Art Meets Precision: The Slim d’Hermès Pocket Mysterious Rider

Few brands in traditional watchmaking are as committed to playfulness as Hermès, or more properly Hermès Horloger as the watchmaking aspect is called. This spirit permeates the entire brand identity though, as the Slim d’Hermès Pocket Mysterious Rider ably demonstrates. First off, this is a pocket watch that debuted after Watches and Wonders Geneva, as part of the brand’s regular Exceptional pieces series. As an aside, this is not just a limited edition – Hermès Horloger is making just three of these, and you will understand why when you learn a little bit about the handcraftsmanship that goes into the 45mm white gold watch. But we are getting ahead of ourselves...

What will strike you first of all here is the colourful cover, which you would be correct to guess is a motif transposed from an Hermès scarf. A finalist in the Grand Prix du Carré Hermès, the Dutch artist Viktor Hachmang creates pop art, essentially, with a dash of manga and Japanese city pop. His bright colours and geometric patterns bring the mysterious rider to life, portrayed on a stylised alternate universe Tronesque motorbike against the backdrop of a shopfront reminiscent of the historic Hermès boutique at 24 Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris. And yes, this is not the horse you might have expected from Hermès, and that we surmise is very much the point.

The cover of the pocket watch, featuring the leader of the pack, is crafted using the intricate champlevé enamel technique. This process involves pitting the metal and then filling the grooves with coloured glass powders mixed with natural oils. The material is then fired multiple times in a kiln at more than 800°C to set the pigments. Hidden behind the resulting brilliant cover is a stately white enamel dial, created via a similar if less exacting technique. The dial is created through a meticulous process of layering enamel, with each layer dried and fired before being adorned with hand-painted red numerals and hour markers. Needless to say, dial or cover, if the material cracks in the kiln, there is no fixing it. The craftsperson has to start over.

At the heart of the Slim d'Hermès Pocket Mysterious Rider beats the ultra-thin Hermès H1950 mechanical self-winding movement, made by long-term partners Vaucher. The timepiece is completed with a matt Rouge H alligator leather strap and pouch, crafted in keeping with Hermès' renowned saddlery and leather expertise, enhancing the deep crimson tones of this remarkable creation.

Movement: AutomaticH1950;42-hour power reserve
Case: 45mm in white gold; water-resistant to 30m
Strap: Matt rouge H alligator cordlet and pouch
Price: On application

This article was first seen on WOW's #74 Autumn 2024 Issue

For more on the latest in luxury watch reads from WOW, click here.

Gold and Platinum Redefine Fine Watchmaking

Patek Philippe Ref.5236P with the diamond indicating that the case is platinum

After almost a decade of deep dives into material innovation in traditional watchmaking, we have finally come full circle. Way back in 2016, we published a longish treatise on gold in watchmaking, which is unsurprising given the popularity of the metal over the centuries. We write centuries here but really we mean the entirety of human history, written and otherwise, because contemporary timepieces are also pieces of jewellery. And so it should surprise absolutely no one that in this second take on gold, we will be outdoing ourselves. In fact, we already have because we published a preamble to this story in the Spring this year.

The watchmaking business has always been about both style and substance. Timekeeping is, even today, primarily a utility that drives productivity, efficiency and accuracy – it can literally tell us our place in the universe, depending on how the question is phrased. As with anything this important, there is a symbolic value to be had. It is a value with both power and prestige, which the ruling classes have always understood. Thus, we have arrived at the simplest connection between time and gold.

Now, we will have to address the matter of price quite prominently in this story (and its constituent parts) but it is worth bearing in mind, from the outset, that price is just one of many facets. More than any other precious metal, gold has a certain reputation as a proven store of value, a hedge against both inflation and deflation, and a stable investment class. Gold and silver are the only precious metals to be widely used as both jewellery and currency, distinguishing them from other precious metals. Gold is especially relevant for this examination because there is only one wristwatch in silver today that is widely recognised.

