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2023 Favorites, Part I 

At the end of the year, it’s time to note our favorite 2023 debut watches. Starting today and through the end of the week, we’ll re-acquaint you with a few of our favorite timekeepers of the year. 

Starting today, we list our favorite watches in no particular order and from all price ranges.

 

Bulgari: Aluminum Chronograph

Now measuring a slightly larger 41mm in diameter, Bulgari’s Aluminum Chronograph (which won the GPHG Iconic Watch Prize in 2020) is now available in a version sporting an all-black dial, a black rubber bezel and a black rubber and aluminum bracelet. Price: $4,640.

 

 

Porsche Design: Chronograph 1 – Rennsport Reunion 7 Edition

As an enhanced edition of the famed Porsche Design Chronograph 1 from 1972, this watch retains the original’s pioneering black livery. But instead of the original’s PVD steel case, the new models are forged using a more scratch-resistant titanium carbide case. But the revived watch still enthralls with same matte black dial and 41mm case size as the original. 

For this special edition, Porsche Design engraves a ‘7’ on the strap to celebrate the seventh Porsche Rennsport Reunion. Turn the watch over to see more commemorative markings, including a platinum-colored winding rotor in the form of the RS Spyder wheel rim with a colorful Porsche Crest (used exclusively for this edition). The rotor winds the superb COSC-certified Porsche Design caliber WERK 01.140. Price: $12,500 (limited to seventy-five pieces in celebration of 75th anniversary of Porsche.) 

 

 

Oris: AquisPro 4000m 

Not only is this debut the most water-resistant diver’s watch we’ve seen from this independent Swiss manufacturer, but its also the sportiest Oris watch to include Oris Calibre 400, a superior automatic mechanical movement that boasts the aforementioned five-day power reserve, plus strong anti-magnetism and chronometric accuracy.  At 49.5mm in diameter, the watch is a wristful, but given its 4,000-meter water resistance rating, thin is out of the question. The watch’s titanium case frames an easy-to-read blue gradient dial with a seaworthy wave pattern. Oris fits a blue ceramic insert with the requisite minutes scale into the unidirectional bezel and caps off the case with a blue rubber strap. Price: $6,200.

 

 

 

Bulova: Oceanographer GMT

This nicely retro-styled model retains the look of the existing Bulova Oceanographer ‘Devil Diver’ models, but with a new GMT hand to account for a second time zone. Look for three models in the new collection. One combines brown and black tones with an IP-plated rose gold tone steel case and bracelet. 

A second steel-cased edition features a familiar red and blue GMT design often built into dive watches as well as a matching steel bracelet. The third Bulova Oceanographer GMT model (above) boasts a more monochrome look with a gunmetal IP-plated case and bezel set with a full luminous white dial. Prices: $1,295 (luminous dial and rubber strap) and $1,395 (steel bracelet).

 

 

Hublot: Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin

Hublot combined two of our favorite things (coffee and watches) into one green-hued watch when the watchmaker teamed with Nespresso to create an environmentally friendly Big Bang watch made using recycled Nespresso capsules and coffee grounds.

The new Hublot Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin is a 42mm limited edition watch with a case, crown, bezel, and pushers made from recycled aluminum. The watch’s caseback and movement container are both made from recycled titanium. In a world first, Hublot and Nespresso have transformed used coffee grounds into watch straps. Price: $24,100.

 

 

Grand Seiko: GMT Series

Grand Seiko continues to commemorate the quarter-century anniversary of its excellent Caliber 9S mechanical movement series with a new release of two GMT watches —one sporty model and one dressy edition—each powered by a specific edition of the caliber. 

Both watches feature dials that echo the skies over Mt. Iwate, in the Iwate Prefecture in Japan, where Grand Seiko hand-assembles its watches. The sportier edition (the Sport Collection GMT Caliber 9S 25th Anniversary Limited Edition SBGJ275, ) features a first for  Grand Seiko: a clear caseback on a mechanical watch with water resistance of 200 meters. 

On the front, you’ll see a sapphire blue and white rotating bezel marked to indicate three time zones. Grand Seiko fits its Hi-Beat GMT Caliber 9S86 to power the watch, providing a frequency of 36,000 vph and very stable  precision. The 2,000-piece limited edition is priced at $7,600. 

We’ll post more 2023 favorites tomorrow and through the end of this week. 

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Behold the Parmigiani Fleurier L’Armoriale

Parmigiani Fleurier adds a stunning new one-of-a-kind pocket watch to its “Objets d’Art” collection.

The new timepiece, called L’Armoriale, features a minute repeater and chronograph pocket watch movement made by A. Golay Leresche & Fils in 1890. In 1985, Michel Parmigiani restored the movement and added a perpetual calendar and has now created the exceptional case and dial for the movement.

Within the 58.2mm white gold case Parmigiani’s artisans have placed the perpetual calendar and its moon phase display against an aventurine sky and hand-hammered moons, all on white gold.

