Watches And Wonders 2023 — 15 New Releases We Loved

07 Apr, 2023

Watches And Wonders 2023 — 15 New Releases We Loved

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A Collector’s Delight — Arnold & Son Time Pyramid

Watches and Wonders, one of the biggest events in the horological calendar, makes the first quarter of the year the most exciting for any connoisseur of exceptional watches as it pays homage to the exquisite craft of watchmaking from the industry’s leading entities. With the event’s phenomenal success in Geneva last year, Watches and Wonders returned this year with a more monumental and breathtaking exhibit, with 48 premium watch brands participating to display their fresh releases that will be accessible throughout the entire year. The Watches and Wonders 2023 took place from March 27 to April 2 at the Palexpo exhibition centre in Geneva, illustrating an assortment of intriguing timepieces from top-tier brands and talented craftspeople, demonstrating the industry’s excellence in mechanics, artistry, and architecture.

A. Lange & Söhne, Cartier, Grand Seiko, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Oris, Patek Philippe, TAG Heuer, Tudor, and Vacheron Constantin are just a few of the brands introducing their innovations at Watches and Wonders 2023. The event was also open to the public for the first time for two glorious days, which was a truly exhilarating announcement for watch lovers everywhere. On Monday, just before the show’s doors opened to media and marketers, numerous brands unveiled a multitude of debut pieces, while many celebrated iterations of iconic lines. Here are the most remarkable timepieces presented at the largest haute horlogerie exhibition of 2023, including tributes to the past, revivals of collections, additions of blockbusters, one-of-a-kind complications, and refinements of the season’s most captivating trends.

1. Arnold & Son Ultrathin Tourbillon

The new Ultra Thin Tourbillon from Arnold & Son stepped in with only 88 limited edition units. Unlock the world of precision and beauty with a mere glimpse of this timepiece that embodies a perfect blend of sophistication and innovation. This circular timepiece has an 8.3mm thickness, a 41.5mm diameter, and a water resistance of 30 metres. Formulated with an 18-karat red gold case, it boasts a gorgeous, white off-centre dial at noon marked by a golden-hued contour within the opaline-finished dial in a silver tone. A similar golden ring outlines the tourbillon aperture at six o’clock, giving the watch a well-balanced look. Calibre A&S8300 powers this timepiece, one of the slimmest tourbillon movements created. The bridges are constructed from gold and are meticulously hand engraved.

2. Baume & Mercier Riviera Azur 300m

Two new iterations were unveiled by Baume & Mercier to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their popular dodecagonal dive watch — Riviera. These new models are inspired by the first Riviera dive watch of 1981, which featured a black display and bezel. The updated models bring the distinctive 12-sided unidirectional rotating bezel alongside lacquered gradation on the opening fifteen minutes of the scale as well as an ergonomic anodized aluminium ring. The Baumatic movement, calibre BM13-1975A, which has a 120-hour power reserve and resistance to magnetic fields, is visible through two translucent dial options — smoked blue and grey sapphire.

3. Bell & Ross BR-03 92 Diver White Bronze

This stunning, innovative timepiece embodies the brand’s ‘circle-within-a-square’ layout philosophy. It features an exquisite opaline white dial, a bronze case, and a polished bronze unidirectional rotating bezel. The bronze’s patina and the dial’s stark white contrast will give the timepiece an enviable retro-chic appearance as it matures. It is among Bell & Ross‘s more beautiful “tools” influenced by aviation instruments with its thoughtful design and material selection, which include a hypoallergenic stainless steel case back etched with the iconic diver’s helmet.

4. Bulgari Octo Roma Chronograph

This triple-register chronograph by BVLGARI display includes a 30-minute counter, a 12-hour counter, a running seconds counter, and a date window at 4:30. It is driven by in-house calibre BVL 399 movement, visible through a sapphire caseback. A crown guarded by two crown guards, discreetly merged chronograph pushers, and case architecture with a blend of refined and brushed elements all contribute to an eye-catching appearance.

5. Smoky Green Santos de Cartier

Cartier has broadened its colour palette to offer a stunning shade of green with the new Santos de Cartier release for Watches and Wonders 2023. This version, kitted with a scintillating smoky green dial, is unique in aesthetics but conventional in specs. It carries the signature squared shape and screws on the bezel and bracelet. Also, the QuickSwitch strap changing system and SmartLink sizing system still make this piece handy and ergonomic. But the dial makes all the difference. The hue has lustre, texture, and depth. The dateless Smoky Green Santos is released in a medium variant (41.9mm x 35.1mm) and a large model (47.5mm x 39.8mm).

6. Grand Seiko Evolution 9 Collection Tentagraph

Grand Seiko introduced Evolution 9 and its first mechanical complication at Watches and Wonder 2022. This year, they’ve extended this collection by introducing their first mechanical chronograph, the Tentagraph or 10-beat chronograph. This ground-breaking timepiece is driven by their brand-new Tentagraph Calibre 9SC5, which beats ten times per second and provides accurate timekeeping. The movement has two barrels and an energy-efficient escapement that enables it to operate for at least three days, even when the chronograph is engaged, making it the timepiece with the longest power reserve in the business.

