The Watches – Page 2 – International Watch Magazine

The Watches February 3, 2020

Seiko Introduces Brian May ‘Red Special’

Queen guitarist Brian May has worn a Seiko diver’s watch since the 1970s when he purchased his first Seiko in Japan. May’s Red Special guitar now inspires a new Seiko 5 Sports watch whose dial echoes the design of the guitar, built by May and father in the early 1960s.

The new watch features Seiko caliber 4R36, a Hardlex crystal, a 42.5mm steel case and a red and black colored dial that echoes the Red Special, including a delicate wood-like pattern like the body of the guitar.

The watch is offered as a limited edition of 9,000 with Brian’s signature on the case back and comes with a special presentation box designed on the lines of the Red Special’s custom flight case. The presentation box also contains a commemorative coin that is based on the sixpenny piece that he has used throughout his career as a plectrum. The watch is presented on a black nylon strap designed to mirror the strap that Brian now uses on his guitar. Price: 560 euros, or about $620.

Specifications:
Seiko 5 Sports Brian May Limited Edition (SRPE83K1)

Caliber: Automatic Seiko 4R36, 21,600 bph, with a power reserve of 41 hours

Case: 42.5mm by 13.4mm stainless steel, 100 meters of water resistance, Hardlex crystal,
clear screw-down caseback.

Dial: Red and black with wood grain pattern

Strap: Black nylon

Grand Seiko Celebrates Sixty Years with Four Watches

This year marks the 60^th anniversary since Seiko debuted its first Grand Seiko models, a collection of higher-end, high-accuracy watches. To celebrate that anniversary, Grand Seiko debuts four timepieces, all of which sport dials in Grand Seiko’s signature blue color.

(Like all the four limited editions, this Hi-Beat 36000 has a dial in Grand Seiko’s signature blue)

Two Automatics
Two of the anniversary models are automatic watches. One is a men’s watch ($6,300) cased in 40mm steel and powered by High-Beat Caliber 9S85, notable for its accuracy of +5 to -3 seconds a day and a 55-hour power reserve. In honor of the 60th anniversary, Grand Seiko adds a gold logo and a seconds hand in red.

The second automatic model is targeted to women and is powered by the Caliber 9S27, a Grand Seiko automatic movement specifically designed for its women’s collection. The watch has a blue mother-of-pearl dial with diamonds as hour markers. Both these automatic debuts will be available in February 2020 as limited editions; 1,500 for the men’s watch ($6,300) and 300 for the women’s ($9,500).

Also in Quartz
Grand Seiko has also developed a new quartz caliber to commemorate the collection’s sixtieth anniversary. Two 40mm watches will utilize the new caliber. One is sportier than the other and is marked by a blue ceramic bezel (to resist scratches) and strong anti-magnetic properties (16,000 A/m, much stronger than the second model).

(The new Grand Seiko A sports design features a ceramic bezel)

On this sportier model, the markers, the hour and minute hands are coated with LumiBrite. The watch also has 200 meters of resistance and a screw-down crown for enhanced security. It will be available in April 2020 as a limited edition of 2,000 ($3,900).

(Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Quartz Limited Edition)

The dressier of the new quartz models differs in its base accuracy tuning, in this model adjusted to a level of accuracy of ±5 seconds a year, a level of precision marked by the five-pointed star at the six o’clock position. The more contemporary case design features a thin bezel and a curved case side to reflect more light. The seconds hand is red. The watch will be available in March 2020 as a limited edition of 2,500 ($3,800).

Featured Events January 29, 2020

Bulgari Enhances Complex Watches for Women

During LVMH Watch Week, Bulgari made it clear that women are a priority audience for the brand, even as many of its recent award-winning Finissimo watches are targeted to male collectors. This explains in part why Bulgari debuted a new set of Serpenti watches during the debut event.

But Bulgari also took the opportunity to enhance its offerings to women with a renewed attention to technical breakthroughs that in some ways match the cutting-edge thinness of Finissimo.

