Independent Swiss watchmaker Ulysse Nardin released an ultra-limited new dive watch at the latest leg of the 50th anniversary of The Ocean Race (formerly known as The Volvo Ocean Race), the sailing world’s toughest around-the-world competition, during its recent stopover in Newport, Rhode Island. The timepiece celebrates Ulysse Nardin’s role as the official timekeeper of the race as well as its partnership with 11th Hour Racing, the main partner of the event and the founding partner of its sustainability program. The Swiss watchmaker has been known for its efforts in the same arena—last year it launched its Ocean Race Diver, made almost entirely of upcycled and recycled materials and based on a 2020 prototype called the Diver Net. The new Ulysse Nardin Ocean Race Diver Chronograph is the latest iteration in the series. Sporting the same commitment to the environment, the timepiece features sustainable materials. Its unidirectional bezel is made with a Carbonium finish containing upcycled fibers from airplane fuselage offcuts, which cuts the environmental impact of other carbon composites used in watchmaking down by about 40 percent, according to the company. It also creates a handsome marble effect adding another dimension to its all-black design with hints of blue and white. “We have at least 15 different types of materials we are working on, all of them with a sustainability dimension, especially for the Diver,” said Ulysse Nardin CEO, Patrick Pruniaux at the event.
As far as function goes, the piece is water-resistant up to 300 meters (about 984 feet) and comes on a black rubber strap with a pin buckle closure, as well as a decorative ceramic piece featuring the Ocean Race logo, so you can splash around in it during the balmier months. In a tribute to the event’s jubilee year, the sapphire crystal caseback showing off the manufacture chronograph caliber UN-150, bears the number “50” to mark the moment. At 44 mm the sandblast DLC titanium case sounds large, but it wears smaller than its size suggests on the wrist. It’s also the kind of stylish and lightweight timepiece that might just become your go-to daily wear all summer long. But for those involved in The Ocean Race, it’s more than a good-looking dive watch. Timing of the race is naturally of the essence and this year it is particularly crucial. Previously, the rugged adventure had crews of 7 to 10 sailors on board for the 2019 edition and consisted of boats that saw its teams experience harsh conditions both above and below deck, while this year’s crews of just five on smaller boats that are raced predominately below deck means much tighter quarters. Sailors sleep in tiny hammocks with almost zero comforts (even toothbrushes must be cut in half to account for every tiny bit of weight on the boat) and just a communal bucket as a bathroom. To illustrate just how challenging that is, the longest stretch of the race involves 12,750 nautical miles—a one-month marathon from Cape Town, South Africa to Itajaí, Brazil. As the official timekeeper of the event, Ulysse Nardin’s timing is not only critical to the performance but also, presumably, to the sanity of crews counting down the minutes and seconds before arrival in each of the nine ports along the journey where they have the chance to stretch their legs and take a shower on dry land. Beyond the obvious parallels between a dive watch and a sailing race, the piece also serves to highlight both Ulysse Nardin and 11th Hour Racing’s environmental efforts. The Swiss watchmaker is a partner of the Time to Act program, which aims to reduce the impact of pollution, climate change, and industrial overfishing on the oceans, while the sailing team’s Racing with Purpose initiative aims to collect scientific data in remote areas during the race to assess the health of the sea.
Whether you’re simply in the market for a killer-looking diver or you’re both a passionate sailor and watch enthusiast, this timepiece has plenty to offer in both look and purpose. The Ocean Race Chronograph is limited to just 100 pieces and retail for $15,700, although word has it only 17 will be available in the U.S., so if you want one you may already be racing against time.
Today, Ulysse Nardin introduces a new azure colorway for its Ulysse Nardin Diver Net and Ulysse Nardin Diver X Skeleton models. If, like me, you’re unfortunate enough to have experienced a short-lived streak in the cloud computing industry, the word Azure will remind you of the Microsoft platform. However, if you remained untainted by this association (until now), you’ll […] Visit Introducing
In the 1970s, the Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0 Saint Laurent 01 embraced new technologies, new materials, and a new design. “Disruptive”, “innovative” and “unorthodox” were just some of the words uttered at the time of its launch. In 1976, Girard-Perregaux unveiled the Casquette, a cutting-edge timepiece endowed with a tubular LED display. Powered by a quartz movement, tapping into the horological zeitgeist of the 70s, the watch looked very different from the traditional two-handers of the time. The original model displayed the hours, minutes, seconds, day, and date with its quartz movement delivering a high degree of precision.
