2024 has been a stellar year for IWC Schaffhausen. They launched the new look Portugieser collection at Watches & Wonders 2024, which I felt was one of the best collections released at the fair this year. Whilst other brands focused their efforts on just a few models or high complications, IWC took the opportunity to re-vamp the entire line, with new colourways reflecting the times of the day and in steel and precious metals. They also had an epic soundtrack playing in their booth, which could be heard throughout the Palexpo, so it was almost as if IWC provided the soundtrack to Watches & Wonders 2024.

They also released the Portugieser Eternal Calendar as part of this collection which was the brand’s contribution to the high-end pieces we saw throughout the fair, which then went on to break the Guinness World Record for most accurate moon phase in a wristwatch, and most recently taking out the Aiguille D’Or, the top prize at the GPHG awards last month.

So with all this playing out with the Portugieser collection, we’ve been lucky enough to get our hands on a couple of the new releases this year. Chamath was seen sporting the IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar in Horizon Blue (my personal favourite of the entire collection), last month for a bit, and I’ve now been able to wear the Portugieser Chronograph 41 in the ‘Dune’ colour for a week.

First impressions

Well, it is really my second, actually, third first impression with this piece, having had the chance to see it first at Watches & Wonders, then a few months ago at an event in Brisbane with IWC and The Hour Glass. But each time was a little fleeting, and with lots of other people, so this was the first time I had it in my hands and all to myself to get a proper “First Impression” of the watch.

The Dune colourway is unique in the fact there are not too many other watches on the market today that have a similar colour dial. I’m getting more and more into watches that are not your typical watch, and while that is a broad statement, when it comes to dials, something a little different to the standard black, white or dark blue is refreshing.

It is an elegant-looking watch as well, which is kind of the point of the Portugieser collection. It’s part contemporary and part historical, something that Christian Knoop, Chief Design Officer at IWC Schaffhausen talked to us about when we caught up with him earlier this year in Geneva.

“In the Portugieser you have to respect that it is more consistent and is going in a continuous and timeless direction. We look at the Portugieser as still a very contemporary watch, and not a kind of traditional watch…It’s not like people look at this and say, Oh, this is a traditional watch! No, it should be received as an incredibly modern watch!”

Christian Knoop, Chief Design Officer for IWC

That being said, I still see the Portugieser as being a little more formal in nature, and with the alligator leather strap, it is even more so than on the rubber, so I was keen to see how I would go with a more dressy watch compared to my usual pure sports pieces. The one area I’ll point out that is different in the ‘Dune’ Portugieser Chronograph is the monochromatic dial. While the other colour variants have contrasting numerals and hands, this is all done in the golden ‘Dune’ colour. More on that later…

The Design

The IWC Portugieser dates back to the late 1930s, and rather than the Art Deco design style, which was popular at the time, IWC went the more German Bauhaus route. This DNA can be seen in the Portugieser today, but with a whole suite of modern design cues, not to mention materials. These design cues are present across the entire range of the Portugieser collection, but in reference to this particular model, the 41mm Chronograph, we can see the modern and clean interpretation of the DNA shining through.

RELATED READING: Legacy Of Iconic Watch Designs – The IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser

The dials on the new collection are the focus points for the Portugieser, so much so that they have been designed with different times of the day in mind. With ‘Dune’, it reflects the way the light permeates everything in a golden glow in the late afternoon, that time just before dusk. You can see this coming out in the striations of the beautifully finished sunray dial, and to create this depth and effect, IWC applies 15 layers of transparent lacquer, part of the 60-step process that goes into designing just the dials themselves. Having the symetrical two-subdial design, there is no date window on the IWC Portugiser Chronograph. For me, I love to have a date as it adds to the functionality of the watch, I’m constantly using it. For others, it won’t matter much at all, so it depends on which side of the fence you sit on this issue as to whether this will bother you or not.

The ‘Dune’ Portugieser has hand-applied numerals on the dial, done in a rose gold plating and polished, allowing them to catch the light and reflect it at different angles. This also goes for the hands on the Portugieser Chronograph, finished beautifully with a slim curved profile. This elevates the watch and takes it out of the sports watch category and into a more dress watch category. The sub-dials have a beautiful graining to them, milled directly into the brass dial and then the way IWC prints on them allows for a greater 3D effect.

The one element I found with the dial, being all the same colour, is the lack of contrast. For me, the matching colours of the dial, subdials, hands and numerals were perhaps a little too much. Compare this to the ‘Horizon Blue’, the ‘Obsidian’ or the ‘Silver Moon’ dials which all have contrasting dial elements. ‘Horizon Blue’ has rhodium-plated hands and numerals that are silver to contrast with the light blue dial, the ‘Obsidian’s’ are gold on the black dial and on the ‘Silver Moon’, you have blue hands and numerals that pop against the silvery dial. This is more a personal preference, so depending on your likes or dislikes, may or may not be for you.

RELATED READING: IWC Launches New Portugieser Chronograph Collection

The case is pure Portugieser in the sense that is so recognisable when looking at it compared to the original reference 325. The curved lugs help the watch to get a better fit, and the shape has remained relatively unchanged for almost 100 years, albeit more refined, obviously. This is where the DNA of a watch comes in. Those design cues are iconic and lets a watch transcend time, allowing it to be both modern in style, and timeless in design. It’s a hard line to walk, but the best watchmakers do it well. The Portugieser is no exception and the combination of the brushed steel case, the flat pump style chronograph pushers and the polished raised bezel encompassing the dial let the Portugieser Chronograph fit in with our tastes in 2024, without losing the heritage of the past.

How It Wears

On my 17.5cm wrist, it looks pretty proportionate and the curved lugs make it wear pretty well. It doesn’t seem overly thick either, and at 13.1mm it is in the range of not being thin, but not too thick either. Also, thanks to the case design with only about half of the thickness being attributed to the actual case side itself, you don’t notice it as much. I feel it wears pretty true to the measurements on paper, potentially looking slightly bigger than 41 millimetres perhaps due to the lack of a flat bezel and a larger dial area, but only slightly. It’s really neither here nor there.

From the top down, you get another perspective here, and as a comparison, I’ve added in Champs’ wrist to show the 17.5cm circumference of my wrist compared to the 16.5cm of Champs’. While it potentially fits mine slightly better (I also don’t wear my watches as tight as Chamath does), the 41mm diameter and 48mm lug-to-lug on his wrist seems proportionate as well.

If you can get the right fit, it feels fairly comfortable to wear, but as it’s on a leather strap with a folding clasp and pin buckle, you will just need to play around with this and wait for the leather to soften and mould to your wrist after a little bit of wear. Being warm at the moment, I found that my wrist was in between the holes on the strap so a good fit wasn’t easy for me to achieve. As a result, I had to wear it on the slightly loose side, but in the warmer weather, this is most certainly not a bad thing!