Indeed, Bulgari’s highlight debut earlier this month, the Serpenti Seduttori Tourbillon, features the world’s smallest tourbillon, a technical coup that does double duty for the jeweler and watchmaker. In addition to emphasizing its collections for women, the new watch symbolizes Bulgari’s plans to expand the use of mechanical movements within a broader range of its feminine collections.

As Bulgari Managing Director, Watch Business Unit Antoine Pin explains below, “Since we are a fully integrated manufacturer, why shouldn’t we make high-end complications for ladies?”

We discussed this and other topics with Pin during the Watch Week debut event.

(The new Bulgari Serpenti Seduttori Tourbillon features the world’s smallest tourbillon.)

iW: Why is it important to place mechanical movements inside watches for women?

Antoine Pin: We have two important reasons. First, Serpenti was born with mechanical movements. And today there are very few mechanical movements in small sizes.

Secondly, we have built up incredible experience in micromechanics in our quest to reduce the size of movements while maintaining their performance. With this experience comes the appetite to go further. To see what we can do.

Why focus for now on complicated movements?

It is somewhat easier to work on a small size tourbillon in limited numbers then to work on large mechanical movements. It is more technically complicated, but because of the production process, the questions you are tackling are different.

Being a fully integrated high horology company, we have a better understanding sometimes of these smaller volume, highly complicated movements. Underlining this is the fact that we have a majority of clients who are women. And since we are a fully integrated manufacturer, why shouldn’t we make high-end complications for ladies?

(The new Bulgari Divas’ Dream features a peacock feather dial and a mechanical movement.)

Some would say that there are no clients for this, but we get requests for this. We especially saw this with the Divas’ Dream. So what we are trying here very much fits in with our philosophy.

(Bulgari’s Divas’ Dream Lapis Lazuli)

Will you extend this work into additional, simpler movements?

We should clearly. It makes sense. Yes, a few movements of the small size do exist, from Rolex and Jaeger-LeCoultre, but these are very limited.

Will you continue with movements like the thin repeater inside the Divas Dream Finissima Minute Repeater?

We will arrive with new innovations every year. It is also a matter of matching new markets. But again, there is no market until there are products to offer. This is something we are monitoring. We do have demand for simpler complications, mechanical pieces with one or two functions. It is less of a collector’s spirit and more of a regular users spirit.

The new Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic in Black Sandblast and Polished Ceramic.

How did you decide to launch the new steel Octo Finissimo Automatic?

It was obvious. We have this amazing success with the titanium Finissimo collection and we had pushed to the ultimate stage in the innovation.

The Finissimo has such high recognition from all of our partners, so there was no question of the idea to expand the product to meet the today’s standards with steel on steel, gold on straps, which are basics in ninety-five percent of watch company collections. It is also a way for us to expand our reach with watch connoisseurs.

So we have launched this well-known category of products while maintaining our standards for the Finissimo collection. This is also another way to introduce Bulgari as a watchmaker. This gives our staff more possibilities to present Bulgari as the watchmaker against other watchmakers in the same classic categories.

Can you offer us any hints as to the April Bulgari debuts?

We have additional debuts in April and in September. We are now showing you pieces that are available very soon, not many months down the line. Clients can get confused when they hear about new products but don’t see them in stores.

We will be debuting more jewelry pieces, plus new pieces in the other collections as well.

What is interesting about the pieces we are showing right now is that they highlight our capacity to innovate both from a design perspective and from a mechanical perspective. We are not a jeweler making watches; we are true Swiss-born watchmakers making watches for more than 100 years, including more than forty years in Switzerland.

The leadership we have on micromechanics like the small tourbillon is a way to say look at us for what we are. We are a watchmaker with a different origin, with a different perspective on watchmaking that gives us new designs. We have a talent for creating designs that are different.