Growing and Retaining Value

These are all complicated points and we will be covering them briefly. We bring this point to the fore because fine watchmaking has been in the public eye itself recently for the investment angle. Specifically, some types of watches might qualify as alternative investment assets. To be clear, we have always argued (or at least cautioned) against this but we acknowledge reality and there are many of you, dear readers, who are intrigued by the potential of watches to not only retain value but also to grow it.

Some years ago, before we dared to comment on the phenomenon of investing in watches, we hinted at what a dark world this might herald. It was an Editor’s Note with the catchy title Watches as Currency, and watches cased in precious metal are the personification of this idea. If gold, in particular, is a kind of currency, then wearing watches cased in this material will really be like having cash strapped to one’s wrist. Well, perhaps just a digital display that indicates how much the watch in question is valued at. A good way to grab the attention of thieves you say? Welcome to the world of those who rock all-gold watches, and Singapore might just be the safest place on earth to do this.

As a counterpoint, the watch-buying community knows all too well that the best deals available on the secondary market are timepieces cased in precious metals. That means any precious metal, not just gold. To be blunt, these are the types of watches that shed the most value, including examples from the biggest names in Swiss watchmaking. Generally speaking, the why of this is hard to explain, especially versus amped-up valuations on steel watches, but the hypothesis (from specialists, including us) is that the precious metal recommended retail prices have always been too high. This is especially true when any given brand also offers a model in a non-precious metal variant too.

Reversal of Fortune

The current environment, which has seen prices falling on the secondary market across the board while also registering record prices for gold (US$2,431.55 in April), is an interesting one. If brands are really forcing an ascent of the price-to-value peak right now, then we expect that a number will not make it to base camp. Pay close attention to the new precious metal models when they settle in at your retailer – or whenever you get the call with regards to something particularly desirable. If it is desirable, that is.

This is the moment that this introduction gets a little contentious because there is no inherent novelty in steel or gold cases. The great innovation of Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe in proposing steel watches that were as expensive as the same in gold was mainly about price. As my peer Ruckdee Chotjinda once joked, the innovation there was the price. Enter Richard Mille with ultra-contemporary materials at a price far beyond what the same watch would be in precious metals – it helped that no such watches existed, of course but the innovation here still hangs on the matter of price. As far as even the most exotic of gold options out there go, price innovation is difficult to achieve.

Now, this is not to say that something with a functional benefit, such as honey gold or armor gold and almost certainly magic gold, does not add value; it does. The limiting factor is the 18k standard, which is a regulatory matter. Steel does not have this issue, and of course the clever composites and alloys deployed by Hublot, Richard Mille and Panerai have no limits. So, in a way, this story argues at key moments that gold and other precious metals have to be brutally honest because they are being held to account. Pricing innovation can only go so far here, but it is certainly not absent.

Qualified Honesty

This (qualified) honesty has everything to do with why we buy watches. Watch lovers have always purchased mechanical watches for watchmaking content. Before you protest about marketing talk, we simply mean everything that makes any given watch literally tick. In the 500 years or so that mechanical clockwork has been with us, creating the housing for the mechanical bits and bobs has been trivial by comparison. Recall, for example, that it took until physicists Robert Hooke and Christiaan Huygens before springs could be used as regulators.

Remember also that Hooke and Huygens were working separately on different projects (Huygens was following up on his own invention of the pendulum regulator), and effectively building on Galileo’s foundational work with timekeeping. These scientists were all pioneering forces of their day, and their contributions – and those like them – represented the true value of time, as far as humans could measure it. In many ways, it still is; the precious metal cases and parts are just signifiers of this value. A well-made case in a precious metal is an indicator of the precisely engineered contemporary horological engine housed within. Indeed, such a case or bracelet might not be completely solid, just to keep the watch comfortably wearable. At this point, if you compare steel watch with a gold one, for example, you might wonder why then is the price jump so high...

