s made from pink gold with laser engraved horizontal lines that span the width of the display. It reinforces the geometric precision often seen in Art Deco designs while also highlighting the rectangular shape of the watch as well as echoing the gadroons (horizontal lines) found on the case above and below the dial. It makes for a really striking display, especially when paired with the pink gold hour markers and dauphine hands. Adding a level of legibility is the black minute scale which offers a much needed point of contrast.

Reversing the watch by flipping the body over reveals the second, hidden dial with skeletonised chronograph display. The layout of this dial is identical to the 2023 edition with the exception that the visible plate and bridges of the movement are now produced in pink gold. Hence the appellation Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph Full Pink Gold. The chronograph function itself is operated through the use of the rectangular pushers on either side of the crown.

Beyond the increased luxury of the dials, this model is more or less identical to the 2023 predecessor with proportions of 49.4mm x 29.9 mm with 30m water resistance. It houses the calibre 860 with a 52-hour power reserve and manual winding. The chronograph function consists of chronograph seconds and a retrograde 30-minute timer.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph Full Pink Gold is presented with a pair of straps, one a black alligator number and the second a brown calfskin piece. In terms of price and availability, it’s £60,500 in a limited edition of 250 pieces. While I’m a fan of the regular dial of the Reverso Tribute, I think this one is a worthy alternative suitable for a golden limited edition. If you want a hyper luxurious two watch collection, put this side by side with the Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Self-Winding x Ora Ïto.

More details at Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Historically Tag Heuer are connected to many parts of the motor sport industry but today they’re focussing on a legend from F1’s past, Ayrton Senna, whose death stunned the world 30 years ago. In honour of the anniversary of his passing and in celebration of his life, Tag Heuer have collaborated with the Senna brand to produce the Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon x Senna.

The watch is being launched to coincide with a new Netflix series on Senna’s life, a semi-fictional biopic, which airs on November 29^th. The series will feature many vintage Tag Heuers because Senna was a Tag Heuer ambassador in his life, much as Verstappen is today, and wore a Tag Heuer S/el with a / 100th second Chronograph. It therefore makes sense that Tag Heuer continue to celebrate his legacy with commemorative timepieces.

This latest piece is a 44mm diameter sports watch in titanium with a forged carbon tachymeter bezel that measures speeds up to 400km/h – the fastest recorded F1 speed being 374.97km/h (233mph) on a long straight. The bezel also features an inscription of Senna’s name and logo in vibrant yellow, which paired with the green seconds scale and blue minute scale around the edge of the dial make up the colours of the Brazilian flag, Senna’s home country.

Zooming in on the Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon x Senna dial shows an openworked display with a tricompax chronograph layout. At 9 o’clock is a 12-hour counter with the Senna S logo, at 3 o’clock is a 30-minute timer and at 6 is the titular tourbillon. Below the skeletal bridges is a black plate with alternating graining in a checked pattern reminiscent of the checkered flag of a race. It really hammers home the motorsport theme of the piece as well as celebrating Senna’s three world championships.

The commemoration continues on the caseback with an image of Senna in his classic helmet. Through the transparent portions of the image you can see the Tag Heuer TH20-09 movement inside, an automatic movement with a 65-hour power reserve and column wheel chronograph.

Only 500 pieces of the Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon x Senna are being produced at a price of £33,050, so it’s definitely a collectors’ piece. But whether you’re a wristwatch lover or racing enthusiast, there’s plenty to admire here. I particularly like the grained finish, which makes the watch stand out from the rest of the extensive Carrera range.

More details at Tag Heuer.

While today’s article focusses on the Rado True Square Automatic Skeleton Blue, if you took at Rado’s direction over the past few years, you’d be forgiven for assuming that they produced one watch in infinite variations of the Captain Cook. Ever since they relaunched the retro diver, they’ve been riffing on the theme with different colours, materials and levels of skeletonisation, which is a shame, not because there’s anything wrong with the flagship watch, but because it squeezes out some of the cooler, quirkier facets of the brand.

Indeed, while the Captain Cook was super successful in the 1960s, Rado’s history has been defined not by diving, but by sleek futurism and ceramic, the kind of pieces that still feel cutting-edge in design today. That’s especially true of the Ceramica from the 1990s, Rado’s first square, full ceramic watch – case, crown and bracelet all.

As far as I’m concerned, the Ceramica is a definitive ‘90s model and, while I wait with bated breath for some kind of reissue (if it worked for Hamilton’s PRX…), the next best thing is the model’s updated sibling, the True Square. Sure, the True Square’s perhaps a more traditional watch, with a bracelet narrower than the case, but it still has the same sleek, smooth, ceramic look – and the latest True Square Skeleton Blue amps up that funky futurism to a new level.

Rado love ceramic; it’s part of their DNA more than anyone save, perhaps, IWC. But this year they’ve been trying their hand at coloured ceramic, particularly blue. It’s something they leveraged previously on our cover-starring Captain Cook x England Cricket watch, which used a combination of blue and white. Personally, I prefer it here.

The smooth, rounded shoulders where the strap meets the case, the almost glossy sheen and the tactile bezel all look great in this specific shade of dark blue, less aesthetically plasticky than you sometimes get with something like white. It’s not the first time the True Square’s been released in coloured ceramic – as in, not white or black – as there have been both turquoise and peach versions in the past. But I would argue it’s the most wearable colour. It is very glossy, which I imagine would put some people off and while I’d prefer a matte finish if only to hide fingerprints, it does add to the True Square’s space-age sheen.

That ultra-modern look is emphasised by the dial too – or more accurately, lack thereof. Other than the two horizontal blue bridges dividing the open space into three, the entire movement is open. Rather than leave it as is, Rado has given the movement plenty of Côtes de Genève, making a feature of the visible metal.

Despite being technically a skeleton watch, there’s not actually many places you can see through the watch in its entirety, which I’m completely on board with. I’ve gone on (broken) record explaining that I wear a watch to hide my wrists, not stare at my arm hair, but I do like the intensely mechanical look of a clearly visible movement. This is the best of both worlds, especially when the metalwork you can see is tastefully finished.

Said movement is the R808, the same calibre as in the Captain Cook skeleton and pretty much any modern skeleton Rado. Said movement has a Nivachron hairspring for anti- magnetic properties and a power reserve of 80 hours which, given Rado’s a Swatch Group brand, we can assume that this is a Powermatic 80 by any other name, just much better finished.