The Watches January 27, 2020

Max Bill in Black & White

Four new Junghans Max Bill watches emphasize their core minimalist tenets thanks to a sharp black-and-white color scheme, a fine numeral font and thin, darkened hands.

Germany-based Junghans, which has long associated itself with the Bauhaus less-is-more ethos, has placed a matte white dial within a darkened PVD-coated steel case on each of the watches.

One, the well-known Max Bill Chronoscope, is a 40mm automatic chronograph. Two additional models include a 38mm automatic three-hand watch and a 34mm automatic watch. Junghans is also offering the 38mm model with a quartz movement. All four sport a date indicator and are fitted with a grey calf leather strap with matching PVD-coated buckle. The Chronoscope includes a day-date indicator.

With the black and white contrast, the Chronoscope, a longtime a favorite dress chronograph here at iW, is even more instantly readable than we’ve seen in prior incarnations. The watch’s minimalistic style in fact enhances its basic time-display function, which doesn’t always happen with design-focused dials.

Likewise, the smaller, time-only models confer the same unfussy attitude, while also offering not a single distraction—unless you count the handsome domed hard-Plexiglas crystal, which I find myself admiring (and touching) far too often whenever I wear my own Max Bill Chronoscope.

Junghans wisely enhances the visibility of time, and the usefulness of the black-white color contrasts, with a generous daubing of SuperLuminova of both dial (on the black font) and on all the hands. Prices: $2,095 (Chronoscope), $1,195 (Automatic), $1,095 Small automatic) and $625 (38mm quartz)

Specifications:
Junghans Max Bill Chronoscope

Movement: Self-winding ETA 7750 -based movement J880.2 with a power reserve of up to 48 hours, Date. Chronoscope: Second stop, 30-minute and 12-hour counter
Case: 40mm by 14.4m stainless steel anthracite matte PVD-coated, domed hard Plexiglas with coating for enhanced scratch resistance, screwed case back. Water resistance to 30 meters.
Dial: Matt white, dial printing with black, environmentally-friendly
Superluminova. Hands: Black silk matte with grey Superluminova
Strap: Calf leather with anthracite matte, PVD-coated buckle

Specifications:
Junghans Max Bill Automatic and Small Automatic

Movement: Self-winding ETA-based movement J800.1 with a power reserve of up to 42 hours, date
Case: 38mm or 34mm by 10mm stainless steel anthracite matte PVD-coated, domed hard Plexiglas crystal with coating for enhanced scratch resistance, screwed case back. Water resistance to 30 meters. (Quartz model is 7.9mm in height)
Dial: Matte white, dial printing with black, environmentally-friendly
Superluminova. Hands: Black silk matte with grey Superluminova
Strap: Calf leather strap with anthracite matt, PVD-coated buckle

Featured Events January 24, 2020

Bulova Presents Grammy Award Watches

At the Grammy awards this Sunday, Bulova will once again present a specially made Bulova Grammy watch to each first time award winner. The watch is one of two special Grammy-themed models Bulova has made as part of its partnership with the Recording Academy.

(The Bulova Grammy watch available to the public is an automatic model with music-themed dial.)

The watch to be awarded to the first-time Grammy winners features a drum-themed steel case and black silicone strap with stainless steel fret style inserts. It’s finished with a gold-tone crown and gold-colored dial made of a custom alloy called Grammium developed by John Billings, the craftsman who creates the gold gramophone Grammy statue. Each timepiece will be personalized to the first-time award recipient with a customized glass case back including the Grammy logo stamp, the award and award recipient’s name.

The second Bulova Grammy watch, which is available to consumers, is a 44.5mm black-toned steel automatic watch with gold-tone guitar tuning peg-shaped crown at the four o’clock position and a black skeleton dial with a guitar pick and fret inspired markers. The watch also features an open dial and exhibition case back showcasing the skeletonized Miyota automatic movement with a 42-hour power reserve. Price: $680.

