Our picks of the best Hublot watches of 2020, including some Black Magic, beautiful bracelets and modish millennials
Over the last few years we’ve seen lots of brands turn to their archives as inspiration for new watches. Heritage is very, very popular. But what if you don’t have a century or more of archives to dig through in search of exciting designs? What if your brand was only founded in 1980? For Hublot, celebrating their 40th anniversary this year, that hasn’t been a problem. Perhaps thanks to having such a legendary innovator as Jean-Claude Biver at the helm for so many years has seen that philosophy ingrained into the very fibre of the brand. Innovation has been at the core of what Hublot has done for a long time. From their R&D sharing partnerships with brands like Ferrari, to their pioneering approach to new watchmaking materials, Hublot hasn’t looked back because they’ve been too busy moving forwards. In the year of their 40th anniversary, Hublot hasn’t wavered, releasing a number of novelties that explore new concepts, materials and movements. With that in mind, these are a few of the best Hublot watches of 2020 that offer a capsule insight into what the brand is capable of four decades into their journey. Prices and availabilities: The Hublot Big Bang…
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This year has truly separated the ones who live with dress watches from the ones who love them, as fewer opportunities to dress up formally have left many collectors leaving their simpler and more elegant pieces stashed away. But for the people who can’t get enough of their most finessed timepieces, the humble dress watch genre has been treated to some truly stunning releases, with these fantastic options some of the best dress watches of 2020 under $10K. Dan Henry 1937 Dress Chronograph If you want a more affordable and reliable alternative to the typically Landeron 47/48 powered Swiss chronographs of the 1930s and ’40s, Dan Henry came to the rescue with his 1937 Dress Chronograph, loaded with a Seiko mecha-quartz movement. Based on pieces from his own collection, this watch harkens back to a time when elegant looks and military utility weren’t mutually exclusive. Available in vertical or horizontal bicompax layout, on two different silver or black dial options, the 38mm art deco crowd-pleaser is slim, sharp, and sure to find its way into many collections for the $270 USD asking price. Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36 The Oyster Perpetual feels as ubiquitous as its eternal name suggests, being one…
Let’s face it – blue is a very saturated colour throughout the novelties of 2020. This is not necessarily due to a lack of creativity. If anything, it is fan service: brands truly working to provide what the people want. Hublot, on the other hand, is not one to just follow a trend – they find a way to tweak it in their moderate moments, and disrupt the hell out of it at their most extreme. And thus, they have created a new answer to the blue craze with the Hublot Big Bang Unico Sky Blue. Leveraging their innovative approach to materials, design and fabrication, Hublot presents a compelling candidate for the most interesting blue watch of 2020. The case The Hublot Big Bang Unico Sky Blue is 45mm in case diameter, and is made from Hublot’s masterfully constructed and crafted sky blue and white ceramic. The ceramic is executed with contrasting satin-brushed and high-polished finishes. The ceramic material used isn’t just aesthetically pleasing to the eye, it is also a tough and strong material that is highly robust with an extraordinary degree of shock and scratch resistance. The contrasting finishes applied to the ceramic, especially the polished facets, will…
Yes, let me say it again, we love colours! I’ll shamelessly repeat the same statement from part 1 of this delightfully green story, this one coming to you from a more rough-and-ready angle. This story is still meant as an inspiration to move away from the quiet solitude of matt black dials and embrace a bright new world of everything from matte olive to bright apple green, so let’s take a look at a few more of the best green dial watches of 2020. Mood upswing guaranteed. Seiko Prospex “Captain Willard” SPB153J Yes! They did it. After the beautiful SLA033, an almost too beautiful rendition of the “Captain Willard” 6150 diver, of Apocalypse Now fame, Seiko has finally released a more affordable version. As expected, the black-dialled version (SBP151J) as nature intended, an everyday version with the solidity of the 6R35 movement. But wow, how much a little colour can do. Unlike the original black dial, the green dial on the SPB153J in a mossy olive green tint is a stroke of genius. The sharp indices pop against the fresh green stage, and that fresh red pop of the classic traffic light lollipop seconds always makes us smile. Go! Do…