Other than the colour, the most unusual thing about the new True Square is the collection’s first strap. The model always came on a bracelet before and for good reason, tracing its lineage as it does back to the Ceramica. It’s also a bit of a flex, as making a full ceramic bracelet isn’t as easy as it sounds, and it sounds pretty tough. Change is good though and the comfy, flexible rubber as an alternative to a full, polished bracelet makes the True Square immeasurably more wearable in a daily context. I’m not quite sure why it’s taken this long to make it a reality.

That wearability is the crux here. The True Square and the Ceramica before it have always been just the right edge of aesthetically cutting-edge, perennially new and shiny, and using ceramic for its looks perhaps more than the practicality other watchmakers love it for. But the combination of that flattering blue and the rubber strap pull back a little from that look, less futuristic, more forward- thinking and a lot more wearable – especially with this much horological tech at this price point.

Yes, there are a couple of issues. A mere 50m water resistance is less than I’d like for a daily wearer and I do find it a bit too glossy. But while it’s still not for everyone, it’s for many more potential collectors than ever before. Including me. At least, if they did a matte version.

More details at Rado.

Tag Heuer are the quintessential sports watch brand of the modern watch industry. From racers, to divers, to daily wearers, they’re the most in tune with what it means to be both stylish and ready for action (mostly racing). But when it comes to sporty style, Tag’s watches tend to lean in one of two directions. On one side you have the sleek, retro-slanted icons like the Carrera Glassbox and on the other side are the bold, almost industrial skeleton and openworked watches such as the Monaco GP edition. On a personal level I have always preferred the former over the latter. However, the new Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon x Porsche Panamericana might just be the coolest openworked Tag Heuer watch to date.

We’ve talked many times about Tag Heuer and Porsche’s shared connection to the Carrera Panamericana, the legendary rally that takes racers through the extreme heat of Mexico. Both brands were independently inspired by the race, which is why we have both the Porsche Carrera and the Tag Heuer Carrera. This coincidence then led to the brands collaborating many times on watches like the Carrera Chronograph x Porsche 963. However, the Panamericana is actually more relevant than usual for their latest collab. That’s because the Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon x Porsche Panamericana has been released in celebration of the 70^th anniversary of Porsche winning their competitive category in the 1954 edition of the race.

Specifically, Porsche came first and second in the under 1,500cc sports car classification with the Porsche 550 Spyder, which also netted them third and fourth in the overall race. It’s these heritage cars that inform the design of the modern watch. The 550 Spyder’s Carrera Panamericana race livery was silver with yellow decals and so the watch has a silver display with yellow lacquered chronograph hands. Even more telling than the colours though is the fact that the openworked portions of the dial (Tag Heuer call it a skeleton dial but there is a subtle difference between the terms skeletonised and openworked and on balance I think openworked is a better definition here) are shaped like the 550 Spyder’s wheels.

The racing design elements don’t stop there. The two subdials at 3 and 9 o’clock, which display a 30-minute and 12-hour timer respectively, are black with silver flecks emulating the texture of asphalt. The 6 o’clock position that completes the tricompax display is occupied by the titular tourbillon – the visually impressive, rotating heart of the watch, which doubles as a running seconds indicator.

Zooming out from the dial, the Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon x Porsche Panamericana has a fairly typical chronograph case. It measures 42mm in diameter in steel with a combination of brushed and polished surfaces. The crown at 3 o’clock is flanked by two pushers for controlling the chronograph function. The only slight oddity is that it has no tachymeter and the internal, fixed bezel (or flange if you want to use specific terminology) has a 60-minute scale instead.

Powering the watch is the TH20-09 automatic tourbillon chronograph movement, which you can catch glimpses of through the open portions of the dial. It has a 65-hour power reserve supplied by a rotor shaped like a Porsche steering wheel – a design common to all their collabs. The movement also has a high degree of finishing with the Côtes de Genève being particularly prominent.

As for pricing and availability, the Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon x Porsche Panamericana is limited to 255 pieces at £31,300. The number 255 comes from both the name of the 550 Spyder and the fact that the heritage car that took place in the Carrera Panamericana was number 55. In the introduction I made the bold claim that this is the coolest and best looking openworked Tag Heuer to date and I still agree with that at the end. I really like the combination of colours, the wheel-like shape of the openworking and the tourbillion, all of which come together to make the watch feel special. As a commemorative limited edition should be.

More details at Tag Heuer.

Pairing your wristwatch to your car has been a long tradition for collectors as the two interests often go hand in hand. However, at the very top end of both industries you find wristwatch and cars that have been designed as a pair. The most extreme example of which is probably the Rolls-Royce Boat Tail with custom Bovet but more recently are also collaborations such as the Jacob & Co. Bugatti Tourbillon and the Bugatti Tourbillon hyper car. Now, there’s this: the McLaren W1 hyper car and matching Richard Mille RM 65-01 McLaren W1.

Starting with an overview of the car, it’s a mighty beast. It’s powered by a twin-turbo V8 with hybrid drivetrain that outputs 1,258 bhp. The brakes, suspension and 8-speed transmission are all race quality, which combined with the carbon fibre chassis helps to make the W1 the fastest accelerating road-legal car McLaren have ever produced. Its styling is sleek and modern with the familiar orange and black bodywork of McLaren giving it a brooding, serious countenance.

Moving to the Richard Mille RM 65-01 McLaren W1, the aesthetic influence of the car is immediately evident. It measures 43.84mm x 49.94mm x 16.19mm in the classic Richard Mille tonneau shape, produced in high tech Carbon TPT with titanium accents. The use of carbon clearly reflects the materials used in the W1 car, on top of which the indented shape of the watch’s bezel is influenced by the compact, muscular shape of the car’s gullwing doors.

McLaren’s signature colours are represented across the watch’s skeletonised dial. The edge of the peripheral tachymeter, minute markers, split-seconds hand and chronograph 12-hour and 30-minute counters are a matching shade of orange. Meanwhile the chronograph’s second split-seconds hand, seconds scale and function selector are light blue. Contrasting with both of those colours, the hours, minutes and running seconds are bright yellow.

You may have noticed from the above complications that the RM 65-01 McLaren W1 is a split-seconds chronograph. What this means is that there are two central chronograph hands that are superimposed on top of each other. When you press the start pusher, both hands will begin moving simultaneously at the same speed. You can then stop the two hands independently allowing you to time two separate events that are occurring together. For example you could time individual laps within a longer race or you could time two competitors in a single race – useful for F1 when each team has two cars.

