Geneva’s Watches & Wonders has established itself as the preeminent expo of all things high-end when it comes to watchmaking. So, it’s the perfect bellwether of where things are going for collectors and first-time buyers alike. With literally hundreds, if not thousands, of watches on display, it takes a while to process the novelties from the best of the best.
But here, in a season where we are very spoiled for choice, we highlight a few of the boldest, most exciting men’s pieces from the 2024 edition of Watches & Wonders.
Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon
At exactly 2mm, the new Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon is the thinnest tourbillon watch in the world. This feat highlights Piaget’s relentless pursuit of perfection as well as marking a significant technical milestone in the brand’s history. With its sleek 41.5 mm diameter, 20 meters water resistance and striking blue PVD-treated cobalt alloy case, the watch marries everyday functionality with luxury.
IWC Portugieser Eternal Calendar
A colossal technical milestone, the IWC Portugieser Eternal Calendar marks the brand’s first secular perpetual calendar which is capable of showing the correct length of every month, every year and every century, until at least the year 3999. In addition, it’s equipped with a moon phase of unprecedented accuracy – a day in 45 million years. Discreetly dressed in the classic Portugieser case, the Eternal Calendar reveals a modern twist in the form of the glass dial that shows off the calendar works underneath.
Bell & Ross BR 05 Black Ceramic
Black is no stranger to Bell & Ross, but 2024 will mark the first BR 05 to be robed in black ceramic. The new BR 05 watches combine the brand’s distinctive aesthetics with a sporty and versatile look. The BR 05 Black Ceramic and BR 05 Skeleton Black Ceramic are finished with a satin polish, whereas, for the BR 05 Skeleton Black Lum Ceramic case and bracelet, the matte surface of the sandblasted ceramic plays on the material’s ephemeral effect.
Zenith Defy Extreme Diver
With 600 meters of water resistance, the new Zenith Defy Extreme Diver has a lot about it that’s unusual for a dive watch. Inside the 42.5 mm by 15.5 mm brushed titanium case beats El Primero 3620-SC automatic high-frequency manufacture calibre, running at 36’000 VpH, with 60 hours of power reserve. The movement is also visible through a sapphire display back – something you rarely, if ever, see on a dive watch.
Chopard L.U.C Qualité Fleurier
The new Chopard L.U.C. Qualité Fleurier comes in Lucent steel with a casual-chic leather strap. The stunning silver-toned sector dial gives it a monochromatic look from top to bottom, and the calibre L.U.C. 96.09-L is finished to perfection. It’s also Qualité Fleurier-certified, meaning it has been tested above and beyond, from construction to accuracy and finishing.
Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT
A unique addition to the Black Bay collection, the Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT combines neo-vintage aesthetics with contemporary engineering. Its compact size of 39mm is ideal for those with smaller wrists who desire a hard-wearing, GMT-equipped tool watch. The Black Bay 58 GMT features a black and burgundy aluminium bezel insert with gilt accents, a domed black dial and the redesigned screw-down winding crown.
Cartier Tortue Monopoussoir
Cartier revives its famous Tortue Monopoussoir silhouette, available in either platinum or yellow gold. The stunning compact of a watch features a sapphire crystal front and caseback and a grained gold or silvered opaline dial. The Tortue Monopoussoir’s new monopusher chronograph movement measures at 4.3 mm in height and is limited to just 200 pieces per metal. It comes with a dark blue alligator leather with a yellow gold pin buckle or a red alligator leather and platinum pin buckle.
Hermès Arceau Duc Attelé
The Hermès Arceau Duc Attelé is the brand’s most complicated watch yet. It combines two time-honoured complications – a tourbillon and a minute repeater. Encased within a 43 mm titanium or rose gold case, the watch exudes elegance with its signature stirrup lugs and domed sapphire crystal. The dial, a mesmerising tableau of guilloché patterns and floating indicators, showcases the intricate dance of time and mechanics.
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