Watches Baselworld: Timepieces to remember

Blancpain

This year, the Villeret collection has added a new timepiece to its family. The watch’s chapter ring and the Blancpain logo are enamel painted onto the dial. Numbers surrounding the hours denote the week of the year, which is indicated with a blue serpentine handle. Blancpain’s patented under-lug correctors for the date and time are easily accessed with a fingertip, thus avoiding the need for a stylus tool. blancpain.com

• Strap: hand-stitched alligator leather
• Case diameter: 42mm
• Water-resistant: 30 metres

Breguet

As on Breguet’s many historic models, “Grand Feu” enamel has been used on the dial of the new Classique 7147. The numerals are dainty, maintaining the brand’s horological heritage. Here, the hours and minutes are indicated by traditional blue steel hands with an offset open tip. The seconds hand moves within its own sub-dial, located at the fifth hour. The model is available in rose gold and white gold versions. breguet.com

• Strap: alligator leather with a gold pin buckle
• Case diameter: 40mm
• Water-resistant: 30 metres

Breitling

The black dial of this 1,000-piece limited edition — Avenger Hurricane Military — has a 24-hour display. Luminescent hands and numerals are highlighted in a slightly patinated yellow-beige colour, reminiscent of the instruments produced by Breitling from the 1940s to the 1960s. This model is a nod to the brand’s heritage in the aeronautical and military field. It is equipped with a 50mm case in “Breitlight”, a trademark high-tech material that is 3.3 times lighter than titanium, 5.8 times lighter than steel, and significantly harder than both. breitling.com

• Strap: military rubber
• Case diameter: 50mm
• Water-resistant: 100 metres

Bvlgari

With its Octo Finissimo Automatic, Bulgari breaks the world record for the third time — the first two records were broken in 2014 and 2016. This time the brand has put the world’s “slimmest ultra-thin self-winding watch on the market to date”. Its total thickness is just 5.15mm and that of the in-house, self-winding movement is just 2.23mm. The titanium case and dial reveal a sandblasted surface for a contemporary appeal. The hands and hour markers are coated with a black PVD treatment to enhance legibility. bvlgari.com

• Strap: alligator leather with a titanium pink buckle or titanium bracelet with a folding clasp
• Case diameter: 40mm
• Water-resistant: 30 metres

Calvin Klein

Calvin Klein Minimal is a classic that is inspired by vintage timepieces of the world of horology. The collection is available for men and women both, and comes in different chromatic versions — tone on tone stainless steel, yellow gold PVD, black and logo contrasted on blue or stainless steel bracelets, and a black and pink gold PVD completed with a mesh bracelet or leather strap. calvinklein.com

• Strap: mesh or leather strap
• Case diameter: 40mm for men and 24mm for women
• Water-resistant: 30 metres

Carl F. Bucherer

This brand has a strong connect with its home town, Lucerne, which shows in Carl F. Bucherer’s new variant of the Patravi ScubaTec. Its vivid blue is just like that of Lake Lucerne. The 18-carat red gold case is a tribute to its home town’s Baroque heritage. Making it suitable as a diving instrument are the automatic helium outlet valve, crown protection in blackened titanium and the diving ring that can only be turned counterclockwise, as required by diving watches. carl-f-bucherer.com

• Strap: rubber with a folding clasp
• Case diameter: 44.6mm
• Water-resistant: 500 metres

Favre-Leuba

The launch of Bivouac 9000 coincides with the brand’s 280th anniversary — a “groundbreaking watch” as described by Favre-Leuba. It is the first mechanical wristwatch in the world with the ability to measure altitudes of up to 9,000 metres above sea level — Mount Everest is 8,848 metres tall. It has an in-built barometer with an airtight capsule fitted into its heart. When the air pressure drops or rises, the capsule expands and contracts respectively. The red central hand indicates the altitude on the bidirectional rotating bezel. favre-leuba.com

• Strap: leather with a pin buckle
• Case diameter: 48mm
• Water-resistant: 30 metres

