Zodiac enhances its hot Super Sea Wolf collection with a new ceramic-cased model, a first for the U.S.-based, Swiss-made sports watchmaker.
The new Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Ceramic.
The new Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Ceramic features a 40mm case built from hardened ceramic, which envelopes the case’s steel core.
With a ceramic exterior, the new Super Sea Wolf appears more polished and deeper black than you’d see with black-coated steel case. Ceramic, a high-tech material now widely found on watches, is scratch-resistant, corrosion-resistant and fade-resistant.
As a result, ceramic watches typically look new for many more years than comparable steel or precious metal watches. For the wearer there are other advantages, including its light weight and hypoallergenic properties.
Zodiac offers the watch with a particularly handsome midnight blue radiant sunburst dial with uni-directional rotating bezel and highly visible white hands and markers set with plenty of SuperlumiNova.
The dial on the new Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Ceramic rightly touts its 200-meters of water resistance and displays the date. Inside the newly developed case you’ll find a chronometer-certified, Swiss-made STP 1-11 automatic movement.
Zodiac attaches a vanilla scented rubber strap to each case. Price: $1,695.
Bell & Ross’s newest collection, the BR-X5, offers a more technical version of its hot BR-05 collection, emphasizing a new multi-layer case, a new custom movement and a redesigned dial.
The black-dial version of the new Bell & Ross BR-X5.
The BR-X5 retains the BR-05’s round dial within a gently rounded square case and its integrated bracelet/strap, but extends the architectural appeal of the design with eye-catching multi-level case construction. The dial also underscores the technical focus of the new collection with its prominent power reserve indicator and an extra large aviation-style date aperture.
At 41mm in diameter, one millimeter larger than its forebear, the new BR-X5 case displays a hollowed-out central layer flanked by the watch’s square bezel and its caseback, both fixed to the two steel plates that form the top and bottom of the case.
Between the caseback and dial Bell & Ross fits a customized automatic Calibre BR-CAL.323 movement made by Kenissi. The Swiss movement maker was founded to create calibers for Tudor and, since 2016, has also supplied movements to Chanel, Breitling and others.
A chronometer
The new movement is a COSC-certified chronometer that offers an impressive 70-hour power reserve. Also notable is the movement’s rapid date correction device, which allows for a quick date adjustment. Bell & Ross highlights the new movement’s long power reserve with a large power reserve indicator on the dial.
Look for two dial options, black and ice blue, for the steel-cased BR-X5. A third model, the BR-X5 Carbon Orange, is the sportiest of the new collection with its carbon fiber case that holds its automatic movement within a DLC titanium block.
The BR-X5 Carbon Orange is a limited edition of 500.
Bell & Ross has equipped all three models with a rotor designed to recall the shape of a race car wheel rim. The rotor is visible through clear sapphire on the steel BR-X5 and through a smoky sapphire glass on the BR-05 Carbon Orange.
To emphasize the new debut’s technical reliability, Bell & Ross is supporting the entire BR-X5 collection with a five-year warranty, which exceeding the previous Bell & Ross standard warranty of two years.
Prices: $7,400 (with steel bracelet) and $6,900 (rubber strap); $11,800 (BR-05 Carbon Orange, a limited edition of 500.)
Patek Philippe launched three variations to its hot Nautilus (including a white gold successor to its retired Ref. 5711) and extended its collection of complicated chronographs as part of an eight-piece debut this week.
The new Ref. 5811/1G-001 Nautilus features a case and bracelet in white gold as well as a blue sunburst dial with a black gradation. Price is $69,785.
While the new Nautilus debuts garnered much of the initial attention, it’s the new set of chronographs that attract collectors of Patek Philippe’s legendary (and less commodified) complications. (Read all about the trio of new Nautilus models, including the 41mm successor to the Ref. 5711 , on the Patek Philippe site.)
The chronographs
And among those chronograph debuts, look no further than the new Ref. 5373P-001, a split-seconds mono-pusher chronograph with perpetual calendar, for some true novelty. The watch differs from its predecessor (Ref. 5372) with newly inverted displays, pushers and crown.