Before we move on to these matters of value (in the section on the uses of gold in watchmaking), we do have to mention the issue of sustainability. Gold production has been in the crosshairs of activists for some years, especially the so-called artisanal mines. These are the non-industrialised mining activities of smallholders, which are somewhat obscured by statistics and figures concerned mainly with the largest producers. These, as any quick Internet search will tell you, are China, Russia and Australia as far as gold is concerned (and we will come back to this shortly).

Pricing Issues

Now, watchmaking is not the biggest user of gold in the consumer segment – that would be jewellery. But given that brands such as Cartier, Chopard and Bvlgari are all major players in the watch world too, the ethical issues regarding dirty gold cannot be easily set aside. We give the issue a brief mention in the section on the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) and the Dodd- Frank Act (2010) but we concede that the issue requires more in-depth work.

This brings us back to the value proposition and the lack of clarity in the matter of gold and precious metals in watchmaking. How much more should one pay for a watch in gold over the same in steel? Why is a watch cased in platinum endowed with a higher retail price when the raw material has been cheaper than gold since the Great Recession? As we noted in our special on platinum, this metal represents an opportunity for watchmakers to do interesting things but brands have work to do in making the case (no pun intended) for it. Intriguingly, this might include technical innovation because platinum remains tough to work with and that partly accounts for why the material remains underused in jewellery and watches.

Continuing on this admittedly dangerous path, there is also the matter of persistently high prices on the secondary market for the biggest and most desirable brands. Mostly, this has to do with steel models and said models often eclipse the RRP of their gold counterparts (or get perilously close to doing so). Thus, switching focus to more precious metal options is only logical, especially when one considers that the top two percent of the world’s high rollers account for a massive 40 percent of all luxury purchases (according to Bain & Co).

A Bvlgari Serpenti Misteriosi Chimera in the process of being assembled

Pure Capital

As for power players, central banks are gobbling up gold like pandemic-spooked shoppers making a run on toilet paper. There is plenty of evidence for this, thanks to transparency laws and the like (therefore, see the news). Not for nothing, the Swiss consider gold a currency so the material is not subject to VAT and other seemingly relevant taxes. On the matter of consumer markets, anecdotal evidence suggests that some of the most important ones do not shy away from the precious stuff. This refers to Asian countries of all sorts, for those who might be confused; unhappily, there is not much separation between demand for investment purposes and for aesthetics. It is worth noting though that if you have bullion or coins, that is an investment. If your gold is in watches then that is something else.

This all adds up to a scenario where things are looking on the up for gold and its kin, whatever the price of the raw stuff does. Arguably, if you look at prices of precious metals and how it relates to watches, it has never been straightforward and has never needed to be – no one ever asked that watches cased in steel follow the price trends of the raw material. We do agree that this should be understood in the context of watchmaking content, as mentioned earlier, as long as that also includes branding.

This collection of stories about precious metals in watchmaking does try to stick to what is factual, for practical reasons, because we cannot add brand value into the picture in any meaningful way. That does not mean it does not exist and is not impactful. This one is entirely up to you, the would-be buyer. Some models look promising but only because you have already justified the premium to yourself.

Palladium

Used very sparingly in watchmaking, palladium is - like some other metals in these sidebars - a platinum group metal. In the periodic table, it is known by the symbol Pd, and its atomic number is 46. Palladium shares many of the same properties of platinum, including density and malleability. In fact, it is the least dense of the metals in its group and its melting point is the least extreme, although still high. It also shares the same catalytic properties that make it as appealing as platinum to industry, and it was the most cost- effective. In the recent past, palladium

ore prices have outpaced platinum, in turn putting pressure on platinum ore prices. Besides the problematic issue of most supply coming from Russia, important mines there had already been hit by environmental issues. As a result, palladium is estimated by some sources (Statista) to be 15 times as rare as platinum, which itself is just about as rare as gold. Since 2016, the price of palladium (per gramme) has increased fourfold; obviously, the effects of COVID-19 and the current conflict in Ukraine have not been factored in yet.

