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.

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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.

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TAG Heuer's "Extreme" Ways

Just when you thought TAG Heuer could not tempt you with another chronograph option, the brand drops what might be the best counterpoint to the classic Carrera “Glassbox” model: the Carrera Extreme Sport. While more recent enthusiasts might think of certain Monaco models when considering the Extreme Sport, more seasoned hands will recall this treasured “open dial” style look from 2016. While this specific aesthetic has never really exited the TAG Heuer assortment, it has been running quietly in the Carrera collection. That ends here though because the new Carrera Extreme Sport affirms what TAG Heuer fans have known since the introduction of this original look: it is a keeper.

TAG Heuer Carrera Chrono & Tourbillon Extreme Sport

While the “Glassbox” style will certainly appeal to the collector who yearns for the spirit of Formula 1 of the 1960s, the Extreme Sport looks ready to drive into the future. This was the proposition in 2016 and it is back with six new watches featuring even more aggressive miens. There are four standard chronographs, all powered by the automatic TH20-00 calibre, and two chronograph tourbillons (still with the redoubtable calibre TH20-09 powering the action). Originally, the antecedent models would have been powered by the Heuer 02 movements. With more line evolution than extension, these new models take the place of all existing Extreme Sport models.

The aesthetic sensibility of the Extreme Sport has always been popular with TAG Heuer enthusiasts – the years in which it was the dominant part of the Carrera collection were also the ones where the brand reportedly sold the largest number of watches in the last 10 years, according to reports from Morgan Stanley. Given that the movements are all current, and appear to be unchanged, we will spend no more time on them. Instead, the radical transparency is worth a bit of a linger, if only to note that you may not see the motionworks all that well here. In fact, this look is really worth it if you want to draw attention, above and beyond the enthusiasts who will be able to appreciate the date revealer. This of course does not apply to the chronograph tourbillon TH20-09, which does not have a date function.

Watch collectors who think that ‘more’ is better will be pleased to note that all the watches feature bold combinations of materials. These include Grade 2 titanium, rose gold, ceramic, forged carbon and rubber; bezels in the chronograph tourbillon models are in forged carbon while regular models all use ceramic. All the watches are 44mm and are water-resistant to 100 metres. The aforementioned mix-and-match material playfulness was very much a part of the TAG Heuer story for a time – a feature it shared with fellow LVMH brands Hublot and Zenith.

We have yet to see the watches in the metal, as they say, so we reserve judgment on how all elements fit together. Also important is the legibility aspect, which TAG Heuer has emphasised in recent years and marks the more recent iterations of the Carrera chronograph. This will also require handling the actual watches because we have not even gotten into the various colours used on the dial. This is most obvious in the date ring but extends to the chronograph subdials. Once again, to close for now, the Extreme Sport is very much about ‘more,’ so more scrutiny is called for.

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The Panerai Submersible Elux LAB-ID PAM01800 is a Marvel of Mechanical Innovation

The Panerai Submersible Elux LAB-ID PAM01800 watch

Watches such as the Panerai Submersible Elux LAB-ID PAM01800 get watch enthusiasts all hot and bothered. A technical tour-de-force, the Elux PAM01800 delivers maximum low-light legibility for a mechanical dive watch; it is also a rare timekeeper that lights up without the use of batteries, and is the only one to do so for 30 minutes, on-demand. Looking at the watch, it may boggle your mind to discover that it took four patents (pending), six barrels and eight years of development to make the Elux PAM01800 a reality. So, what exactly are we talking about here? While typical dive watches use luminescent materials to keep things readable in the murky depths, Panerai delivers the possibility of lighting up the dial, hands and bezel markers via a mechanical system that generates electrical power for LEDs.

The enthusiasts amongst you will immediately recognise that other brands have showcased similar one-off creations, notably the always-ambitious Van Cleef & Arpels. Unlike that very creative brand, Panerai always has to work within the constraints of its DNA, according to Panerai Chief Operating Officer Jerome Cavadini (Cavadini, who leads the manufacture at Neuchatel, was speaking with us about the new watch, along with Panerai CEO Jean-Marc Pontroue). Indeed, looking at the Elux PAM01800 will put you in mind of the entire Submersible range and not some gizmo – this is still fine watchmaking after all.