The movement controlling all this is the RMAC4, a hi-beat movement with a 5 Hz frequency and 60-hour power reserve. Having such a high frequency allows for a greater degree of accuracy for the split-seconds chronograph which is accurate down to 1/10^th of a second. The power reserve can also be topped up at a moment’s notice courtesy of a ‘rapid winding’ mode which is enabled with an orange quartz TPT pusher. You can view the movement through the skeletonised portions of the display and the sapphire exhibition caseback.

I have previously expressed that I prefer Richard Mille’s more understated designs, especially those in titanium, but if I was hard pressed to choose a carbon model, it would probably be this. I like how it builds on the standard RM 65-01 Split-Seconds by changing the shape of the dial and introducing McLaren’s signature colours. It feels like a fitting tribute to the brand and the W1. I can also imagine it strapped to Lando Norris’ wrist over a GP weekend. It’s priced at CHF 320,000 in a limited edition of 500 pieces.

More details at Richard Mille.

The Millesime collection has been a godsend for Raymond Weil. After nabbing itself a GPHG award with its debut appearance, the retro collection has expanded to encompass equally handsome chronographs and a solid number of colourways. It’s not hard to see why the watchmaker’s doubling down on it. And yet, that’s not all they’ve been doing.

You could argue that, despite being eclipsed by its younger, old-school sibling, the Freelancer is still very much Raymond Weil’s flagship. At the very least, it’s where they’ve consistently been doing more interesting things; the modern, frenetic, playful collection. And while most of the time I’d rather strap one of their new chronographs to my wrist, the latest Freelancer Skeleton has me almost converted.

Skeleton watches can be… divisive. I’m often not a huge fan of them, generally because they feel like they’re trying too hard to be cool, especially the ones that render everything in carbon fibre and cut away every conceivable part of the movement. I like to see a decent watch movement. The new Freelancer Skeleton – the Ref. 2783 to be precise – is a happy middle ground.

At 38mm across, it’s smaller than most similarly skeletonised watches. That alone makes it much more wearable and a feel a lot less like a haute horological try hard. Evidently smaller sizing is something Raymond Weil have taken to heart from the Millesime, and I’m here for it. It means that the overtly mechanical intensity on display is just that little bit less domineering.

The skeletonisation is tastefully done. The dial has been completely removed, of course, and the bridges have been skeletonised into a network of curving, anthracite supports. The rest of the movement however has been left relatively untouched. That means the various brass and steel components contrast fantastically with the dark bridges, with little pops of ruby bearings. It’s not what anyone would call colourful, but it’s certainly good-looking, especially with the additional finishing – a sunrayed mainplate and vertically brushed balance bridge – that Raymond Weil have added.

The movement is the RW1212, ostensibly an in-house calibre. Given it has a 41-hour power reserve, the same unusual number as the ubiquitous Seiko NH35 and 4R36, it’s hard to know if that’s a stretch or not, but there’s no denying it’s a good looking workhorse of a movement. That’s especially true of the brushed and skeletonised rotor.

Framed by a blue chapter ring, the frontside of the movement adds some structure to what would be the dial. It’s in a lovely medium blue, which is a safe default for this kind of thing, complete with the attached Raymond Weil lettering at 12 o’clock hanging like a signpost. Generally, I’d avoid mixing black and blue, but medium blue and anthracite? It walks the line and works, standing out enough from the intensely engineered backdrop to make it nice and readable. I much prefer it to the monochrome versions Raymond Weil’s shown off previously.

Indeed, it’s a rare skeletonised watch that you could call an everyday wearer, but the Freelancer 2783 fills that niche perfectly. Aside from the size, the five-link bracelet is comfortable enough for a full day on the wrist and thanks to the relatively long lugs, wears slightly larger than you’d expect from 38mm. Those lugs also give it punchier wrist presence, as does the large, cylindrical crown. To round off its go-anywhere, do-anything credentials, it has 100m water resistance, not enough to go diving but enough to beat back the elements. It’s much better made than anything you’d want to call a beater, but when push comes to shove, it feels like it can stand up more than your average daily wear and tear.

It feels good on the wrist, though I’m still not sure I can get used to seeing said wrist through the dial. Sure, it’s more obscured than on other skeleton watches, but it’s still a sticking point for me. That’s a personal compunction of course and if you love seeing the pure mechanics on display and don’t mind the backdrop then more power to you – this is a fantastic option.

So, onto the final element of the Freelancer Skeleton: price. Raymond Weil have gradually been upping their prices from where they were a few years back, but keeping the same value-for-money, and there’s a good amount of value on show here. That makes the £2,995 price tag not just acceptable but downright appealing. It sits in that sweet spot well under the other big players in the watchmaking field, but above your run-of-the-mill microbrands that live and die on headline-grabbing accessibility. It’s a respectable price tag sure, but one that still leaves you feeling like you’re getting a very good deal.

Am I full converted to skeleton watches? No, the Freelancer 2783 is still an outlier and one that, despite loving a lot about it, one I’m not sure I could bring myself to buy. But then I doubt many people would wear my gargantuan Seiko Tuna that I pretend I can pull off, so to each their own. The bottom line is, if you’re after a wellmade, everyday wearable skeleton watch, this is it.

More details at Raymond Weil.

Girard-Perregaux are one of the hardest brands to ascribe a generalised design philosophy to. Their horological stable contains the sporty Laureato, the retro Casquette, the cutting edge Neo series and the technical and highly skeletonised Three Bridges, all of which are vastly different in style. On top of that there’s the ultra-luxe La Esmerelda, which is relevant today because GP have released a new edition of the La Esmerlda called the ‘A Secret’ Eternity alongside a new Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges for 2024.

Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges 2024

This watch is a 2024 update to the 2021 original Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges in rose gold. The updates to be found are very subtle, to the extent that they’re almost imperceptible unless someone points them out to you, which is why at first glance the two watches look virtually identical. They’re also focussed mainly on quality of life and wearer comfort.

Getting into it, the hour markers have been redesigned and the baton marker at 12 o’clock has been doubled up. The sapphire crystal glass and exhibition caseback have both been refined to give the box-style shape a touch more curve and offer a closer symmetry between the two. The crown is also larger and rounder, making it easier to use. The idea of being rounder is also seen in the smoother contours of the case as well as the shorter lugs and curvier case middle.

