Romain Gauthier, the independent Swiss high-end watch manufacturer, is getting ready to unveil its latest collection at Baselworld 2016, which runs March 17th to 24th. The brand has announced the launch of five new creations, including some casual timepieces, some with a dark twist, but also a stunning micro-painted engraving timepiece that pays tribute to a Chinese national treasure. While we’re all waiting for BaselWorld to open up its doors, why not take a look at one of the most perfect recent exemplars of true Haute Horlogerie  - the Romai...

Harry Winston Project Z9 timepiece represents the latest model in Harry Winston’s Project Z series, which is all about the Maison’s pioneering use of Zalium. Like all other watches from the Z series, the Project Z9 is entirely made in Zalium™, a proprietary zirconium-based alloy, which first appeared in Harry Winston’s creations for 2001. Zalium, which originates from the aerospace industry, is a material of extreme lightness and durability, and outstanding resistance to corrosion. Its technical properties, combined with a unique dark gray shad...

The house of Bulgari was founded in 1884, by Sotirio Bulgari, a man of Greek heritage who lived in Rome. At first, his brand produced only silverware and decorative items, before it finally tapped into jewelry in 1905. The famous Serpenti bracelet, the brand's most iconic jewelry creation shaped like a snake coiled around the wrist, was first introduced during the 1940s. The Serpent collection derives its inspiration from the Greco-Roman heritage of the brand, recalling the legend of the snake from both Greek and Roman mythologies. The snake wa...

The Bulgari Ultranero term refers to extreme-black, dark DLC-coated versions of the Bulgari Octo model. What these four versions have in common are the alternating 18k pink gold and black surfaces, which gives them a distinctively refined yet avant-garde appeal. Today, we'll take a closer look at the Octo Ultranero Finissimo Tourbillon, which comes in a black, DLC-treated titanium case. The new Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon comes in a 40mm-wide case, and it is only 1.95mm-thick, which makes it the world's thinnest tourbillon watch. The Fini...

The house of Perrelet introduces a new member of its famous Turbine collection. The Turbine range, which is inspired by Perrelet's traditional double automatic rotor dials, was introduced in 2009. At that time, now famous Turbine was only an experimental, concept watch, but it attained the success that was most encouraging. Since 2009, Perrelet Turbine has appeared in numerous fresh iterations, each offering a new interpretation of the in-house Double Rotor system. The house of Perrelet is most famous for its patented Double Rotor system, wh...

The Swiss watchmaking brand Rotary, famous for its high quality, elegant timepieces at affordable prices, announces the launch of its new watch family. On the occasion of the BaselWorld 2016 trade show, the house of Rotary will introduce the new signature collection named the “Tradition.” Tradition is a new line within its Les Originales collection, and it represents a Rotary’s new generation, while staying true to its roots. This Swiss manufacture has a long and successful history. It was established back in 1895 by Moise Dreyfuss, at La Chau...

The Oris Carl Brashear Limited Edition is the first bronze watch ever produced by the famous Swiss manufacturer. The brand announced it a couple of days ago, and it will be on display during the BaselWorld trade show, in March 2016. As its name suggests, this very special timepiece honors the life and legend of Carl Brashear, the U.S. Navy’s first African American master diver whose extraordinary life was the inspiration for the 2000 film Men of Honor. Brashear was the first African American to become a U.S. Navy Master Diver. He joined the...

This time, the Movado Museum Classic arrives in an intense black version, with gold-colored hands, and polished yellow gold-treated stainless steel case. The new reference is a member of the historical Museum collection, which is distinguished by its streamlined and modern design. Strongly influenced by the aesthetic codes of the Bauhaus movement, the Movado Museum dial focuses on simplicity, tastefulness, and function. The first of Museum dials was designed by American artist Nathan George Horwitt, in 1947. He wanted to create the purest pos...