One thing I don’t love about the claps on the IWC is it is hard to undo once on the wrist as it’s a friction release clasp, not a push button. So taking it off does require you to grasp it firmly on either side and pull it, alternatively, slide your finger under the clasp as a lever to unclip it. With this style of clasp, which is not unique to IWC I’ll say, they are always a little tricky to open, so my preference would be to have a push button release to make it easier and with less wear and tear.

Now, coming back to the style factor here, being a more dressy watch, I wanted to see how this piece wore around town, and given it’s now summer and the hot weather is here to stay, how I felt with it on in more casual attire. I’m not talking about gym clothing or singlets and boardshorts, but more just your day-to-day wear when out in the city, doing school drop-offs, coffee at a café, that sort of thing. I feel it did play the more casual part, elevating what I was wearing to a point and given that the Portugieser isn’t a dress watch so to speak with more sporty elements to it, you don’t feel like you’re trying to pass it off as something it’s not. This probably exemplifies what Christian Knoop spoke about with the modernity of the piece – those subtle style and design cues allow it to be more than one thing.

I mentioned in a previous review about the way many brands are now doing the reverse style strap, threading the strap though towards the body (if you’re wearing it on your left as most people do), which is the case on the Portugieser, rather than away from the body. I personally find this a little weird, only because I’m not used to it for the most part. I did mention however in the aforementioned review that the end of the strap would catch my pockets as I walked thanks to the longer strap and it protruding a little. It was something I hadn’t considered with the strap around this way, until it happened numerous times that is. Thankfully, the Portugieser didn’t have this issue at all as the strap is a little shorter at the end, and the double strap minders keep it in place.

The Movement

IWC are putting more and more emphasis on their movements these days. Back in 2018, they released the Calibre 69355 which was a full in-house manufactured movement brought out to help celebrate their 150 years. This is part of IWC’s 69000 family of calibres, which is the automatic winding chronograph utilising a column wheel and a bidirectional pawl-winding system. For the calibre 69355, IWC has altered this to drop the chronograph hour sub-dial function, basically due to aesthetic reasons to balance out the dial itself. The movement pivots on 27 jewels, is adjusted to five positions and beats at a 4Hz beat rate with a standard 46-hour power reserve. Yes, the power reserve could be better and bumped up to 72 hours, which is becoming more and more the standard these days, but as this is a piece meant for everyday wear, then it’s less of an issue.

Operating the chronograph, the buttons are crisp, with the start/stop pusher having a small amount of resistance when starting the timer. The reset button is a little bit softer to the touch, with a bit less resistance, but I feel this is a good thing as it makes the chronograph easier to use when resetting it quickly. While I may be a little critical of the way the pushers feel, that is the watch reviewer coming out in me. For the average person however, this won’t matter all that much, or even be noticeable, whereas for me, I’m comparing this to all other chronographs I’ve tried and tested over the years.

The pull-out crown is easy to operate when changing the time. The knurling is enough to offer grip and there is very little movement or give in the crown when setting the time, meaning you’re not turning the crown much before the hands start to move. You sometimes have this on less well-made watches, turning the crown sometimes up to 30 degrees before the hands turn, making it harder to set the time accurately. It’s a big bugbear of mine, and if this happens, it shows that the crown stem isn’t tight allowing movement in it before the ratchet wheel starts to come into play against the gear train.

The winding mechanism also has a great tactile feel in this watch when winding it manually. I would say it is a smooth crispness, not gritty or clunky like some. Again, this is a watch nerd thing, but is one way of seeing, feeling and hearing how well the movement is put together. The crisper and smoother the feel, the better (in most instances) the movement is made.

Final Thoughts

IWC at its core is a brand that has an engineering heart, designing watches with movements that are engineered very well, both in design language and construction. You see this with not only the Portugieser collection but most of their watches across the different model lines. The Portugieser, for me anyway, has always been a collection that is about simplicity and elegance, but with that slightly sportier edge, and because of this, I have slightly mixed feelings about the IWC Portugieser Chronograph ‘Dune’.

On one hand, it’s a great watch, with a timeless design, from a brand that I have a lot of respect for and is elegant with a touch of sportiness about it, as I’ve just mentioned. On the other hand, I’m not sure if the ‘Dune’ colourway was for me personally, and without a date function, and on a leather strap, it’s less of a day-to-day piece for my lifestyle – so I’m slightly conflicted. That being said, this variant is the only steel model of the new chronograph models released this year, with Horizon Blue and Obsidian in white and red gold respectively, so it’s more durable for everyday wear but elegant enough for dressing up for more formal occasions.

My feeling is that for someone like me, who gravitates a lot more towards sports steel pieces, it takes a little while to warm up to. But that’s ok as sometimes watches grow on you the more you wear them, and the Portugieser Chronograph in ‘Dune’ did just that. It grew on me over the week, and because of this, I found myself picking outfits that would better compliment the watch, and I did feel a little dapper with it strapped to my wrist.

Overall I enjoyed wearing it – it gave me something different to wear on a daily basis that pushed me out of my comfort zone so to speak, in a colour that is different to what I would have traditionally chosen. In this statement, there is a lesson for me, and for those readers out there stuck in a certain way when it comes to watches. That is, try on different pieces and get out of your comfort zone. Try something you wouldn’t normally wear and see how it makes you feel, and when it comes to your next purchase, you may just find yourself picking out a watch that adds more variety to your collection!

References: IW371624 ‘Dune’

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 41mm, 13.1mm thick & 48mm lug-to-lug
• Case Material: Brushed and polished Stainless Steel
• Dial: Sunray brushed ‘Dune’ colour with applied numerals, milled subdials and red-gold plated hands
• Crystal: Sapphire, convex, antireflective coating on both sides
• Water resistance: 30m / 3 Bar
• Movement: IWC-manufactured calibre 69355 beating at 4Hz (28, 800 VpH) and 27 jewels
• Power reserve: 46 hrs
• Strap: Black alligator with steel folding clasp with pin buckle

Australian Recommended Retail Price: A$13,200

Availability: Available now at IWC Boutiques, authorised retailers or online at IWC.com

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It’s Christmas time, and that means the man in the red suit will be coming our way soon. We’ve assembled a range of gift guides this year to help you pick something for that special someone, even if that someone is yourself! Today, we’ve got dress watches covered!

The end of the year can mean many things: the closing of a chapter, the perfect time for R&R, or perhaps the anticipation of gathering around with friends, family and loved ones for the holidays! However, it also means that Christmas is just around the corner, and with Black Friday having come and gone, time is ticking. Everyone not caught up in the shopping mania of weeks past are now scrambling for gift ideas before the 25th finally arrives!