All the connotations and daydreams that come with the image of a fighter pilot are on show in the intriguing IWC Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph TOP GUN Ceratanium, a functional tool watch that transcends the genre. The cool black finish could only be German, and following a strict code of functionality that, while formal in its monochrome symmetry, exudes a calm feeling of trust. The case is not exactly lithe at 44mm with a close-to 17mm thickness, but the fit on the wrist makes me believe that there is a well-staffed Department of Ergonomics at IWC Schaffhausen. Even without the visual cliché of black being slimming, the elegant shape of the lugs sure make it shrink, and yes, Ceratanium is light enough that, with eyes closed, you’ll think it’s a slim 40mm. The Ceratanium case The lineage of ceramic pilot’s watches starting in 1994 culminates in what here is a matt black case with a smooth surface. The stealthy feel is a masterstroke by IWC, combining titanium and ceramic in a composite material, having the lightness of titanium while being ultra scratch-resistant. The surprising feature is that Ceratanium has a softer feel, both through its silky surface and feeling warmer…
YES, we love colours! Why do we drop Instagram comments peppered with flame emojis for a Breitling or Mido rainbow dial, and yet still find ourselves at home with a monochrome dive watch, a monochrome moon watch, a black Casi-Oak and maybe, to get hog wild, a blue dial sports watch? B-o-r-i-n-g. Do what you say and go green, the colour of the year, whether it be olive toughness or bottle green in a svelte gold case. Do not be shy of wrist, and spice up that wardrobe with a pick from this verdant basket of goodness as we look at some of the best green dial watches of 2020. Longines Legend Diver bronze with green dial The Legend Diver in 42mm is as vintage perfect as they come, yet is less spoken of these days than some flashier divers of 2020. In its strict monochrome early ’60s suit, the inner bezel compressor case is more subdued and formal, but here it changes dramatically with the new bronze case, with a deep forest green dégradé dial to match gold tones. The detailed gold-coloured print on the dial is sharp, and rich against the dial. In this 42mm case, the warmth…
It should come as no surprise that IWC are the masters of the Swiss-made Flieger-style chronograph, given that they were one of the archetypal manufacturers of those watches back in the ’40s, but their ability to adapt to modern military specifications and expectations is undoubtedly an achievement. Based on an exclusive model made for the Navy Fighter Weapons School (aka TOPGUN) in 2018, this “civilian” version of the watch has been released, limited to 1500 pieces. With its matte-black tactical utility, mixture of stealth and legibility, and tasteful hints of red dropped in, the IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Top Gun Edition “SFTI” (which stands for Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor) is just a beast of a watch. The dial When it comes to Flieger styles, legibility is the name of the game. IWC haven’t broken any moulds here, but their subtle touches really help the watch stand out. The sunburst sub-dials are arranged well, as to neatly replace and not cut off any of the Arabic numerals. The miniature sword-hands are so quick to read at a glance, and the running seconds hand in red at 6 o’clock means that the watch isn’t too asymmetrical in its moving parts. The jet-shaped…
Grand Seiko recently celebrated the 60th anniversary of the brand, and released an amazing collection of six watches in honour of the occasion. But now another two anniversaries are on the horizon – and they are big ones. 2021 will mark the 160th anniversary of the birth of founder Kintaro Hattori and the 140th anniversary of the birth of the Seiko Corporation. Hattori, at the age of 21, would create what would later become Seikosha and eventually the Seiko Corporation we have all become so fond of. Very forward-thinking for the time, Hattori wanted to master all aspects of watchmaking and manufacturing and work to bring all of these arts and skillsets in-house. To celebrate, Grand Seiko has created two watches that mix the past and present, with each watch conveying the depth of mastery the brand has realised in the field, with the new Grand Seiko SBGZ005 and SBGW260. The Grand Seiko SBGZ005 (The Kintaro Hattori 160th Anniversary Limited Edition) In honour of the 160th anniversary of Kintaro Hattori’s birth, the Micro Artist Studio has brought us the SBGZ005. The watch and its 37.5mm rounded case is made of Platinum 950 and is Zaratsu polished to create the brand’s…