On February 22, 2022, a re-edition of the original Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0 Saint Laurent 01 was presented in a limited edition of 820 pieces as an ode to the total production of 8,200 pieces ever produced of the 1970s Casquette. At that time the watch sold out within two hours of its release at a price of $4,700 USD. The Casquette 2.0 was housed in a scratch-resistant black ceramic case and featured a grade 5 titanium case back. Now, another re-edition in a limited edition of 100 pieces is being presented by Anthony Vaccarello, the Creative Director of Yves Saint Laurent and Girard-Perregaux. This time, the Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0 Saint Laurent 01 is also equipped with a chronograph and can also display the time in a different location. Another difference between this model and its predecessor is that the Girard-Perregaux ‘GP’ logo, the case back, the clasp, and the pushers are blacked out in black PVD titanium. The case measures 42.4 mm x 33.6 mm x 14.64 mm. The Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0 Saint Laurent 01 will be available exclusively at Saint Laurent Rive Droite stores in Paris and Los Angeles, as well as online via the official Saint Laurent Rive Droite store, in selected countries only.
The world-renowned watchmaker is back to shock the scene with two new lightweight models.
Symbolizing itself as a leader through a complex collection of high-end timepieces, Richard Mille delivers a one-of-a-kind experience using innovative design and performance. Exploring the ideas of using new materials and colorways, Richard Mille is pleased to present the all-new RM 17-02 Tourbillon Collection. Embodying the Haute Horlogerie values of both tradition and excellence, the RM17-02 focuses on the brand’s strategic approach of differentiating itself from all other competitors.
The new RM 17-02 features a classic tonneau case shape crafted from a blend of TZP ceramic and satin 18k red gold, which comes available in both white and blue versions. As a sports model designed for everyday use, Richard Mille seals its case with eight titanium screws to ensure its 50-meter water resistance.
MUST-READ: The Top 10 Best Richard Mille Watches Ever Created
Showcasing its complication as the main attraction, the RM 17-02 presents a skeleton dial that provides a clear view of the mechanism at work. The Tourbillon stands proud at the six o’clock position as its powers the watch’s time-only functions. A transparent sapphire backcase offers a secondary view of the movement while the outer portion includes engravings to commemorate the special release.
Operating as a true sports model that can withstand all conditions, Richard Mille fits the RM 17-02 with black and matching blue rubber straps that are easily interchangeable. The all-new Richard Mille RM 17-02 Tourbillon Collection is currently available through an authorized dealer with pricing upon request. Check back into duPont REGISTRY for more upcoming luxury watch news and releases.
An interpretation of a gravity-defying ballet which dances to the rhythm of their curves, the new Richard Mille RM 17-02 are odes to elegance and excellence. With the same beating heart and blue blood coursing through their veins, they are united in the desire to convey our passion for design and engineering. Symbolizing itself as a leader through a complex collection of high-end timepieces, Richard Mille delivers a one-of-a-kind experience using innovative design and performance. Exploring the ideas of using new materials and colorways, Richard Mille is pleased to present the all-new RM 17-02 Tourbillon Collection. Embodying the Haute Horlogerie values of both tradition and excellence, the RM17-02 focuses on the brand’s strategic approach of differentiating itself from all other competitors. The new RM 17-02 features a classic tonneau case shape crafted from a blend of TZP ceramic and satin 18k red gold, which comes available in both white and blue versions. As a sports model designed for everyday use, Richard Mille seals its case with eight titanium screws to ensure its 50-meter water resistance. Showcasing its complication as the main attraction, the RM 17-02 presents a skeleton dial that provides a clear view of the mechanism at work. The Tourbillon stands proud at the six o’clock position as its powers the watch’s time-only functions. A transparent sapphire backcase offers a secondary view of the movement while the outer portion includes engravings to commemorate the special release. Operating as a true sports model that can withstand all conditions, Richard Mille fits the RM 17-02 with black and matching blue rubber straps that are easily interchangeable. The all-new Richard Mille RM 17-02 Tourbillon Collection is currently available through an authorized dealer with pricing upon request
Rado just revealed a special watch collection in partnership with the Rado Great Gardens of the World organization. The collaboration sees three timepieces, each inspired by a different endangered plant species, where both parties unite their mutual appreciation for beauty and design into watchmaking.
