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Results for Watches and Wonders 2026

34,778 articles · 4,400 videos found · page 529 of 1306

Tudor Introduces the Black Bay Fifty-Eight 925 SJX Watches
Tudor Introduces Apr 7, 2021

Tudor Introduces the Black Bay Fifty-Eight 925

Met with critical and commercial acclaim at its launch  in 2018, the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight hit the sweet spot with enthusiasts who had been clamouring for a Black Bay in a trimmer and smaller case. At Watches & Wonders 2021, Tudor releases two variants of the model that are perhaps its most unusual dive watches ever: the Black Bay Fifty-Eight 925 in sterling silver, and the Black Bay Fifty-Eight 18K in solid yellow gold. Initial Thoughts Though a precious-metal case for a “tool” watch seems incongruent, it’s a familiar combination for high-end sports watches. But Tudor has done it differently, with the evocative 925 silver case a perfect match for the Fifty-Eight, which is at heart a vintage remake. The look of the Fifty-Eight 925 is pure understatement – a low-key yet striking watch that will be recognised only by those in the know. Thankfully, Tudor resisted using faux-aged Super-Luminova on the hour markers and Snowflake hands, a decision that preserves the watch’s clean look. The Fifty-Eight 925 in sterling silver And the look is clean. The bezel and dial are in taupe – a restrained grey-brown – a versatile colour that is studiedly neutral. Despite the inconspicuous colour – and specifically because of it – the watch is actually quite noticeable on the wrist. It is vaguely vintage in style, which goes with the soft, silvery colour of the case. Given both the colour and smaller case size, the Fifty-Eight 925 is perhaps the most gender neutr...

Panerai Introduces the Submersible Bronze Blu Abisso PAM 1074 SJX Watches
Panerai Introduces Apr 7, 2021

Panerai Introduces the Submersible Bronze Blu Abisso PAM 1074

Before bronze became the modish material for dive watches, Panerai got there first with the Bronzo PAM 382 in 2011. Since then, there have been multiple iterations of the Bronzo – which had a 47 mm case – with the latest being the PAM 968 introduced two years ago. At Watches & Wonders 2021, Panerai unveils a smaller, 42 mm Bronzo, the Submersible Bronze Blue Abisso PAM01074. Initial thoughts If the new Bronzo looks familiar, that’s because the bronze-and-blue guise has been done before with the Bronzo PAM 671 of 2017. But there’s a significant difference: the smaller form factor of the new PAM 1074, which is eminently more wearable at 42 mm. It’s still a sizeable watch, but by Panerai standards, the PAM 1074 is a small watch. Not only does that make it more appealing as an everyday watch, the smaller size also makes it a practical option for female watch enthusiasts. Despite the reduced size, the watch is distinctly Panerai in style. And the bronze and blue combination remains striking. The beige Super-Luminova and oxidised bronze will give the watch a well-worn look that is thematically congruent with the Submersible’s status as the brand’s “tool” watch. And though it complements the bronze case, the heavy dose of faux patina may prove divisive, especially those who prefer a clean, white lume. At US$15,900, the latest Bronzo is priced at the mid-range of Panerai’s offerings, and is fair value as far as Panerai watches go. In fact, it’s slightly ...

Cartier Introduces the Pasha de Cartier Chronograph SJX Watches
Cartier Introduces Apr 7, 2021

Cartier Introduces the Pasha de Cartier Chronograph

Inspired by the tale of a water resistant sports watch commissioned in 1934 by Thami El Glaoui, the Pasha of Marrakesh – which was actually a rectangular watch – the modern Pasha was penned by Gerald Genta, the man behind many of the most iconic watches of the 1970s and 1980s, which were often considered avant-garde for their time. One year after the relaunch of the time-only model, the jeweller is debuting the Pasha de Cartier Chronograph at Watches & Wonders 2021. The new chronograph on the wrist Initial Thoughts The Pasha Chronograph is an appealing watch. It does wear slightly large at 41 mm and but is surprisingly svelte at just under 12 mm in thickness. Add to that 100 m of water resistance and a moderate price premium of US$3,500 or so over the time-only model and you realise that the Pasha Chronograph is a compelling package. Granted, the “Vendome” lugs are not to everyone’s tastes, but the Pasha remains as classically Cartier as the jeweller’s form watches. The “Vendome” lugs and chain-secured crown cap are Pasha design hallmarks The movement is finished modestly and industrially, a sharp contrast to the dial finishing, which punches above its price point in terms of its detail. Nonetheless, its price of a bit under US$10,000 in steel makes the Pasha chronograph competitive, and also good value. Fine details The Pasha Chronograph measures 41 mm in diameter and 11.97 mm in thickness – it retains the same diameter as the time-only model and gains a...

