SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT
In a slew of shapes and sizes, watch brands take on the black watch and make it their own
SPLISH SPLASH
Unveiled during Breitling’s firstever Summit webcast, the Superocean Heritage ’57 Limited Edition rekindles the sun-kissed, laid-back California surfing culture of the ‘50 and ‘60s in the fast-paced modern day. The new watch pays tribute to the original Superocean from 1957 but is updated with contemporary convenience such as a COSC-certified Breitling Caliber 10 automatic movement offering 42 hours of power reserve and an ultra-hard scratch- and shock-resistant ceramic bezel ring. The 42mm example pictured here is encased in stainless steel and makes a splash with its unique rainbow-inspired Super-LumiNova coating. Reinforcing its support to clean up the world’s oceans, the Outerknown Econyl yarn NATO strap made from salvaged marine debris can be purchased separately and is available in half-a-dozen colour combinations. Limited to 250 pieces and rated 100m water resistance, the diving (or shall we say surfing) watch is a boutique exclusive.
HAVING A BLAST
The uber-cool all-black Octo Finissimo Automatic Ceramic of 2019 has been reinvented for the season as Bvlgari subjects the ultra-thin watch to a combination of sandblasted and polished finishes. The Octo Finissimo Automatic Black Sandblast-Polished Ceramic expertly plays with light where some facets of its ceramic case and bracelet dazzle, while others remain muted. The 40mm case is mind-bogglingly thin at 5.5mm but has somehow managed to squeeze in an in-house BVL 138 automatic movement, boasting 60 hours of power reserve and a platinum micro-rotor. For those who gravitate towards tone on tone, and black on black, this is worth some serious consideration.
OPPOSITES ATTRACT
Paradoxes are Chanel’s revolving theme of the year as the maison rolls out the radical J12 Paradoxe Diamonds that eschews conventional wisdom. The aesthetic follows an eccentric distribution where the two-third of the inner 18k white gold case is clad in black ceramic, while the remaining onethird – lugs, crown guards, the bezel, the flange and the dial – is set with baguette-cut diamonds. The crown is further embellished with a brilliant-cut diamond cabochon. In total, the diamonds weigh 4.5ct. This stunning 38mm piece is powered by an automatic COSC-certified Calibre 12.1 with 70 hours and proves that the three-hand watch needs not be stodgy. As few as 20 pieces are produced – a number paying tribute to the 20th anniversary of the J12.
FIVE IN ONE
Sporty with an added pop of colours as a troupe of five – red, orange, yellow, blue and green – make up Corum’s latest Admiral 42 Automatic Full Black where each variant is limited to 100 pieces. The successors to last year’s monochrome version are Corum’s first releases since undergoing a brand repositioning exercise, promising to be bolder in its approach. Apart from the signature nautical pennants upon a brass dial, the recognisable dodecagonal 42mm case made of black PVD-treated stainless steel has been retained. The automatic CO 395 movement enjoys 42 hours of power reserve.
STARRY SKIES
Peppered with Japanese techniques and aesthetics to fine watchmaking, the Grand Seiko Spring Drive SBGD202 is adorned with an alluring night sky dial with specks of gold particles representing distant stars twinkling in the darkest night. The exclusivity of this 43mm 18k rose gold number extends towards the very heart of the watch where the movement was pioneered by the brand and has remained Grand Seiko’s greatest contribution to watchmaking. The Spring Drive 9R01 movement straddles quartz and hand-wound mechanical realms and is equipped with a whopping eight days of power reserve. With an accuracy of +/- 0.5 seconds per day, few mechanical watches are ever as equally as precise.
WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE
Known for its atypical interpretation of prevalent complications, independent brand H. Moser & Cie. incorporates avant-garde material Vantablack, which absorbs 99.96% of visible light to ensure the Venturer Vantablack Black Hands XL the benchmark in watches with black dials. Developed by Surrey NanoSystems, Vantablack is composed of a bed of carbon nanotubes and has been applied onto a number of H. Moser & Cie.’s creations. The 43mm stainless steel model shown here is made available alongside the petite albeit pricier 39mm model in 18k white gold. Both are equipped with a handwound HMC 327 manufacture calibre furnished with three days of power reserve.