On the other hand, there is no good reason to use palladium for watches, since it is very similar to platinum but does not have the cachet of that precious metal. At the same time, it might also be a good deal more dear than platinum, because of industrial demand and various supply constraints. Among Swiss watchmakers, Ulysse Nardin, Audemars Piguet and H. Moser & Cie have used palladium in recent years. Interestingly, the bulk metallic glass (BMG) of the Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin 15202XT for a recent (though not the most recent) edition of OnlyWatch featured palladium in the mix.

For more on the latest in luxury watch news and releases, click here.

WOW Autumn 2024 Issue Arrives on Newsstands Now

The most complex issue of WOW Singapore 2024 lives up to its own billing, giving the team the chance to take up a vigorous technical challenge: breaking down the perpetual calendar. This high complication anchors the Autumn issue as we try to do a proper explainer on it. We are certainly not the first, as the credits for that section clearly demonstrate. Nevertheless, this is important work for specialist magazines: you will not find in-depth explainers anywhere else. Without tooting our own horn, or horns as it happens since I am speaking for all specialists, we really do go all the way. This is as far removed from fire-and-forget opinionated reviews as space-time is from the aether. Basically, if you make some point or other about a feature of nature, you can get it right or wrong – and it does not do to err.

This is why we dedicated so much time and effort to our maximalist 20-plus page perpetual calendar special. Speaking of which, the gorilla of a main feature of this issue reminded me of a point I missed out on in last year’s chronograph special. It is a general thing that works for all mechanical systems. In every case that some mechanical function sparks your curiosity, try to focus on the hows rather than the whats – meaning understanding how a watch works is much more rewarding than working out what every component is or does. The advantage is this: once you know how something works, you can figure out the details. This is not advice from me, but from the watchmakers who teach watchmaking to those who will take up the craft. It is also the advice we received from the bosses at Panerai, Parmigiani Fleurier, Rado, TAG Heuer and Tissot.

On that note, we did the bulk of these interviews earlier in the year, and events happened to overtake our interview with Julien Tornare, who was the CEO of TAG Heuer when we spoke; he is now the CEO of Hublot. Nevertheless, Tornare’s nature should speak to how he will approach his role at Hublot, and we think we did a reasonable job at painting a portrait of him.

This digression aside, it allows us to segue into the cover watch, which is the first forged carbon PRX, and the first Tissot with such a dial and case. The story itself concerns a number of new PRX models, including the popular Grendizer model. Just before the issue was sent off to print, news broke of the first new forged carbon case from the pioneer itself, Audemars Piguet. The relevance has to do with the Nivachron hairspring that features in the PRX collection (not the forged carbon one though). This was a joint development between Swatch Group and none other than Audemars Piguet. This makes us wonder if the re-emergence of forged carbon has its roots in broader industrial cooperation.

We add this bit of purely fact-free conjecture, which is not in the issue, because it allowed us to have some fun with connecting the dots. While this one is not serious at all, it could only have been done by a specialist. We make our own sort of fun, which we hope you will find to be true across the Autumn issue, especially in the Conversation, which is back, as usual. The discussion between the editors of Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand is also a bit more technical than usual, although still slightly silly. This time, the subject is watchmaking complications and how to do them right. Fitting.

For more on the latest in luxury watch reads from WOW, click here.

Blancpain Unveils New Limited Edition Camouflage-Green Air Command

Blancpain's Limited Edition Camouflage Air Command Editions

Blancpain propels the fabled Air Command back into the radar of collectors with the release of two new limited edition references marked by camouflage-green dials. We wrote up the collection when it was released as a limited edition in the first place, and later when the Air Command was restored to the permanent collection. This latest version attempts to be coy with their dals but retains the commanding presence of the regular collection pieces. For ease of reference, these are the four standard versions that are listed on the website – or were, prior to the release of the two limited edition references AC02 12B53 63 and AC03 12B53 63 – two in titanium and two in red gold, all with blue dials.

The thing to remember here is that anything other than a blue dial appears to be destined only for limited editions. To put it upfront, the 42mm model is cased in Grade 23 titanium and is limited to 200 pieces, while the smaller 36mm model is also cased in Grade 23 titanium but is limited to 100 pieces. Blancpain goes to some trouble to remind us in the presser that these two flyback chronographs have a reputation as pair watches, although they are not sold as such.