Cartier Introduces the Tank Must de Cartier Monochrome Colours SJX Watches
Cartier Introduces Apr 7, 2021

Cartier Introduces the Tank Must de Cartier Monochrome Colours

Capitalising on the enduring popularity of the Tank, Cartier has (re)launched the Tank Must de Cartier at Watches & Wonders 2021. The new Tank Must line includes several entry-level watches in steel, including an unusual solar-powered model, and also a trio of watches with monochrome, solid colour dials in red, green and blue that are inspired by originals of the 1970s. Initial thoughts Appealing for its simple, 1970s style, the new Tank Must is especially striking in red, which is Cartier’s house colour. The cases are all “large model” size, which makes it suited to both genders, though more of a formal-dress watch for men. But they are all unfortunately powered by quartz movements, which are entirely acceptable given the affordable price. Given the style and movement, the new Tank Must is best suited to someone who wants a fuss-free watch that is quintessentially Cartier but not too expensive. Watch enthusiasts will probably have to wait for new versions with mechanical movements in the coming years. Vintage Technicolor The Must de Cartier Tank was born in 1977 as a mass-market product at a low price – and it was a massive hit. Prior to the Must – “I must have a Cartier” – the Tank had only been manufactured in precious metals and never been on an industrial scale. The Must de Cartier watches, which also included the Santos and other case shapes, transformed Cartier into the watch and jewellery giant it is today. While the new Tank Must line encompasses...

Cartier Introduces the Tank Must de Cartier in Steel SJX Watches
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Capitalizing Apr 7, 2021

Cartier Introduces the Tank Must de Cartier in Steel

The Cartier Tank is quite possibly the most iconic rectangular wristwatch, matched only in its longevity and enduring appeal by the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso. Capitalizing on the popularity of the Tank, Cartier has reintroduced the Tank Must de Cartier name as an entire model family at Watches & Wonders 2021. Initial Thoughts The Tank Must de Cartier was born in 1977, in the throes of the quartz crisis. The Must de Cartier was the jeweler’s answer to the upheaval within the industry – it marked the first time the Tank was produced at an industrial scale and was also the first time the model was not produced in precious metal. The Tank Must de Cartier borrowed the shape of the Tank Louis Cartier – whereas the brancards of the 1917 original were flat, those of the Tank Louis Cartier are gently rounded. I am a fan of the new collection. Not only is the Must de Cartier probably the most recognizable of the Tank range, but the new watches are handsome and a surprisingly good value proposition. The new Tank Must de Cartier is a comprehensive family that is sure to become a bestseller – not only is there a model at every price point, from entry-level steel to more glitzy diamond-paved variants, but the models are also available in a dizzying number of sizes and movement configurations. Tank Must de Cartier The classic silver-dialed model with Roman numerals, railroad minutes track, and blued steel hands is available in steel in three sizes: small, large, and extra-large. ...

A. Lange & Söhne Refreshes the Triple Split in Style SJX Watches
A. Lange & Sohne Apr 7, 2021

A. Lange & Söhne Refreshes the Triple Split in Style

When A. Lange & Söhne first introduced the Triple Split in 2018, it was an incremental improvement over the Double Split but still a landmark, being the first watch capable of recording twin elapsed times of up to 12 hours. Lange remains the only watchmaker to offer a split-seconds chronograph of this magnitude. And now at Watches & Wonders 2021 it is unveiling the Triple Split in a new guise of pink gold and a blue dial. Initial thoughts Interestingly, Watches & Wonders 2021 marks the first major watch fair where Lange has not introduced any new timepieces with either a silver or black dial. Instead, the new Lange models all feature bold dial colours that break away from tradition – and I’m all for it. The new Triple Split is a merely facelift of the original, which had a dark grey dial and white gold case that gave it an austere characteristic of Lange. In contrast, the new model sheds its predecessor’s sternness with the rich combination of a blue dial and pink gold case, allowing it to come across as significantly more contemporary. I really like the new look. It’s eminently striking, while also being intriguing as it’s an unusual colour combination for Lange, which typically makes its watches with either silver or black dials. I particularly like the rhodium-coloured sub-dials, that contrast distinctly against the blue dial. Regardless of colour, the Triple Split is a magnificently complicated watch, one of the most complicated that Lange produces. Arguab...