The Elux PAM01800 is the fourth ELAB-ID watch (many of which we have covered over the years) and is perhaps the perfect expression of innovation for a brand such as Panerai. Watch brands are a bit idiosyncratic when it comes to such matters, with Panerai taking pains to remind the press that it has a recognised history in the area of luminescence. According to the press materials, with supplemental information from Cavadini and Pontroue, G. Panerai & Figlio actually built something like a lighting system for the Italian military in the 1960s. The family firm from which Officine Panerai emerged patented an Elux system in 1966; however, the original design had nothing to do with timepieces, and Elux as it is presented in PAM01800 is entirely original. So, is the watch any good?

Well, getting into the nuts, bolts, and copper wire of the Elux is complicated, which is only to be expected. Starting with the easy bits then, there are six barrels in calibre P.9010/EL, two of which are responsible for powering the watch. The remaining four barrels provide the 30-minute runtime for the Power Light Function (as Panerai puts it). If this were all there was to the new Elux PAM01800, it would already be impressive because it is the longest-lasting mechanically powered light system in the world (in a timepiece), which Cavadini confirmed for us. The power is generated by customised coils, magnets and a stator and the system includes no circuit boards. Consider, for a moment, that the Elux PAM01800 is a true dive watch, with an unidirectional rotating bezel and 500m of water resistance. Such a watch demands the absolute peak in robustness and thus the Elux component cannot compromise anything.

The casual observer will rightly identify the bezel, pusher (labelled ELUX at 8 o’clock), and crown as weak points here. You might also wonder how the bezel (and by extension the hands) light up at all, given that these are all mobile elements – they could not be connected to the movement with wires, for example. The simple answer, which allows the watch to be water-resistant too, is electromagnetism; more specially, electromagnetic switches. Panerai mentioned this in its presentation during Watches and Wonders Geneva (WWG) and Cavadini confirmed it for us again. An innovation like this one is important and we should take the opportunity to get to know it as well as we can. It is our hope that it will be such a grand success that Panerai works on making the Elux technology a bit more accessible.

Now, as some of you will know, Panerai has been making the rounds (since last year) presenting the watch to collectors. From what we understand (from our chat with Panerai team as well as collectors), the response has been good. Panerai is offering the Elux PAM01800 as a limited edition of 150 pieces, with 50 pieces to be made every year. At SGD 142,700, the watch is priced in grand complication or super complication territory. Non-traditional though it may be, Elux is a proper Panerai spin on a complication. As some observers (Fratello, amongst others) put it, all that remains to be seen is if the watch can turn the Paneristi on.

Other details to take note of with the Elux PAM01800 are its dimensions, which at 49mm in diameter and approximately 22mm thick are not inconsiderable. Again, this is grand complication territory so daily beater this is not, whatever the watch’s tool watch characteristics. Alleviating the size issue somewhat is the Ti-Ceramitech material, which makes it 44 percent lighter than steel. Besides the Elux-powered light function, Panerai also includes at least two types of SuperLuminova for the bezel, markers and hands. This will ensure that the watch maintains legibility even if the 30-minute power reserve of the light function runs down completely.

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Breguet's Gem-Set Marine Chronograph 5529 Surpasses New Depths

Without a platform to showcase most of the releases for the year, Breguet (and all Swatch Group brands) can be counted on to drop a surprise (or a few) on the world. Such was the case when releases on two new references in the Marine collection landed in our inboxes in May. These are the Marine Chronograph 5529 and Marine 9518, a time-only petite model. We had already planned to showcase the Type XX models with all-new bracelets but the Marine releases fit better with the overall luxed-up world of fine watchmaking. So once again then, we enter the world of the sports elegance elevated timepiece. The elevation here comes in the form of diamonds, which in the case of the chronograph model is of the baguette variety. Thus this story zooms in on reference 5529, even though the time-only watch probably has a clearer audience in mind.