New Patek Philippe Ref. 5373P-001, a split-seconds mono-pusher chronograph with perpetual calendar, differs from its predecessor (Ref. 5372) with inverted displays, pushers and crown.
Made for specifically “for the right-hand wrists of left-handers,” according to the watchmaker, the new 38.3mm platinum-cased watch is a premiere design for the company.
Patek Philippe notes however that a 1927 one-of-a-kind watch inspired the design of the new model. Like the earlier watch, the new watch features its integrated chronograph monopusher at the 9 o’clock position with the split-seconds pusher set, unusually, at 8 o’clock.
The sporty red, blackand grey dial on the Ref. 5373P-001 is cleverly finished with a black gradation at its edge, framing snailed ebony-black subsidiary dials.
The watch’s beautifully finished caliber CHR 27-525 PS Q, still the thinnest split-seconds chronograph movement with perpetual calendar ever produced by the manufacture, can be admired through the sapphire-crystal display back, which is interchangeable with the solid-platinum back delivered with the watch. Among the many caseback highlights is a view of the movement’s two column wheels with their two polished caps.
Finally, like all of Patek Philippe’s platinum watches, the new Ref. 5373P-001 features a brilliant cut diamond on its case. But here Patek Philippe flips the diamond’s location, placing it at the 12 o’clock position rather than at the 6 o’clock position. Price Upon Request.
The new Patek Philippe Ref. 5204G-001 split-seconds chronograph with perpetual calendar.
Split Seconds, right side
Also with a split-seconds chronograph with perpetual calendar, the new Ref. 5204G-001, with its standard, right-side crown and two pushers,features a 40mm white gold case and an olive-green sunburst dial. The watch complements a version released last year with a slate-grey dial and a rose-gold case. Price Upon Request.
The new Patek Philippe Ref. 5935A-001 self-winding World Time flyback chronograph stands out with its sporty vintage looks.
World Timer
In a premiere steel case, the Patek Philippe’s new Ref. 5935A-001 World Time flyback chronograph (with automatic caliber CH 28-520 HU) is bound to please collectors in search of steel Patek Philippe watches as well as those who covet its world timers.
A stunning rose-gold dial appears vintage while the ‘carbon’ motif’ dial interior is decidedly contemporary. That dial center is a reference to the 2020 limited edition inaugural model Patek Philippe’s newest manufacturing facility in Geneva. Patek Philippe includes two calfskin straps (grained taupe and beige with a velvet-like nubuck finish), each secured with stainless steel fold-over clasps. Price: $63,871.
The Ref. 7968:300R-001 Aquanaut Luce “Rainbow” chronograph in rose gold.
Luce Chronograph
Patek Philippe adds an automatic chronograph to its contemporary Aquanaut Luce collection for the first time, and then decorates the watch (Ref. 7968-300R-001) with a rainbow of sapphires and diamonds. Cased in 39.9mm rose gold, the watch’s white mother-of-pearl dial is engraved with an Aquanaut pattern as baguette multi-colored sapphires mark the hours alongside gold applied numerals. Price: $212,900.
The new Ref. 5990-1A-011 Nautilus Travel Time chronograph is one of Patek Philippe’s rare steel watches.
Travel Time
Patek Philippe has debuted a steel-cased Travel Time model with an eye-catching blue dial with a radiant sunburst finish and a subtle black gradation. The new Ref. 5990/1A-011 Travel Time is powered by automatic caliber CH 28-520 C FUS, which combines a flyback chronograph, a Travel Time function (two time zones with two separate hour hands; the skeletonized hand shows home time) and an analog date synchronized with local time. Price: $68,603.
The TAG Heuer Formula 1 X Mario Kart Limited Edition Chronograph.
One model, a chronograph, is a 44-mm steel model with its Mario Kart logo clearly inscribed on its black polished ceramic tachymeter bezel. TAG Heuer has etched Mario’s M symbol on the crown while the Mario Kart logo is engraved on the screwed-down case back where, nearby, you’ll find an outline of Mario in a racecar.
The game’s hero also pops up on the chronograph’s checkered dial within the permanent seconds indicator at 9 o’clock, which is also circled in the same Mario-red hue. The same color can be also seen on the lacquered central hand, hour chronograph counter hand and 60-second or minute scale on the flange.
