Right now, we’re ending our collection of recap articles targeted on the very best new watches offered throughout Watches and Wonders 2024 and Geneva Watch Week (we’ve checked out dive watches, chronographs, gown watches or GMT fashions)… And what’s higher to have a look again at a few of the present’s most spectacular, technically superior and progressive fashions? We may have listed watches just like the Bovet Recital 28 or the Monaco Cut up-Seconds, however each made it to different lists. Right here, what issues is the artwork of watchmaking, whether or not it’s about breaking data, enhancing an necessary complication or making issues thinner than ever earlier than. Right here’s the very best of high-complication on the 2024 Geneva week.
A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Lumen
Lange’s spectacular triple-complication, a.ok.a the Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon, isn’t actually new as we’ve seen it already in platinum with a black dial and in white gold with a salmon/rose gold dial. Nonetheless, this yr, this watch combining a flyback chronograph, a perpetual calendar and a tourbillon regulator will get a really particular therapy… with an unique honeygold case (one thing uncommon at ALS) and the Lumen apparel, with a tinted sapphire dial revealing components of the motion beneath and plenty of components coated in lume. Not solely does this require some changes to the motion, however in any case, it’s all the time with a lot pleasure that we get to see this masterpiece of A. Lange & Söhne, housed in a comparatively wearable case and with a spectacular motion inside. All the main points in our article right here.
Fast details: 41.5mm x 14.6mm Honeygold case – sapphire crystals entrance and caseback – tinted sapphire crystal dial with lume-coated sub-dials, oversize date, tachymeter scale, moonphase and palms – calibre L952.4, in-house hand-wound flyback chronograph with perpetual calendar and tourbillon, 2.5Hz frequency, 50h energy reserve – darkish brown alligator leather-based on gold deployant buckle – reference 740.055FE, restricted to 50 items – worth upon request (approx. EUR 600,000)
Bulgari Octo Finissimo Extremely COSC
Meet the world’s thinnest mechanical watch! The race for ultra-thin watchmaking goes on. After Piaget broke the file with the 2mm skinny AUC, Bulgari answered with the 1.80mm Octo Finissimo Extremely… A file that solely lasted for just a few months, earlier than Richard Mille launched its credit score card-shaped 1.75mm RM UP-01 Ferrari. Bulgari couldn’t let that file go, and solutions this yr with the 1.70mm Octo Finissimo Extremely COSC. As a result of sure, not solely its the thinnest mechanical watch ever, however additionally it is able to excessive precision. We’ve stated it on a number of events, ultra-thin watchmaking IS a real complication, involving subjects like miniaturization, new methods to assemble a watch/motion, subtle options and supplies. And imagine us, shaving 0.10mm off a watch that was already paper-thin isn’t nearly tiny changes. It’s one more achievement by Bulgari, and one that would up keep for fairly a while. All the main points, together with an in-depth video, are in our article right here.
Fast details: 40mm x 1.70mm sandblasted titanium and tungsten carbide case – sapphire crystal on the entrance – openworked construction with the motion displayed on the entrance, regulator-like show – BVL calibre 180, ultra-thin motion (1.50mm) made along with Concepto, hand-wound chronometer-certified, 4Hz frequency, 50h energy reserve – ultra-thin 1.50mm sandblasted titanium bracelet with built-in folding clasp – Reference 104081 – restricted version of 20 items – EUR 600,000
De Bethune DB Form of Grande Complication
Whereas we frequently affiliate the model with its mixture of classical watchmaking, conventional craftsmanship and up to date design, it additionally has the flexibility to go ultra-complex. Working example, the brand new and completely beautiful DB Form of Grande Complication, a mastership to be considered a end result of Denis Flageollet’s desires full of the model’s patented technical and ornamental parts. Housed in a two-sided reversible case, solely manufactured from titanium and with floating lugs, the motion is gathering all of the experience of the model; 7 patented De Bethune innovations, excessive beat 30-sec titanium tourbillon, spherical Moon section, leaping second, perpetual calendar… And a ending that’s simply pleasant. The fantastic thing about this lies within the ambivalence of its two faces; classical on one facet with its starry sky and QP, futuristic on the opposite with the triangular bridge over the shiny motion. All the main points about this DB Form of Grande Complication are right here.