Separated into three different chapters and numbered 8, 9, and 10, the watches all sport a 40mm case made of high-tech ceramic, complete with a matching crown in a monobloc construction. Beating inside the timepieces is Rado’s own R766 automatic movement, geared with anti-magnetic Nivachron
hairspring, 64-hour power reserve, and 3 bars of water resistance.
Chapter 8 draws its design inspiration from the Loulu lelo palm trees in Hawaii. The endemic plant’s unique leaf textures are recreated onto the black dial in a pleated and stamped structure. The brand’s logo, along with hour and minute hands are painted in a yellow-gold hue for enhanced contrast and legibility.
Meanwhile, Chapter 9 arrives in an all-white look with silver-tone embellishments. Crafted in mother-of-pearl, the dial boasts an opalescent color effect with a design that emulates the structure of Chilean Araucaria.
As for Chapter 10, its two-layer dial translates an upward view of a Yemeni Dragon Blood Tree via a rose gold-hued back plate, and a sun-brushed rhodium-colored skeletonized top layer. The rest of the timepiece comes in a polished plasma high-tech ceramic build, paired with a rose-gold colored logo and matching hands.
All three references are priced at $2,700 USD and will soon be available via the brand’s online store. The trio of watches will also be offered in a 99-piece limited-edition collector’s box, with price and availability upon request via Rado.
Rado is inspired by the natural world for a new collection of watches that marry a sleek technological design with bucolic references. The watch brand’s collaboration with the Great Gardens of the World sees the creation of three special-edition Rado True Thinline monobloc watches. Each looks to a plant – the Hawaiian Loulu Lelo, the Chilean Araucaria and the Yemeni Dragon Blood Tree – for its aesthetic, drawing its ceramic case in black, white or grey. The production of high-tech ceramic is a challenge,’ says Rado CEO Adrian Bosshard. ‘To produce different and consistent colours in high-tech ceramic is an even bigger challenge but one that we excel with our huge competence, know-how and experience in this field and our daily business. The design and architecture of the trees of our latest Rado Great Gardens of the World collection is reflected in the dial of the three watch models. Architecture and design are found in nature in abundance and especially in gardens around the globe. It is the inspiration gained from nature that brought together Rado and the Great Gardens of the World.’ The Chapter 8 watch, in polished black ceramic, reflects the pleated leaves of the Loulu Lelo in its striking pattern. Chapter 9, in white high-tech ceramic, interprets the delicate architecture of the leaves on a white mother-of-pearl dial, while Chapter 10’s distinctive grey tones and double-layered dial nods to the wild form of the Yemeni Dragon Blood Tree.
Adds Bosshard: ‘Rado is known for independent and unique design and the new Rado True Thinline x Great Gardens of the World collection is pure Rado DNA.’
Go to the Casio G-Shock website at any given time, and you’ll find hundreds of individual watches currently being produced. Filter for men’s models, and you’ll still find an intimidating number of SKUs broken into collections, features, materials and so on. It can be helpful to sort by price, but it’s still confusing — indeed, even Casio seems to have trouble keeping up with their Casio G-Shock offerings.
You might visit a properly stocked Casio G-Shock store only to realize that physically confronting the beast does nothing to tame it. You will not find all models in any store or other online retailer at once, try as you might, and you very well might discover yet more models. There’s no way around it: the G-Shock collection is vast, intricate, overwhelming and constantly changing. Casio makes enough G-Shocks to satisfy a ravenous collector community (up there with sneaker nerds), and Casio also caters to various professionals who need indestructible timepieces, military personnel who aren’t issued watches, athletes in training, outdoorsy folks, and even skaters and surfers and breakdancers.
Let’s contemplate the following two Casio G-Shock , just to get a taste of the breadth available. The first is the $800 Mudmaster from the Master of G series, an enormous battle-ready analog/digital hybrid badass with almost as much capability as your smartphone. The second is the powder-blue, $180 limited-edition DW-6900-PT1 collaboration with Hodinkee and musician John Mayer: it appears playful but is, like all G-Shocks, tough as nails. Also, the DW-6900-PT1 sold out almost immediately and is inevitably bound for nerd forums and eBay, where it’ll go for multiples of the original price. Two very different audiences, two very different watches.
Herein lies the dilemma of parsing the Casio G-Shock collection: it appeals equally to a camouflage-clad soldier serving overseas as it does to the effete watchnerd in a New York City apartment or a 13-year-old anime junky in Tokyo’s suburbs. What unites these seemingly disparate Casio G-Shock communities is that all wrap their imaginations around these watches, and all demand unparalleled durability, functionality and style.