Should the special someone (or someones!) in your life have a head for horology, then a beautiful new watch would be the perfect gift for them! If you’ve not seen them already, we’ve our Christmas Gift Guide to Chronographs as well as our Christmas Gift Guide to Square Watches on the site – make sure you check them out after this.  I’ve decided to tackle the holiday season with a more traditional approach: dress watches. Whether it be a black tie gala, a formal business outing, a romantic evening, or a graduation, a dress watch finds comfort in minimalism and extravagance in subtlety. It’s not something you’d traditionally wear every day, but you’ll be sure glad it’s there when you need to dress to impress. 

The resurgence of the watch industry also means the resurgence of the dress watch, so watch brands the world over have been under the pump this year, creating some of the best dress offers we’ve seen in a long time. Releases are plentiful, and we understand that it can get extremely confusing, which is why I’m here to help you out. So, enough blabbering, and read on as I count up a variety of beautifully understated dress pieces that are sure to stun at any price point!

Timex: 1960s Marlin Series

At the lower end of the price bracket is the Timex 1960s Marlin. The unique retro design of these timepieces, with slim Arabic numerals for the quarter indexes, presents a fascinating yet fairly boujee aesthetic for the money. It’s for this reason, combined with the reliability of their automatic Miyota movement, that makes watch fans everywhere revere this series within Timex’s Marlin collection. Standing at 40mm case diameter, 47mm lug-to-lug (length), and 13mm thick, the 1960s Marlin comes in either sunray-brushed salmon, green or blue dial colours, as well as a more demure black with gilded accents. For those pursuing elegance on a budget, I couldn’t recommend them enough – especially since you can get 15% off your first purchase!

• References:  TW2V44600 (Green), TW2W33900 (Black/Gilt), TW2V44500 (Blue), TW2W33800 (Salmon)
• Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$499.95

For More Information, Visit Timex.com

Seiko: Presage Cocktail Time ‘Mockingbird’/‘Cosmopolitan’

Really, how could I start off a list with a value proposition and not include the kings themselves? Seiko is to watches what Toyota is to cars, and their watches are no exception to the rule. One of my favourite Seiko series to date is the Cocktail Time collection, which has various coloured dials that represent different cocktails made at a bar. For the price you pay, you get an incredibly attractive timepiece that I find can be worn for practically any occasion, thanks to the reputable reliability of Seiko themselves. My recommendations would be the deep green SRPD37J1 ‘Mockingbird’ for men, or perhaps the light pink SRP839J1 ‘Cosmopolitan’ for women – but there are so many different versions, I know you’ll find one you like even more.

• References: SRPD37J1 (Mockingbird), SRP839J1 (Cosmopolitan)
• Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$699 (Mockingbird), AU$695 (Cosmopolitan)

For More Information, Visit here for the ‘Mockingbird,’ or here for the ‘Cosmopolitan’

Tissot: Chemin des Tourelles Blue

The first Swiss watch to make an appearance here is the always-popular Tissot with the Chemin de Tourelles collection. Initially released just last year, they have taken the affordable dress watch world by storm, thanks to a value-driven, beautifully finished package.

Related Reading: Tissot Chemin des Tourelles Hands on Review

With a whopping 80-hour power reserve, this is a watch that can worn on the daily as well as for special occasions. Like the Seiko Cocktail Time, variations are aplenty – and with so many male & female versions to choose from, it’s impossible to lose! I prefer the blue variant pictured above – but if you need a second opinion, check out the review Matt did last year!

• Reference: T139.807.16.041.00
• Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$1,240

For More Information, Visit Tissot.com 

MIDO: Baroncelli Chronometer Silicon Gent

While the Mido Commander collection is more well-known as part of this Swiss brand’s lineup, the Mido Baroncelli is perhaps more representative of the dress watch genre as a whole. This particular reference is especially stunning, as its dark anthracite dial carries a unique finishing along with it.

Related Reading: Certifications Explained – What Chronometer Actually Means?

The dressy nature of this watch is only furthered by the introduction of rose gold on the hands and indexes – a fitting and elegant addition to this incredible sleeper hit. For those horologically inclined, the added price tag also introduces COSC Chronometer certification, meaning that this watch is a beautiful as it is remarkably accurate.

• Reference: M027.408.16.061.00
• Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$1,975

For More Information, Visit Mido.com

Raymond Weil: Millesime Silver

Okay – if you’ve been reading my stuff for a while now, you must be getting sick of seeing me glaze this watch to no end. Counterpoint: I don’t care, because this watch absolutely deserves it! Ignoring the absolute comeback tour that Raymond Weil is currently on, the Millesime’s addition to their lineup was both unexpected and welcome.

Related Reading: Hands On With The Raymond Weil Millesime

So welcome, in fact, that they won a GPHG Award for their efforts – the equivalent of an Oscar for watches. At a middling price point, this gorgeous watch now comes with an endless amount of colours, sizes, and complications, perfect for celebrating any special occasion. But don’t just take it from me now, take it from me in the past, when I reviewed the award winner earlier this year:

• Reference: 2930-ST-65001 
• Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$3,800

For More Information, Visit RaymondWeil.com

Frederique Constant: Classics Premiere

Frederique Constant, often relegated to the background of the watch industry, has been putting exceptional work into their timepieces as of late. This Classic Premiere watch is more than enough proof to verify that claim, as it is as mechanically sound as it is aesthetically. The watch is reasonably sized at 38.5mm, and features Roman Numerals for each quarter index, as well as apple-style hands reminiscent of Cartier. The movement inside – a La Joux-Perret G100 – sports a satisfying 68-hour power reserve, allowing the watch to carry on long after the party is over. For those that love a contemporary take on a tried-and-true classic, this one is surely for them. 

• Reference: FC-301N3B6
• Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$3,950

For More Information, Visit FrederiqueConstant.com

Longines: Flagship Heritage Moonphase Green

We at WatchAdvice are pretty familiar with Longines, and we know that they are far and away one of the most consistent watch brands of all time. It may not surprise, you, then, that their standards, as high as they are, have always been consistent – a sentiment especially true thanks to the Flagship Heritage Moonphase series. The above rendition, decked out in green, is a delicate new take on the Flagship Heritage collection, and seriously proves why Longines deserves all the flowers it has received and more. Sure, the watch may not have a display case back like some of the others on this list, but if you took one look at the enamelled 18k gold medallion, you wouldn’t be complaining.

• Reference: L48154022
• Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$5,100

For More Information, visit Longines.com 

Cartier: Santos Dumont Large Black Lacquer

Speaking of familiarity, the Cartier Santos Dumont is a collection that we have reviewed on several occasions (2020 and 2024 respectively). While both of the watches mentioned here were stunning in their own right, they both pale in comparison to the demure black lacquer rendition. This version carries with it an understated aura that is matched by a scant few and, compounded with the reputation of the brand name, has been elevated to a legendary status. It’s why we’ve reviewed it so many times – and quite frankly, I can’t wait until I review it again!