Fast details: 42.3mm x 13.85mm reversible, two-sided polished titanium case with floating lugs – sapphire crystals entrance and caseback – blued titanium dial for the QP facet, openworked polished titanium construction for the motion facet – calibre DB2529, in-house hand-wound, high-frequency 30-second tourbillon, leaping seconds, perpetual calendar, 4-day energy reserve – alligator strap with titanium pin buckle – reference DBK2TV2 – CHF 400,000
IWC Portugieser Everlasting Calendar
No outsized Pilot’s watch or racing chronograph this yr at IWC, however a tribute to one of many model’s emblematic modules, the perpetual calendar. Besides that this yr, IWC pushes the idea a lot, a lot additional with a uncommon complication, a secular perpetual calendar. Not like a perpetual calendar that can want a correction in 2100, the Everlasting Calendar is fitted with a 400-year gear that overrides the Gregorian calendar’s complicated bissextile year rule exceptions. It won’t should be adjusted till late 3999 (for the calendar) and it even comes with essentially the most exact moon section ever, with a one-day deviation in 45 million years. What’s necessary is that, in typical IWC style, this was all developed with intelligent, simplified mechanics and stays near an precise Portugieser Perpetual Calendar 44… In actual fact, solely two gears had been added to the gear prepare. Excessive-complication watchmaking can be about effectivity, not simply stacking issues time and again. All the main points concerning the Portugieser Everlasting Calendar, together with an in-depth video, are on this article.
Fast details: 44.4mm x 15mm platinum case – double domed sapphire crystal on each side – glass dial with white lacquer, raised lacquered minutes flange, sapphire crystal sub-dials – IWC calibre 52640, in-house computerized motion with secular perpetual to recognise irregular leap years (no adjustment earlier than late 3999), perpetual moon section with 45 million years accuracy – black alligator leather-based strap, platinum folding clasp – reference IW505701 – CHF 150,000
Piaget Altiplano Final Idea Tourbillon
Piaget, a specialist within the subject of thinness, might need misplaced the title for the thinnest mechanical watch, however what they’ve completed this yr is nothing shy of spectacular. With out including a single tenth of a millimetre to the already paper-thin Altiplano Final Idea, Piaget now comes with a 2mm-thin tourbillon model, making it (and by fairly a margin) the world’s thinnest tourbillon watch. How? Through the use of the identical intelligent building because the 900P and the no-tourbi AUC, the place the motion and case turn out to be a single factor, and by making the tourbillon regulator as flat as potential (1.49mm in complete), utilizing ball bearings for its cage. And it’s not nearly switching regulators, as nearly 90% of the components within the AUC Tourbillon are new. Piaget is, definitely, nonetheless one of many few masters of ultra-thin. All the main points concerning the Altiplano Final Idea Tourbillon, together with an in-depth video, are right here.
Fast details: 41.5mm x 2mm blue PVD-treated M64BC cobalt alloy case – sapphire crystal on the entrance, sapphire opening over the tourbillon on the again – openworked construction with the motion displayed on the entrance, monobloc disc for the hours – calibre 970P-UC, in-house hand-wound ultra-thin motion with a one-minute tourbillon on ball bearing, 4Hz frequency, 40h energy reserve – calfskin leather-based strap with M64BC cobalt alloy pin buckle – worth upon request
Vacheron Constantin Berkley Grand Complication
Final however definitely not least… How can we not discuss concerning the Berkley, also called essentially the most difficult timepiece ever created? This masterpiece of conventional craftsmanship is all concerning the numbers; 63 problems in complete, 2 dials with 9 discs and 31 palms, 2,877 elements, 245 jewels, in all probability nicely above one kilogram, an unprecedented Chinese language perpetual calendar and a dimension that leaves some doubt on the pocket watch idea… However it doesn’t actually matter. What’s necessary is {that a} sure Mister Berkley, additionally the proprietor of the earlier file holder (the reference 57260), commissioned this watch to Les Cabinotiers. Such patrons preserve the data and innovation spirit alive, ensuring that the artwork of watchmaking survives, or ought to I say lives extra affluent than ever. Concerning the 63 problems and the specs? Learn our article right here.
Fast details: 98mm x 50.55mm two-sided pocket watch in 18k white gold case – sapphire crystals on each side – two silver opaline dials displaying problems with 9 discs and 31 palms – calibre 3752, in-house hand-wound, 2,877 elements, 245 jewels and 63 problems together with spherical tourbillon, World time, Gregorian perpetual calendar, Chinese language perpetual calendar, Chinese language agricultural perpetual calendar, Sky chart, sideral time, Dawn/Sundown, Equation of time, Cut up-second chronograph, alarm, Carillon Westminster chiming with 5 gongs and 5 hammers, grande and petite sonnerie and minute repeater – distinctive piece commissioned to Les Cabinotiers – worth undisclosed