This is the newer generation of the famous Frogman watch with its lopsided case, but with an all-analog display. It includes the latest tech and durability specs, as well as a unique feature that allows you to hide the hour hand under the minute hand to avoid confusion and allow you to only focus on the minutes, which are most important when diving.
The new Breitling Chronomat B01 42 easily ranks among the more important watch releases of the year. Amidst a global pandemic and canceled events, such as Breitling Roadshow presentations, we were looking forward to seeing the very new Chronomat face-to-face. That time, at last, has come — along with a quick comparison with the chunky and brash Chronomat 44!
For a rundown on the whys and hows behind this — frankly, timely — update to a Breitling staple, read our debut news article here. Now, let us concentrate on our first in-the-metal impressions.
First, the new Breitling Chronomat B01 42 feels way bigger, than I had anticipated, judging from the 42mm designation in its very name and also from Breitling’s press release images. The 2020 Breitling Chronomat is beautifully proportionate across every surface and detail, and that’s a property that can trick even the trained eye of seen-it-all watch lovers into expecting something more compact.
We can say this in full confidence: The Breitling Chronomat B01 42 wears considerably larger than most other watches out there that claim to be 42mm-wide. Your mileage may vary, but it sure felt and looked much bigger than, say, my Jaeger-LeCoultre Navy SEALs Automatic 42. So, is that a good thing or a bad thing? We’d urge you to try it on and see how it fits before making up your mind on it. Those passionate about Breitling’s big, bold, and unapologetic design DNA — something that has been watered down considerably by Georges Kern and the new management that took over the brand but a few years ago — will likely rejoice in the fact that the Chronomat has not been turned into a petite vintage-retro chronograph. In fact, it stays remarkably close, at least in size, to its bigger and now retired brother, the Chronomat 44. More on that comparison soon.
Second, the surprising visual and physical heft of the Breitling Chronomat B01 42 is beautifully counterbalanced by everything else. Breitling has easily been among the best at taking “heritage designs” and modernizing them. Kern loves calling this “modern retro,” and it’s hard to argue with that way of looking at it once applied to Breitling’s more recent watches. The Chronomat 42 has thrown away most of those in-your-face details that defined the Chronomat 44 — such as the massive bezel with huge numerals, the textured dial, the bulky case, and so on — and replaced those with decidedly more filigree shapes, surfaces, and typefaces.
Consequently, the Chronomat 42 is an impressively ageless watch (I didn’t say timeless), as it blends a modern size and modern quality of artisanship with “iconic” designs of yesteryear like the Rouleaux bracelet (more on that soon), the rider tabs, and the like. And the fact that the resulting watch is a tasteful and proportionate thing is exactly what places Breitling at the front of the pack in this regard. It’s ageless in that it’s neither vintage nor modern, but only time will tell if it proves to be a timeless watch that ages well. I reckon it has all the correct individual components for that to happen — except for the size. Had it looked a bit more nuanced in its heft on the wrist, that is what I think would really drive the timeless point home for this watch.
Breitling’s old-new Rouleaux bracelet looks and feels as fantastic as it is refreshing on first impression. After what feels like every last drop of creativity has been squeezed out of the three-link and five-link bracelet designs of the world, the Rouleaux bracelet is a breath of fresh air. Its long, thin, cylindrical links do exactly what they should: add a touch of vintage flair and combine it with the might of modern state-of-the-art manufacturing. We sure hope the guys and gals behind making this bracelet reality are very proud of themselves. Because modern watchmaking shouldn’t be — and isn’t — all about movements or ridiculous new materials. In fact, watchmaking is often at its best when it is about taking existing materials and existing designs… And taking them to the next level. Because everything from the look of the watch to the feel of the metal is familiar — and yet, the end result is everything but that.
The polished and beveled edges in which the long, thin strips of metal end are as impressive as the integration of polished intermittent links on every other long link… And that’s only until you flip the bracelet around and take a look: It’s got as many openings as a $20k skeleton watch — but this one moves and swivels! The reason I’m thrilled about this bracelet is mainly that it tells me that Breitling’s willingness to create unique details and manufacture them to very high standards isn’t gone in this new era of the brand.
