Hublot MP-11

The Hublot MP-11 is reintroduced in a brand new colour – translucent water blue – this year. This marks a bold departure from previous models which were mostly done in more contrasting shades. Not only that, the colour is also a new addition to Hublot’s palette of sapphire tones. First launched six years ago at Baselworld 2018, this groundbreaking timepiece is renowned for its seven coaxial, vertical barrels, positioned at 90 degrees to the movement which gives it a 2-week power reserve. 

Chanel J12 Atelier Couture Automate Calibre 6

Chanel’s Watch Creation Studio must have had plenty of fun mixing haute couture with haute horlogerie, judging by the whimsical timepieces it has produced as part of the Couture O’Clock capsule collection. Some of the brand’s core watch collections including the J12 are reimagined with the house’s couture workshops on Rue Cambon in Paris as its inspiration. Our favourite is the J12 Atelier Couture Automate Calibre 6 watch which sets the Mademoiselle dancing at the press of a button. Limited to 100 pieces, the watch took five years to develop and this is the first Automaton movement designed and assembled by the House Watch Manufacture.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre Heliotourbillon Perpetual

Jaeger-LeCoultre (JLC) showcased an entirely new tourbillon construction – one which rotates on three axes to create a spinning top effect –  with the Duometre Heliotourbillon Perpetual watch. This is the kind of thing that has earned JLC its nickname “the watchmaker of watchmakers”; and besides just looking really cool, the design of the tourbillon allows the movement to achieve an unparalleled level of precision – which incidentally is the Maison’s key message for the year. The case is inspired by the Savonette pocket watches that JCL made in the 19th century.

Ulysse Nardin Freak S Nomad

Since 2001, Ulysee Nardin has been redefining watchmaking with its futuristic-looking Freak watches. No hands, no crown, no dial, no problem. The Freak watches look almost nothing like a watch and its latest addition, the Freak S Nomad, is not different. A sand-coloured hour disc with guilloché pattern takes centrestage on this novelty and this intricate motif alone is produced one piece at a time by a highly skilled artisan. The double oscillator movement is as cutting edge as the Freak’s aesthetic and Ulysse Nardin’s patented Grinder automatic winding system is used to give the Freak S Nomad 72 hours of power reserve. Like its predecessors, this watch is both a work of art and statement piece for those who like groundbreaking design and innovative technology on their wrist.

Grand Seiko Spring Drive Chronograph GMT

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 9R Spring Drive movement which powers all Grand Seiko Spring Drive watches, the brand has rolled out a new watch that pays homage to the brand’s birthplace in Shinshu region. Using a new dial-processing technology, the Grand Seiko Spring Drive Chronograph GMT recreates the ever changing colours of summer mornings over the nearby Hotaka mountain range on the face of the watch. The angular case design and claw-like hairline-finished lugs are inspired by the lion, Grand Seiko’s brand symbol since its inception in 1960. To keep the watch light and comfortable, high-intensity titanium is used to construct both the case and the bracelet.