• Reference: WSSA0046
• Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$9,850

For More Information, Visit Cartier.com.au

IWC: Portugieser Horizon Blue

At first glance, it’s easy to write IWC off as yet another aviation-focussed watch brand. Yet, the delicately crafted yet bold Portugieser lineup stands out in contrast to the primarily utilitarian designs the Schaffhausen brand is known for. Available in all sorts of shapes and sizes, my pick of the bunch would have to be the new 40mm in Horizon Blue.

Related Reading: Legacy Of Iconic Watch Designs – The Portugieser

It effectively ticks all the boxes of what a quintessential dress watch should be: simple, yet ruthlessly engineered; subtle, yet extravagantly finished, yet obvious to those in the know. By all accounts, the Portugieser is the modern man’s dress watch. 

• Reference: IW358402
• Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$28,000

For More Information, Visit IWC.com

A. Lange & Sӧhne: Saxonia Thin

You just can’t beat this. The best is – and always has been – German, thanks in part to the monumental effort that A. Lange & Sӧhne go to make the most excellent wristwatches in the world. This piece, standing at a mere 7.5mm thickness with a 39mm case diameter, represents the very best of the dress watch genre. Decked out in 750 white gold, with an aventurine dial mimicking the stars above, this rendition of the Saxonia Thin is as crazy as you can get whilst still exercising restraint. Remember, a dress watch isn’t built to grab attention but instead to attract it, and when you take one look at this you will be attracted for sure.

• Reference: 205.086
• International Recommended Retail Price: Price upon request

For More Information, Visit ALange-Soehne.com

When watchmakers Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey came together for the first time in 1992, little did the watch world know that they were soon in for the ride of their lives. Founded in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 2004, the titular brand is the epitome of horological superiority. Just two decades into the game has seen the independent brand ascend to the very top of haute horlogerie, effectively landing them in 50th place in Morgan Stanley’s highest-grossing watch brands of 2023. 

That might not sound like a high spot at first, but their creativity and engineering prowess saw them sell just 255 watches, totalling CHF 50 million for the entire year.  That’s an average transaction value of CHF 196,078! By contrast, Bell & Ross in 49th sold 13,600 watches to get to the same point, averaging CHF 3,676 per watch. Never content to rest on their laurels, however, Greubel Forsey has opted to celebrate this momentous 20th birthday with the introduction of their 10th ‘Fundamental Invention,’ by way of the new Nano Foudroyante EWT. This is the first chronograph watch – and the first flying tourbillon – ever made by the brand, but by no means is it easy to comprehend at first glance, even if you have read our article on Chronograph watches.

That won’t stop me from trying, though! The Greubel Forsey Nano Foudroyante EWT contains a highly complex and rare complication in the watchmaking industry: a seconde foudroyante, or ‘lightning seconds.’ For most mechanical watches, the second hand appears to move smoothly, but it actually jumps in fractional increments, commonly called ‘beats,’ to enhance overall time-telling precision. In this case, the Nano Foudroyante EWT runs at 6 beats per second, which is around 21,600VpH (Vibrations per Hour/Beats per Hour) or 3Hz. This means that it can tell time accurately to one-sixth of a second.

The seconde foudroyante is a visual representation of such, mounted atop the Nano Foudroyante EWT’s flying tourbillon. Simply explained, a seconde foudroyante complication displays each sixth of a second as it occurs, allowing for an incredibly precise reading of time. With the chronograph being the Nano Foudroyante EWT’s primary complication, the seconde foudroyante in theory permits the most accurate reading of elapsed time. 

Related Reading: The Art Of Complications – The Tourbillon

The downside to a seconde foudroyante is that it consumes a ton of juice to operate. Even traditional chronographs with monstrous power reserves like TAG Heuer’s TH20-00 movement falter at the sight of one. If you’re Jaeger-LeCoultre, then the most practical solution would be to use a completely separate barrel to operate the complication, as per the Duometre system present in, for example, this JLC Duometre Heliotourbillon Perpetual released at Watches and Wonders 2024. However, Greubel Forsey’s MO isn’t in maximisation, but in minimisation. Ever the specialists in nanomechanics, their engineers discovered a method of reducing the seconde foudroyante’s impact on the power reserve.

Where a traditional seconde foudroyante consumes 30μJ (microjoules) per beat, the Nano Foudroyante EWT’s mechanism has reduced it to a mere 16 nJ (nanojoules) per beat – requiring 1,800 times less energy than the original. In layman’s terms, imagine if a Dodge Hellcat SRT, which averages 3–4 miles per gallon at full acceleration (199mph/320kph), was modified to maintain 3,600mpg whilst sacrificing absolutely nothing. That’s 38 times more than the Toyota Prius’ world record-breaking 95mpg!

It’s for this reason that, instead of keeping it synced with the monopusher flyback chronograph, Greubel Forsey has elected to keep the Nano Foudroyante EWT running perpetually with the tourbillon. Yes, it still eats into the power reserve – only lasting 24 hours on a full wind – but it serves more as a proof of concept than anything. It just goes to show that, despite how anachronistic mechanical watchmaking may be, there are still rules to be made, and many more yet to be broken!

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As always, though, the mechanics are only half of the story, and Greubel Forsey’s design chops shine through despite the Nano Foudroyante EWT’s simplistic layout. Standing at a scant 37.9mm with a 10.49mm thickness, this timepiece comprises a centre case of 18k white gold sandwiched between a tantalum bezel and case back. The dial is textured white gold, with the seconde foudroyante affixed to the flying tourbillon at 5:30. The watch also consists of a small seconds counter at 7:30 and a 60-minute register at 9 o’clock. Finally, the chronograph function is operated by the 2 o’clock monopusher, with the flyback system built into the crown itself.

Initial Thoughts

I knew that unpacking this watch would mean that I would go onto some serious technobabble, but the Greubel Forsey Nano Foudroyante EWT deserves it. In fact, all watches from Greubel Forsey deserve this treatment, as they are all examples of micro (and in this case, nano) mechanical engineering done to the highest degree.

I have said ad nauseam that we still have plenty more to learn in the realms of mechanical watchmaking, and the Nano Foudroyante EWT is absolutely no exception. To integrate such a rare and complex mechanism into a wristwatch is a challenge in of itself; To make a dramatically improved version, whilst maintaining a modest set of dimensions, seems damn near impossible. But of course, if you’re either Robert Greubel, Stephen Forsey, or any of the incredible engineers and craftsmen under their employ, the impossible is accomplished on a daily basis. That’s how it’s been at Greubel Forsey over the last 20 years, and that’s surely how it will remain for the next 20.

