In line with celebrating new watches, this year saw Rolex bring a fresh new look to some of the brand's most iconic models. Offering unique harmonies of materials, colours and textures, the new watches illustrate a commitment to constantly break new ground, while demonstrating uncompromising quality down to the smallest detail.
On the anniversary of Michel Parmigiani’s birth, Parmigiani Fleurier unveils L’Armoriale Répétition Mystérieuse — a singular Objet d’Art that inaugurates an ultra-limited series of no more than five bespoke masterpieces.
A creation that appeals to all the senses, L’Armoriale Répétition Mystérieuse invites you to experience time through sound and vision. Its white gold case, adorned with intricate guilloché, engraving, and enamelwork, conceals the time on a secret dial. At its heart lies an acoustic marvel: cathedral gongs that transform each chime into a rich, resonant melody.
This Cosmograph Daytona in 18ct Everose gold features a Sundust, diamond-set dial, as well as a bezel, lugs and crown guard set with diamonds. The bezel’s 36 trapeze-cut diamonds are positioned using a “channel” setting, whereby the stone is seated in a channel of precious metal. The gem-setter places the stones one by one to the nearest hundredth of a millimetre, then pushes tiny amounts of surrounding metal around the stones to secure them and best reveal their beauty and sparkle.
To quote Rolex, "This is our floral motif. This creation, exclusive to the Datejust 31, combines watchmaking tradition with cutting-edge technology. The brass plate of the dial base has a sunray finish, and two different laser beams are used to create matt or grained effects on the surface. The beauty of the flowers' rich tonal variation is revealed through the colouring process, which enhances their intricate textures. This pictorial landscape is adorned with 24 diamonds of varying diameters that shimmer like morning dew and perfect the dial’s transformation".
Look no further than Bell & Ross when you train your sight on contemporary design in the arena of watchmaking. The emblematic “square within a circle” is a hallmark comparable to some of the legendary aesthetics within the industry. Its endeavours are laudable because despite its recency, having founded in 1992, Bell & Ross has already firmly established itself as a major player and successfully blazed a trail with a design language wholly its own. The BR 03-94 Blacktrack chronograph is very much an epitome of this daring approach.
Inspired by the avant-garde Blacktrack BT-06 motorcycle, the new chronograph is an extension of this machine, from sharing the iconoclastic looks and down to the enigmatic soul. A collaboration between prolific designer Sacha Lakic and Bell & Ross, the basis to the chronograph is drawn from the aerodynamic lines of stealth aircraft and bolstered by the genius of Lakic. The man has won accolades for his endeavours, inter alia, responsible for the style of Venturi, an exceptional electric sports carmaker. In 2016, spurred on by his success, Lakic instituted Blacktrack, his own motorcycle brand as proof that his love of speed is genuine.
The passion is shared by Bell & Ross. In 2011, Bell & Ross hopped on a partnership with Shaw Harley-Davidson to create the Nascafe Racer Bell & Ross. It gave rise to the unique BR 01 Carbon watch, which could be embedded into the bike's central console. The favourable reception furthered their partnership in 2014, in the form of the BR 01 chronograph, and its twin, the BR 03 B-Rocket. Both were heavily influenced by Shaw Harley- Davidson’s B-Rocket, as well as an obsession of Bell & Ross’ creative director and co-founder Bruno Belamich, the jet plane.
The BR 03-94 Blacktrack chronograph thoroughly echoes both of these supremely engineered bikes and jets from the design perspective. Water resistant to 100 metres, the chronograph features a 42mm matt black ceramic case. It highlights faceted angles borrowed from stealth fighters, while the black calfskin strap, hemmed with a red edge and lined with high-resistance technical material, is a reference to the Blacktrack motorcycle, which serves as the muse. The quilting on the strap is an ode to the bike’s saddle cover and rider's protective suit.
Bell & Ross debuts the redesigned subdials for the new chronograph, which have adopted the shape of the dials on motorcycle handlebars. Furthermore, the superposition of the off-centre chronograph seconds hand over the minute hand to create the Blacktrack “B” is a subtle detail not to be overlooked. Despite the monochromatic combination of grey and black, information presented on the chronograph is designed for legibility while balancing the cool factor. Boasting 42 hours of power reserve, the BR-CAL.301 self-winding mechanical movement is exceptionally finished. More importantly, the BR 03-94 Blacktrack chronograph can be inserted in the bike’s centre console, proving that it is not only a wristwatch but an instrument.
A study of CORUM’s repertoire reveals a telling observation; the brand doesn’t do things the conventional way. Case in point: The Bubble houses a magnifying domed sapphire crystal, while the Golden Bridge emphasises a singular baguette movement. And today’s focus falls on the Admiral, a collection of timepieces evincing a distinctive dodecagonal bezel. As the name suggests, the Admiral has maritime provenance. Originally conceived over 60 years ago as a companion to yachting, with a suite of nautical pennants on the dial as signatures, the Admiral has gone through numerous metamorphoses over the years. The latest evolution sees it take on one of the most beloved watchmaking materials today: ceramic.
Ceramic is favoured by watchmakers who possess the know-how to fully exploit its unique qualities, such as durability, scratch and corrosion resistance, to their advantage. The composition of ceramic splits between aluminium oxide (Al2O3) and zirconium oxide (ZrO2), making it around 20 to 25 percent lighter than the prevalent 316L stainless steel.
Bolder and beaming with personality, CORUM also presents two extraordinary additions to the Admiral family, called Admiral 42 "TAG”. They are called TAG because the watches feature a creative element in the form of graffiti. The first of the two is limited to 50 pieces. It is attired in a full-black sand-blasted ceramic case and a sleek black NATO strap. The Corum logo is "tagged" across the dial, though one might not immediately notice it. It is a watch that is deceptively discreet in daylight but audaciously eye-catching at nighttime, thanks to the rich luminescence that comes alive in the dark.
Crafted in white ceramic, the second reference is decidedly effervescent, with the indexes and hands generously painted in a rainbow of colours for an added touch of idiosyncrasy. CORUM pushes the boundaries in reshaping the watch into a canvas for individuality and unadulterated artistic expressions.
These statement timepieces beat with the precision of the C0 395 automatic movement, offering 42 hours of power reserve. The sapphire crystal case back permits unobstructed views of the movement, reaffirming CORUM's commitment to redefine the horological landscape through craftsmanship, innovation and daring.