Given how quickly these limited edition Air Command models sell out, we thought it best to publish this small note as soon as possible. To be fair though, those who are in Blancpain’s good books have probably been notified already about these new limited editions. As a refresher, here are some paraphrased details from the more comprehensive story we published in 2022 on the Air Command. Everything that was true remains so now.

Read More: Blancpain Air Command: Flight Plan

The Air Command remains a full collection made of just two flyback chronograph models, which are distinguished not only by their different sizes but by the use of different movements. The larger watch is powered by the automatic calibre F388B while the smaller version uses the automatic calibre F188B; both are obviously in-house movements. Just like the limited editions, the current collection of blue dial models are cased in grade 23 titanium. For more details on these models, see the aforementioned story. For the history behind all of this, we recommend the cover story from WOW Spring 2022.

Read More: Blancpain Air Command: Total Air Superiority

For more on the latest in watch reads, click here.

Panerai's Luminor Dieci Giorni GMT Ceramica PAM01483 Epitomises Long Range Timing

The debut of the Panerai Luminor Dieci Giorni GMT Ceramica PAM01483 gives us the unforeseen opportunity to dive once more into the virtues of an old friend, the automatic in-house calibre P.2003. There is a lot to say about this movement — or rather to revisit — but we should begin properly with a note about the new watch itself. After all, as this author has frequently said, a watch is much more than a presentation case for a mechanical movement. That said, the case here is the more classic-looking Luminor in 44mm form — it might even put you in mind of the standard Luminor GMT PAM01441, which is exactly the same size. It also uses black ceramic for the case. The name Dieci Giorni should tell you how the models differ, or you could look to the power reserve at 6 o’clock.

This brings us to calibre P.2003, which is Panerai’s only true GMT calibre with a 10-day power reserve. This calibre also makes this watch an important addition to the Panerai range because it is rather uncommon for the brand – overall, we cannot think of a comparable GMT model with a similar power reserve from a rival or peer. Unusually for a long-power reserve ticker, this one is also an automatic – it was the first automatic in-house GMT movement from the Panerai manufacture at Neuchâtel way back circa 2006. The 2003 in the calibre name indicates when Panerai started developing it, and this is true of all movements in the 2000 series. Anyway, the extended power reserve feature is something that once marked all Panerai watches – by once we mean in the pre-Richemont era, all the way back in the 1960s.

Panerai debuted the Luminor Dieci Giorni GMT Ceramica PAM01483 at Watches and Wonders Shanghai and said the watch is part of the Luminor Complicazioni set. That is how Panerai is apparently grouping the complications within the Luminor family and explains a couple of interesting decisions here. One is that the water-resistance is listed at just 100m, which is just fine but nothing special for Panerai, and the alligator strap. Effectively, you are invited to consider PAM01483 as a watch for true enthusiasts, which the exhibition caseback helps with.

This is how Panerai CEO Jean-Marc Pontroué described the watch on its launch at the fair in Shanghai: “A step further in the 10-day power reserve segment, the new Luminor Dieci Giorni GMT ceramica epitomises bold style and a daring attitude. Challenging its legacy of technicity and high-tech material innovation, this reference offers our clients a mix of enduring performance and Italian design".

Read More: The Soft Power of Panerai

On that note about design, the aforementioned black ceramic case is complemented here by a distinctive green brushed (sunray style) dial. In today’s Panerai watches, the Italian quality is sometimes spelled out, here in the 10 Giorni note on the dial and the name of the watch itself. The watch is a boutique exclusive and is priced at SGD 27,700, with an additional green rubber strap included in the package. The option of swapping out the strap here is an indication that the watch can handle being a daily beater, if you so desire. What is missing here is the thickness of PAM01483, which is likely to not be inconsiderable. Once we see the watch in the metal, we may revise our expectations here.