The Watches January 23, 2020

TAG Heuer Debuts Carrera Silver Limited Edition

While not showing alongside its brethren at the LVMH Watch Week, TAG Heuer last week separately debuted a TAG Heuer Carrera 160 Years Silver Limited Edition, of which only 1860 pieces will be produced.

Available starting in June, the watch references a monochrome silver-dial Carrera from 1964 with its three counters, polished case and pushers and a starburst silver-colored dial. Often referred to as “2447S”, this model is now being re-introduced with some twenty-first-century updates.

New to the same general design is the larger case diameter (the timepiece now measures 39 mm instead of the original 36mm). A permanent seconds indicator is at 6 o’clock instead of at 9 o’clock. The subdial difference reflects the fact that in 1963 Heuer utilized a now-famed Valjoux 72 movement, which required the original placement. The modern Heuer 02 caliber, a column-wheel chronograph with vertical clutch, shifts the seconds indication to 6 o’clock.

TAG Heuer has also changed the shape of the central hour and minute hands. In this new version these hands are facetted and coated with beige SuperLuminova, likely to project an enhanced retro feel.

TAG Heuer has kept the Carrera name and Heuer shield on the dial, both protected by a domed, retro-inspired sapphire crystal. A redesigned oscillating weight, visible through the screwed-down sapphire crystal, features a lacquer-filled engraving noting that the watch is an anniversary edition.

Price: To be determined.

Specifications:
TAG Heuer Carrera 160 Years Silver Limited Edition

Movement: Automatic Caliber Heuer 02 Manufacture automatic chronograph with a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz), 80-hour power reserve, oscillating mass with 160th anniversary engraving

Functions: Chronograph with minutes and hours, permanent second indicator; hours, minutes; central chronograph seconds hand

Case: 39 mm polished stainless-steel case and fixed bezel, domed sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective treatment, polished stainless-steel crown at 3 o’clock and push buttons at 2 and 4 o’clock, water-resistant to 100 meters, steel caseback with “One of 1860” engraving

Dial: Silver sunray brushed, silver flange with 60-second/minute scale, silver chronograph counters, white permanent second indicator, rhodium-plated polished, facetted hour and minute hands with beige SuperlLuminova, black lacquered central hand

Strap: Black alligator strap and polished stainless steel folding clasp with double safety push buttons.

Limited to 1,860 watches

Featured Events January 21, 2020

Hublot Puts a Bracelet on Big Bang

Among Hublot’s many debuts at the LVMH Watch Week in Dubai in mid-January, the new Hublot Big Bang Integral was the brand’s primary focus. As the first Big Bang with an integrated metal bracelet, the 42mm collection debuts with an impressive lineup on its very first showing.

Not only has Hublot offered the new collection in three case metals (titanium, King Gold and a 500-piece black ceramic edition), but also each metal has already been decked in diamonds for three additional gem-set models that extend the debut Integral line.

The namesake integrated bracelet here is a solid three-link design that breaks Hublot’s long held focus on rubber, leather or fabric bracelets for its best-selling Big Bang Unico collections. The new Integral collection is also notable for utilizing the rectangular pushers originally found on the Big Bang in 2005, but replaced in recent years by round pushers.

“For the new Integral, we’ve kept the screws, the bezel and the lugs, but we have changed the pushers to look like those used in the original,” explains Raphael Nussbaumer, Hublot product and purchasing director.

“The new bracelet has three links, and we play with satin brushed and polished finishes and beveling and chamfering to create reflections. The bracelet seems simple, but to have a perfect balance between the case and the bracelet is truly challenging.”

Hublot was up to that challenge. I placed the new watch on my wrist last week, and discovered a solid construction that easily conforms to the wrist. The titanium model is a particular delight, with a lightness that was surprising, especially given the Big Bang’s full-sized 42mm by 13.5mm chronograph case. The King Gold model is as luxurious as you’d expect, with its heavier alloy of gold, copper and platinum presenting a stark contrast to either the titanium or black ceramic models.