Review with Watchscapes: Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Tourbillon Chronograph Deployant
Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Tourbillon Chronograph ... Nov 11, 2020

Review with Watchscapes: Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Tourbillon Chronograph

We get hands-on with the new Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Tourbillon Chronograph, introduced in Watches & Wonders Digital Edition in earlier this year. The watch is already in the boutiques and available for sale. Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Tourbillon Chronograph In this novelty, Vacheron Constantin unites two coveted technical complications under the Traditionelle banner: the monopusher chronograph,Read More

EDITOR’S PICK: Great value complications – the Clifton Baumatic Day-Date Moon-Phase Time+Tide
Nov 5, 2020

EDITOR’S PICK: Great value complications – the Clifton Baumatic Day-Date Moon-Phase

Editor’s note: With watch collecting skewing towards sports models, there is definitely room for more classic and complicated watches in our collections. Now I know what you’re thinking: more complicated means more cost. This, however, is not necessarily the case. In fact, we recently covered a watch that fits the bill. When Watches & Wonders … ContinuedThe post EDITOR’S PICK: Great value complications – the Clifton Baumatic Day-Date Moon-Phase appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

A. Lange & Söhne Introduces the Tourbograph Perpetual Honeygold “Homage to F.A. Lange” SJX Watches
Casio n all three are Sep 9, 2020

A. Lange & Söhne Introduces the Tourbograph Perpetual Honeygold “Homage to F.A. Lange”

Conceived to mark the brand’s founding in 1845 by Ferdinand Adolph Lange, the “Homage to F. A. Lange” 175th Anniversary collection is the centrepiece of A. Lange & Söhne’s debuts at Watches & Wonders 2020 in Shanghai. The commemorative line up is made up of three watches – spanning the price spectrum – all featuring Honeygold cases, special movement decoration, as well as dials that are new in either colour or material. And appropriately for the occasion, all three are from the 1815 line – named after the birth year of F. A. Lange –  that is characterised by a pocket watch-inspired aesthetic with Arabic numerals. The flagship of the anniversary collection is the Tourbograph Perpetual Honeygold “Homage to F.A. Lange”, a 50-piece limited edition variant of one of the most complex wristwatches made by Lange – it’s detailed below. The other two watches are explained in separate stories: the 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold, and the more affordable 1815 Thin Honeygold. The 175th anniversary trio (from left): 1815 Thin, 1815 Rattrapante, and Tourbograph Perpetual Honeygold As with the 165th anniversary watches of 2010, the new commemorative trio is entirely in Honeygold – including a Honeygold dial for the Tourbograph Perpetual. A gold alloy exclusive to Lange, Honeygold is a cross between rose and yellow gold. Because of its difficult nature, the metal has only ever been used for limited-edition watches because of its scarcity and price. According to Lan...

Up Close: IWC Portugieser Yacht Club Moon & Tide SJX Watches
IWC Portugieser Yacht Club Moon Apr 27, 2020

Up Close: IWC Portugieser Yacht Club Moon & Tide

The flagship of IWC’s new Portugieser watches unveiled at Watches & Wonders 2020 is not the most complicated, but it is certainly the most unusual. The Portugieser Yacht Club Moon & Tide is a first for IWC, introducing a brand-new complication to its line-up – a tide indication that tracks the ocean’s ebbs and flows. Initial thoughts The Yacht Club Moon & Tide is a big, heavy and shiny sports watch with twin sub-dials, but it is far more interesting than the typical watch in this category (which is almost always a chronograph). One of the very rare, comprehensive tide-display watches on the market, the Yacht Club Moon & Tide incorporates twin tidal displays, which are useless for most but fascinating, not just because they are rare but also because they are, in essence, an astronomical complication. And the tidal displays are combined with IWC’s trademark double moon phase, making it a bit more compelling. (But like all tide-indicator watches, the new Yacht Club has a caveat: IWC points out it “works reliably on all coasts with two equally strong high and low tides per day”. It is not a flaw, but just a nature of the complication. More that below.) At the same time, the watch overall is constructed to IWC’s usual levels of quality, which is to say excellent. The only downside is the rose-gold case, resulting in a steep price tag; hopefully a steel or titanium version comes along (and it probably will). The tidal watch, until now The tide-indicator complicatio...