Reference: Nano Foudroyante EWT

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 37.9mm case diameter x 10.49mm thickness
• Case Material: Tantalum & 18k white gold
• Dial: Textured white gold
• Movement: Manual wind Greubel Forsey 10th Fundamental Invention with flyback chronograph, tourbillon, & seconde foudroyante
• Power Reserve: 24h
• Water Resistance: 30m (3bar)
• Strap: Non-animal material strap with white gold pin buckle 

International RRP: CHF 463,000

Availability: Limited to 11 pieces. Visit GreubelForsey.com to find out more.

Square watches, and we’re not talking about your more formal rectangular dress watches either, no we mean SQUARE! – they can be divisive, as not everyone loves them. But, there are some great watches out there from some of the biggest, and not-so-big, names in the industry. They can be sporty, or they can be much more dressy, but either way, no matter what your style or lifestyle is, there is a square-shaped watch out there for most tastes. So, if you’re thinking about that perfect square-shaped watch, then we’ve hand-picked 10 square watches at a range of price points that are sure to win someone over this Christmas, even if that someone is you!

Bell & Ross BR-05 Skeleton Arctic Blue

Bell & Ross are famous for their square watches, more specifically, the circle inside the square which was inspired by instrument panels on old planes – hence their tagline, Instruments for Professionals. However, their Urban collection takes this concept and refines it a little with sleeker and more modern-looking pieces, and the skeletonised BR-05 Arctic Blue takes this one step further with a skeletonised blue dial designed to look like it’s been carved out of ice. It is 40mm wide and 10.33 mm thick, so it will suit most wrists out there, Bell & Ross bracelets are comfortable, so it’s a great everyday piece for those who want something sporty and a little left of centre. The best part? It is limited to 250 pieces, so you will have something a little unique.

• Reference: BR05A-AB-SKST/SST
• Australian RRP: A$12,800

For more information, visit BellRoss.com

Cartier Santos de Cartier Green

Is there anything more iconic in the square watch world than the Cartier Santos? The Santos was the world’s first pilots watch, and wristwatch for that matter with a history dating back to 1904 when Louis Cartier gifted pioneering aviator, Alberto Santos-Dumont a watch to help with his flying endeavours. These days, the Santos de Cartier is more modern, with different sizes and materials, but the DNA of the original is still there. We’ve chosen the Santos de Cartier Automatic Medium in green, hey, it’s Christmas and the green dial is perfect for the season, or anytime really. The Santos has an interchangeable green alligator leather strap as well, and with the quick change mechanism, you can swap between the two each day. A staple for any collection, or for someone who wants that one watch that can be highly versatile, worn each day and for any occasion.

• Reference: WSSA0061
• Australian RRP: A$11,500

For more information, visit Cartier.com.au

Cartier Panthère de Cartier Medium Rose Gold

Yes, it’s another Cartier, but this time, we’ve chosen the Panthère medium in rose gold. Cartier is famous for their case shapes, and they do square watches so, so well. The Panthère de Cartier is having a bit of a renaissance of late as well and can be for both men and women, so it’s quite the versatile piece. Due to its size: 29mm x 37mm, with a thickness of just 7mm, it is a quartz watch, but this means it’s highly accurate and will keep ticking for many years before a battery change is needed. The Panthère de Cartier is another timeless piece that will pair well with most outfits. it dresses up casual attire and completes any formal look too. A great one to put on the Christmas wish list!

• Reference: WGPN0007
• Australian RRP: A$43,200

For more information, visit Cartier.com.au

Hublot Square Bang Unico Titanium Blue Ceramic

We all know Hublot doesn’t follow the trends, they set them, and the Square Bang is their version of a square-shaped watch, with Big Bang Unico vibes. In this instance, it’s the titanium and blue ceramic version, which is a great versatile colourway, and coming in at 42mm, it’s not too big for most to pull off! It’s a bold-looking piece, but is light thanks to the titanium case and ceramic bezel, on top of that, it has Hublot’s in-house HUB1280 Unico 2 movement which is one of the smoothest flyback chronographs on the market today.

• Reference: 821.NL.5170.RX
• Australian RRP: A$37,600

For More Information Visit: Hublot.com

Hermès H08 Rose Gold

Hermès doesn’t get enough credit as a watchmaker. It is a typical story of a high-end fashion brand getting into the watch world, and people not associating it with pure horology. But, the leather goods manufacturer has come a long way with their watch division, now having in-house movements to the point where they are developing some amazing high complications, like the Arceau l’Heure de la Lune. The H08 Rose Gold is a great precious metal sports watch, with an 18k rose gold outer case, ceramic bezel and a black DLC titanium case back. Inside is the Hermés 1837 calibre with a 50-hour power reserve and this piece is 100m water resistant, so with the rubber strap, you can enjoy it without worry. It is a great mid-sized watch with a 39mm diameter and 42mm across the wrist, so will suit many wrists, both men and women, and the price is pretty good as well for a gold watch.

• Reference: W060124WW00
• Australian RRP: A$26,000

For More Information Visit: Hermes.com

Patek Philippe Cubitus

So we had to put the Cubitus in here, it would be wrong not to! There’s been perhaps no watch this year that’s had just a mixed reception to it than Patek Philippe’s Cubitus. But, putting all the conjecture aside, it’s a decent looking square sports watch, and lets face it, there’s quite a lot of celebrities that haver been seen wearing it and we’re going to go out on a limb here and say it will be a hot watch to get…eventually. It’s wide at 45mm, but its slim at just 8.3mm and from all reports, as long as you don’t have tiny wrists, you can get away with it. Can you easily get one? No, not unless you’re already a customer, or you’re in the know, but one to put on the list anyway!

• Reference: 5821/1A
• Australian RRP: POA

For More Information Visit: Patek.com

Rado True Square Open Heart

Rado is known as the Master of Materials and for good reason. The brand has been working with ceramics for decades and were one of the pioneers of it. Their High-Tech ceramic looks great and even better when polished, like this True Square in polished black High-Tech Ceramic. It’s also part of their Open Heart range, with skeletonised dials showcasing the movement underneath. Lightweight, almost scratch-proof (my wife has had a Rado True Thinline white ceramic for 10 years and still looks brand new!), water resistant to 50m and with an 80-hour power reserve, it is a good all-round watch. Coupled with this, at 38mm in diameter and 9.7mm thick, it can be worn by most wrist sizes on both men and women. Don’t like black? That’s ok, Rado has a range of colour variants to choose from.

• Reference: R27086152
• Australian RRP: A$4,350

For More Information Visit: Rado.com

SevenFriday CuXedo

You may not have heard of SevenFriday, it’s not a hugely well-known or popular brand, but it does have a strong following from those who know, and those who know, love it! They do some cool retro-styled pieces and in a rounded square shape for the most part and the CuXedo is a great example. With an openworked dial, rotating small seconds ring and rather than the date, a window indicating the day make this a fun watch. The animation ring is done in Damascene, a process that fuses different metals together to create a unique pattern. Sized at 47.6mm, it’s a large watch, but it’s fun and for someone who wants to buck the norm and go their own way in the watch world.