Third, the Breitling Chronomat B01 42 will feel and look one heck of an expensive watch even to non-watch-connoisseurs. “It damn well should do that for nine grand!” I hear some of you say — and I agree, it damn well should. But it doesn’t take too many luxury watches to handle before one sees that not all high-four-figure-priced watches actually look expensive to the untrained eye. Without having to take it off the wrist, the Chronomat 42, from afar, already makes the impression of one very expensive watch — and again, if this were the norm, we wouldn’t be highlighting it like this. From the intricate bracelet through the shiny and multi-tiered bezel to the rich-colored and detail-laden dials, the Chronomat 42 is full of details one simply doesn’t see on anything but luxury watches.
Wearability we will judge once we get these in for a proper Wrist Time review. The real questions there concern the long-term feel of the Rouleaux bracelet, as well as its ability to cope with the larger and, therefore, rather heavy watch head in steel. Oh, and all those beautifully machined openings on the back of the bracelet? I bet we will want to rinse this watch more often than others to keep those from clogging up with the untidy combination of dust and sweat.
I was thrilled that we could pull out an “old” Chronomat 44. I disclosed this on the debut news article of the Chronomat B01 42: I have been quite smitten by the appeal of the Chronomat 44 (and Chronomat 41, for that matter). Yes, it is as heavy on the eyes as it is on the wrist and certainly has never won the non-existent Most Tasteful Watch Of The Year award anywhere in the world. But it was its own thing and you could take it or leave it. Importantly, it matched its brutish looks with a scarcely matched feel of quality — radiating from the steel case that’s stamped over weeks and is put through dozens of immense heat-cold cycles for a properly compacted alloy. The massive hands over the dial and the oversized numerals of the bezel were balanced by subtle details, and all the Chronomat 44s I have ever handled have a truly fantastic level of execution. On a personal note, I have a sneaking suspicion that I’ll be in the minority when I say that it will take some time before I can adapt to this new, arguably more refined Chronomat and feel comfortable with saying goodbye to that charmingly, sometimes almost idiotically confident Chronomat 44. Because the Chronomat 44 felt like a contemporary watch that had been designed in the now for the now — as opposed to a “modern retro” mix-mash. But that’s for another discussion. I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that the new Breitling Chronomat B01 42 will prove to be extremely successful and that it will make its owners very happy. The construction of the new Rouleaux bracelet will have to prove itself as a comfortable and durable design, but that we will only know for sure sometime later down the road.
BreitlingSuper AVI B04 Chronograph GMT 46 Mosquito Night Fighter
It’s a big day for new releases from Breitling with a whole new line of aviator chronographs with the 42mm Classic AVI. Just like the big-brother 46mm Breitling Super AVI watches that were released in 2021, these new releases honor four legendary aircraft but now offer a more conventionally wearable size for those that appreciate the design but prefer a somewhat smaller watch.
The Breitling Super AVI watches come in a few different colors as nods to their respective aircraft: blue dial with a steel bezel for the F4U Corsair; black dial with steel bezel or black dial and rose gold case for the P-51 Mustang; green dial with steel bezel for the Curtiss Warhawk; and black dial with white counters and a combination polished and satin-brushed black ceramic bezel for the de Havilland Mosquito. In each case, the watch has a bidirectional ratcheted bezel and comes on either a calfskin leather strap with a folding buckle (and lug width of 22mm) or a five-row, stainless steel bracelet with a butterfly clasp.
All the new Breitling Super AVI watches are powered by the Breitling Caliber 23, an automatic caliber with 48 hours of power reserve, and 1/4 second chronograph with 30-minute and 12-hour totalizers. Those movements are cased in stainless steel (or 18k rose gold), measuring 42mm by 14.7mm with a 48mm lug-to-lug. With 100 meters of water resistance, the casebacks are closed and feature an engraving of the airplane linked with each model.
If those releases aren’t your fancy, Breitling is also introducing two new watches from their Super AVI and AVI Co-Pilot lines. First is a black ceramic Super AVI “Mosquito Night Fighter” that measures 46mm by 15.9mm. The watch runs off the COSC-certified Breitling Manufacture Caliber B04, featuring 70 hours of power reserve, column wheel/vertical clutch chronograph, hours, minute, second, date window, and a second timezone. It also has a titanium and sapphire display caseback.
The final new model is the AVI Ref. 765 1964 Re-Edition, a simplified and classic 41mm reverse panda chronograph with black amorphous diamond-like carbon (ADLC) coated steel bezel. The watch is powered by the hand-wound column-wheel, vertical clutch Breitling Super AVI watches Manufacture Caliber B09, which gives 70 hours of power reserve so you can get all the vintage style you need with a more modern and reliable movement. It also has a snap-on steel caseback, so it is limited to 30 meters of water resistance.