Frederique Constant

The new Worldtimer in Frederique Constant’s Classic Manufacture Collection tracks time in 24 cities across varying time zones. These are on the outer rim of the dial that also has the world map etched onto it. This Worldtimer function is completely controlled by a crown that has three positions: turn the crown upwards to manually wind the watch, turn it upwards and downwards to set the date and time, turn the crown downwards to set the time. frederiqueconstant.com

• Strap: leather strap
• Case diameter: 42mm
• Water-resistant: 50 metres

Graham

Nose art is a painting on the nose, fuselage of an aircraft, a friendly trend that brought some element of fun during the wars. The Graham Chronofighter Vintage Nose Art is reminiscent of this trend. Anna, Lilly, Nina and Sally are the sexy mascots of this 100-piece limited edition each, added to the Chronofighter Vintage Series collection. The sunbrushed vintage dials are painted with these pin-up girls. graham1695.com

• Strap: calf leather with a pin buckle
• Case diameter: 44mm
• Water-resistant: 100 metres

Hublot

To celebrate its 70th anniversary, Hublot with its Italian marque partner has presented a new collection that is designed by Ferrari and crafted by Hublot — Techframe Ferrari 70 years Tourbillon Chronograph (limited edition). It is available in three versions: King Gold, PEEK Carbon, and Titanium, 70 pieces of each. The black structure on the dial has the chronograph counters, the Ferrari logo is visible at the ninth hour, and the crown, positioned at the fourth hour, is raised by a black PVD Titanium insert and is decorated with the famous Prancing Horse. hublot.com

• Strap: rubber with a folding clasp
• Case diameter: 45mm
• Water-resistant: 30 metres

Jaquet Droz

The black onyx dial of the Loving Butterfly Automaton comes with hand-engraved 18-carat red gold appliques. Its case is also made from 18-carat red gold. Jaquet Droz’s newest model has a hand-winding mechanical automaton movement, which, on pressing the push button, triggers a mechanism that moves the butterfly’s wings and wheel of the chariot. jaquet-droz.com

• Strap: handmade alligator leather with a folding clasp
• Case diameter: 43mm
• Water-resistant: 30 metres

Longines

Longines Heritage 1945 is an elegant and simple timeless piece in beige and copper tones. This vintage looking piece has a sturdy steel case that beautifully complements the brushed coppery dial and aged-looking leather strap. This balance in design continues in the blue hands — leaf style for the hour/minute and baton style for the second hand above the sixth hour in a sub-dial. The hour circle has Arabic numerals, as well as silver cabochons denoting the first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth and eleventh hours. longines.com

• Strap: leather strap in a nubuck finish
• Case diameter: 40mm
• Water-resistant: 30 metres

Movado

This model, Movado Museum Watch, was designed in 1947 by Bauhaus-influenced artist Nathan George Horwitt. The twelfth hour on the dial is signified by a dot, typical to Movado. It symbolises the sun at high noon. In fact, this dial was selected by Museum of Modern Art, New York to be included in its permanent collection in 1960 — the first ever for any watch then. This year the brand has launched three additions to the collection — the ladies’ model is in polished yellow gold PVD-finished steel, while the two men’s watches are in solid stainless steel. movado.com

• Strap: calfskin leather with a classic tongue buckle
• Case diameter: 40mm
• Water-resistant: 30 metres

Omega

The Seamaster Planet Ocean “Big Blue” is Omega’s first timepiece created out of a single block of blue ceramic. The material is widely used by Omega because it is six times harder than steel, scratch-proof and never fades, making it ideal for its collection for the adventurous, such as the Seamaster. The blue ceramic dial displays an orange GMT track and 18-karat gold with white Super-LumiNova coating on the hands and indexes. omegawatches.com

• Strap: rubber with a ceramic fold-over clasp
• Case diameter: 45.5mm
• Water-resistant: 600 metres