There are also a few updates that are mostly aesthetic and visual rather than altering the physicality of the piece. For one, the central hands now have a satin brushed finish and they feature more Super-LumiNova for low-light legibility. They’re small changes but ones that you’ll come to appreciate if you own the watch.

Beyond these updates, it’s the same Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges as we have known it over the last few years. It has a 44mm gold case housing the GP09400-1273 automatic movement with white gold rotor. It has a 60-hour power reserve and is equipped with hours, minutes, seconds by way of a tourbillon, all mounted on the titular three bridges that span the void of the watch’s display.

It has a price tag of £146,000, which is a bit higher than the 2021 edition’s original price of £121,000. But frankly (and I will admit to not doing the maths) that seems like it’s not too far off the rate of inflation, especially as gold has been hit particularly hard in the last few years.

La Esmerelda ‘A Secret’ Eternity Edition

Proving that Girard-Perregaux really are fascinated with the year 2021, their second release at Geneva Watch Days is another update to a 2021 original. It’s the La Esmerelda Eternity redressed as the new La Esmerelda ‘A Secret’ Eternity in honey gold. Essentially the blue decorations of the original are now presented in a rich honey gold tone.

That includes the rose engine turned guilloché dial coated with grand feu enamel. The same is true of the champlevé enamel flanks on the side of the 43mm diameter case. The intricate engraving and horse motifs are inspired by a heritage pocket watch from 1889, which also means 2024 is the 135^th anniversary of that original timepiece. According to Girard-Perregaux, it’s the meaning of the horse motif that constitutes the watch’s hidden secret.

It’s the pocket watch heritage that inspires the La Esmerelda ‘A Secret’ to have a hunter style caseback, which is a style of back that has a cover that can be opened to reveal an exhibition window. Traditionally this was so that a watch could have a solid, protective caseback for vigorous activity while allowing you to admire the movement when in more polite surroundings. Here though, the delicate decoration and enamelling of the three-horse cover means neither is particularly suited to harsh treatment.

The movement inside is the GP09600-2083, which is essentially a non-skeletonised version of the Tourbillon with Three Bridges. Although the specs are notably different with only a 50-hour power reserve compared to the 60-hours of the standard edition above. But that can be excused considering the insane level of finishing on display here.

As you might expect, the price is a fair bit more extreme too with a ticket of £381,000. It’s available in a limited edition of 18 pieces, making it exceptionally exclusive to boot, if the price wasn’t already enough to make that the case.

More details at Girard-Perregaux.

Ever since the M.A.D 1 debuted back in 2021, it’s been one of the biggest independent success stories in accessible watchmaking, a watch that channels the mechanical art ethos of MB&F’s sister gallery into a signature, front-facing turbine design. And over the last three years it’s only gotten more colourful, with the latest in collaboration with designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac the most playful yet. Bottom line, it’s cool and we love it. But even something as cool as the M.A.D 1 can be improved – case in point, the MB&F M.A.D.1S.

Coinciding with the start of Geneva Watch Days this week, the MB&F M.A.D.1S is a welcome evolution of the initial design. That S makes a difference in two different ways. Firstly, the M.A.D.1S is slimmer and more streamlined than the original. It still has that same kinetic impact, the unobstructed view of the front-facing rotor, but does so in a bit more of a wearable size. Specifically, it goes from 18.8mm thick to 15mm, a substantial drop. I imagine that’s a godsend for the collectors that have told me that it was the thickness putting them off.

The reason for that downsize is twofold. First, it has a single cylinder display rather than the M.A.D 1’s dual cylinders (one for seconds, one for minutes). The second reason ties into the more important reason for the S: the M.A.D 1’s first Swiss movement. For a brand like MB&F, that seems incredibly strange. This is one of the most intense haute horology workshops around, with some downright insane models on their books. Why weren’t they using Swiss all along?

The simple answer is because there wasn’t one that worked. The initial brief of the M.A.D 1 was to remain accessible, while offering an incredibly fast spin speed to create that movement on the dial. To get that spin, the rotor needed to be unidirectional; the bidirectionality of most rotors, designed for more efficient winding, actually slow that spin down. And 3 years ago, there was no Swiss movement in that price range that worked.

Now, the third party, microbrand favourites at La Joux Perret have stepped up to the plate with the G101, a twist on the famous G100 that beats at 28,800 bph (4hz) and offers a substantial 68-hour power reserve. LPJ consistently seem like they’re on the up and this is just more proof. The fact that it’s led to a slimmer, more wearable profile is just the icing on the cake.

To suit the slimmer profile, the MB&F M.A.D.1S lugs have been redesigned and the signature rotor has been revamped a little to offer a clearer view of the movement. Otherwise, it’s the watch we know and are mildly obsessed by, in two sleek variations.

The first is for friends of the brand – owners and suppliers – and will certainly stand out in what I now consider MB&F purple (a gorgeous royal colour). For the rest of us, there’s a slightly more subtle ice blue version. Either way, getting hold of one is going to be easier said than done – and to keep things fair, MB&F are running a raffle, opening at Geneva Watch Days. If you want one, that’s your best shot, so keep an eye on MB&F’s website. And if I see anyone flipping one for tens of thousands, I will find you.

More details at MB&F.

Louis Cartel Charlemagne II Titanium Black

Europe has one of the most diverse and competitive microbrand and independent watch design scenes in the world. Making a name for yourself is no easy feat. However, despite facing many challenges, Louis Cartel have risen as one of the fastest growing European watch brands in the last two years, founded in Paris in 2022. Following sell-out first and second collections they’re back with their latest offerings in updated colours and styles.

One of the stand-out watches from Louis Cartel’s early collections was the Charlemagne I, which became the brand’s signature model. So, it’s no surprise to see a follow-up in the form of the Charlemagne II. It’s a tonneau timepiece that measures 40mm in diameter with a thickness of 15mm, giving it the same bold and urban aesthetic favoured by hyper luxury brands like Bianchet and Richard Mille at a drastically more accessible price point.

Louis Cartel Charlemagne II Rose Gold

Its steel case is available in a handful of coloured coatings including rose gold and titanium black. Compared to the Charlemagne I, the biggest visual update comes on the dial. It’s still modern and openworked but the Charlemagne II has big Arabic numerals at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock. As a result, the level of openworking is much more intricate and architectural, revealing the Miyota 8N24 with 42-hour power reserve housed inside.

