Pulse of Precision

Watches and Wonders '24 dazzled watch enthusiasts with dazzling new releases and exciting collaborations.

CARTIER

Cartier, a brand synonymous with fine jewelry, has upped the game on its watches in the last 2 years. Its Dumont series with skeletonized cases have mesmerized the watch world as it continues to redefine its Tank and Santos collections. Cartier can easily dominate the gem-set market because of their quality, but many believe the functionality of the Cartier movements is what is leading them into the top 3. This year’s standout is in the beautifully shaped Tortue line. With a gently tapered 34.8MM case, the timepiece features a mono-pusher movement in 18K white gold. It is refined, elegant, and timeless.

Last but not least, Cartier reintroduces a quirky gem with the Santos Dumont Rewind. Everyone wishes they could turn back time, and this watch does just that by actually showing the time in reverse on the dial. To make the Rewind even more amazing is the deep red cabochon dial encased in platinum. Only 200 pieces will be made, and at $32,500, they will sell fast and be collected forever.

Patek Phillipe-

Some say it's harder to get than a basic Rolex; Patek’s annual additions could be more about discontinued models than new editions. Patek does almost everything in its designs based on very few actual case designs. From there, it's in the dials, sub-dials, and metal features. Last year, they took the well-known Calatrava line and added a carbon pattern in the dial, expanding on several color combinations not seen before from Patek. Let’s not forget the Calatrava travel time. Heavily loomed for travel, this one details a duel time dial, new syringe hands, and a 24-hour format designed originally for the military.  Offered in a beautiful deep blue dial, this is a watch you will reference a lot while traveling. This year, Patek used a distinctive colorway throughout its offerings with denim straps that look both casual and formal at the same time.

Audemars Piguet- 

The splash announcement that huge watch collector John Meyer was working with AP on a collaboration of a new Perpetual Calendar took the watch world by surprise. A beautifully polished dial comes off as crystal and very celestial in its beauty. Dubbed the Crystal Sky, this watch will trade for well over $100,000 in its limited production. Meyer, who has his own named model from Rolex (yellow gold Daytona w green dial), is not known as an AP wearer, but that’s all changed with the introduction of the Crystal Sky. What about AP’s famous Code 11:59? It will be expanded with further complications which will keep it as a coveted piece for years to come. Finally, the Royal Oak line expands into colors of metals with the addition of palladium, which has created a new hue of rose gold... almost tan in color, setting it apart from others. 

Rolex

The world’s largest maker of watches with annual sales that exceed $11 billion dollars, Rolex released a teaser video of micro shots of rose gold bracelets, fluted bezels, gem set diamonds, and yellow gold clasps in the days leading up to the show. After all of the temptations wore down, we finally got a look at an impeccably designed gem-set Daytona with 50 identically matched diamonds around the bezel and mother-of-pearl dials that will certainly make it an heirloom.  Most surprising for Rolex was the addition of a new 1908 model dress watch with a hand-turned guilloché dial in ice blue. There was also a beautiful solid yellow gold “Blueberry” dial deep-sea model that will be like wearing an anchor on your wrist!  While most felt the new releases were underwhelming, Rolex will probably smash sales records with a new black and grey dial Submariner on an oyster or jubilee bracelet. At $10,500 it may become one of the most sought-after entry-level Rolex’s of all time. 

Independent brands with the means to get themselves into Watches and Wonders get their own much smaller runway at the exhibition, and one of the most anticipated was Furlan Marri. The small but growing popular brand is stunned with a perpetual calendar, a high complication for them but one that will only help the brand's visibility. It was joined by another boutique brand, Speake-Marin, who introduced a gorgeous Ultra Violet Openworked Tourbillon with automatic SMA05 caliber movement and fully integrated tungsten micro-rotor and rhodium-plated details. This timepiece pushes the boundaries of traditional watchmaking that perhaps could only be accomplished by an independent.

Titanium metal, now widely used in watches, is lighter, stronger, and slightly different in hue. It has appeared in almost every high-end line, including Cartier, Rolex, Omega, IWC, Tudor, Oris, Porsche Design, and Chopard. Equally present were designs using three-dimensional specs like raised bridges, super lumed indices, and radiant dials, which brought new life to classic brands.

LVMH- the fashion behemoth behind brands such as Tag Heuer, Bulgari, Zenith, and Hublot won the crowd whispers as the dominant force chasing Rolex for the overall top spot. Each one of their respective line-ups had debut pieces that received more than their fair share of attention. The LV Tambour, Tag Huer Monaco split-second chronograph, and the Octo Finnissimo Ultra by Bulgari (now the world’s thinnest watch with complications and a new World Record) all set new standards and are housed under a single luxury roof. 

Gianni Stratialla lives along the shores of Lake Como, Italy and writes about luxury timepieces. A collector, enthusiast, and critic, Stratialla restocks his personal collection of timepieces every 24 months and has recently found his most favorite watch of all time: A Timex Marlin. It cost 125.00 US dollars.