To celebrate the 70th anniversary of its original ref. 765 AVI “Co-Pilot” watch, Breitling has announced seven new AVI chronograph models that will be joining the brand’s catalog for 2023. Included in this latest batch of releases is a new black ceramic rendition of the 46mm Super AVI that is inspired by the Mosquito Night Fighter airplane, along with a limited-edition vintage reissue piece that pays tribute to a specific version of the ref. 765, which was produced in 1964. However, arguably the most noteworthy new models from this latest batch of releases are the other five watches, which collectively form the new Breitling Classic AVI Chronograph 42 collection. Taking the core design of the brand’s original 46mm Super AVI series and distilling it down (both in terms of its size and features), the new 42mm Breitling Classic AVI Chronograph models offer much of the same utilitarian aesthetic, but in a significantly more compact overall package.
Similar to the larger 46mm Super AVI series, the new Breitling Classic AVI Chronograph 42 makes its debut appearance as four stainless steel models and one crafted from solid 18k red gold. Additionally, the various options available for the new 42mm lineup largely follow in the footsteps of their larger counterparts, and the quartet of new stainless steel watches each pay tribute to a different famous aircraft from history: the North American Aviation P-51 Mustang, the Vought F4U Corsair, the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, and the de Havilland Mosquito. Furthermore, just like Breitling’s 46mm Super AVI series, the solid gold version of the new 42mm Classic AVI Chronograph is also dedicated to the P-51 Mustang, and rather than just being a gold version of the steel model, this luxury-oriented rendition also receives a different dial to better compliment the warm tones of its case.
Compared to the 46mm Super AVI series, the new Breitling Classic AVI Chronograph 42 watches are smaller in every single dimension possible, and they feature cases that measure 42mm in diameter by 14.7mm thick, with 22mm lugs and an overall lug-to-lug profile of 48mm. Similar to the Super AVI models, a domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides sits above the dial, and it is surrounded by a bidirectional rotating bezel that has a 12-hour scale engraved upon it. While four of the five models have bezels crafted from the same metal as their cases, the version that pays tribute to the Mosquito aircraft is fitted with a bezel that has a black ceramic insert. Access to the movement is granted by a signed screw-down crown and a pair of pump-style pushers that are located on the 3 o’clock side of the case, while a solid stainless steel caseback adorned with an airplane engraving screws down to the middle case in order to help provide the new Breitling Classic AVI Chronograph 42 with 100 meters of water resistance.
Despite the numerous aesthetic similarities between the new Breitling Classic AVI Chronograph 42 and the larger 46mm Super AVI series, the two models are actually fairly different watches when it comes to their features and functionality. While the 46mm Super AVI is a 12-hour chronograph that offers both a date display and an independently adjustable GMT hand, the new Breitling Classic AVI Chronograph 42 is a standard three-register chronograph that lacks any type of additional complications whatsoever. Part of how Breitling was able to achieve the smaller 42mm case size of these new models was by using a different movement that offers fewer features, and omitting both the date display and GMT hand enables the new Breitling Classic AVI Chronograph 42 to offer a noticeably more compact profile compared to the feature-packed Super AVI models and their 46mm cases.
The difference in functionality between the new Breitling Classic AVI Chronograph 42 models and their larger 46mm Super AVI counterparts is due to the different movements that are used to power them. While the Super AVI series features Breitling’s own manufacture Caliber B04, the new 42mm Classic AVI Chronograph watches run on the Breitling Caliber 23 automatic movement. Based on the core design of the ETA 7753, the Breitling Cal. 23 is a self-winding, cam-actuated chronograph that runs at a frequency of 28,800vph (4 Hz), while offering users a power reserve of approximately 48 hours. Additionally, just like all of the movements that are used to power modern Breitling watches, the Caliber 23 is COSC chronometer-certified and is therefore guaranteed to run within -4 to +6 seconds per day.