Vacheron Constantin Introduces the Astronomical Grand Complication “Ode to Music” SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Introduces Apr 24, 2020

Vacheron Constantin Introduces the Astronomical Grand Complication “Ode to Music”

Just revealed at Watches & Wonders 2020, the Les Cabinotiers Astronomical Grand Complication “Ode to Music” is the latest chiming watch to emerge from Ateliers Cabinotiers, Vacheron Constantin’s dedicated department for commissions and ambitious unique pieces that showcase the brand’s technical as well as artisanal skills. If the watch looks familiar, that’s because it is based on the Les Cabinotiers Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication 3600, the most complicated wristwatch ever created by Vacheron Constantin at the time of its launch in 2017, but more importantly, the most comprehensive astronomical complication wristwatch ever made. The new Ode to Music retains all of its astronomical prowess, but replaces the tourbillon with a minute repeater, while omitting the tide indicator and power reserve display. Rebuilt grand comp As a result, the Ode to Music retains the same astronomical display module but is actually constructed on an entirely different base movement from the Celestia. While the Celestia relied on a base movement with a tourbillon and six barrels, the Ode to Music utilises the minute repeating cal. 1731, a wide but ultra-thin movement measuring just 3.9 mm high. Comprising a total of 600 parts, the resulting cal. 1731M820 is hand-wound, with a frequency of 3Hz and a 60-hour power reserve on a single barrel. Because of the thinner base movement, the Ode to Music clocks in at a relatively svelte 12.45 mm high, versus 13.6 mm for the Celestia. ...

Vacheron Constantin Introduces the Overseas Ultra-Thin Perpetual Calendar Skeleton SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Introduces Apr 24, 2020

Vacheron Constantin Introduces the Overseas Ultra-Thin Perpetual Calendar Skeleton

Since its 2016 relaunch after a major revamp, the Vacheron Constantin Overseas collection has filled out nicely with a diverse range of complications, ranging from world time to tourbillon – and even a one-off prototype that was sold for charity. At Watches & Wonders 2020, Vacheron Constantin debuts the first skeleton model in the line-up, the Overseas Ultra-Thin Perpetual Calendar Skeleton. It has the same gorgeously elegant lines as the standard Overseas perpetual calendar, but now enhanced by the intricately open-worked movement. Rendered only in pink gold for now – other variants will surely emerge if the rest of the collection is anything to go by – the case measures 41.5 mm across and just 8.1 mm high, leaving it surprisingly slimmer than both the Patrimony Ultra-Thin Perpetual Calendar that’s powered by the same movement. In typical Overseas style, both the case and bracelet are finely executed, with alternating brushed and polished surfaces. Even the inner faces of the notches on the bezel are brushed, while the deeply-set inner angles on the bracelet are polished. Framed by a minute ring, the dial is mostly clear sapphire with applied hour markers in pink gold, as well as day, date and month counter rings. The moon phase disc at six o’clock is covered by a frosted portion of the crystal to delineate the age of the moon, with a gold Maltese cross applied on the frosted display. The movement is the cal. 1120QPSQ/1, the skeletonised version of the ultra-t...