In addition to the new collection’s retro pushers you’ll also find a new case construction here that retains the well-known Big Bang sandwich construction but does away with composite resin insert. Instead, Hublot creates the new cases entirely from one material (titanium, King Gold or ceramic). Only on the ceramic model has Hublot utilized black composite resin lugs on the bezel.

Inside each watch Hublot fixes its own Unico 1280 automatic flyback chronograph movement with column wheel and an impressive 72-hour power reserve. The handsome caliber is skeletonized for optimal viewing from front or back. The wearer can eye the column wheel from the front of the watch. All arrive with deployant buckle clasp.

Prices for the new Hublot Big Bang Integral: $20,900 (titanium), $23,100 (black ceramic-500 pieces) and $52,500 (King Gold). Diamond models: $68,400 (titanium) and $100,000 (King Gold).

Hublot also debuted many other new watches during LVMH Watch Week, including a handsome new Spirit of Big Bang Meca-10, a very hot Big Bang MP-11 Red Magic and a colorful set of gem-encrusted Spirit of Big Bang Rainbows.

The Watches January 17, 2020

Caran d’Ache Writes With Time

(A bespoke Timegraph is estimated to take between two to six months to complete, depending upon the level of customization requested)

Late last year, Switzerland-based writing instrument maker Caran d’Ache introduced a new special-order pen/watch combo called Timegraph. And while “combo” pens are not new (several quartz-driven pen/watch models have been offered by various manufacturers over the years), this one has a mechanical movement to entice timepiece collectors.

Caran d’Ache employed Le Temps Manufacture SA, situated in Fleurier, Switzerland, to produce the new fountain pen’s miniature manually wound movement for the Timegraph. Visible through a roomy sapphire crystal on the pen’s barrel, the movement boasts eighteen jewels, rhodium-coated (and decorated) components and about forty hours of power reserve. An unobtrusive crown on the side of the pen powers it up.

Horological Inspiration
According to Caran d’Ache president Carole Hubscher, watchmakers have long inspired the company. “We share the same values around the pursuit of excellence, Swiss heritage, thirst for innovation and technical ingenuity,” she said.

Many collectors of writing instruments also appreciate fine watches. Given this long-recognized enthusiast overlap, Timegraph’s outward appearance was not given a second thought. Confirming the pen’s dual identity, a second sapphire crystal window on the cap supplies a view of the 18-karat gold writing point.

This symmetry adds a unique elegance to this standard-sized writing instrument, whose dimensions belie the 145 expertly fitted components that keep both the pen and the watch at peak performance. A unique system fills the miniature ink pump for the pen via an external mechanism.

The palladium-plated metal components and the full black PVD coating on the body of the pen shown here are simply invitations to dream, since the made-to-order pen may be customized at will. Enameling, glazing or miniature engraving—all skills available at the Caran d’Ache workshops—are available upon request. A bespoke Timegraph is estimated to take between two to six months to complete, depending upon the level of customization requested.

This is not the first time Caran d’Ache has celebrated its Swiss heritage of watchmaking alongside its own century-long history of crafting writing and drawing implements. Among other pens, the brand introduced the 1010 Timekeeper just last year, decorated with a watch dial motif.

What I like best about Timegraph is that both its writing and mechanical timekeeping capabilities are top notch, and neither is diminished by the instrument’s combo status. A fine writing instrument from a respected brand and a mechanical watch rolled into one sounds—and looks—good to me.

The Timegraph’s price depends on the level of customization requested.

On The Wrist January 16, 2020

The Oris Diver Sixty-Five Chronograph

The latest Oris Diver Sixty-Five chronograph is big, bold, two-register, black and gold monster with a standout sapphire domed crystal.

This vintage-inspired chronograph, which debuted in mid-2019, grabs you with its striking black, glossy dial that’s framed with a bronze-edged bezel and gilt applied markers. It loudly says, “Read me. I don’t care if you’re under water or not.”