• Reference: PS2/02 CuXedo
• Australian RRP: A$2,550

For More Information Visit: AU.SevenFriday.com

TAG Heuer Monaco Titanium Pink

What would a square watch gift guide be without one of the OG square sports watches? The TAG Heuer Monaco is a classic, made famous when Steve McQueen wore one in Le Mans over 50 years ago. Since then, it has become a classic, and the modern iterations have taken the DNA of the Monaco and made it relevant for today’s watch lover. This example is the latest Monaco released just last month and features a skeletonised dial with hot pink accents, housed in a black DLC titanium case and with TAG Heuer’s in-house TH20-00 chronograph movement with an 80-hour power reserve. Speaking from experience, don’t be fooled by the size on paper – 39mm, 47.4mm lug to lug & 15.2mm thick. This is a great watch that is super easy to wear each day, and looks great on the wrist, albeit a little different to what you may see others wearing at your local café. But that’s a good thing.

• Reference: CBL218B.FT6236
• Australian RRP: A$16,300

For More Information Visit: Tagheuer.com

Tissot Lovely Square

Tissot is known for its value-for-money propositions, and the Tissot Lovely Square is no exception here. Measuring 20mm x 20mm, this is a watch for those ladies who want something small and elegant on their wrist that can be paired with just about any outfit. Reminiscent of ladies’ dress watches from the 1960s, the Tissot Lovely Square is made from 316L steel, water-resistant to 30m and has a Swiss Quartz movement for no fuss. It is also great bang for buck at less than A$500, so it’s perfect as a gift for that special girl in your life, or a cheeky gift for yourself!

• Reference: T058.109.11.041.00
• Australian RRP: A$495

For More Information Visit: Tissotwatches.com

There you have it. 10 square watches at various prices for the discerning watch lover in your life. If you haven’t seen our Christmas Gift Guide To Chronographs, then make sure you check it out as well and stay tuned for more Gift Guide ideas over the next 2 weeks in the lead-up to Christmas.

Fine cigars and watches have a lot in common. Both are made by skilled people who have taken years to hone their craft, both are enjoyed by aficionados of their respective categories (sometimes both) and both have a history and story to tell. When a brand like Hublot, who likes to buck convention and go its own way teams up with one of the world’s best Cigar families, the result is always going to be striking. And this is what we have in the latest Hublot x Fuente timepiece, the sixth between the two. This time, is a King Gold Classic Fusion Chronograph, and I can say it is definitely a good-looking piece in the metal!

Back in 2012, Carlito Fuente and his family cigar business, Arturo Fuente Cigars celebrated their 100th birthday, and for this, joined forces with Hublot to create timepieces with a charitable bent – with a portion of the profits from the watches supporting the Dominican population through the Fuente Family Foundation. Since then, there have been five Hublot x Fuente collaborations, and this year it’s a special year as the Fuente family is celebrating the 25th anniversary of their Fuente Fuente OpusX line – the first Dominican puro cigar produced by Carlito Fuente and one of the most acclaimed cigars ever produced thanks to the way they are made.

This year, Hublot and Arturo Fuente, headed up by Arturo Fuente’s grandson, Carlito Fuente celebrate the family’s most sought-after cigars, the Fuente Fuente OpusX. These cigars are made by the most skilled and experienced cigar rollers, “torcedores” who have to undergo a further 10 months of training before being allowed to make the OpusX cigars. Unlike other premium cigars that use 5 leaves, OpusX uses 9 leaves, and are then left for 2 years to mature and gain the robust and mature aromas they are famous for. So, for Hublot, creating a piece that spoke to this craft was essential, and created the Classic Fusion Chronograph Arturo Fuente King Gold, with all the hallmarks of Hublot, the Classic Fusion and adding in elements that bring out the Arturo Fuente brand.

Done in an 18-carat King Gold (Hublot’s version of rose gold) case, and measuring 42mm in diameter and 11.9mm thick, the watch is striking in the metal as the contrast of the fumé gradient smoked green dial and green alligator strap really offset this piece. Hublot has laser-engraved tobacco leaves on the bezel, and this helps to bring to life the partnership and a nod to the famous cigar family. As a design aesthetic, it also helps to frame the dial and give the otherwise brushed bezel great character.

The dial has been done in a smoked gradient fumé green, that starts out as a deep, dark green at the outer, then lightens as you move towards the centre of the dial. This, mixed with the King Gold hands, hour markers, and chapter rings on the chronograph sub-dials give a striking contrast and if you’ve read previous articles of mine, I’m quite partial to a deep green dial matched and rose gold watch. The OpusX logo can be found on the small seconds dial at 3 o’clock, another nod to the cigar collection.

The Classic Fusion Arturo Fuente Chronograph has been given a celebratory case back, with a limited edition number of 50 inscribed into the case. The Fuente OpusX 25-year motif is engraved with black and green lacquer, along with Carlito Fuente’s signature and the name of the family estate in the Dominican Republic – Chateau de la Fentue. Inside is the HUB1153 self-winding chronograph movement, beating at 4Hz and giving the watch a 48-hour power reserve. It’s a passable power reserve, but at the end of the day, standard for this movement and not one to worry too much about if you’re wearing this piece on a regular basis.

Like other Fuente collaborations, this piece comes in a green lacquer box, that doubles as a cigar humidor, designed in collaboration with Manny Iriarte, long-time creative partner. For those who are cigar lovers, this is a great secondary prize here as you’re not left with a watch box lying around that like most of us with these, sitting in a drawer or closet gathering dust.

Initial Thoughts

I’m not a cigar guy, and I probably wouldn’t be able to tell you the difference between the OpusX Forbidden X or the OpusX Angel’s Share cigars. But that doesn’t matter as I know that these are made with skill and love for a craft that is over a century old in the case of the Fuente Family. And does it mean I like the watch less because of this? No. In fact, because of the watch, I want to delve deeper into the cigar side of this collaboration and learn more about it. It’s the innate curiosity in me I guess, but also, the watch has an altruistic component as well, which is a bonus.

No matter how much of a watch nut you are, or how much you delve into the ins and outs of the watch, the movement, and all that geeky stuff we do, sometimes a watch is just plain cool. You’re drawn to it because of the way it looks and feels on the wrist and the way it makes you feel. For me, this is exactly what happened with this piece when the team and I had a play with it prior to the launch this week. The green and gold colourway is great, it pops. The design of the bezel with the cigar leaves is cool, and it is different. The watch is a talking point, and with only 50 pieces available, not a piece you’ll see in the wild much, if at all.