Zenith’s brand-new watches for the feminine halves are just as technically sound as the manufacture’s offering for the masculine halves. Designed as an elegant everyday watch for women, the Defy Midnight is a 36mm canvas of Zenith’s savoir-faire. The watch houses an in-house Elite 670 SK automatic movement with 48 hours of power reserve and a number of references ranging from the stripped-down stainless steel bezel bereft of gemstones to the diamonds-encrusted bezel with 44 VS brilliant-cut diamonds. Although by default, it is paired with a stainless steel bracelet, Zenith is also shipping a trio of coloured straps with the watch. Thanks to a built-in interchangeable system, mixing and matching straps with outfits has never been more effortless.
Omega pays homage to the tool watch that gave rise to the Seamaster with a touch of luxury the brand is synonymous with. The Seamaster Diver 300M Chronograph weaves the robustness of the diving watch into precious metals and innovative materials. Available in eight new 44mm models, they are segregated into stainless steel, stainless steel with 18k yellow gold, and stainless steel and 18k Sedna gold. Each case is paired with a ceramic bezel ring whose diving scale is made of either white enamel or Omega’s alchemical Ceragold – consisting of ceramic and 18k gold. The ceramic dial is laser-engraved with the iconic Seamaster waves and underneath it is a CoAxial Master Chronometer Calibre 9900, which provides 60 hours of power reserve.
Tapping into its wealth of Minerva archives, Montblanc’s 1858 Monopusher Chronograph is a reinterpretation of a historical Minerva chronograph and its calibre 13.20 from the 1930s. Much detail has been preserved, such as a black dial with a beige-coloured railway track, as well as two counters at 3 and 9 o’clock. In addition, Montblanc injects a dose of vintage charm through a telemeter scale and beige-coloured SuperLumiNova numerals. Apart from the 42mm stainless steel expression with beads-of-rice bracelets, the 1858 Monopusher Chronograph is available with cognac calfskin leather straps and a 1,858-piece bronze edition. This watch is fitted with an automatic MB 25.12 movement with 48 hours of power reserve.
Ever the extravagant, we have come to expect nothing less from Jacob & Co. The most recent collaborative effort, christened the Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon, between the watchmaker and Bugatti miniaturised Chiron’s 16-cylinder engine into a marvellous in-house handwound JCAM37 movement, which is part automaton and part 30-degree inclined flying tourbillon. The mini engine’s animation can be activated on demand and the wearer is rewarded with the sight of the crankshaft turning and the pistons pumping up and down. Offering 60 hours of power reserve, the watch’s oversized 54mm x 44mm black titanium case is inspired by Chiron’s chassis and the famous EB emblem can be located on the engine compartment.
When the former Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie – or, as everyone referred to it, SIHH – decided last autumn not only to move its slot on the calendar from January to late April, but also to rename itself Watches and Wonders, you could almost hear the collective gasp from the world’s watch professionals, journalists and aficionados. Its rival Baselworld was already in the throes of its own existence-threatening upheavals – now, it seemed, similar issues might be about to engulf the Geneva show too.
In the event, and no thanks to the global Covid-19 pandemic, neither event was held this year. But after announcing in late February that W&W was cancelling its first-ever Swiss edition, the organisers later revealed that instead it would be taking to cyberspace, with a virtual show involving all 30 brands that had been scheduled to participate in the real-world event at Geneva’s Palexpo. As well as Richemont group stalwarts such as A. Lange & Söhne, IWC, JaegerLeCoultre and Vacheron Constantin, their ranks would also be joined by the like of luxury Hermès, as well as leading independent watch houses. Along with countless other watch enthusiasts around the world, we logged on to the W&W website on April 25, we watched and we wondered. And from the trove of new models that showed up on our laptops over the next few hours, we eventually chose the following selection for your information, delectation and enjoyment.