7. Hublot Integrated Tourbillon Full Carbon

In the latest Hublot Integrated Tourbillon Full Carbon, the heft imposed by the mechanism contrasts sharply with the delicacy of the watch’s design. It is Hublot’s tribute to their magnificent art of fusion, rendered comprehensively in lightweight carbon fibre and outfitted with a titanium caseback. A micro-rotor, evident on the dial side, provides the 72-hour power reserve for the HUB6035 manufacture automatic movement, which also powers a tourbillon. With a 43mm case and the integrated bracelet, this one is a remarkable tourbillon timepiece that can be so potent while also being lightweight and wearable.

8. IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 Titanium

IWC introduced a new Ingenieur model inspired by the 1976’s reference 1832 designed by legendary watchmaker Gerald Genta. This new Ingenieur Automatic 40 in titanium pays homage to Genta’s original design with updates such as a curved case ring, integrated bracelet, and functional screws on the bezel. The dial features the checkerboard grid pattern as the original and comes in a grey hue. The watch runs on the IWC-manufactured 32111 calibre with a 120-hour power reserve.

9. Jacob & Co. Billionaire Timeless Treasure

This $20 million watch, a one-of-a-kind new interpretation of the Billionaire line by Jacob & Co., has 425 rare Asscher-cut yellow diamonds totalling an incredible 216.89 carats. The watch epitomises regality and additionally integrates a skeleton tourbillon mechanism. Further, 76 green emerald-cut Tsavorites encircle the dial, outlining the movement. It is unquestionably an exceptional museum-grade timepiece from a company that does not shy away from being ostentatious.

10. Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Secret Necklace

Jaeger-LeCoultre created many jewellery versions of its watches, but a necklace rendition of its most recognisable Reverso model has been the most awe-inspiring. The brand-new Secret Necklace showcases geometry and symmetry in layout in support of their tribute of the Reverso’s Golden Ratio muse and its art deco origins. This 38-hour manual-winding watch, which is upside-down when hanged and can only be observed upright by the bearer when they raise it, is ornamented in diamonds and black onyx.

11. Louis Moinet Impulsion

A combination of chronograph and tourbillon complications is manifested through the Louis Moinet Impulsion, launched at the Watches and Wonders 2023, with only 28 units of the reference. The novel concept showcases a visually-stunning skeleton dial, giving you a glimpse of the internal Memoris calibre movement, putting the mechanism that powers the chronograph and the tourbillon on display. The movement is replete with a double-barrel winding system with a ‘volte-face’ configuration, which means the barrels are connected in reverse, supplying a thrumming 96-hour power. The mechanism is held in the heart of the case with 18k gold, offering a robust build. The lugs are hollowed out and showcase a stylistic lexicon case.

12. Oris ProPilot X Kermit Edition

The ProPilot X Kermit Edition from Oris sports a lively green dial, a shade inspired by Kermit, the frog. The Muppets’ Kermit makes a cameo once a month in the date display at six o’clock to commemorate “Kermit Day,” a day dedicated to having enjoyment instead of carrying things too earnestly. Kermit makes an earnest face and flashes a wide smile. The watch features a 39mm titanium case and is driven by the proprietary calibre 400, which has improved precision and magnetic resistance that meets the requirements for chronometer accreditation.

13. Panerai Radiomir Annual Calendar

Two enticing models of Panerai Radiomir were released at Watches and Wonders 2023 with annual calendar complications, including day, date, and a monthly calendar marked on a scale positioned at the outer ring of the dial. The watch’s in-house automatic P.9010/AC movement guarantees that the change between 30-day and 31-day months occurs automatically, except for the commencement of February when the bearer must manually set the date. This new Panerai Radiomir Annual Calendar comes in two dial options, blue and burgundy.

14. TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Glass Box

The Tourbillon Glass Box, powered by the brand’s TH20-09 calibre, is an appropriate tribute to 60 years of TAG Heuer Carrera and evokes thoughts of the 1960s Carrera Chronograph, thanks to the dome-shaped sapphire crystal over its dial (the original had plexiglass). This timepiece showcases a striking blue dial and racing orange accents in an updated 42mm case. While the monotone chronograph counters sit at three and nine o’clock, the 60-second tourbillon is placed at six o’clock.

15. Zenith Pilot Automatic

The updated Zenith Pilot collection abandons its customary vintage-inspired aesthetics and is steadfastly contemporary and versatile. The Zenith Pilot Automatic acts as the cornerstone timepiece for this new collection and is offered in steel or black ceramic iterations. The timepiece, which is sleek in appearance, has a new case design featuring a flat-top bezel, an enormous crown, a unique opaline dial with broad, applied for Arabic numbers, and a white line above the date display window representing an artificial horizon or turn coordinator for a plane.