Posts filed under Watches & Wonders 2021

W&W 2021: Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon Obsidian. The Finest Mexican Obsidian Takes the Center Stage.

With its super oversized moon, the Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon presents a limited edition of 28 pieces featuring this distinctive complication, adorned with an extraordinary material rarely seen in watchmaking. With a dial made from Mexican obsidian, this timepiece appears to be bathed in bronze moonlight. The stone is reflected in the large rhodium-plated moon and the perfectly polished hour-markers. The result is an interplay of reflections, vibrations, and warmth that echoes the light of Earth’s satellite.

W&W 2021: Ulysse Nardin Blast Hourstriker

This art of marking the time with music has always been a part of Ulysse Nardin’s technical arsenal. It was revived in the 1980s, under the impetus of Rolf Schnyder, and given a new lease of life in 2019 when the Swiss Manufacture collaborated with French audio technology company Devialet on the next level of watchmaking acoustics, which was launched in the Classico Hourstriker Phantom.

W&W 2021: Ulysse Nardin UFO Clock by L'Epée 1839 with a One Year Power Reserve

To celebrate its 175th anniversary, Ulysse Nardin takes clockmaking into the realms of imagination by reinventing the chronometer. Like all the most successful voyages, it takes an experienced crew. For this particular journey, Ulysse Nardin decided to collaborate with the celebrated clockmaker Maison L’Epée 1839, who has been manufacturing traditional clocks since 1839 and is now famed for bringing fantastical imaginings of MB&F’s CEO Max Busser to life.

W&W 2021: Louis Vuitton Tambour Carpe Diem. Seize the Day with this Jacquemart Watch.

Having produced several special orders for watches with automata in secret for a select group of clients, Louis Vuitton decided to lift the veil on the mystery by creating a one-of-a-kind model. It took two years of development for the Tambour Carpe Diem to join the House’s watch collections.

W&W 2021: Presenting the Zenith DEFY Extreme Collection

Zenith continues to push the limits of performance and design to the extreme for the trailblazers who forge their own path and leave a mark on time with the DEFY Extreme, an all-terrain 1/100th of a second chronograph. Zenith is pushing form and function to new heights with the latest addition to the DEFY line of resolutely futuristic watchmaking with the DEFY Extreme, a new expression of superlative precision and ruggedness. Zenith is going far beyond the conventional to uncharted territories, where those who forge their own path on the road less travelled can leave their mark.

W&W 2021: Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight 925. First Time for a Case in 925 Silver.

Tudor is launching a unique new version of its popular Black Bay Fifty-Eight model in 925 silver with an open case back. This marks two firsts for a Tudor divers' watch and creating surprising incandescence. The name of the radiant Black Bay Fifty-Eight 925 model is, of course, a reference to the precious metal of its case, but also to 1958, the year in which the first Tudor divers' watch waterproof to 200 meters —660 ft—, reference 7924 or "Big Crown," was introduced.

W&W 2021: Patek Philippe Nautilus Baguette Set Stainless Steel and Olive Green Dial ref. 5711/1300A-001. First Time Patek Pairs Diamonds with Steel.

With the new reference 5711/1300A-001, Patek Philippe introduces an exceptionally remarkable alliance combining stainless steel with baguette-cut diamonds that are usually only paired with precious metal watches. The characteristic shape of the bezel and case is emphasized with a row of 32 flawless Top Wesselton baguette diamonds —approximately 3.6 carats— set to the highest standards of the master jeweler’s art.

W&W 2021: Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5711/1A-014. Olive Green is the New Blue.

Following the announcement that 2021 will be the last production year of the stainless steel Patek Philippe Nautilus model Ref. 5711/1A with blue dial, Patek presents a totally new stainless steel reference with olive green sunburst dial. This new dial will also be available in a version featuring a bezel set with baguette diamonds.

W&W 2021: Purnell Escape II Absolute Sapphire. A Million Dollar World's First Double Triple Axis Tourbillon in a Full Sapphire Case.

Known to only produce tourbillon movements, the Swiss watchmaker Purnell is inspired by performance, precision and mechanical prowess, doubling down on its philosophy of bringing more future than past to watchmaking. In just a year since the brand’s introduction at Watches & Wonders Geneva 2020, Purnell has made its mark on the landscape of contemporary high watchmaking, not only with its unmistakable Spherion

W&W 2021: Cartier Libre Baignoire Tortue and Cartier Libre Tortue Serpent

Every year, the Cartier Libre collection explores the Maison’s repertoire of signature-shaped watches. A candid look that revisits and shakes up codes, revealing the wealth of inspiration found in Cartier’s watchmaking repertoire of shapes through unique creations.

W&W 2021: Louis Cartier Tank and Tank Must. The Tank and the Must Fuse into One.

The Tank watch is Cartier elegance embodied, a pure and precise design, an uncompromising line. From its very creation in 1917, Louis Cartier made the distinct aesthetic choice of a rectangular shape, as opposed to the round watches of his generation. The Tank was already an avant-garde piece when launched and continues to be today. The two parallel brancards are its signature.