IWC Introduces the Portugieser Automatic 40 SJX Watches
IWC Introduces Apr 24, 2020

IWC Introduces the Portugieser Automatic 40

Characterised by a wide, sober dial with Arabic numerals and small seconds at six o’clock, the quintessential IWC Portugieser wristwatch has almost always been an extra-large, hand-wound timepiece, starting with the original ref. 325 of 1939. But for Watches & Wonders 2020, IWC has introduced a smaller take on the classic with the Portugieser Automatic 40. Available in four references, three in steel and one in pink gold, the new Portugieser Automatic is 40.4 mm wide and 12.4 mm high, making it quite a bit smaller and slimmer than the popular Portugieser 7-days ref. 5007. Notably, the latest Portugieser isn’t the first compact, self-winding variant of the model. In fact, it harks back to the little-known and uncommon Portuguese ref. 3531 of 1998 that was 35 mm and automatic. But in terms of design, the Portugieser Automatic 40 looks very much like a contemporary model. In fact, with the railway minute track and small seconds at six, it’s almost a dead-ringer for the Portugieser Hand-Wound Eight Days ref. 5102. Inside is the relatively new cal. 82200, which first made an appearance in the Da Vinci Automatic Edition “150 Years” in 2018. Offering a 60-hour power reserve, the movement is equipped with the latest-generation Pellaton winding system, which replaces the push-pull winding pawls that are found in the entry-level automatic cal. 32000. In addition, the automatic wheel, pawls and cam are made of wear-resistant ceramic. Key facts and price IWC Portugiese...

IWC Introduces the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar 42 SJX Watches
IWC Introduces Apr 24, 2020

IWC Introduces the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar 42

Now 15 years old, the IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar was almost always a 44.2 mm watch powered by a 7-day automatic movement (though IWC installed the same movement in the smaller, 42.3 mm ref. 5022 for several years). For Watches & Wonders 2020, IWC debuts the all-new Portugieser Perpetual Calendar 42 that’s simpler and far more affordable. Instead of the long-standing 7-day calibre, the Perpetual Calendar 42 is powered by a simpler but nevertheless robust movement with a more conventional 60-hour power reserve. The new calibre is also thinner, resulting in a case just 13.8 mm high, versus 14. 9 mm before. And as the model name implies, the Perpetual Calendar 42 has a 42.4 mm case, which is available in pink gold, or stainless steel – a first for the regular collection. Until now, with the exception of a 2014 limited edition, IWC has only ever offered the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar with a gold or platinum case. All of that means making the perpetual calendar is significantly more affordable – the steel version costs half of the 7-day model in 18k gold. An unusual perpetual While the dial retains the traditional perpetual calendar configuration with three sub-dials for the calendar – making it cleaner and more legible the the 7-day version – it also includes a central seconds hand, which is extremely uncommon on a perpetual calendar watch. Functionally, the perpetual calendar is similar but simplified as compared to the 7-day iteration. As with all IWC...

Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces the New Master Control Collection SJX Watches
Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces Apr 24, 2020

Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces the New Master Control Collection

A mainstay of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s catalogue for almost three decades, the Master Control made its debut in 1992 and has been facelifted every couple of years since. Fresh off the press at Watches & Wonders 2020, the latest Master Control collection forgets the facelifts and is instead throwback to the inaugural line-up of three decades ago. The new range reproduces the models and style of the originals, including the popular, entry-level Master Control Date, but it also includes an all-new model, the Master Control Chronograph Calendar. From left: Master Control Date, Master Control Calendar, and Master Control Geographic And the Master Control Chronograph Calendar New tech, classic style While retaining the look of the originals, the new Master Control models are ever-so-slightly larger, now measuring 40 mm (while the 1990s originals were mostly 37 mm). More importantly, the new watches have been fitted with newly-upgraded movements equipped with silicon escapements. The cal. 899AA of the Master Control Date Though JLC has used silicon escapements in the past, most notably in the Master Compressor Extreme LAB 2 and the more recent Tourbillon Celeste, the movements in the new Master Control watches are the first affordable, regular-production models to feature such escapements. The use of silicon pallet levers and escape wheels, coupled with the use of new lubricants and a stronger and longer mainspring, means substantial improvements in operating efficiency, with power ...