The brown leather strap (also in a steel bracelet) is comfortable on my loaner with exceptional legibility and super-functional features. Despite the 100 meter water resistance, this bad boy probably will not get wrapped around dive suit. More than likely, it will time the heck out of a hamburger on a grill.

The watch’s bronze bezel trim is a nod to the highly successful limited edition Carl Brashear Chronograph in bronze which came out a couple of years ago. (Good luck finding one, along with the other limited edition versions Oris has launched recently.)

So what’s not to like?

Design and Finish
I think the downside of this watch includes the size and height and then the very thing that makes this so easy to see. I’m not a fan of gilt. I said it. It’s me, not you. I don’t doubt their popularity, and I always take a second look at these. I’m just less formal. My day-to-day watches are low key, usually vintage and don’t attract much attention.

Don’t get me wrong, Oris isn’t flaunting the gold on this and uses a subtle edge of bronze around the bezel to contrast with the white 60-minutes ring on the black aluminum insert. Even now, in the low light of my laptop, I can see the time, the applied markers and the bezel’s 60 markers. There’s some play in the bezel on the model I have, but it’s not a deal breaker for me. Still, someone looking at this watch may want to consider how tight they like the action in their bezel.

Likewise the chronograph function on a diver seems out of sorts. The signed crown is a screw down crown and that always makes sense, so I think the absence of the screw down pushers is more about its design than function.

From what I know around my dives at the public pool with my kids, this isn’t really a function I need unless I’m timing the life guard’s rest period.

These are functional and aesthetical compromises, and I think it makes sense if you’re not a die-hard diver.

Innovation
Innovation usually focuses on a brand’s ability to refine and improve a movement, new case materials, longer reserve time or design. I think expanding a legacy model to the 21^st Century is another way Oris innovates.

It’s a clever diversification from the successful Sixty-Five diver. Oris launched the line in 2015 and it keeps showing up with a new dial, case metal, case size options and limited editions.

Legibility
The legibility of the watch is its dominant aspect. In low light, bright light and even at various angles, it reveals the time easily. The dial and the hands shine clearly through. The hour and minutes hands use SuperlumiNova Light Old Radium for luminescence in the dark. The chronograph hand is gold and has the right color and reflective contrast between the base during other times.

The 43mm case diameter shows off the rose-gold PVD-plated hour, minute and second hands and the hands filled with SuperlumiNova indices make them pop.

The vintage chronograph pushers and retro layout direct the wearer to a deep glossy black dial with two flat-black registers. The minutes counter is at nine and the 30-minute counter at three. Each is read by a stark white hand and a gilt base that offers an exceptional view into the function.

Hold the watch to the light and you’ll appreciate the antireflective coating on the domed sapphire crystal. The curved sapphire dome offers a clear view heads on, but in any curved crystal, you can sacrifice legibility for design aesthetics, even though this crystal shape is worth it.

Oris helped this curve with the antireflective coating on both sides of the crystal. What you might lose on the curved crystal (I will always love this despite it) you make it up with the dial size and gilted markers. The dual-side coating offers clarity at almost any angle.

Rarity and Value
Heritage lines are becoming very common in brands that can reach back in their archives. Oris did this very well on the first model of the Sixty-Five and continues with that success.

There aren’t many watches like this one to compare it to, although the use of gilt accents is a design element we’re seeing more frequently. The gold or bronze accents aren’t unique but are well suited to sit next to other chronograph divers at a competitive price (for instance, alongside the recent Tudor Black Bay model.)

Under all the bling, the Oris 771 movement, built from a Sellita SW 510 base, offers an automatic winding with a 48-hour reserve. Its screw down crown offers water resistance and allows hand winding.

The design, comfortable brown leather strap with stainless steel buckle is a good version for land-lovers who want the functions and brand. Of course, Oris also offers a stainless-steel bracelet with folding clasp.

