Breguet – Reine de Naples 8908

As well as having royal connections, the Reine de Naples can trace its origin back to the first oval wristwatch, which was perhaps the very first wristwatch of any shape. On 8 June 1810, according to the special order book kept by Abraham-Louis Breguet (now housed in the Breguet company archives), Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, ordered “a repeater watch [a quarter repeater, in fact] of oblong shape, for a bracelet”. The timepiece was completed on 21 December 1812, and allocated the number 2639. In 2002, almost 200 years later, Breguet introduced its Reine de Naples line. The model 8908, launched at this year’s Baselworld, is a variation on the first watch in this collection, which itself was inspired by the 1812 watch. It features the moon phase indicator and power reserve at 12 o’clock, the off-centre hours register in the lower half of the ovoid dial, and the small seconds at 7 o’clock. The 18K rose gold case, which measures 36.50 x 28.45 mm, is complemented by a Tahitian mother-of-pearl dial. Inside beats the self-winding mechanical calibre 537, with escape wheel, Swiss pallet and silicon balance spring. It’s a history of luxury watchmaking in miniature – yours for 35'200 Swiss francs for the satin strap version (see the picture below) or 60'300 Swiss francs for the gold strap version.

The Admiral Legend 42 Bamford at Nous...

Widely recognised as a global market leader in the customisation of exceptional timepieces, Bamford (Bamford Watch Department, BWD) has partnered for the first time with Corum to create a completely unique Admiral watch. Stealthy and modern, this piece combines the Bamford hallmark blue and grey to produce a pure, timeless, limited edition watch. This timepiece retains all the attributes of an Admiral watch (12 faceted bezel, large skeleton hands, natural rubber sports strap) but this time, it is presented as a collector’s edition “co-branded”, the first in the history of the brand.

Since 2016, Frederique Constant has partnered with Gwyneth Paltrow, as its Global Charity Brand Ambassador. As part of the campaign, the Academy Award winning actress and philanthropist chose to align with charity organization, DonorsChoose.org, involved in supporting education for children, making it easy for anyone to help a classroom in need, whether it is through books, school supplies or funding field trips.

Epitomizing contemporary casual chic with its youthful, modern, and unusual style, the Aquanaut was introduced in 1997. The Aquanaut was presented in feminine (the Aquanaut Luce with a diamond-set bezel) and masculine versions, and is available with the exclusive Travel Time mechanism that displays a second time zone with persuasive simplicity and remarkable clarity. 

Seiko’s Prospex PADI Special Edition, the SPB071J1, launched in February 2018, is unlike all its predecessors. Firstly, it is “special” for Seiko collectors because unlike its other high water-resistant sports watches like the “Tuna” or “Samurai”, it is housed in a new case, one that doesn’t even have an unofficial nickname… yet.

Passionate about aviation since its creation, the watches by Bell & Ross have always drawn inspiration from the design and technology of on-board flight instruments. Their design very often matches specifications created by professional users. The new BR V2-93 GMT 24H displays the time in three time zones. It is considered an indispensable tool for air pilots and the ideal companion for globetrotters.

Never before the first 2018 Golf Invitational had Audemars Piguet’s guests had the opportunity to meet as many of pro golfers during one single event. 64 watch collectors from around the world enjoyed an unforgettable experience at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club playing alongside 2016 Open Champion Henrik Stenson, 2016 Masters winner Danny Willett, golf legends Vijay Singh and Miguel Angel Jiménez, Englishmen Ian Poulter and Tyrrell Hatton, Argentinian Emiliano Grillo, Americans Peter Uihlein and Bud Cauley, as well as the Dream Team’s new members Xander Schauffele and Wesley Bryan. Young Curtis Luck and Marty Dou also joined the special event.

If you’re not into two-tone watches, it’s easy to dismiss them as belonging to one of two categories. First, there are the watches made for Chinese clients, who go mad for gold/steel combos. And then there are the watches for women who want gold, but don’t want to pay too much, and don’t particularly care if it’s not the only metal. While both these markets exist, they are not the only ones. The worldwide success of two-tone watches was built upon the appetite of US customers in the 1980s and 90s which, given that this market was both predominantly male and rich, proves that they can be both macho and pricey.