This time, the successful model appears in a distinctive dark blue version, uniting fine watchmaking with a sense of refined elegance and masculine beauty. The chronometer watch is a term that characterizes only the most refined and precise time telling instruments. A watch can be called “chronometer” only if it has earned this title by complying normative standards of one of the authorized testing institutions. For Swiss watches, it is the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). This Swiss non-profit organization tests Swiss-made...

The brand new version of the famous Avenger is out just in time for the upcoming BaselWorld trade show, which takes place from March 17 to 24, 2016. The Avenger line, which belongs to the Aeromarine model range, is distinguished from the other lines thanks to its removable rider tabs that serve as visual markers, grip aids, and to protect the sapphire crystal. This year's edition is an ultimately masculine, stealth-looking timepiece, which comes in a sturdy and large titanium case, measuring 45 mm in diameter. As announced by the brand, the...

The new reference is a sequel to ArtyA's first ever series of racing timepieces. For once again, ArtyA is pushing the limits of haute horlogerie with an interesting design feature. The Artya Race is distinguished by an innovative hub on the rim on the dial side, which goes right through the watch – including the sapphire crystal. This dynamic timepiece is the world's first ever watch with a speedy time indication – the hours and minutes can only be seen when the wheel on the dial turns at full speed! The unusual timekeeper is inspired by the w...

As announced by the brand, the original new model, Rado True Open Heart, which will be issued in two variants, Black or White, belongs to Rado’s lightness-inspired collection for 2016. The upbeat new models are crafted from either matt black or polished white ceramic, and offered in two different series, each limited to only 500 numbered pieces. The dial, with its large apertures, reveals the generously decorated Swiss movement, lending the piece an airy feel, and letting the wearer admire the wonder of the precise mechanics. The misty veil...

The house of Hublot is best known for its passion for innovation and breaking with the traditional savoir-faire. The Maison has experimented with unique, very hard materials, and even developed its own, scratch-resistant version of gold (Magic Gold). This time, Hublot turns to sapphire, a material of the remarkable hardness, the third hardest mineral, after diamond and moissanite. All high-end watches are typically fitted with a sapphire crystal, which is a transparent slice of solid sapphire that covers the dial and protects it from external s...

Same as all other horological creations by the Neuchâtel-based manufacture, the Tree of life will be released in an ultra-exclusive series, comprising just 41 pieces. As always, in an attempt to give sense to something that is merely beautiful, Kerbedanz derives its inspiration from a universe of symbols. Each of Kerbedanz’s creations is pregnant with meaning, surrounded by the allegories, legends, myths, and symbols. Moreover, each of its horological creations is accompanied by a luxurious "Book of Birth," which tells the story about the insp...

The Armin Strom tourbillon collection, which is inspired by the four elements, now welcomes the Earth model. The exquisite new timepiece, which is designed to underline the technical powers of the Maison, is hand-skeletonized and examined by the master Armin Strom himself. The heavy skeletonizing underlines the movement’s mechanical artistry, while the black PVD coating emphasizes its layered construction. The unique architecture of the movement enables the wearer to admire the motion of the double going barrel, while the watch is wound. Tha...

The original creation, designed by Severin Wunderman, was modeled after an experimental deep-sea dive watch from the 1960s, which had a huge domed crystal covering a dial. The upbeat, oversized Bubble, grabbed everyone’s attention thanks to its radical design, and a large, tall sapphire crystal evoking a bubble. Even though it was considered one of the most emblematic watches of the era, the Bubble watch was soon discontinued. It only made a couple of more appearances, in some very limited editions, before it made a major come back in 2015....

This time, the new Skylab 48 Skull Collection brings a fresh new, colorful twist to the highly technical timepiece. The skull motif is among the most prominent decorative elements of the Maison. From "Día de los Muertos,” drawn from traditional Mexican decorations, to the artistic collaborations with John M. Armleder, whose skull-themed works are inspired by Amerindian culture, Romain Jerome uses skulls as a recurring motif...     The highly technical Skylab 48 Speed Metal, with its skeleton architecture and the distinctive skull...