Reference: 541.OX.8980.LR.OPX24 – limited to 50 pieces

Specification:

• Case: 42mm x 11.9mm thick
• Case Material: Satin-finished and Polished 18K King Gold
• Dial: Gradient Green Sunray with 18k King Gold hands and hour markers. OpusX logo on the small seconds dial
• Crystal: Sapphire with Anti-reflective Treatment
• Movement: HUB1153 Self-winding Chronograph Movement, beating at 4Hz / 28,800 Vph & pivoting on 39 jewels
• Case-Back: 18k King Gold with black and green lacquered OpusX 25 motif
• Water resistance: 50 metres / 5 ATM
• Power reserve: 48 hours
• Strap: Black Rubber and Green Alligator Leather Strap with 18K 5N Gold and Black-plated Stainless Steel Deployant Buckle Clasp

Australian Recommended Retail Price: A$60,500

Availability: Available through Hublot Boutiques, and online at Hublot.com

The search for the perfect gift begins with the festive season well and truly among us! For watch enthusiasts and those who appreciate watches, a well-crafted chronograph is an appealing model to add to the collection. Chronograph timepieces have become a symbol of versatility, combining functionality and aesthetic appeal. This Christmas, whether it’s for yourself, a loved one, or a friend who is into watches, a finely crafted chronograph may indeed be the perfect gift.

Chronographs are timepieces that are instruments of precision and utility. When chronograph models were originally developed, they were created for pilots, racers, and divers, for whom measuring time was crucial to the profession. From timing laps on a racetrack to calculating speeds or even keeping track of everyday events, chronograph timepieces are certainly a useful tool that comes with a dose of elegance. In the modern day, however, chronograph timepieces have gone beyond their functional origins to become icons of watchmaking design.

When it comes to the world of horology, the variety of chronograph timepieces you’ll find is staggering. Brands are always trying to innovate and incorporate new designs into this iconic complication, such as innovating the simple chronograph mechanism further by creating complications such as the split-second chronograph, rattrapante chronograph or even the flyback chronograph. When it comes to aesthetic design, there is a range of styles to suit various tastes as well. From the classic two-register layouts to modern three-register chronographs or configurations like the rattrapantes and flybacks, each type offers a unique story and appeal!

When choosing a chronograph timepiece as a gift, it is essential to consider the lifestyle of the recipient. Do they love motorsports? In that case, they may prefer chronographs with tachymeters, which are reminiscent of early chronographs used for racing. Maybe they like to travel the world, so a world-time chronograph would be a perfect gift. Or maybe in their downtime, they like to go diving, for which a divers chronograph watch would suit them great! It could also be simply that they like the look of a chronograph watch; the sight of a chronograph in action, its sweeping hands measuring time with the precision of the intricate and complex movement inside, can certainly be appealing. Whatever the passion or reason, a chronograph is a great addition to any watch collection. While there are too many chronograph models released this year to list, we’ve chosen some great stand-out pieces, shown below, that will cater to a variety of tastes, preferences and budget!

A. Lange & Söhne 

Datograph Up/Down 750 White Gold

A.Lange & Sohne introduced a new version of the Datograph Up/Down, this time presented in a 750 white gold case with an aesthetic blue dial with white counters. The Datograph Up/Down features a flyback chronograph mechanism, a precisely jumping minute counter, an outsize date and a power-reserve indicator. The flyback mechanism allows two quick consecutive time measurements, with virtually no delay between these. The chronograph is stopped, reset to zero, and started again in next to no time.

• Reference:  405.028
• International Recommended Retail Price: Price upon request

For More Information, Visit: Alange-soehne.com

Audemars Piguet

Code 11.59 Self-winding Chronograph

Audemars Piguet created quite the buzz when they released the Code 11.59 collection. This latest 18-carat pink gold version brings forth the latest design evolution for the Code 11.59 Chronograph, with the stand out signature embossed dial now being presented in “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” shade. The blue contrasts beautifully against the pink gold of the case and dial to make a very attractive-looking timepiece.

RELATED READING: Audemars Piguet Drops Seven New Code 11:59 Pieces

• Reference:  26393OR.OO.A348KB.01
• International Recommended Retail Price: CHF 43,300 

For More Information, Visit: AudemarsPiguet.com

Breitling

Chronomat B01 42 Arctic White Australian Limited Edition

As part of Breitling’s 140th anniversary celebrations, the brand has released a limited-edition version dedicated to Australia and New Zealand. Limited to just 140 models, this timepiece features a crisp “Arctic White” dial done in a matte white coating to give it an almost lacquer dial look. The black counters for the chronograph functions not only contrast well, but also gives the dial the panda look.

RELATED READING: Hands On With The Breitling Chronomat B01 42 Australian Limited Edition

• Reference: AB01344B1A1S1
• Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $12,190

For More Information, Visit: Breitling.com.au

Glashuette Original

SeaQ Chronograph

The latest version of Glashuette Original’s SeaQ Chronograph has a not-so-straightforward black-and-white look. The dial features two subcounters with the outer rings being done in black, while the date window at 6 o’clock is oversized and is also done in black to stay in the colour theme. What makes this watch stand out, however, is the dial finish. The dial finish is achieved by using a galvanic silver dial that makes use of the same optical effect that cinema screens once achieved using a thin coat of silver paint: the surface reduces the dispersion of light to a minimum and enables more excellent contrast than a traditional white background.

RELATED READING: Introducing The Glashütte Original SeaQ Chronograph “Silver Screen”

• Reference: 1-37-23-03-80-34
• Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $23,000

For More Information, Visit: Glashuette-original.com

Hublot

Big Bang Unico Orange Ceramic

During Watches & Wonders 2024, Hublot released two new colours for their Big Bang Unico collection, one in bright orange and another in a military green proving once again, that they’re masters of the coloured ceramic watch! This is arguably the first time bright orange ceramic has been used to create a watch case, showing Hublot’s daring spirt of innovation and being different.

Related Reading: Hublot Adds Two New Colours To The Big Bang Unico Collection

• Reference: 441.CU.5910.RX
• Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $44,100 

For More Information, Visit: Hublot.com.au

Seiko

Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph

Seiko has quite the extensive collection of Proxpex Speedtimer Solar Chronographs, providing a timepiece for a variety of tastes and colour preferences. This latest model, however, is arguably the stand-out timepiece of the collection. It features a striking sunburst gold dial with black counters in direct contrast. The tachymeter bezel is done in blue and red, further spicing up what is one colourful timepiece.

• Reference: SSC947
• International Recommended Retail Price: AUD $1,100

For More Information, Visit: Seikowatches.com.au

Swatch x Omega

Moonswatch Mission To Earthphase

The Swatch x Omega was all the buzz and hype when the Moonswatch was first introduced. Since then, the two brands have slowly been drip-feeding new models into the collection. One of the latest is the Mission to Earthphase, which comes with a grey dial with a grain texture to resemble the moon’s surface. What’s cool about this edition, however, is that it boasts both a moon phase and a patented earth phase function. Two oversized moons with Super-LumiNova® (white emission) can be seen on the moon phase disc, which rotates in the subdial set at 2 o’clock. The earth phase function located in the subdial at 10 o’clock is coloured.