The lunar display is itself set within a stunning brown engraving in the “mezzo vibrato” theme. Around the dial also note almond motifs present on the case and lugs. The counters are also white gold and engraved.

On the back of the watch, you’ll see an equally stunning hand engraved design. Inspired by a tiled floor at Mantua’s Palazzo Te, the polished and grand feu enameled white gold back revels in its translucent yellow, brown, and red pattern, all completed by master enameler Vanessa Lecci.

Even the chain is a piece of artisanal workmanship.

Made by master chain-maker Laurent Jolliet, the 18-karat white gold 300mm chain features thirty-five square links and thirty-three oval links are all entirely handcrafted, beveled and polished.

All connect to one oval link with an engraved Parmiginai Fleurier logo.

As a one-of-a-kind project, the L’Armoriale is priced upon request. 

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Corum Celebrates the Year of the Dragon 

Corum launches two limited edition Bubble watches in celebration of the Chinese Year of the Dragon, which commences in 2024.

The new Corum 47 Bubble Dragon.

One debut, the Bubble 47 Dragon, highlights a fanciful golden dragon hovering in a dark night sky.

Black lacquered clouds and a mother-of-pearl moon join the dragon, which is essentially depicted according to the Chinese legend that when dragons hear thunder, they rise to the clouds and “circulate in the sky.”

The new Corum Bubble 47 Dragon Eye.

The second watch, the Bubble 47 Dragon Eye, is a close-up of the year’s star character. The artisanal metal-cast eye on the dial is meant to represent the dragon’s strength and is fashioned in high-relief with hand-painted colors and gold scales.

On both watches, the magnifying effect of the sapphire bubble crystal enhances the multi-layer effect, allowing the viewer a close-up view of the precision artwork. The effect is particularly notable on the Dragon Eye model, which appears to stare directly at the viewer.

Corum explains that both new watches are powered by automatic CO 082 movement, a Soprod automatic caliber that offers a forty-two-hour power reserve. Both watches also sport steel cases darkened with a black PVD finish and a sapphire crystal caseback. Corum will attach a vulcanized rubber strap to each watch. 

Both the Bubble 47 Dragon and the Bubble 47 Dragon Eye are limited editions of eighty-eight pieces. Price: CHF 6,900.

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Hermès Celebrates Dance

Hermès continues to release beautifully decorated, artisanal dials within its Arceau collection. This newest example, the 38mm white gold Arceau Belles du Mexique watch, celebrates the Mexican Hat Dance with what the watchmaker calls ‘an ode to joy and movement” on the dial.

Dancers are depicted on a dial that echoes an Hermès silk scarf from 2017.

 

Set within a round, 38 mm-diameter white gold case, hand-painted dancers’ are arranged around the hours and minutes indications. Seven of the dancers spin freely in step with the wearer’s wrist movements.

The circle dance scene is performed around a ring of twenty-three diamonds set around the central hours and minutes hands.

 

Hermès artisans enhance the imagery starting with multi-layered mini-dials created by successive individual layers of paint. The artisans then apply all fourteen dancers to the base of a painted dial, which is framed with eighty-two diamonds.

Hermès powers each watch with a beautifully decorated Manufacture Hermès automatic H1912 movement.

 

The Hermès Arceau Belles du Mexique is a limited edition of twelve watches in two color options (orange and pink).  Price upon request.

 

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Carl F. Bucherer Adds a Perpetual Calendar 

Carl F. Bucherer harnesses its peripheral winding system to power the new Manero Peripheral Perpetual Calendar, one of this Swiss brand’s more complicated designs.

The new Carl F. Bucherer Manero Peripheral Perpetual Calendar.

The watchmaker nicely melds a perpetual calendar and a moon-phase display on the dial of the new watch, which is offered within a luxurious 41.6mm by 11.73mm rose gold case.

In a more traditional style than we typically see from Carl F. Bucherer, the new watch allows easy-to-read displays showing the leap year, date, day, month and moon phase. The latter display is particularly appealing, with hand-engraved rose gold moons on a disc of glittering aventurine.

And thank to this brand’s unusual in-house movement design, the back of the watch offers its own visual pleasures, notably a rotor that spins around the edge of the movement.

On this CFB A2055 caliber, a bidirectional oscillating weight turns on three frictionless ceramic ball-bearings housed in shock-absorbing mountings. 

Such  peripheral oscillating weights are still rare, even among Carl F. Bucherer’s peers in high-end watchmaking, and they always catch my eye when employed as they offer a truly unobstructed view of the finely finished manufacture automatic movement.

Carl F. Bucherer is offering the Manero Peripheral Perpetual Calendar with a choice of black, green and taupe dial hues, each displaying a handsome sunray brushed center and opaline index track.

All feature matching calfskin straps with a ‘Milky Way’ texture, quick release system and an 18-karat rose gold pin-lock folding clasp.

The limited edition model features a rose-hued dial.

A limited edition model (of eight pieces) with a rose-hued dial is also available only at Bucherer 1888 retail locations.

Price: $45,000. 

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