The house of Breitling is introducing its iconic Navitimer in a special 1000-piece limited edition. This time, the number one watch for pilots and dedicated aviation fans comes in an exclusive series featuring a dark gray dial with black counters. The legendary Navitimer is the world’s oldest continuously produced Chronograph in the world. The aviator chronograph was brought onto the market in 1952, and it immediately became the official watch of the “Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association” (AOPA). In its early years, the Navitimer was power...

Same as its predecessors, Chronomètre Optimum, the Quantième Perpétuel and the Octa Lune, the Octa Divine has also been completely redesigned to embrace a 42mm diameter. The new creation remains perfectly legible, featuring an elegant, reduced, uncluttered profile. Previously, the Octa Divine was the only model of the Octa range available in 36 and 40 mm versions. The most recognizable element of the Octa Divine is its sub-seconds in the lower right-hand section, and the hours and minutes circles screwed to the dial. All of its emblematic elem...

  The newest addition to the Grande Seconde range is also one of the novelties that the famous watchmaking brand will present at this year's BaselWorld trade show. The completely black creation embodies the essential Jaquet Droz design codes, but with an edgy modern twist. The core design features of this model were envisioned back in the 18th century, when Pierre Jaquet-Droz revolutionized watchmaking by creating a completely innovative watch face with two barely superimposed dials. The off-centered dial at 6 o’clock marks the seconds, while...

Both models were unveiled a couple of days ago, at the SIHH 2016 exhibition. As explained by the Maison’s representatives, these are celebratory issues designed for the occasion of the Manufacture’s 110th birthday. The watches are inspired by historical marine chronometers, symbols of precision and performance, which guided navigators across the ocean over a century ago. The new Montblanc Collection Villeret Tourbillon Cylindrique Pocket Watch 110 Years Edition, which is available in a limited series of eight pieces, features some of the mo...

In this way, Hublot marks the 10th anniversary of its Hublot loves football program, honoring all of the clubs, coaches, players, and world cups that have been collaborating with the brand for all these years. To remind, Hublot has been collaborating with some of the world’s major players such as Pelé, Mourinho, Shaqiri, Scolari, Roy Hodgson, Alex Ferguson, and David Trézéguet. Some of them are Hublot’s official ambassadors, while the others are friends of the brand. The clubs, such as Ajax, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germ...

This skeleton masterpiece is said to be all about transparent beauty. The master watchmakers have reduced its movement to the bare essentials, thus enabling that the inner workings to become the form of art. The intertwining of positive and negative spaces, hollows and meticulously finished surfaces, creates a rare piece of work of untamed beauty. The watch is powered by the manufacture caliber UN-170, which uses silicon technology for the escapement wheel, anchor, and balance spring. The bridges of the movement have been hand-painted in the Ro...

The new Offcine Panerai special editions are fitted with brown dials, to tell a story of the brand that revolutionized the legibility of wristwatches in low light conditions. The names of these models, which today identify the cases, originally denoted the two luminous materials. Radiomir was a powder based on radium, the same one that was used on the dial of the first-ever Panerai watch from 1936. The first Radiomir watches were specifically designed for military use, and they were exclusively worn by the Italian frogmen force "Gamma". For a l...

Vacheron Constantin has presented numerous new releases at the SIHH 2016, among them, the platinum version of the Patrimony Perpetual Calendar takes a very special place. The newest member of the Patrimony collection also joins the Collection Excellence Platine. For those of you who are not familiar with the concept, the Collection Excellence Platine comprises the Maison’s most esteemed timepieces, only rendered completely in platinum! And, that means much more than just a platinum case! All the watches of the Collection Excellence Platine feat...