Our rationale for considering the reference 5529 is that the size of more than 42mm here, coupled with the distinctive Marine lugs, makes the chronograph wear a bit large. Also, it is a chronograph and this complication is not available in the Reine de Naples range (more on this in a bit) while every Breguet family of watches has a time-only proposition. In fact, the chronograph is only present in the Type XX and Marine collections, and this version is powered by the self-winding calibre 582 QA. For some collectors, this calibre alone earns the Breguet Marine family a lot of credibility. Of course, reference 5529 does not lean very hard into this, which is more than appropriate for a watch at this price point (see below).

That price is a result of the gold (white or red) case, gold dial and the 98 baguette- cut diamonds (90 on the bezel and eight on the dial). As we noted in the Spring issue, and indeed many times over the last 10 years, the baguette-cut signifies something special to those in the know. Breguet CEO Lionel a Marca is certainly in the know, and we predict that reference 5529 will be a significant entry into the sports elegance elevated watch trend. On the commercial side, ladies who want a Breguet chronograph will have to look to the Marine collection, rather than to the brand’s top-selling range. That seems quite promising to us, given that the Marine collection is often overshadowed by more famous ranges.

None of this should be taken to mean that reference 9518 is an afterthought. At 33.8mm and cased in steel, the watch signals that Breguet wants to build an audience for the Marine collection. Note that the price of the watch is effectively “on application,” which means you will have to assess it for yourself.

Movement: Automatic calibre 582 QA with chronograph and date; 48-hour power reserve
Case: 42.3mm in white gold or red gold (bezel and dial set with diamonds); water-resistant
Strap: Rubber or leather
Price: USD 186,400

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

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Cartier’s Santos de Cartier Dual Time: The First Multi-Time Zone Marvel

Typically, the coverage instinct for specialty magazines like this one is to go premium when in doubt, or when faced with too many novelties. When it comes to Cartier, that means watches from the Prive collection, usually; the brand has so many new additions every year that we might reasonably miss notable ones, like the Rewind. This year, we think the Santos de Cartier Dual Time should get its due first, though not because we could ever gloss over it; the simple reasoning here is that the Santos watch is often cited as the first aviator’s watch (literally true) but it has not had anything approaching a GMT function in its storied history. Until now.

The pictures, here and wherever you get your watch news, only tell part of the story and you can let your own eyes decide on that part. It wears well, at 40.2mm, and one does have to remember that this Santos Dual Time is quite hefty by Cartier standards. This makes one wonder why this is not a Santos-Dumont watch instead, which would also be appropriate since Louis Cartier made that 1904 watch for his aviator friend Alberto Santos-Dumont.

Now, no Santos de Cartier watch, including the Santos-Dumont, are the exact models that debuted in 1904 so the brand has room to play here. We think that aviation link does not need to be so explicit in the Santos Dual Time and the sizing issue is key. The watch, in its current shape, is the right size and does not need to be beefier. For the record, since we do not list the full size below, the watch is 10.1mm thick and is 47.5mm lug-to-lug. All of this contributes to the ease-of-wear that so impressed us.

Movement: Undisclosed with second time zone; power reserve unlisted
Case: 40.2mm in steel; water-resistant to 100m
Strap: Steel bracelet
Price: USD 9,000

This story was first seen on WOW’s Summer 2024 Issue.

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Chanel Dazzles with the J12 Calibre 12.1

When it comes to Chanel’s watchmaking high notes, we often find ourselves in a quandary. There is always a brilliant capsule collection, which we covered last year, but it disappears almost as soon as it appears. This year, for example, the theme is Couture O’Clock (because of course), and it is excellent. The standard bearer here was a magnificent Musical Clock Couture Workshop, which is a unique piece and was sold before Watches and Wonders Geneva; the owner allowed Chanel to continue to display it during the show but consequently, operating it and such was all but impossible. Not that it would matter to most of us in the press since the clock is not in the public eye anymore. Therein lies the difficulty for us – bringing you news that you might be able to act on.

