There is something special about the Bovet Monsieur… This subtly sophisticated watch is imbued with a sense of nostalgia for a bygone elegance. Its classical lines are clearly inspired by pocket watches. And it is no coincidence that this versatile watch incorporates Bovet’s patented Amadeo convertible case concept. Not one watch, but four watches at once. Here is our take on the new Bovet “Monsieur Bovet”
Breguet’s Marine family of maritime-inspired luxury sports watches welcomes three new members to the nautical club. Less conservative and grandiose than Breguet’s usual fare, the three models of the Marine 5517 – in 18k white gold, 18k rose gold and titanium cases – come with a splash of contemporary styling. A traditional three-hand watch with date functions, the 5571 trilogy plays with juxtaposing shapes, textures and materials to appeal to a broader public.
Founded in 1882, Hanhart can look back on a long watchmaking tradition. The brand is known for crafting robust and functional watches, and, in particular by vintage fans for its pilot watches/chronographs from the 1930s to 1950s. The Pioneer collection was launched in 2011 with this long-lasting tradition in mind. The historical inspiration for this line comes more specifically from a model from the 50s, the 417 ES Flyback (Cal. 42). The Black Forest manufacturer now launches the Pioneer One, a stylish yet affordable time-only pilot watch with vintage charm.
2 years ago, a young Dutchman named Yvo Staud jumped into a watchmaking adventure – even though he had a completely different career before that. The first watch he designed and created was named the Praeludium Hand-Wound, an elegant, “Portuguese-like” time-only timepiece, which name refers to classical music (you’ll understand why later). After this inaugural piece and its automatic variant, its now time for Staud to look at another type of function, yet true to the original design of the brand, with the new Staudt Praeludium Chronograph.
For the last few years, German watch manufacturer, Glashütte Original, has been on a mission to appeal to a younger, hipper audience, and it seems to be working. Best known for its restrained, classic aesthetic (very stereotypical German, in other words), the brand has made a concerted effort to inject some colour and personality into its various line-ups. Some of my recent favourites include the Sixties Iconic Square collection, with five distinctively colourful dials, the sporty-looking Senator Chronograph Panorama Date in steel and the recent modern, yet classic, additions to the Senator Excellence collection. Now, there’s another new model to add to that list; the Glashütte Original Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar Limited Edition.
Since its re-introduction in 2017, Favre-Leuba brought several interesting purpose-built instrument-watches on the market – for instance, the Bivouac 9000 with a mechanical altimeter or the Bathy 120 MemoDepth with a mechanical depth gauge. Yet, at 48mm in diameter, we can’t say that these watches were the easiest ones on the wrist, at least for a daily use. Combining the cool and original design of the collection with a more restrained attire, here is the new Favre-Leuba Raider Sea King 41mm.
When launched at Baselworld 2015, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39 ref. 114300 made no debate: it was a winning recipe. Simple, clean, utterly Rolex yet with a twist (thanks to the four inaugural coloured dials), perfectly proportioned, manufactured according to Rolex high-standards and best of all, rather accessible. While quiet for 3 years, this model made a very discreet comeback at Baselworld 2018, with the introduction of a new model with white dial – and in a way, it could be an alternative to our long-desired “Polar Explorer” (see our Rolex 2018 predictions here).
At the SIHH 2018, Jaeger-LeCoultre re-introduced one of its most emblematic collections, the Polaris. Slightly vintage-inspired, superbly executed (the case is superb), utterly JLC in the style but with a sportier look, it has been quite a success. Already comprising multiple models, including a 3-hander, a time-and-date, a chronograph, a chronograph-world-time and, of course, an alarm version (the Memovox), today Jaeger-LeCoultre adds a world-time-only edition to the Collection, with the new Polaris Geographic WT – a limited edition, boutique exclusive.
While usually rather conservative in the design, A. Lange & Söhne can sometimes go a little bit more creative when it comes to limited editions or boutique exclusive watches – think, for instance, about the 1815 Chrono Boutique Edition or the Terra-Brown Saxonia. Today, the brand is unveiling a new version of the Saxonia Annual Calendar, a watch usually very discreet, which for the occasion gains in style with a new dial and a surprising strap. Meet the new A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Annual Calendar U.S. Boutique Edition.
Twenty-five years ago, in 1993, Omega launched a model that would become a classic among classics, a springboard into the world of luxury watches and cinematic fame after being worn by Pierce Brosnan in Goldeneye (1995): the Seamaster Professional 300M. If the look of the new model launched at Baselworld 2018 feels rather conservative, the evolution is simply impressive and concerns every single part of the watch. And believe me, the new Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Master Chronometer gives you a lot of bang for your buck.