Yves Piaget was one of the passionate devotees of roses, to the point of having the Meilland rose-growing company to name one of its roses after him. The Yves Piaget rose, composed of 80 serrated blush-pink petals, has been continually reinvented in Piaget’s collections. In In 2012, on the occasion of the rose’s 30th birthday, the Maison chose to praise it through a sequence of Jewellery and High Jewellery creations. The Piaget watchmakers also caught its beauty on Altiplano dials, and magnified it using the traditional artistic crafts. First y...

On the occasion of the SIHH 2016, Piaget unveils the Emperador Coussin XL 700P. This exclusive new concept watch is issued in a 118-piece limited series, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of its first in-house quartz movement, the ultra-thin 7P calibre. This innovative timepiece features unites a mechanical calibre and a generator, two major skills of the Manufacture Piaget. The Maison not only that stands out for its expertise in the development of ultra-thin calibres, but it also has a range of superior Quartz movements developed for many of...

Just in time for in time for Valentine’s Day, the house of Harry Winston introduces the new Harry Winston Midnight Stalactites Automatic 36mm. As announced by the brand, the new timepiece brings a romantic sensibility to the flagship Midnight collection, which comprises elegant and timelessly classical timepieces. For this special occasion, the watchmakers of the Maison have chosen to dress a delicate mother-of-pearl dial with diamonds, pink sapphires and rubies. The gem-setting evokes the icicle-shaped formations found only in nature. T...

The Millenary collection, distinguished the union of contemporary design and traditional mechanical skill, was introduced in 1995, no less than two decades ago. The range includes a vast selection of refined mechanical watches with sizeable oval cases and distinctive off-centered dials. Its elliptic silhouette is inspired by an old case design from 1951. Revamped back in 1995, the design was named “Millenary” in honor of the approaching third millennium. What makes it so exclusive is the exclusive dial structure that reveals components of the...

On the occasion of the BaselWorld 2015 trade show, the house of Louis Moinet introduced a new collection designed in honor its founder, Louis Moinet, who will be remembered as the inventor of the chronograph. The Memoris timepiece was introduced as the most important launch the house of Louis Moinet has ever done. For the brand, it represents a historic crossroad - the Ateliers’ tenth anniversary, and the bi-centenary of the chronograph invented by Louis Moinet. For 2016, the Memoris collection welcomes a new addition, the first chronograph-wat...

While most of the watch making brands are expanding their boundaries to embrace the growing trend of smartwatches, the house of H. Moser & Cie. has decided to celebrate the good old values essential to Swiss watchmaking. Just before the SIHH 2016 exhibition, H. Moser & Cie. Has unveiled its most recent creation – the Swiss Alp Watch – which is said to be the symbol of resisting the challenge of the smartwatch. As the brand’s representatives believe, the future of Swiss fine watchmaking will be bright, but only if it continues to innovate and be...

Cuervo y Sobrinos in a brand founded by Armando Río y Cuervo and his brothers, in late 19th century Havana. From the end of the 19th century to the late 50s, Cuba’s colorful capital was center of luxury and prestige for the world’s elite. Armando Rio & Cuervo ran the jewelry and watchmaking business, and grew to become famous by selling Swiss pocket watches. Soon, Don Armando began to develop and produce his own watches, under the brand Cuervo y Sobrinos. The business flourished until the late 50's, when Fidel Castro sworn in as prime minister...

Breitling presents a new version of its ultimate aviation chronograph – the Chronomat 44 Blacksteel. The Chronomat was released in 1941, and ever since then it has remained one of the best selling watches produced by Breitling. The design of the first Chronomat was strongly influenced by the look of military watches, while the current Chronomat, which was introduced in 2009, is the first watch produced entirely in-house by Breitling. Since 2009, Breitling Chronomat is powered by the in-house B01 caliber, which, like the rest of Breitling’s move...

The original LM101 was launched back in 2014, in white and rose gold variants. While it still remains the most practical and the most affordable of all MB&F watches, the LM101 now houses the very first movement developed entirely in-house by MB&F. This classically sized 40mm wristwatch is nothing like the Manufacture’s earlier releases. While the first Horological Machines were more like small series of radical concept watches, the LM101 looks like any conventional high-end timepiece, even though it still sustains the innovativeness that MB&F i...

