At the end of the year it’s time to note our favorite 2023 debut watches. We continue our look at a few of our favorite timekeepers of the year.
Chronoswiss: Opus
Chronoswiss is now offering a contemporary take on the classic Opus design, casing two variations in grade-5 titanium. The same levers, gears and cams remain as visible as ever here, with Chronoswiss adding a CVD-coating to the watch’s caliber C.741S, an ETA Valjoux-based integrated chronograph movement.
With galvanic black skeletonized bridges, the movement retains its mesmerizing allure to enthusiasts while adding a stealthy modern twist. Look for two color options, green and blue, each of which frame and complement the movement’s web of blackened and CVD-coated gears and levers. Price: $14,500.
Bulgari: Octo Roma Chronograph
In year filled with superb chronograph debuts, this one from Bulgari was among the finest. It is the first chronograph for the eight-sided Octo Roma and introduces a new Bulgari movement, Caliber BVL 399, visible through the watch’s clear sapphire back. Two Octo Roma Chronograph models are included in the debut, one with a black dial and one in blue. Both feature an eye-catching Clous de Paris, or hobnail, pattern that appears as small pyramids across the dial, here broken only by the three sunburst-pattern chronograph subdials. Price: $9,150.
Colorado Watch: The Field Watch
At 40mm with 20mm between the lugs, the 316L stainless-steel Field Watch will comfortably fit on almost anyone’s wrist. It’s also slimmer than you might expect for an automatic watch at just 10.5mm due to the fact that the threaded case-back is recessed within the back and shaves off a couple of mms in height – A clever engineering solution for sure.
In the steel-case version, Colorado Watch decided to leave the subtle machining marks as a unique hallmark that adds an industrial effect while emphasizing that these cases were in-fact made on-site.
Inside the case beats an Americhron 7020 automatic-winding movement built by FTS USA in Arizona. Shock resistant, accurate, and beating at a frequency of 28,880 BPH, the 7A20 movements have a power reserve of around 40 hours and were designed by a team of watchmakers, including FTS’ own Chief Technical Officer. Retail price is $995.
Accutron: DNA Casino Edition
Accutron added four new colors to its electrostatic-movement-powered DNA timepiece collection to create the new Accutron DNA Casino series. This sportier version of the original Accutron Spaceview series arrives in bright-hues, including green, blue, orange and red, all meant to echo the Las Vegas neon skyline.
Like the initial Accutron DNA models, these debuts feature 45.1mm steel cases in a grey finish with silver-grey accent on the outer hour/minute ring and silver-tone hands. For each, a colorful open-work dial and crown match its brightly colored integrated rubber strap, which is set with a solid double-press deployant closure. Price: $3,500.
Wilbur: LEO
The Wilbur LEO may be round and sit on the wrist like a traditional watch, but its sculptural, multi-part titanium case does not enclose traditional hour, minute and seconds hands. The U.S.-built LEO instead displays the time in an unusual manner on a dial that looks like a satellite tumbling its way around Earth’s orbit. At the center of this 48.5mm by 46mm titanium puzzle the LEO displays the hour prominently – and digitally.
The hour digit that appears in the LEO’s central aperture is actually a mash-up of two otherwise indecipherable symbols that meet once per hour. One clear sapphire disks and another brushed-black sapphire disk rotate twice a day on either side of the hour display. When they meet, those ‘alien’ symbols form the correct hour digit at the dial’s center. Price: $32,500.
Timex: GG S2
This eponymous release, named after Timex Creative Director designer Giorgio Galli, is called the GG(Giorgio Galli) S2, and earlier this year its release took Timex into both a new price point and into Swiss watch world, thanks to its Sellita automatic movement. The black dial with the notched metal ring is subtly elegant. Note the attention to detail on the multi-faceted hour and minute hands.
Galli also made the right choice to eschew the date function on this watch. No-doubt the purity of this design would have been deflated by any distractions on this austere dial.
From the back you’ll note that rather than a threaded case-back Galli opted for a back held in place with six-screws. The GGS2 is water resistant to 50 meters, which is more than sufficient for a dress watch of this type. There is a lot of watch for the money embedded in this design. The Swiss-made watch houses a Sellita SW 200 automatic winding mechanical movement, combines injection molded steel and titanium into the perfectly proportioned 38mm case, and features flat sapphire crystals front and back. Add to that a solid steel deployant buckle and a chemical resistant nitrile rubber strap and you end up with a lot of watch for $975.
TAG Heuer: Carrera Skipper
TAG Heuer revived its Carrera Skipper earlier this year, four decades after the colorful regatta countdown timer disappeared from the watchmaker’s line-up.
Returning as a 39mm steel watch, the new TAG Heuer Carrera Skipper retains its brightly colored dress, sporting a circular-brushed blue primary dial with sub-dials in contrasting teal, green and orange. The new model also features the Carrera’s new bezel-free ‘glassbox’ design with a broader sapphire crystal and curved flange dial, a combination that extends the viewing angle for the dial. A terrific edition to the retro-themed offerings of this Swiss watchmaker. Price: $6,750.