Oris

About a quarter of the world’s coral reefs are damaged through chemicals, careless tourism and overfishing. The remaining is under further threat. Through sales of Oris Staghorn Restoration Limited Edition (2,000 pieces), the brand is helping conserve these ecosystems, in partnership with non-profit Coral Restoration Foundation. This watch model is part of Oris’ Aquis collection. Orange on the watch’s key indications, including the seconds hand, denote the colour of Staghorn coral. It is also one of the most visible colours underwater. oris.ch

• Strap: rubber strap with a sliding-sledge folding clasp
• Case diameter: 43.50mm
• Water-resistant: 300 metres

Rado

The watchmaker has added four colours — inky blue, forest green, lunar grey and chocolate brown — to its True Thinline collection (4.9mm profile). The almost bare dials and monochrome colour scheme follow a minimalistic design. Most part of the grey and blue high-tech ceramic models’ surfaces are polished, the shine is offset by contrasting matt middle links in the bracelet. The green high-tech ceramic model is fully polished and the brown is entirely matt. rado.com

• Strap: high-tech ceramic with titanium 3-fold buckle
• Case diameter: 43.3mm
• Water-resistant: 30 metres

Raymond Weil

The ultimate legend of British rock, David Bowie has been honoured by Raymond Weil with its 3,000-piece Limited Edition freelancer “David Bowie” collection. The model that the brand labels as being “most free-spirited”, marks the artist’s 70th birthday, had he still been alive. The dial resembles a vinyl record, the 12th hour is denoted by the lightening bolt from his cover Aladdin Sane, and the Andy Warhol designed logo for the singer, featured on the cover of Diamond Dogs, is placed above the sixth hour.raymond-weil.com

• Strap: calf leather with a folding steel clasp
• Case diameter: 42.5mm
• Water-resistant: 100 metres

Rolex

The unique regatta chronograph of Rolex’s Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master II is dedicated to both yachting enthusiasts and experienced sailors. The dial and hands are designed to enable ease in legibility. A luminescent disc distinguishes the hour hand from the minute hand. Yacht-Master II has a programmable countdown with a mechanical memory that can be synchronised on the fly — press on the pusher at the fourth hour. The pusher at the second hour starts and stops the countdown. rolex.com

• Strap: steel with a folding safety clasp
• Case diameter: 44mm
• Water-resistant: 100 metres

TAG Heuer

With its partners Intel and Google, TAG Heuer has launched the second generation of its connected watch. The collaboration with Intel features GPS, an NFC sensor for payments, a high definition AMOLED screen, and a selection of customisable TAG Heuer dials, lugs, buckles and straps. Google’s Android Wear 2.0 and the new TAG Heuer Companion app helps you stay connected with people and enables easy access to important information on your device. tagheuer.com

• Strap: rubber
• Case diameter: 45mm
• Water-resistant: 50 metres

Tissot

Tissot is the official timekeeper of Tour de France, one of the world’s most popular cycling races. Tissot T-Race Cycling Tour de France Special Edition bears the race’s yellow and black colours and official logo engraved on the caseback. It constitutes large, easy-to-read hands against a backdrop of a black tar-effect dial to illustrate roads. The bicycle’s wheel, fork in the frame, brake levers and chain are represented throughout the watch’s design. tissotwatches.com 

• Strap: silicone strap
• Case diameter: 44.5mm
• Water-resistant: 100 metres

Zenith

Zenith’s Pilot Type 20 Extra Special 40mm watch has a vintage appearance — aged steel, broad fluted crown, oversized luminescent Arabic numerals, grained dial — all in shades of mustard, khaki, blue and burgundy for a retro appeal. This unisex watch is a nod to the history of the Maison and the caseback bears its historical logo — a coat-of-arms studded with stars with the founding date of the Manufacture Zenith: 1865. zenith-watches.com

• Strap: nubuck leather with protective rubber lining and titanium pin buckle
• Case diameter: 40mm
• Water-resistant: 100 metres