This time, the famous manufacture from Fleurier, Switzerland, presents its Tonda Metrogrape model with a gorgeous Bleu Abyss dial. The master dial-maker at the Parmigiani Fleurier manufacture creates the brand's signature Abyss blue shade in a specialist electroplating bath, with a certain current, and at a perfectly controlled temperature. She dips the support into the tank where, under the effect of electrolysis, the color is transformed from bright orange to a rust-colored brown. In the next step, the purple tones appear, and, finally, the b...

The Blancpain Ladybird Saint Valentine’s Day 2016 is a modern version of the iconic model from Blancpain’s Women collection. The Ladybird was first introduced back in 1956, and it was the world’s smallest round watch at the time. In 2016, the Ladybird returns with a mother-of-pearl dial graced dazzling brilliant-cut diamonds. This charming new model features a nacre marquetry heart at the center of the dial, having the upper portion adorned with diamonds and rubies. The watch is made of white gold, and it measures 21.5mm in diameter. Its...

The central feature of the new Harry Winston creation is a moon phase complication, which depicts the serene beauty of the celestial sky. The lovely personification of the moon appears to travel across the small section of the dial, before disappearing behind a white mother-of-pearl. The mysterious and exciting dynamic of the lunar cycle is depicted using the blue mother-of-pearl moon phase disc with gold moon. The delicate dial is decorated using different artistic techniques and materials, which results in its three-dimensional aesthet...

The new IWC range comprises the Aquatimer Chronograph Edition “La Cumbre Volcano”, which is limited to 500 pieces, the Aquatimer Automatic dressed in black and yellow, and the Aquatimer Automatic Edition “Expedition Jacques-Yves Cousteau,” honoring the French scuba-diving pioneer. The three new Aquatimers belong to the range of sporty and dynamic diver’s watches, which has been updated and modernized in 2014. The same watch family is now being furthermore extended, to include three new models. IWC the Aquatimer Chronograph Edition “L...

For 75 years, the emblematic Big Pilot’s Watch has been the largest watch ever made in the IWC workshops. However, this year, the house of the IWC will set a new milestone, the Big Pilot’s Heritage Watch 55, with an outstanding 55-millimeter case diameter. This special, collector's piece that obscures a record that was set back in 1940, is issued in a limited edition comprising 100 exemplars, and available exclusively from selected IWC boutiques all over the world. The Big Pilot’s Heritage Watch 48, which resembles the historical model, but is...

The new member of the Extraordinary Dials™ collection, the Lady Arpels Peau d’Âne Forêt enchantée, boasts a completely unique, colorful watch face, which demonstrates the jewelry expertise cultivated by Van Cleef & Arpels. The picturesque scene, rendered in diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and garnets, is said to be inspired by Charles Perrault’s illustrious “Donkey Skin” fairy tale. For the very first time ever, the artisans of the Maison have combined the arts of gem-setting, sculpture, engraving on gold, and miniature painting, to enliven the e...

On the occasion of the Dubai Watch Week, In October 2015, the house of Louis Moinet revealed the UAE Falcon, a model designed as a tribute to the United Arab Emirates. This special Louis Moinet timepiece commemorates the first edition of the Dubai Watch Week, bearing a powerful emblem – a pure platinum falcon, which is the symbol of the Unitd Arab Emirates. Falcon is the national bird of UAE and, a symbol of force and courage. In Arabic, its name means „purebred bird.“ Falconry holds the most prominent place in Arab tradition and culture, while...

The new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, reference 26574BA.OO.1220BA.01, returns the luxury watchmaking to its most elemental material: yellow gold. The iconic Royal Oak model, which was introduced back in 1972, was the first luxury wristwatch made of stainless steel. With this epic release, the stainless steel was introduced to the world of watchmaking in a grand manner: meticulously crafted, polished and decorated - just like a precious metal. Ever since then, Audemars Piguet explored traditional and unconventional such as platinum, carbon, alac...