For added humor, TAG Heuer replaces the date display with ongoing appearances by Mario Kart items such as Bullet Bill, the Banana and others.
Inside TAG Heuer fits its automatic Caliber 16 movement. This TAG Heuer Formula 1 X Mario Kart Limited Edition (Chronograph) is limited to 3,000 pieces.
Tourbillon Chronograph
At the high end, TAG Heuer’s Formula 1 X Mario Kart Limited Edition Chronograph Tourbillon, limited to 250 pieces, showcases Mario’s world in more technical spaces.
TAG Heuer’s Formula 1 X Mario Kart Limited Edition Chronograph Tourbillon
A trio of Mario Kart characters rotate on the COSC-certified Calibre Heuer 02T tourbillon cage, which showcases Mario in his kart, the Spiny Shell and Bullet Bill.
Cased in 45mm titanium, the skeletonized chronograph tourbillon features a black polished ceramic bezel with a tachymeter scale and the Mario Kart logo. Red lacquer colors the 2 o’clock pusher and crown while the M symbol tops the crown.
Just as notable here is the pattern of red lines that frame the dial’s cutouts. At the top of the dial, TAG Heuer adds a gearwheel designed to echo the shape of racecar tire rims.
Mario dominates the back of the watch as well. A screwed-down titanium caseback is fit with sapphire glass emblazoned with the Mario Kart logo. Through the sapphire you’ll see the movement decorated with a trio of Mario Kart characters. I particularly like the Mario-red column wheel.
TAG Heuer attaches a black calf leather strap with contrasting red stitching and lining and a custom embossed pattern to both watches. The steel or titanium folding buckle is engraved with the M symbol.
Zenith’s third special edition Defy Extreme, with copper brown accents and recycled components, commemorates the watchmaker’s role as a partner of Extreme E electric rally racing and its latest race in the Atacama Desert in Chile.
The new Zenith Defy Extreme E Copper Prix.
Zenith unveils the new watch, called the Defy Extreme E CopperPrix, alongside the Chilean copper mines that dot the South American desert where the next Extreme E championship races are underway.
Based on Zenith Defy Extreme Carbon, a lightweight carbon-cased high-frequency chronograph series, the new watch incorporates recycled elements from championship race environment within its strap and packaging, all echoing the coppery-brown official race color.
Zenith has infused materials of Continental CrossContact tires used in the first season’s races into the watch’s Velcro strap. Zenith will also deliver the watch with two additional straps in black rubber and black Velcro, which can be easily swapped without any tools.
The case for the watch is made using components from E-Grip recycled tires while the plate covering for the box is made from parts of an Extreme E racing tarpaulin.
Zenith creates the 45mm Defy Extreme E Copper X Prix edition with carbon fiber pushers, crown and case, all protected with a twelve-sided bezel made of micro-blasted titanium. The watch’s openwork, multi-layered dial is built with tinted sapphire crystal embellished with coppery-brown accents meant to evoke the copper mines of the Chilean desert.
Inside Zenith fits its El Primero 9004 high-frequency chronograph movement, which offers 1/100th-of-a -second time measurements with two independent escapements. One beats at 5Hz (36,000 VpH) for timekeeping while the second vibrates at 50Hz (360,000 VpH) to activate the chronograph function. Zenith makes the nicely finished movement, a certified chronometer,visible through the sapphire display back, which is emblazoned with the Copper X Prix logo.
The dial also underscores the technical focus of the new collection with its prominent power reserve indicator and an extra large aviation-style date aperture.
Among the many caseback highlights is a view of the movement’s two column wheels with their two polished caps.
The watch complements a version released last year with a slate-grey dial and a rose-gold case. Price Upon Request.
Patek Philippe includes two calfskin straps (grained taupe and beige with a velvet-like nubuck finish), each secured with stainless steel fold-over clasps. Price: $63,871.
Cased in 39.9mm rose gold, the watch’s white mother-of-pearl dial is engraved with an Aquanaut pattern as baguette multi-colored sapphires mark the hours alongside gold applied numerals. Price: $212,900.
The new Ref. 