Louis Cartel Suvari Forest Green/Navy

Second in the new collection is a new edition of the Suvari. It’s a quartz timepiece that pays tribute to the legendary works of designers like Gerald Genta. A broad octagonal bezel sits atop a 41mm steel case with integrated steel bracelet. The new selection introduces forest green and navy blue dials, which are much more intense and vibrant than the original ice blue, black, gold and olive green versions.

Louis Cartel Tinera De Louis Cartel Midnight

Last up is a quartet of new Tinera De Louis Cartel references. Similar to the Suvari, these are integrated bracelet sports watches with quartz movements. The shape though is a cushion case design instead of an octagon and it’s also much wider at a diameter of 43mm. As for colour, there’s a blue, red and black, called the CEO, Cherry and Midnight respectively. The fourth watch in the collection is called Royal Blue with a blue dial and rose gold PVD case.

With such confident style available for £196-£247 depending on the model, it’s little surprise that Louis Cartel rank in the top 10 fastest-growing watch brands in Europe. The Charlemagne II in particular shows great promise in terms of being an accessible mechanical timepiece with room to help Louis Cartel develop their individual style further, something which is important for all young brands finding their place in the industry.

More details at Louis Cartel.

What is the most influential watch model introduced in this decade? By which I mean a family or sub-family of watches that did not exist prior to 2020 but that has become an industry and collector staple. There are two that come to mind. First is the Rolex 1908 because how can it not be. Second is the Zenith Defy Skyline, a sub-collection of the Defy range that helped to define the integrated bracelet sports watch trend of 2020-2023. I got hands-on with the new Zenith Defy Skyline Skeleton White Ceramic learn more about where the series is heading.

Strapping on the white ceramic watch it’s impossible not to be drawn to talk about the material first. The irregular octagonal case, the dodecagon bezel and H-link bracelet are all made from ceramic with a brushed surface in pristine white – as bold and brash as they come. The watch body has some weight to it, the bracelet feels very light which leads to some complaints that the watch feels too much like a toy. However, as someone who owned a white plastic Swatch with a union jack dial when I was 11 because I thought it was cool (forgive me), I can tell you that this is a very different beast.

Measuring 41mm in diameter with a height of roughly 13mm, it’s large without being unwieldy. The flat, facetted surfaces make it feel broad, as does the oversize crown that hints at Zenith’s aviation roots. On the wrist it has undeniable presence but at the same time it’s not particularly difficult to slip under a cuff if needed. Plus, the ceramic and sapphire caseback is completely flat, making it smooth against the skin and very comfortable.

Focussing in on the dial, it’s as bold as the case its housed in. A blue open-worked number skeletonised into the shape of a four-point star. I’ve seen a lot of Skyline Skeletons online but this is my first time seeing one in the metal and I have to say, it’s a lot cooler in person. Online images really do not do justice to the depth and layering of the mechanisms on display. Plus, the blue colour really responds well to different lighting conditions, ranging from almost black to bright sapphire blue.

However, the highlight of the display is the small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock. It’s a 1/10^th of a second indicator, meaning that the hand rotates once every 10 seconds as opposed to once every 60, giving it a dynamic and energetic appearance. It’s powered by the calibre El Primero 3620 SK, which is the first movement in the world with a 1/10^th running seconds display. It also operates at a high 5 Hz frequency with a power reserve of 55-hours.

Is the Zenith Defy Skyline Skeleton White Ceramic a watch for everyone? Definitely not. The bold aesthetic is definitely an acquired taste and it will only suit people with the charisma and character to pull it off. Plus, the £15,800 price tag is quite a significant barrier to entry. However, I’d also say that this is not a watch to dismiss outright at first glance, spending time with it really reveals that it’s quite a stunner.

More details at Zenith.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked was somewhat revolutionary when it was first released in 2016. It was the first openworked double balance wheel movement in the world, instantly earning it a place as a core member of the Royal Oak collection ever since. Now, AP are introducing three new Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked references for 2024, exploring new and contrasting materials.

First, and the simplest of the new references, is the 15407BA.OO.1220BA.01 (come on AP, give us nicer reference numbers to work with). It’s a yellow gold edition measuring 41mm in diameter with the classic octagonal shape. That’s paired with an anthracite grey openworked dial showcasing the double balance wheel movement, calibre 3132. It’s effectively a non-diamond bezel version of the existing rainbow bezel edition. Ultimately meaning it’s a little less flash and ostentatious (as far a full gold watch can be) putting the emphasis on the haute horological movement.

Second up is ref. 15407ST.OO.1220ST.02, which is arguably the most important release out of the three. It’s a 41mm stainless steel edition with an openworked movement presented in rose gold. It’s the first time that the double balance wheel has featured a golden skeleton dial and it looks spectacular. It reminds me of the recent Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon, another golden skeleton. I really like that this precious metal dial is presented in a steel case as it prevents it from becoming too ostentatious and is also the traditional material for the Genta designed integrated bracelet sports watch.

The last of the trio is reference 15416CE.OO.1225CE.02, which has the same rose gold dial as the steel model above. However, instead of steel the case is made from black ceramic giving it a more contemporary aesthetic. It also highlights the fact the visible screws are made from gold, which is also true of the steel model.

Zooming out from the specific Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked references for a moment, they are all stunning piece of haute horology. The calibre 3132 dates back to the original launch in 2016 and has a 45-hour power reserve. The highlight is undoubtedly the titular double balance wheel, which features two hairsprings on the same axis and that oscillate in synchrony in order to improve precision and stability.

The steel model is priced at CHF 66,500 while the gold and ceramic models are CHF 88,000 (approx. £58,200/£77,000). These are not exactly the most novel of Audemars Piguet releases, especially in a year that has seen timepieces like the [RE]Master02, but they’re solid additions to the range nonetheless. More colour and material choices are always welcome for consumers, even if those consumers are elite collectors.

More details at Audemars Piguet.

It’s everyone’s favourite piece of watchmaking trivia that the tourbillon was invented by Abraham Louis Breguet (today, June 26^th, is the anniversary of the original patent). So it makes sense that of any brand in the world, it is Breguet who are determined to continue innovating and exploring this incredibly visual and striking complication. For 2024 they’ve released a new edition of the Classique Double Tourbillon in rose gold, dubbed the Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon “Quai de l’Horloge” 5345.