For more on the latest in luxury watch news and releases, click here.

New Frontiers: What to Expect from Julien Tornare at Hublot

After the usual season of introductions at Watches and Wonders Geneva, the team here gets right into the mix of assessing what might be most relevant to collectors and more casual enthusiasts alike. Top of the list on both counts are what happens when there is a new CEO to get to know. If members of the management team are new, there is also the interesting yet tough question of how much credit to assign, and where. Or, conversely, where the brickbats should be directed.

At TAG Heuer, things looked very much like this earlier this year, with Julien Tornare finally announced as the incoming CEO for the brand. We had been waiting for our shot at hearing from him in his new capacity for a little while. The news about his appointment was a poorly kept secret even when Frederic Arnault was merely rumoured to be moving up the food chain. Well, that is all old news now because, by the time you read this, Tornare will be taking the reins at Hublot instead of getting to grips with TAG Heuer. Antoine Pin, former Managing Director of Watchmaking at Bulgari, is the new CEO of TAG Heuer, effective September 1.

This conversation with Tornare took place during WWG earlier this year, and we did not run the story in Summer just because that issue would have been too TAG Heuer-centric. All of this is seriously inconvenient for this story, given that the man guiding us through TAG Heuer’s plans for the year is now facing a different challenge at Hublot. To some extent though, the changes do not make this story an exercise in futility. Tornare succeeded Frederic Arnault at TAG Heuer in a move that was widely seen as recognition of the great results he achieved at Zenith. In a year with few bright spots for LVMH watchmaking, Zenith did more than its share to part the clouds a bit.

A watch brand is certainly more than any one person and Tornare was famous for empowering his team at Le Locle, and he will no doubt continue that wherever he is. More than this, Tornare’s comments about the TAG Heuer novelties this year are really indicative of his particular professional skew. At the time of this interview, he had been CEO for a little over 100 days and most of the watches, if not all, would have started development years before. This is why new chiefs sometimes do not get into product specifics, beyond broad strokes; not Tornare though.

For example, Tornare was really excited about coming launches related to the Aquaracer, which did not figure much in the WWG lineup. He even brough it up without being asked that old pernicious question about what is beyond the horizon for the brand. He was particularly enthused about the fact that the Aquaracer reflected a different part of the TAG Heuer heritage and DNA than we are all used to. Tornare’s excitement here is perhaps interlaced with his own curiosity in learning about the hidden depths of the brand. This was fitting, given that we began our discussion with a note on a watch we did a deep dive on last issue. In any case, Tornare was deeply enthusiastic about TAG Heuer, and we imagine that he will bring that same enthusiasm to Hublot as well. In fact, he almost said as much in our chat.

We are mightily impressed by the Carrera Skiper this year, which you know is our cover for the Summer issue. Tell us your impressions of this watch, in this most precious guise.

You know, I've had so many compliments about this watch…it's not always easy because the game of colors we have between the two counters makes it not so easy always to (add) more colors from (anything outside the dial). And I really like the steel one and I wasn't convinced at the beginning. When I saw the real product and I put it on my wrist, now I love it. I think it's super elegant, dressy even, and you get always this great storytelling on sailing. It’s been popular at the fair!

Looking dressy is no mean feat for a sports chronograph! Anyway, let’s talk broad strokes: what are your plans for TAG Heuer? There is a lot of excitement about you, given that you left Zenith in a far better place than you found it.

Thank you (in reference both to our comments about the Skipper and Tornare’s achievements at Zenith)! It's completely different because at Zenith I had to start from scratch and here at TAG Heuer, it is about getting to the next level. When I joined Zenith and took over, the brand was really in a in a complicated situation. I had to ask what is the brand about (and then reestablish everything for the contemporary situation)….this is not the case at TAG Heuer where all this work has already been done, especially in the last few years. Now we are already going in the right direction and my job is to take it to that next level.