Panerai Introduces the Luminor Marina Titanio DMLS PAM01117 SJX Watches
Panerai Introduces Apr 24, 2020

Panerai Introduces the Luminor Marina Titanio DMLS PAM01117

At a glance, Panerai’s latest Luminor unveiled at Watches & Wonders 2020 might look like, well, just another Luminor. But the Luminor Marina Titanio DMLS (PAM01117) is more than that. It incorporates a new type of luminous paint with an extra-bright glow, while boasting a titanium case produced via a process similar to 3D printing. And most crucially, the watch is covered by a 70-year warranty. Given that Panerai’s identity is inextricably linked with legible, glow-in-the-dark dials, the new “lume” found on the Luminor DMLS makes sense. The watch features Super-Luminova X – a lot of it. Beyond the usual dial and hands, the new Luminor also had luminous paint on the flange around the dial, crown locking bridge and lever, and the stitching of the fabric strap. The use of “lume” as a decorative element brings to mind the Lumen series of A. Lange & Söhne (which is a sister brand of Panerai within Swiss luxury group Richemont), but here the luminous paint is executed in clean lines for a geometric pattern. Though the Luminor DMLS is a large 44 mm in diameter, it is only 100 g, making it the lightest Panerai watch with a metal alloy case. The case is produced via direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), the same process to make the case of the Lo Scienzato Luminor 1950 Tourbillon GMT Titanio PAM00578 from 2016. DMLS is a form of 3D printing where a laser is used to melt titanium powder tiny amounts at a time, layer by layer as the case is built up. The nature of the p...

A. Lange & Söhne Introduces the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater in White Gold SJX Watches
A. Lange & Sohne Apr 24, 2020

A. Lange & Söhne Introduces the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater in White Gold

Five years ago, A. Lange & Söhne unveiled its first minute repeating wristwatch (setting aside the €2 million Grand Complication), but it was no ordinary repeater. Instead the it was a decimal repeater incorporated into the Zeitwerk and its signature digital time display. Originally introduced in platinum as part of the regular collection, the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater now returns in white gold as a 30-piece limited edition at Watches & Wonders 2020. Though the white gold case bestows little price advantage over the monochromatic platinum model, the watch does look more striking in blue. The idea of a decimal-repeating, digital watch is sensible – pairing the digital, jumping hours and minutes of the Zeitwerk with a decimal repeater means the chimes to match time display of hours, tens of minutes, and single minutes. In other words, the decimal repeater is as intuitive as the digital time-display. This is in contrast to typical minute repeaters that chime the time in 15-minute blocks, followed by the the remaining minutes. Visible at 12 o’clock is a power reserve indicator The only stylistic difference with this new edition is the dial colour. While the time display is still framed by the familiar rhodium-plated bridge, the rest of the dial is now dark blue, a first for the Zeitwerk (which has historically been available with either silver or black dials). And below the bridge are the symmetrically-arranged twin hammers and gongs, with the latter tracing the pe...

Cartier Introduces the Santos de Cartier ADLC SJX Watches
Cartier Introduces Apr 24, 2020

Cartier Introduces the Santos de Cartier ADLC

After unveiling the glow-in-the-dark Santos Skeleton ADLC “Noctambule” last year, Cartier debuts the similar, but simpler, Santos de Cartier ADLC at Watches & Wonders 2020. The new Santos actually revives a look the brand first rolled out in 2009 with the Santos 100 ADLC, which was the brand’s first use of amorphous diamond-like carbon (ADLC) as a case coating. A nano-composite coating, ADLC possesses diamond-like properties, including high corrosion and scratch resistance, improving the robustness of the watch case. But like all coatings it can detach if the material below is dented or scratched deeply. All-black (left), or a combination of natural-finish steel and ADLC-coating Shades of black Like the Skeleton ADLC “Noctambule”, the Santos ADLC is available only in the largest LM case that’s 47.5 mm by 39.8 mm on the face and a height of 9.38 mm, making it a big but relatively slim watch. It is available in two iterations: all-black ADLC-coated steel, or two-tone steel with an ADLC bezel. While the case dimensions are identical to the standard Santos, the new models have a low-key matte finish. The bezel is brushed, instead of the mirror polish found on the standard model, with only the bevels along the edge of the case being polished. The steel model features a dark grey dial which matches the shade of the ADLC coating on the bezel. Though the dial is a single colour, it appears two-tone due to the surface finishing – vertical brushing on the inner dia...