Out of the starting blocks, since we’re talking about Breguet’s tourbillon heritage, let’s briefly discuss what a tourbillon is. In simple terms, a tourbillon is a rotating cage that houses a watch’s balance wheel, balance spring and escapement – the parts of a watch known as the regulating organ and that transmit energy from the power reserve through to the hands in order to make them move. Breguet found that in pocket watches that are held in the same orientation all day, rotating the regulating organ constantly reduces the negative effects of gravity on the movement, making for a more accurate timepiece.

What then is the purpose of a double tourbillon, such as the Classique Double Tourbillon “Quai de l’Horloge” 5345? Well, both of the tourbillons have completely independent gear trains and power barrels, meaning they are powered and operate separate from each other. However, they are connected by a central differential meaning they work in tandem to regulate the rate of the watch – averaging out any inconsistencies and potential errors between the two. The result of which is an even higher degree of accuracy.

While that’s cool and all, even more striking is the fact that the hour hand is fixed in place on the bridge. Which may seem like an odd decision – normally an hour hand must be free to rotate independent from the bridge and movement. After all, if it is fixed in place then what use is it in telling the time? Well, the solution lies in the fact that the twin tourbillons are also attached to a third gear train which uses their power to rotate the entire mainplate of the movement 360 degrees every 12-hours. So, the fixed hour hand does in fact rotate at the appropriate speed to tell the time, it’s just that the rest of the movement moves with it. It makes for a dancing ballet with the tourbillons spiralling around the display.

All this is true of the previous platinum edition of the Classique Double Tourbillon too. Where the new edition of the Classique Double Tourbillon “Quai de l’Horloge 5345 differs is that the 46mm x 16.8mm case, the guilloché rotating mainplate and B initials over the power barrels are presented in 18k rose gold. It makes for a lustrous and gloriously opulent aesthetic. A grand ballroom of a case in which the tourbillons’ ballet plays out.

In terms of specifications, the movement itself is the 588N2 and it is stunning. It’s comprised of 740 components, each immaculately finished, and has a power reserve of 60-hours despite the power intensive double tourbillon and carousel style display – thanks largely to the twin barrel system. It’s protected by a solid caseback featuring an engraving of Breguet’s original workshop at Quai de l’Horloge, with each caseback taking 100 hours to painstakingly engrave by hand.

As to the price, well, I can tell you off the bat that the Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon “Quai de l’Horloge” 5345 will not be making it onto any ‘top 10 accessible watches’ articles any time soon… or ever. It will set you back £689,300. Not a watch that many people will ever own then, but certainly one to admire from afar.

More details at Breguet.

The connection between is a strong one, bolstered by many collaborative wristwatches like last year’s Carrera Chronosprint x Porsche. Plus there’s the fact that both brands use the name “Carrera” in their products, a happy coincidence created by a joint interest in the Carrera Panamericana motor race. Their latest collaboration is the new Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Porsche 963.

If you can’t conjure an image of the Porsche 963 to mind alongside the catalogue of 911 references you’ve memorised, that’s probably because it’s their cutting edge hybrid race car. It’s a vehicle designed to compete at Le Mans, another race that has an important place in the heritage of both Porsche and Tag Heuer.

In keeping with the high tech design of the car, the Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Porsche 963 leans towards being a hyper modern design rather than something vintage like the Glassbox.

It measures 44mm in diameter and is made from steel with black DLC coated pushers and crown. The tachymeter bezel is made from carbon fibre, a material commonly used in high performance sports cars. The flanks of the case bear the inscription “Porsche” picked out against a black PVD surface. We’ve got all the different surface treatments going on with this watch.

The dial is a skeletonised, tricompax chronograph display with a 12-hour timer, 30-minute timer and small seconds in addition to central hours, minutes and chronograph seconds. The format of the subdials are designed to look like the instruments in a racer and the skeletonisation is evocative of the 963’s roll cage and internal structure. It feels dynamic, modern and sporty.

Glimpsed through the dial and visible though the exhibition caseback is the calibre TH20-00. An automatic column wheel chronograph movement with an 80-hour power reserve, which is enough to see it through the 24-hours of Le Mans almost three and a half times. For the Carrera Chronograph x Porsche 963 special edition it also has a custom red column wheel.

I must say I prefer my Carrera Chronographs on the retro side, but if sporty, modern aesthetics are more your speed, then the Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Porsche 963 is ideal. It’s priced at £8,050, which makes sense for the advanced materials and skeletonised design. As well as the fact it’s a limited edition of 963 pieces.

More details at Tag Heuer.

Image credit: Gustavo Kuri

To my mind, Chopard are in the same category of watchmakers as brands like Laurent Ferrier – rarely the first brand to come up in conversation but always spoken of with fondness when they are. Talking about sports watches? The Alpine Eagle is robust and stylish. Talking about chronographs?

The Mille Miglia is up there. Talking about haute horology? The L.U.C Full Strike won the Aiguille d’Or at the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève for its innovative minute repeater mechanism. The Full Strike is back on our radars in 2024 because at Watches & Wonders Chopard released an updated version with a verdigris dial and ceramicised titanium case, fittingly called the Chopard L.U.C Full Strike Titanium.

There have been several editions of the Full Strike already in gold, platinum, steel and sapphire, but this is the first to be presented in ceramicised titanium. Ceramicised titanium is a type of titanium that has had its surface oxidised using electro-plasma technology, giving it ceramic-like properties. Specifically, it has a dark grey colouration and an increased hardness rating while retaining the useful traits of titanium such as being lightweight and strong.

Macro image credit: Gustavo Kuri

Its use in the Chopard L.U.C Full Strike Titanium, which measures 42.5mm in diameter, gives the case a relatively subtle appearance without the ostentation of some of the previous materials used. Chopard have used this relative subtlety to full effect by giving the watch a much more adventurous dial. It features a verdigris green colour with a frosted finish in the centre, very far from traditional dress watch aesthetic codes.

The result is almost sporty in its execution, especially because the Roman numerals have been replaced with pointed indexes which, along with the open-worked minute repeater hammers, central hands and power reserve indicator, have been given a PVD coating the same colour as the case.