W&W 2021: Vacheron Constantin Métiers d'Art Tribute to Great Explorers

They evoke a time when the world had yet to be discovered. They retrace the famous epic journeys of the great 15th century explorers who braved the seas and oceans to discover distant horizons. Vacheron Constantin celebrates the spirit of adventure of Bartolomeu Dias, Vasco da Gama, and Pedro Álvares Cabral through a new series of three ten-piece limited editions, the Métiers d'Art Tribute to Great Explorers. Crafted in Grand Feu enamel, each dial depicts selected portions of a 1519 map from the Miller Atlas. These three masterpieces of miniaturization and expertise are driven by the Manufacture 1120 AT movement.

W&W 2021: Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Small Seconds Green. As Deep Green as the Vallée de Joux.

Created in the 1931 by Jaeger-LeCoultre as a convenient watch for polo players, the purpose of the Reverso was to be able to maintain the front of the watch protected during a polo match by virtue of swiveling and exposing a solid case back on the front. Its Art Deco lines and unique reversible case made it one of the most immediately recognizable watches of all time and a true icon in the world of horology.

W&W 2021: Patek Philippe Nautilus Travel Time Chronograph ref. 5990/1R in Rose Gold

First released in 2014, the Patek Philippe Nautilus Travel Time Chronograph ref. 5990 now appears cloaked in 18K rose gold and sporting a gorgeous blue dial. This amazing complication that features a chronograph with the Travel Time function that indicates the time in two different time zones at a single glance is fitted with the traditional Nautilus case now in rose gold measuring 40.5 mm in diameter. This new watch, combines two highly popular complications and features additional functions for enhanced everyday convenience. A new watch that for sure will give the Nautilus Chronograph 5980/1R a run for its money.

W&W 2021: Presenting the Hublot Big Bang Unico Yellow Magic

Following the release of the Hublot Big Bang Unico Red Magic in 2018, now comes a new iteration in yellow. The Hublot Big Bang Unico Yellow Magic invites you to enjoy the sunny side of life. Although yellow is a primary color that is abundant in nature, this color is still difficult and almost impossible to reproduce in a material such as ceramic. As a real accelerator of innovation, and thanks to its expertise, the Hublot Manufacture has achieved the impossible by creating the first bright yellow ceramic.

Eye Candy: Live Pictures of the New Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921 White Gold

Three new versions of the American 1921 are presented to mark the 100th anniversary: two models in 18K white gold and a 100-piece limited edition from the Collection Excellence Platine, powered by the in-house manual-winding movement, Calibre 4400 AS. With its generous 28.50 mm diameter magnified by the transparency of the sapphire case back, this calibre is offset from its usual axis, while its imposing barrel ensures an approximately 65-hour —3-day— power reserve.

W&W 2021: Hublot Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire. Very Impressive to Say the Least.

It is true that sometimes less is more, perhaps a lot more. With the new Hublot Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire reference 455.JX.0120.JX, Hublot has taken its Art of Fusion to its ultimate conclusion. A new integral bracelet and case custom-made from sapphire: this feat affirms yet again the technical proficiency and the exceptional expertise that Hublot has acquired in the working of sapphire. For some, this will seem a natural development. For others, it will be a total disconnect. The final result is a little of each.

W&W 2021: Presenting the Hermès H08

Fully developed in-house, the new Hermès H08 is a new pillar collection for the brand. An everyday, all-terrain watch that embodies Creative Director Véronique Nichanian’s vision of the men’s universe. Light and travels easily for any experience. The design is a collaboration between Véronique, Pierre-Alexis Dumas —Artistic Director, Hermès—, and Philippe Delhotal —Artistic Director, Hermès Horloger. Created completely in-house, the new H08 features the manufacture H1837 movement.

W&W 2021: Jaeger-LeCoultre Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 Quadriptyque. Most Complicated Reverso Ever Made.

Without a doubt, the most impressive timepiece to come out of Watches & Wonders 2021 on day one. The new Jaeger-LeCoultre Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 is part of JLC’s Hybris Mechanica series of ground-breaking, ultra-complicated timepieces. A watch that took six years in the making, is the first watch in the world with four faces of timekeeping indications. The Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 is the result of over six years of development, combining key areas of savoir-faire at Jaeger-LeCoultre with innovative new astronomical indications.

W&W 2021: Tudor Black Bay Chrono with Black Aluminum Bezel Insert ref. 79360N

Since the launch in 1970 of the Oysterdate model, its first chronograph, Tudor has always produced watches that are closely tied to the world of motor sport. Since 1954, Tudor has likewise been constantly improving its professional divers’ watches. The Black Bay Chrono model combines these traditions in a sports chronograph for purists, with contrasting sub-counters and a high-performance automatic Manufacture Calibre, with column wheel and vertical clutch.