The exceptional multi-leveled dial, staging the two complications of the timepiece, is decorated with dark blue aventurine, and embraced by 76 diamonds. The balance wheel is completely disclosed, and surrounded by a semi-precious stone that evokes a starry night. The aventurine is used for the upper portion of the dial, thus referencing the sky of the southern hemisphere that guided Vasco da Gama during his voyage. A single diamond, cut in the shape of the Montblanc insignia, shines at 12 o’clock, while the center of the dial features a blue “...

The house of Cartier has given us the opportunity to see a number of its new models, before the rest of the public sees them in January, at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), in Geneva. A couple of days ago, we saw the Cartier Pantheres et Colibri watch, with quite a unique power reserve indicator. Today, we'll take a closer look at Cartier Clé de Cartier Squelette Automatique, a model that beautifully demonstrates the Maison's know-how in the art of skeletonization. In Cartier Clé de Cartier Squelette Automatique, th...

Ahead of the SIHH 2016 exhibition, the house of Cartier presents its new Panthères et Colibri watch, featuring one of the brand’s most recognizable motifs, but in a new, even more refined form. The Panthères et Colibri timepiece is a delicate and feminine creation, dressed in white gold and lit by diamonds. Its deep black lacquered dial reveals an image of a female panther, rendered in white and black diamonds. A small golden hummingbird is depicted fluttering alongside, matched with two golden hands for off-center hours and minutes. The...

With this new capsule collection, Jaquet Droz celebrates its historic ties with China, since its founder was among the first European craftsmen to discover the Middle Kingdom in the 18th century, and was permitted to showcase his creations to courtiers in the heart of the Forbidden City. Joining in with the Chinese New Year celebrations, the artisans of the Maison have designed two new models—each available in two versions—based on the emblematic Petite Heure Minute. The dials of the watches belonging to the Year of the Monkey collecti...

Same as its connected predecessor, the Breitling Exospace B55 is a connected chronograph that facilitates Bluetooth technology, winds up via USB port, and connects to the wearer’s smartphone to perform crucial adjustments (time-setting, time zones, alarms, display and operating parameters, night mode, etc.). On the other hand, the user can upload from the watch to the smartphone the results of different measurements (flight times, recorded times with split times, lap times, etc.) to store them, read them more easily, or share them socially. The...

The famous Swiss watchmaking brand is adding a new model to its Classico Collection. The new addition is the “Year of the Monkey” timepiece, a watch that welcomes the changes of the moon, which starts at the beginning of this lunar (moon) calendar, on February 8, 2016, and ends with the Lantern Festival, 14 days later. For the occasion, Ulysse Nardin unveils a special, limited edition timepiece, with a beautifully decorated dial graced with an image of the monkey. Designed in a comic strip-like style, the monkey appears as if it leaps throug...

The dial of the Piaget Altiplano 38 mm Year of the Monkey is decorated by the hand of master enameler Anita Porchet, using the technique of Cloisonné enamelling. In her exceptional interpretation of the traditional Chinese imagery, the monkey is depicted against a soft greyish background, which resembles a winter sky. To ensure clear vision, and better isolate colors, she partitioned the enamel using cloisons, which are compartments created on the surface of the dial, by soldering silver wires placed on their edges. To create this breat...

Thanks to the ExoTourbillon complication, the new Montblanc TimeWalker ExoTourbillon Minute Chronograph brings some serious innovations to this contemporary range, while retaining the Timewalker's recognizable DNA. This limited edition model is made of lightweight and highly resistant materials, such as titanium, carbon fiber and DLC. Its dial repeats the signature TimeWalker aesthetics, which reflects in its large apertures, minimalized bezels, and distinctive contoured typography, lancet-shaped hands and skeletonized horns. The patented Ex...