Image credit: Gustavo Kuri

That brings us to the minute repeater complication itself, which is the true focus of the timepiece. It’s part of the calibre L.U.C 08.01-L, a movement with four patented mechanisms integrated into it. Those include elements such as the fact the chiming gongs and sapphire crystal are made from a monobloc piece of sapphire, meaning the entire top surface of the watch functions as the minute repeater’s resonator, creating an incredibly clear sound. Other innovations include a dedicated barrel powering the chiming complication and multiple safety features that protect the repeater when at low power and during activation.

Interestingly, the Chopard L.U.C Full Strike Titanium isn’t the only haute horological timepiece to receive a makeover in green this spring because Jaeger-LeCoultre just announced a green enamel edition of the Grande Tradition Calibre 948 World-Timer. Green was very popular in 2022, is it making a comeback? With the proliferation of sage green, mint and now verdigris… maybe.

More details at Chopard.

The launch of Christopher Ward’s Twelve was something of a landmark moment for the British brand last year, stepping into the integrated bracelet sports watch market for the first time. A release that was followed up by the svelte 36mm edition. Now though, they’ve upped the ante by creating a skeletonised beast in the form of the new Twelve X edition, their most expensive watch to date, which we’ve had in the office for the past week.

Without beating around the bush, I wasn’t really sold at first when I got hands-on with the X. At 41mm in diameter and 12.3mm thick, this is the largest iteration of the Twelve so far and I’ve grown used to the 36mm or 40mm dimensions.

The sharp angles of the case and Genta-esque facets and shapes used in the design suit a svelte, slimmer design and the extra size of the X is definitely noticeable on the wrist. Fortunately, it’s made from a combination of grade 2 and grade 5 titanium so it remains very lightweight despite the increased size.

We also have to ask ourselves why the Twelve X is bigger and there is a very obvious explanation. It houses the Christopher Ward SH21 calibre, a twin barreled, COSC-certified, 120-hour power created in partnership Synergies Horlogères back in 2014. In order to accommodate this monster of a movement, the case has to be larger and once you understand that, the size really isn’t as much of an issue. I can accept a few millimetres here or there if it means having more than a 100% increase in power reserve and specs compared to the standard edition.

Of course, the other thing that comes with the SH21 is a skeletonised display, granting you visual access to the inner workings of the calibre. Interestingly, Christopher Ward have elected to use high end CNC machines to finish the movements, rather than traditional hand-finishing, in order to create a uniform and precise appearance.

The Twelve X leans heavily into an industrial, almost brutalist aesthetic with the exposed springs of the double barrel as well as features such as the balance and bridges. It’s strongly reminiscent of the C60 Concept from 2021, which is not unexpected as that’s also a skeleton version of the same movement – although as a dive watch that was even chunkier at 42mm.

One of the things I have come to appreciate about the Twelve X following my time with it, is the new bracelet clasp it comes with. It’s a micro-adjustable butterfly clasp, allowing you to adjust it by up to 3mm in an instant, which is a great quality of life improvement for the watch’s wearability. Christopher Ward has said it plans to roll out this new clasp on existing bracelets too, so it should soon become the norm.

As I mentioned in the introduction, the Twelve X is the most expensive Christopher Ward to date, priced at £3,750 on rubber strap and £4,120 on titanium bracelet. At that price CW are really pushing into the world of mid-price luxury watches, moving away from their traditional home in accessible horology.

The Twelve X is competing with the likes of Tudor and Grand Seiko, which is very fierce competition indeed. Although from an aesthetic point of view, the closest comparison would be a watch like the Oris ProPilot X Calibre 115 which is roughly £2,000 higher than the CW.

So, where do I land with the Twelve X? Mechanically it’s as impressive as the SH21 always has been and style-wise it fuses the industrial vibe of a skeletonised dial with a sporty case. So, on the whole it’s a very cohesive, well thought out watch. At this price though, I do wonder if it stands up to the competition. What do you think?

More details at Christopher Ward.

The Freak stands for pure futurism and imagination, and Ulysse Nardin is not resting on its laurels. The new Ulysse Nardin Freak S Nomad is nothing if not jaw-dropping. And if you are a wristwatch newbie, your jaw will drop even lower when I tell you this concept is over two decades old. It is now highly evolved but made its debut in 2001, a brief year into the new century.

Let me transport you back to the dawn of our new century and the Ur-Freak. Judging by today’s big wrist hits, time(keeping) has seemingly stood still since the late Sixties. Such is the never ending wave of vintage inspiration, and we get it. Nothing beats the importance of watch-wearing roleplay, whether your daydream involves flying, diving, or piloting a spacecraft. The latter comes courtesy of the Freak, last seen in the dark Freak OPS from late ’23.

Imagine being at Baselworld in 2001, where the carousel Tourbillon-flaunting Freak was unveiled. Thanks to the forward-thinking minds of then-CEO Rold Schnyder and horological mastermind Ludwig Oechslin. There are many imaginative dial designs but with the entire movement as a turning hand? Being a fly on the wall in the first sketch-up meeting between Oechslin and Schnyder would have been priceless. And the brand hasn’t looked back since. We had the pleasure of sitting down with Oechslin at last year’s Watches and Wonders, an event akin to having an audience with Da Vinci.

This year, the avant-garde vibe remains, and the latest calibre UN-251 is still a Prima Ballerina rotating slowly, covered by a large sapphire crystal. Sure, 45mm doesn’t resonate with everyone in 2024, but even with my love of small chic, I would willingly make an exception. Ergonomics and everyday wearability are not everyone’s priority when considering a £100K+ watch, but it is present. In fact, the titanium and carbon fibre case is as light as it is comfortable, if my encounter in Geneva last year is anything to go by.

The carbon fibre brings a techy dark vibe, with two pieces flowing from lug to lug, adding an organic touch to the mid-case. The front and rear of the tactical case of the Freak S Nomad is dark DLC titanium, still baffling me with its crown-less design. Yes, the time is still set by twisting the faceted bezel, while the efficient Grinder®-powered automatic movement can be topped up by turning the actual caseback. So far, tour de force, and the appeal is not lessened even having tried on a few Freaks (does that constitute getting my Freak on?).

However, beyond the fascination with an exemplary materialization of case design, the star is undoubtedly the dial. And as with any Freak, this is not your usual fare. It is very legible despite what resembles an intricately detailed spacecraft to all eyes. The deliciously thin twin balances appear as hovercraft propellers or cooling fans, not of our world.