Cartier Introduces the Cartier Privé Tank Asymétrique SJX Watches
Cartier Introduces Apr 24, 2020

Cartier Introduces the Cartier Privé Tank Asymétrique

Cartier has made it an annual tradition to revive one of its iconic case shapes as part of the compact and focused Cartier Privé line, having started with the Tank Cintrée in 2018, followed by the Tonneau last year. Now at Watches & Wonders 2020, the jeweller has recreated one of its most divergent Tank models with the Cartier Privé Tank Asymétrique, in the classic time-only format as well as a contemporary skeleton version. The Tank Asymetrique Skeleton Introduced in 1936, the Asymétrique was not conceived as a Tank wristwatch at the time of its launch, and was known as the Parallélogramme or Losange after its case shape. It deviated from a conventional rectangular case literally, with the case brancards offset in opposite directions, transforming the rectangle into a diamond, while the dial was rotated by 30 degrees to the right. A distinctive feature of the dial on the vintage Parallélogramme watches were the alternating Arabic numeral and baton hour markers, probably conceived to improve legibility of the skewed dial. In the modern day, the Asymétrique was incorporated into the Tank wristwatch line-up when it was reproduced as a limited edition. That happened first in 1996 with a limited edition with a small case size, with 300 examples in yellow gold and another 100 in platinum, both having the same dial style as the vintage originals. (And in 1999 a tiny run of watches was made to commemorate the handover of Macau to China.) The CPCP Tank Asymetrique of ...

Cartier Introduces the Santos-Dumont Limited Editions SJX Watches
Cartier Introduces Apr 24, 2020

Cartier Introduces the Santos-Dumont Limited Editions

Hot on the heels of the Santos-Dumont XL hand-wind, Cartier has dropped four limited edition variants of the same at Watches & Wonders 2020, each dedicated to one of Alberto Santos-Dumont’s most significant aircraft. Within just a decade, the pioneering Franco-Brazilian aviator designed and piloted diverse methods of conquering the skies, from balloons and dirigibles to heavier-than-air aircraft. The four flying machines commemorated by the new limited edition Santos-Dumont watches each represent a different milestone in his career, starting with his first balloon, the Brésil of 1898, to his greatest feat, the La Demoiselle plane of 1908.   Increasing in edition size as the price decreases with the preciousness of the case, all four editions are mechanical, powered by the ultra-thin 430 MC found in the Santos-Dumont XL, which is actually a Piaget 430P. Though they share the same movement, the editions are not all the same size. The first three are in the large Santos-Dumont case, with dimensions of 43.5 mm by 31.4 mm, perfectly appropriate for a modern-day dress watch, offering just the right balance between elegance and presence. The last and most expensive edition, on the other hand, is platinum and XL size, meaning it is 46.6 mm by 33.9 mm. Santos-Dumont XL in platinum (extreme left), and the trio of large-size editions Santos-Dumont “Le Brésil” Limited to 100 pieces, “Le Bresil” is named after Santos-Dumont’s first flying machine, a hot-air balloon not...

Cartier Introduces the Pasha de Cartier SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Apr 24, 2020

Cartier Introduces the Pasha de Cartier

As it does every couple of years, or decades, Cartier reintroduces one of its iconic wristwatches, this time the Pasha de Cartier. Launched in 1985 and a big hit in the decade after, the Pasha was Cartier’s original round-case bestseller, long before the Ballon Bleu. Three decades on, the new Pasha makes its debut once again at Watches & Wonders 2020 as a full-fledged collection with models for both men and women, from time-only to skeleton tourbillon, as well as diamond-set versions. Variants of the new Pasha 41 mm for men Mysterious origins Despite having a round case – Cartier is most famous for its shaped watches like the Tank and Santos – the Pasha is amongst the most historically-important Cartier timepieces, apparently. Legend has it that Cartier first created a water-resistant watch in 1934 for the fabulously wealthy Pasha of Marrakesh, Thami El Glaoui, who wanted a watch he could wear while swimming. The result was one of the first-ever luxury-sports watches. While the Parisian jeweller no doubt made a watch to fulfil the Pasha’s request, it was most likely a rectangular Tank Etanche, rather than anything resembling today’s Pasha watch. Inspired by that tale, the modern-day Pasha was born in 1985, penned by the hand of Gerald Genta, the prolific designer whose heyday in the 1970s and 1980s saw him create a string of hits, ranging from the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak to the Bulgari Bulgari. Genta’s creations were often avant-garde in their day, and his...