With that in mind, we decided to zoom in on the one watch from WWG that is more in-line with our Summer vibes (sporty watches basically) and reflective of the precious metal narrative thread running through this issue. As luck would have it, Chanel happens to have something in the form of the J12 Calibre 12.1 watch, now with a yellow gold bezel set with diamonds. It was introduced last year, without the flash, but we did not get to it then; happily we can resolve that omission now. One thing to note here is that the proper name for this model, in its 38mm guise, is J12 Calibre 12.1. The 33mm models are known simply as the J12.

The J12 Calibre 12.1 tells you (almost) everything you need to know about it just by its name. The watch features the COSC-certified manufacture automatic Calibre 12.1, which was developed and built by Kenissi, a joint venture with Tudor. The watch is part of the J12 collection, which makes it the sports elegance offering from Chanel (note that the water-resistance here is 50m because the crown is not of the screw-down sort, which is an aesthetic decision). The watch is perhaps more famous for its 200m water-resistance, which it gets (partially) from a screw-down crown, but for the fancier versions (as we have this year) things are a little more delicate.

Last year, Chanel introduced a simple gold bezel and you might also recall a version with baguette diamonds. This year, Chanel has gone with yellow gold bezels with brilliant-cut diamonds in both white and black ceramic cases. If you are familiar with some of the gem-set options in the J12 range, the hour markers are in same sort of diamonds as the bezel (round brilliant-cut). There are 12 of these, for a total of 0.09 carats, and 50 on the bezel (1.51 carats).

Movement: Automatic calibre J12.1; 70-hour power reserve (approximately)
Case: 38mm in ceramic with gem-set gold bezel; 50m
Strap: Bracelet
Price: NA

This story was first seen on WOW’s Summer 2024 Issue.

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The Explosive Power Behind The Hublot Big Bang Integrated Time Only 38mm

Hublot is among the watchmaking brands that one would never associate with quietude and is still part of the vanguard in the formerly all-powerful big watch trend. Size is relative though, as even the brand reminds everyone this year that 38mm was its own standard in the 1980s. For 2024 then, Hublot deploys the Big Bang Integrated Time Only 38mm, which might benefit from having a catchy moniker like the Supernova. The watch is, as advertised, a time-only proposition with three hands and the date, via a window at 3 o’clock. A quick scan of the Hublot website will show models with diamonds that are also 38mm but this one keeps things pure.

Now Hublot recognises that going ‘classical’ like this is sure to raise eyebrows, and perhaps ire too. Nevertheless, everything that defines the Big Bang is here, just smaller. This includes – but is not limited to – the distinctive ‘ears,’ a bezel adorned with six H-shaped functional screws, large skeleton hour and minute hands, and even-numbered indices from 2 to 12 on the dial; for those who care, rubber remains in the picture, on the crown as well as in the form of a composite insert between the bezel and the case (it feels perfectly solid). As far as we can tell, one needs all these ingredients for a successful Big Bang. See for yourself how they look but remember that you will need to see for yourself how these elements come together in the dialled-down case. As noted in the introductory paragraph, we think a 38mm Big Bang is just fine, name aside.

Going by Hublot’s own words and its chosen visuals for the Big Bang 38, the goal is to be more unisex than anything else, which is a thread that runs across all LVMH watchmaking brands. To be fair, the broader watchmaking trade is also working hard to find the right unisex product styling and messaging. In terms of functionality, watches are already unisex of course. The six new Big Bang 38 models feature integrated cases and bracelets, crafted from the same materials. Options include brushed titanium versions with black or blue dials, as well as King Gold versions (our jam this issue). Interestingly, the dial is made of soft ferromagnetic steel, thus ensuring optimal protection against magnetic fields; this is unusual in watchmaking, with most dials being brass.

Finally, on the HUB1115 movement used here, Hublot calls it a first for the collection and spends some time extolling its improved technical and aesthetic features, including the extended 48-hour power reserve. That power reserve should clue you in on the origins of the calibre, which the Internet thinks is a Sellita. No doubt there will be some disappointment that Unico calibres are not in play here.

Movement: Automatic HUB1115 with date; 48-hour power reserve
Case: 38mm in King Gold or five other materials; water-resistant to 100m
Strap: Integrated bracelet
Price: SGD 66,200

This story was first seen on WOW’s Summer 2024 Issue.

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