The UN-251 calibre rocks Silicon balance wheels and hairsprings, tech-heavy DIAMONSIL-coated escapements, and its double oscillator linked by a vertical differential. The movement, including the Grinder® automatic winding system, has 20 patents. And while you’re taking all this in, you might notice that the slow ballet of the entire Freak S Nomad movement is set on a very traditional stage.

What constitutes a dial is an hour disc decorated with the centuries-old craft of hand-turned guilloché. Like a Breguet pocket watch from two centuries ago, every disc differs slightly. The hand-crafted world of guilloché is fascinating on any watch dial, taking on a deeper meaning here. And it is not an actual dial but a slowly rotating hour disc. It takes 240 continuous movements over three hours to cut the interweaved diamond shapes of the disc with its beige CVD gold coating. It offers a studied contrast to the angular shapes of the enticing carousel movement.

But more importantly for me, its presence links together centuries of watchmaking, underlining the importance of Ulysse Nardin’s innovative approach by its mere presence. The future is indeed here, rotating slowly in synchrony in a limited edition of 99 pieces at £130,510.

More details at Ulysse Nardin.

The fight to create the thinnest watches in the world is a three horse race. You have Piaget with the Altiplano Ultimate Concept at 2mm thick, Richard Mille with the RM UP-01 at an incredulous 1.75mm and Bulgari who are currently winning the race with the new Octo Finissimo Ultra Mark-II at 1.7mm. However, the battle goes beyond just the title of ‘thinnest watch’ as the fighting is also fierce in categories such as ‘thinnest tourbillon watch’ or ‘thinnest chronograph’. Piaget have struck the latest blow when it comes to thin tourbillons with the launch of the Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon.

In this particular competition the main rival is the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon at 3.95mm from 2018. With the new Altiplano coming in at 2mm, it’s thinner by a fairly comfortable margin. That’s the same thickness as the original Altiplano Ultimate Concept. However, being unwilling to compromise on size meant an intensive development process to try and shave off as much height from the tourbillon as possible.

Tourbillons are typically quite tall complications with the large rotating cage often rising from the dial like a pillar, or alternatively occupying a deep space recessed into the dial. Either way, that’s a lot of vertical space to make up. Early attempts at producing an ultra-thin tourbillon involved versions with no upper bridge, supported only from below. However, even this was too thick. The elegant solution they eventually settled on after more than 70 attempts is to support the tourbillon not from above or below as is traditional, but to support it from its peripheral edge, held in place by a ceramic ball bearing.

Looking at the dial of the watch, you can see the tourbillon occupying the upper left portion of the display, at 10 o’clock. It’s worth noting that as the tourbillon rotates at a rate of once per minute, it also serves as the watch’s seconds indicator. Next to that at 2 o’clock is the hour and minute subdial. Although the largest mechanism visible on the dial is actually the power barrel, which has also had a complete redesign compared to the original Ultimate Concept because the tourbillon increases the power demand of the watch by 25%. The spring itself is slightly thicker so that it can store more energy and the movement uses ball bearings rather than pivots to reduce friction, proving a 40-hour power reserve.

The case housing all this is made from Piaget’s special cobalt alloy with a midnight blue PVD coating. We’ve already talked about the fact that it’s 2mm thick, but the diameter is actually fairly broad at 41.5mm. Drawing on a pop-culture reference, it reminds me of the Transformer called Reedman from the 2009 film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen who was so thin as to be invisible from one direction but easily visible from another.

It’s beyond question that the Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon is an impressive watch. Operating at the cutting-edge of horological development is always exciting and is a fiercely competitive part of the industry. How long will this watch sit with the crown of being the thinnest tourbillon? Will anyone knock Richard Mille off the overall top spot of producing the thinnest watch full stop? Only time will tell. Your move, Bulgari.

More details at Piaget.

A tonneau case made from titanium and carbon fibre equipped with an haute horology movement. From that description many people would assume we’re talking about Richard Mille, currently the most famous watch brand producing modern, urban sports watches such as the RM 21-02. However, they are far from the only brand in that niche of the industry. Bianchet are also building their reputation with an impressive (if small) range of watches – and with the launch of the new Bianchet Flying Toubillon Sport GMT, the gap between them and Richard Mille is smaller than ever.

Starting with the case, there are two versions of the Flying Toubillon Sport GMT being produced. There’s a full carbon fibre version and a hybrid carbon fibre and titanium edition. Much as you’d expect, the full carbon one features the characteristic stripes of the material across its entire case including the bezel whereas the titanium one has a metallic bezel and caseback. Both versions measure 43mm x 53mm x 14.35mm giving them plenty of presence on the wrist.

It’s also worth noting that between the two case options, there are six colours to choose from. On the carbon model there’s white, olive, red and blue and the titanium is limited to just red and blue. The signature colour of each can be found on the rubber strap, crown grip, the centre band of the case and the hands. On specific carbon versions such as the red, the colours also make their way to the 3D globe of the GMT function at 12 o’clock on the dial. My favourite is the carbon case with blue accents because it has the most realistic globe thanks to its blue oceans.

The dial is pretty spectacular too. It’s skeletonised with arching bridges and visible gear trains and mechanisms, giving it a very urban and architectural look. As already mentioned, at 12 o’clock is the GMT part of the Flying Toubillon Sport GMT, allowing you to keep track of multiple time zones at the same time. The globe itself rotates with the 24-hour hand along the 24-hour scale with day-night indication, making it perfect for globetrotters.

As for the other part of the watch’s name, the flying tourbillon is found below the central hands at 6 o’clock. Tourbillons are designed to increase a watch’s accuracy by offsetting the effects of gravity on the escapement by rotating constantly. Being a ‘flying’ tourbillon means that it is suspended from beneath, giving it the illusion of floating in place as it spins. It’s one of the most strikingly visual devices in horology, hence its wide popularity.

The movement powering both the GMT function and tourbillon is a manual-wind movement with 90-hour power reserve and adjusted in six positions. The components are sourced from several Swiss manufactures but it’s assembled and finished in-house by Bianchet. The main plate, bridges and tourbillon cage are all made from titanium and it’s finished with a combination of sand-blasting and satin brushing with bevelled edges.

In terms of price, it’s difficult to describe the Flying Toubillon Sport GMT’s true value. On one hand, at CHF 75’500 (approx. £66,800) it is without question an expensive watch. However, on the other hand, it’s basically half the price of a Richard Mille so it’s also a great entry level watch for this type of extremely high-end horology that utilises amazing mechanics alongside cutting-edge materials.

More details at Bianchet.