TAG Heuer for me is very well known today. The awareness is strong, desirability is strong – could be stronger in some markets but overall people know a lot about the brand in today's world, with the celebrities; with the racing; with the cool factor of the brand being very strong. But I want to bring back on stage more of the know-how, savoir faire, heritage and history that are so strong, that people don't think about (much anymore). They often only see the present time. I think the recipe for success is the balance between (the traditions and history of the brand and the contemporary approach).

TAG Heuer Monaco Split Seconds Chronograph

Take the Monaco Ratrappante (introduced at WWG). People ask me “Oh, are you going back into high watchmaking? How come?” I say guys, come one, if you look at the past, TAG Heuer was a leader in many of these aspects (of the chronograph complication), including the stopwatches and the rattrapante back in early 20th century. So there is no reason why we cannot go there. And we need to hammer home this pitch and make people understand that TAG Heuer is also a premium watchmaker, you know; it is not only about volume, accessibility and the cool factor. So, this is something that I want to balance in order to generate future growth.

On that note, we were surprised that TAG Heuer had not had a split-seconds chronograph in the collection in something like half a century! Did this surprise you? And why did it take so long?

Yes and no, because I always follow the the evolution of TAG Heuer from my Zenith point of view. So I knew and understood what was happening and what we had to do. And it was coming together step by step. But obviously, TAG Heuer is so strong in chronographs, and again, the split-seconds chronograph is part of our history; you know it called the Queen of Chronograph? It is the most complicated form of the chronograph complication. So, we have to go there and I'm super happy that we did, and that my predecessors developed this collaboration with Voucher. This has helped us to really position this brand at the right place. Remember that there are two things there: one is the split-seconds and the other is about the finishing of the movement.

It is important to consider the finishing, yes. Does this help to explain the price of the watch, which is higher than even the chronograph tourbillon that is already in the collection?

So it's just about explaining that this piece is sold at actually a reasonable price for what it is, versus what might seem like a high price for a TAG Heuer. But then when you go into the product, it's a no-brainer. We had discussion on this with some journalists and once they really understood what the product is all about, they understood. It is like our tourbillon too (but in reverse since the issue there had to do with it being priced too affordably). When you have a brand in mind, it occupies a certain price range, and you have difficulties going lower or higher. That's the whole thing because TAG Heuer has such a spectrum of possibilities that yes, we are going to have Formula One starting at CHF200, then other pieces at CHF2,000, and then the rattrapante and plasma (lab-crown diamonds) watches and these are even more expensive. So we have no problem to play in these different segments because again, that's where the brand is (aside from the virtues of the product itself, as mentioned).

Still on the rattrapante but also on other projects, TAG Heuer does collaborate with a variety of partners, including Kenissi, Porsche and now Vaucher. Is this part of the plan moving forward?

For me, it's great because we have expertise in many fields but not in every field. And sometimes we need to make collaborations (for this reason). You have to make sure you get with the best partners and, talking about the rattrapante, we had to go with the Vaucher, which is so well known. I mean, you know what brands they are working with (not typically disclosed unless the partner allows it, but of course, Parmigiani Fleurier is the obvious one) and they do incredible movements. They also give us the possibility to have a very contemporary aesthetic, which was important for us. We didn't want to make something too old-fashioned or traditional. So, they were the good players and I have to say, I wasn't there (for the development process), but I heard that the two teams got along so well – they really did. Both sides really felt it was a natural fit and a natural collaboration. So that's one project. I'm not saying we will not have more because I think the collaboration was extremely smooth and natural.

I recall us discussing the spirit of collaboration when you were at Zenith as well, but in terms of getting ideas to improve the company and the products from everyone. Is this a practice you will be bringing to TAG Heuer too?

Yes, because that's my own conviction and my own management style. You know, each of us, we have our own touch. And for me, it's always been about the team; it's about creating the right environment for people to perform well. I really believe in that and I think that is one of my skills – managing teams and getting them to perform together in good spirits. You know, from the time we had the kick-off meeting (for TAG Heuer at WWG), I basically gave them objectives and have been demanding; I've been pushing hard but more than that, I told everyone that I want them to enjoy themselves and have fun. I want the TAG Heuer booth to show the whole industry that we have the best team! This is very important because the (spirit of camaraderie) is contagious and the vibe is so important. Sometimes people underestimate the power of the vibe and for me then, but I know it from my start with Zenith. People were a bit down when I started there but by the end, it was one of the strongest teams. Obviously, I will do the same thing here (even though the starting scenario is not the same).