While the dials fitted to the five different Breitling Classic AVI Chronograph 42 watches all follow the same overall design with a three-register layout and large luminous Arabic numeral hour markers, each one appears in a different color, and these same colorways can also be found across the 46mm Super AVI collection. Inspired by the aircraft that lend their names to this series of watches, a classic black dial is used to represent the Mustang, a dark blue dial serves as tribute to the naval Corsair, a khaki green dial symbolizes the Warhawk, and a black and white “reverse panda” dial is used to capture the appearance of the Mosquito airplane. Additionally, the hands and sub-dials fitted to the various models incorporate colors from their respective aircraft’s roundels and markings, and while the stainless steel model that pays tribute to the Mustang is fitted with a simple black dial, the 18k rose gold edition receives a gray dial with contrasting black chronograph registers.
All five of the new Breitling Classic AVI Chronograph 42 watches are available with the option of a leather strap or matching metal bracelet. Crafted from either stainless steel or 18k rose gold to compliment the case of the watch, the bracelets fitted to the new Classic AVI Chronograph 42 models feature the brand’s signature slanted five-link design, and they fasten on the bottom of the wrist with butterfly-style folding clasps. Meanwhile, the leather straps fitted to the new 42mm Classic AVI models are available in either black or brown, and they offer a top-stitched design that tapers from 22mm at the lugs down to 18mm where they connect to their signed deployant buckles. With that in mind, given that the cases all use standard lugs, virtually any 22mm strap with flat ends will be compatible with the new Classic AVI Chronograph 42 models, and Breitling even allows its own straps to be purchased separately directly from its website.
In addition to being quite a bit smaller than the 46mm Super AVI series, the new Breitling Classic AVI Chronograph 42 watches are also significantly less expensive than their larger counterparts. Part of the substantial difference in price is due to the fact that the new 42mm models are less complex timepieces and lack the date displays and GMT functionality of the Super AVI collection. However, an even greater factor behind their lower price point is simply that these new models use ETA-based movements rather than one of Breitling’s own in-house calibers. Many Breitling watches have seen significant price increases in recent years after being updated to run on manufacture movements, so it is refreshing to see this latest 42mm series retain a more accessible price point.
When Audemars Piguet released the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Black Panther Flying Tourbillon in 2021, it was met with curiosity, a bit of snickering and giggling, and no small amount of impressed awe. The watch was objectively brilliant—to say nothing of the one-off auction version—but Marvel collabs were the purview of brands like Citizen and Invicta. What was Audemars Piguet doing with Black Panther on the dial? Well, to hear AP tell it, the partnership formed with Marvel in 2021 was part of the brand seeking inspiration outside of watchmaking, “notably in pop culture and the world of entertainment.” In other words, to show the kids that AP is cool. In continuing that partnership and maintaining the brand’s cachet with the youth, Audemars Piguet has released the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Spiderman Tourbillon.
Just like the Black Panther edition, the RO Concept Tourbillon Spider-Man is housed in the ultra-modern case of the Concept line. The 42mm-wide sandblasted titanium case is 15mm-thick (slightly thicker than the Black Panther), with a sandblasted and brushed finish accented with polished lines along the edges of the large facets. Long angular crown guards flank the 3 o’clock crown, while a brushed and polished ceramic bezel and a flat anti-reflective sapphire crystal complete the package. The watch is water resistant to 50 meters, which is fine because spiders don’t like the water anyway. The watch includes two two-tone rubber straps, black with gray inserts and black with red inserts, closed with an AP-branded folding buckle. Perhaps most exciting (aside from the dial, at least) is the introduction of a quick-release strap system for the Concept line: With a few easy steps, both the strap and its buckle can be changed (this is not the first quick-change system from AP, which has a separate system for its Royal Oak Offshore collection).
For the dial, AP has utilized a highly open-worked movement to allow Spider-Man’s presence to be as dramatic as possible. Surrounded by a black hour ring, the dial features black PVD-coated hour markers and skeletonized hands, all with luminant applied. As if swinging right into your face, Spidey is seemingly suspended in the dial. The character takes 50 hours to produce, first being cut by CNC from a block of white gold, then laser engraved, then hand-finished touch-ups, and finally, meticulous hand painting. The result, including the lumed eyes, is a three-dimensional piece of art that’s sure to make your pals at the local comic book shop weep with glee. There’s also a tourbillon at 6 o’clock, but you’re never going to focus on that.