Priced at $4,000 (leather strap) and $4,250 (steel bracelet), the Diver Sixty-Five chronograph shows that Oris continues to find the balance between design, function and value.

Specifications:

Reference number: 01 771 7744 4354
Movement: Oris 771, base SW 510
Case & Bezel: Multi-piece stainless steel and bronze uni-directional rotating diver’s bezel with an aluminum insert
Case Back: Stainless steel, screwed
Crown: Stainless steel screw-in security crown and pushers
Crystal: Sapphire, domed on both sides, anti-reflective coating inside
Water resistance: 10 bar/100 m
Dial: Retro bi-compax dial layout with a black, curved dial and applied rose gold PVD plated indices and hour, minute and seconds hands
Hands: Applied Indices and hands are filled with SuperLumiNova® Light Old Radium
Bracelet: Brown leather strap with stainless steel buckle or stainless-steel bracelet with folding clasp
Dimensions: 43 mm and lug width 21 mm.

Featured Events January 15, 2020

Zenith Expands Defy, Adds to Elite

In January during LVMH Watch Week, Zenith underscored a wide range of its bedrock designs with new pilot models and added a feminine touch within its Defy collection and new Elite collection watches. At the same time, Zenith expanding its Defy 21 high-speed model offerings with two special editions reflecting new and existing partnerships.

The Le Locle-based watchmaker unveiled a wide-ranging 36mm Defy Midnight collection with dials in a gradated deep blue or grey meant to recall the evening sky – including a Zenith star. The dials within the Defy Midnight collection feature stars of different sizes – some of which glow in the dark. One of the dials is made with white mother-pearl with a vertical gradient effect, intended to evoke moonlight on a cloudy night. Even the rotor on the Elite in-house movement is star-shaped and completely visible from a clear sapphire caseback.

This full Defy Midnight (priced starting at $8,600) is being offered with a wide assortment of interchangeable bracelets and straps. Each watch will come in a box that includes three additional colored straps and an interchangeable folding clasp. (See our interview with Zenith CEO Julien Tornare for more about Defy Midnight).

Elite Additions
Zenith has revamped its Elite collection of unisex watches, making them a bit slimmer and more minimalistic. Look for two new Elite collections in 2020: the Elite Classic (starting at $5,700) and Moonphase (starting at $6,700). Both collections feature models in 40.5mm and 36mm case diameters, in stainless steel or rose gold.

Pilot’s Watches
Zenith is debuting two new Pilot’s watches:
The Pilot Type 20 Rescue ($7,100) and Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Rescue ($7,600) are offered in a stainless steel case with a slate-grey sunray dial, with the signature oversized Arabic numerals entirely made out of SuperLumiNova. (Zenith notes that the pricing indicated here is subject to change).

Defy 21
Coinciding with the debut of the next-generation Land Rover Defender, Zenith and the famed British carmaker have collaborated on the Defy 21 Land Rover Edition ($13,400). Limited to 250 pieces, the new watch is a new look for Zenith’s 1/100th of a second chronograph. The new model is cased in micro blasted titanium, and paired with a matching grey dial that now boasts a linear power reserve window with the new touches of color.

Partnering with DJ Carl Cox, Zenith has also expanded Defy 21 with the new Defy 21 Carl Cox ($18,800), limited to 200 pieces. Here Zenith created a new matte black carbon chronograph with a carbon fiber bezel and strap stitching that both glow in the dark. As requested by Cox, Zenith devised a rotating disk shaped like a vinyl record at 9 o’clock to serve as a running seconds indicator.

Finally, as we indicated several months ago, Zenith is now offering its

Chronomaster Revival A384 with a perfect remake of the original Gay Frères ‘ladder’ steel bracelet ($8,100).

Look for much more about Zenith’s 2020 debuts in future posts, including any updates to the tentative pricing indicated in our report above.