For more on the latest in luxury watch news and releases, click here.

Longines Goes Big With New 43mm Case

By virtue of being absent from any watch fair, some watches do end up being unsung heroes, such as this Longines Hydroconquest GMT. It debuted last year in a 41mm case, much as you see it here in 43mm; Longines might be one of the only brands sizing up aggressively in 2024, making this unusual dive and GMT watch combo significant. On that note, Longines does have a relatively new GMT model in its Spirit collection and this Hydroconquest uses a similar movement but it does bear a slightly different name; both the 41mm and 43mm version use the same automatic calibre L844.5 while the Spirit Zulu Time uses calibre L844.4. Further technical details on these calibres are not available at this time. We saw both the Spirit Zulu and the Hydroconquest 41mm on the debut of the models last year.

Anyway, the upsized Hydroconquest GMT is much the same as the 2023 version, bar the size. This means that the water-resistance remains 300m, which does make us think that the new size is just a reaction to market requests. We have not had both models in hand to compare but all the listed details, including the alternating satinated and polished surfaces, are the same. In fact, comparing the specs and descriptions, it seems that the 43mm version does not have gilt or silvered hands and hour markers, but the SuperLuminova is the same.

Now we do not typically bring up price so early in the discussion but both models are listed together on the Longines site and here too there are similarities. In fact, the 41mm and 43mm models are basically the same price, although the 43mm version does not have a Nato strap option to compare (we are looking at the bracelet, which will be the most pricey option, and these too are the same). Check your authorised dealer or the boutique for more details on this.

Digging into the details here, there is also no brown dial version for the 43mm watch; dial options are black, blue or green. The crown guards too appear to maintain the same shape between the two sizes; this feature differs from the standard Hydroconquest model, as confirmed by Robin Nooy at Monochrome. Now, since we did not get into calibre L844.5 when it came out, we will close this out with some specifications. The balance spring is in silicon, with other components (unspecified but typically all part of the escapement) in non-magnetic materials. Again, these are not spelled out.

Movement: Automatic calibre L844.5 with second time zone; 72-hour power reserve (approximately)
Case: 43mm in steel; water-resistant to 300m
Strap: Bracelet and rubber
Price: SGD 4,350 (with bracelet)

This article first appeared on WOW’s Summer 2024 issue.

For more on the latest in watch reads, click here.

Bvlgari Set to Shine at Watches and Wonders Geneva 2025

The Watches and Wonder Geneva Foundation, organisers of the Watches and Wonders Geneva (WWG) watch show, announced that Bvlgari and six other brands will be part of the lineup next year. With the addition of these new brands, there will now be 60 exhibitors at WWG, within the PalExpo itself, further cementing the fair’s position as the top watch show in the world. Besides Bvlgari, the new additions are Christiaan van der Klaauw, Genus, Kross Studio, MeisterSinger, Armin Strom and HYT.

No official word has emerged on layout changes to accommodate the new exhibitors at the fair, which will run from 1 to 7 April 2025. Followers of all things watch fair-related might wonder if any brands are out and we can only detect the absence of Beauregard from the WWG 2025 lineup. Said followers of the watch world might also recall that Bvlgari has exhibited in Geneva, but outside the PalExpo. Besides this, Bvlgari is also one of the founding brands that established the recently concluded Geneva Watch Days (GWD).

Finally, for those keeping score, the remaining major names and brands still staying out of WWG are Audemars Piguet, Breitling, Girard-Perregaux, Richard Mille and the entire Swatch Group. Japanese stars Citizen, Seiko and Casio are also out, although Grand Seiko remains in.

For more on the latest in luxury watch news and releases, click here.