Now is a good time to talk about the unique auction version of this Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Spiderman Tourbillon watch. In this version, the case is crafted of white gold, decorated with a laser engraved spider leg motif that is filled in with a lumed ceramic material, followed by another round of laser engraving to create a spider web background. It’s sure to create a stunning visual effect. On the dial, the classic blue and red Spider-Man suit is replaced by one of the character’s most iconic alternate outfits: the Symbiote suit. Referred to by AP as the “Black Suit,” the design was originally submitted to Marvel in response to a call for ideas, eventually being purchased by the brand and introduced in comics in 1984. Spidey’s pose remains the same, though the brand hints that the large white spider that graces the chest of the Symbiote suit may be lumed as well as the eyes. The “Black Suit Spider-Man” was auctioned off on May 26, hammering at $6.2 million, outdoing the Black Panther model by $1 million. The proceeds (the entire auction raised $8.5 million) will go to the First Book and Ashoka non-profits that promote educational equity.
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Spiderman Tourbillon watch is powered by the pleasingly symmetrical in-house Calibre 2974, a manual winding movement based on the brand’s Calibre 2948. The 2948 was pared down as much as possible to create the 2974, which reinforces the effect of the dial. It features black bridges with polished bevels and a 6 o’clock tourbillon. It runs at 21,600 bph with a very respectable power reserve of 72 hours. Of note, on the movement ring of the unique piece, it will say “Royal Oak Concept Unique Piece.”
Haters gonna hate, but this is another expertly designed and crafted Marvel collaboration from a brand that we never expected to make one in the first place. I don’t know if it’s going to capture the hearts of the youths and make them yearn to one day have an AP, but the 250 pieces that are being made will, no doubt, sell out fast, especially if the wildly successful auction piece is any indicator. I’m very comfortable with how AP is pacing these—one every two years; unlike Marvel’s parent, Disney, the brand doesn’t seem in a rush to drain all the meaning from Marvel’s characters in a deluge of releases.
While fans eagerly await the next Act of Blancpain’s year-long celebration of Fifty Fathoms’ 70th anniversary to drop, the brand deems it an opportune time instead to shine a spotlight on another well-loved model from its repertoire that couldn’t be more different from the iconic modern divers’ watch. Besides being a delightful palate cleanser with its effervescent pop of summery hues, the new variants of the Ladybird Colors are a timely reminder of Blancpain’s pioneering role in the history of feminine timepieces.
Since as early as 1930, Blancpain has been a proponent of feminine mechanical watches when it launched the first self-winding wristwatch for ladies, the Rolls. When Betty Fiechter took over the company’s helm in 1933, she became the first female to head a watch Maison, blazing a trail for women in the industry. Under her leadership, Blancpain unveiled the first Ladybird watch in 1956, fitted with the smallest round movement of the time. Launched in 2021, the Blancpain Ladybird Colors is a modern expression of Fiechter’s visionary spirit, embodying style and substance with an irresistible combination of striking colours, dazzling diamonds, and technical brilliance.
Retaining the 34.9mm case size, which asserts just the right amount of presence without overwhelming dainty wrists, this year’s Blancpain Ladybird Colors continues to be adorned with 59 diamonds, totalling more than 2.22 carats, from its bezel, lugs, and folding clasp to its dial and crown, the latter set with a rose-cut diamond. Available in 18K red or white gold, the latest references feature Roman numerals in new colours of midnight blue, peacock green, forest green, lilac or turquoise, with matching alligator leather straps. Against a white mother-of-pearl dial are two overlapping rings of bling, gently tapering to a gap at 6 o’clock, providing visual intrigue as well as a testament to Blancpain’s mastery of high-end gem setting, which requires meticulous hand-adjusting to ensure unparalleled radiance.
Also new to the collection are the small seconds and moonphase indications, thanks to the self-winding 1163 and 1163L calibres, respectively. Boasting a 100-hour power reserve and a silicon balance spring, these are accurate workhorse movements designed for fuss-free daily use. That said, the same amount of effort taken in creating the pleasing visage of the Ladybird Colors is also lavished in the decoration of the movement. Flip the watch over, and you will be greeted with, via sapphire crystal caseback, a satin-brushed red or white gold oscillating weight (matching the case material) with an open-worked circular motif that echoes the aesthetics of the dial. The finishings on the rest of the components are no less stunning, such as the Côtes de Genève decoration on the bridges.
With the introduction of a moonphase complication as well as a small seconds model to the Blancpain Ladybird Colors collection, it doesn’t take a clairvoyant to foresee that Blancpain will be incorporating more complications into the burgeoning range in the coming years. And we’re confident that Betty Fiechter would be proud to see her legacy carried forward to new generations of female watch connoisseurs in such a spectacular manner.