• Reference: Mission To Earthphase
• Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $525.00

For More Information, Visit: Swatch.com

TAG Heuer

Carrera Chronograph Glassbox Silver Panda

Combining classic racing heritage with modern silver charm, the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Glassbox Silver Panda has many little details that make this one of the best Carrera models yet. While the case has the signature Carrera styling, it’s the dial that makes this watch drool-worthy. When you look at the Sunray silver panda dial, you’ll see that it has a brushed finish. Combine this with the circular engraved sub-dials and the touches of red found throughout the dial, and it quickly becomes a very aesthetically pleasing dial with a lot to offer!

RELATED READING: Hands-On With The TAG Heuer Carrera Silver Panda!

• Reference: CBS2216.BA0041
• Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $9,650

For More Information, Visit: Tagheuer.com.au

Tudor

Black Bay Chrono

The Tudor Black Bay Chrono released this year, is offered in two colour variants. Firstly we get the standard blue (which is still beautiful too) with contrasting white hour indices and hands. The second, which is just stunning, is the pink dial variant. There aren’t many pink dial offerings in the market today, and Tudor has absolutely nailed this colour. Presented on the 5-link bracelet, this watch is elegant, classy and looks stunning!

• Reference: m79360n-0019
• Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $8,370

For More Information, Visit: Tudorwatch.com

Zenith

Defy Skyline Chronograph

During Watches & Wonders 2024, Zenith released a chronograph version of their highly popular Defy Skyline model. The Defy Skyline Chronograph keeps the design of the Defy Skyline intact, while now enhancing it with a 1/10th second chronograph function. The model is presented in either a blue dial or white dial, with the white dial variant getting a colourful green strap. Both dials also feature Zenith’s iconic star logo imprinted onto the dial. which adds a subtle aesthetic detail to the chronograph dial.

RELATED READING: Hands On With The New Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph

• Reference: Ref 03.9500.3600/01.I00
• Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $20,700

For More Information, Visit: Zenith-watches.com

It’s the end of the year already! Well, it certainly doesn’t feel like it, to be honest. My mind kind of clocked out in July, so I’ve had precious little time to process this month if any at all. TAG Heuer shares a similar sentiment about the year gone by, as they seem to be ignoring any pretences of a relaxation period by revving up yet another release with longstanding partner, Oracle Red Bull Racing. 

Since 1976, Red Bull has made significant strides to transform their image. From Krating Daeng, the essential pick-me-up for truck drivers and jet lag, to the ‘cool people doing cool things (that are usually extremely dangerous)’ multinational icon, the rise of the now-culturally inescapable Red Bull brand is something worthy of admiration. No other energy drink brand has ever gone as far as they have to sponsor some of humanity’s greatest sporting feats, and it was only a matter of time before they entered the illustrious world of motorsports. They would do just that in 2004, when they became a sponsor of Formula 1, one of the most televised motorsports of all time. It wouldn’t take long for them to take advantage of the situation, though, as they penned a deal to replace the Jaguar Formula One team, effectively joining the organisation as the year closed.

In the wake of 6 Constructor’s Championships, 8 Driver’s Championships (half of which now belong to the venerable Max Verstappen), 122 race victories and 99 fastest laps, the Oracle Red Bull Racing Team has clearly gone from fledgling to legend. This year, they ring in the 20th anniversary of their union with Formula One, which of course needs an appropriate celebrant for the occasion. Who better to ask, perhaps, than TAG Heuer? The La Chaux-du-Fonds brand likely knows motorsport better than anyone out there: The brand formerly known as Heuer became the first ever non-automotive sponsor in Formula 1 in the early seventies, and even became the official timekeeper of the Oracle Red Bull Racing team in 2016 – the same year as Verstappen.

So while parent company LVMH is busy signing a 10-year deal to sponsor Formula 1, TAG Heuer has set aside appropriate time to properly commemorate the innumerable achievements they shared alongside the Oracle Red Bull Racing team. Of course, the only fitting model for the occasion was the Formula One collection, with TAG Heuer creating a new 3000-piece limited edition run.

Related Reading: Brand Essentials Tales From TAG Heuer 

Standing at a 43mm case diameter x 48.5mm lug-to-lug x 11mm thickness, you could be fooled into thinking that this watch is a lot larger than you bargained for. This is half true; The C-shape case DNA still runs true in the Formula One Collection, but you’d be happy to know that the watch wears more true to size than those of a similar width. The quartz chronograph movement – a Ronda-based calibre – remains in this watch, but it’s hardly a pain point considering the entry-level nature of the Formula 1 lineup.

Though the Red Bull Special Edition has long been a mainstay in TAG Heuer’s annual lineup, this celebratory rendition has a few tricks up its sleeve to help differentiate it from its original lineage. The case is now offered in a black DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coating, dramatically improving all-around scratch resistance, accompanied by a navy strap reminiscent of the Oracle Red Bull Racing uniform colours.

The dial has been significantly updated, with a grained finish that evokes a navy-coloured asphalt, with the Oracle Red Bull Racing logo also making its first-ever appearance on the dial. No other Red Bull Special Edition has ever done this before, so this one is definitely for the hardcore fans. Finally, the case back has been adorned with Oracle Red Bull Racing’s 20th season and team logos – a duo of defining symbols in the world of motorsports that remain of equal importance to TAG Heuer.

Initial Thoughts

Complete with a unique leather travel case and sleek branded box, the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph X Oracle Red Bull Racing is a love letter to one of the best modern Formula 1 companies around. Built from the ground up as a tribute to the achievements of Red Bull and TAG Heuer, it’s a purpose-built piece with a sentimental design that can even make McLaren’s Lando Norris happy – I didn’t even know that was possible this season!

Yes, the Oracle Red Bull Racing team still has a long way to go before they can enter the Formula 1 Hall of Fame – Scuderia Ferrari, for example, has 15 Driver’s Championships and 16 Constructor’s Championships to their name. However, they’ve been in the game since the 1950s, and in about a third of the time, Oracle Red Bull Racing is already halfway to matching their resume. In any case, the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph X Oracle Red Bull Racing stands as a double-decade victory lap for Oracle Red Bull Racing, celebrating all of their current achievements whilst anticipating how much more of the journey there is left to go. And with Max Verstappen recently collecting his fourth championship in a row, who knows how long until Ferrari starts quaking in their boots? Better start your engines!

Reference: CAZ101AZ.FT8090

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 43mm case diameter x 48.5mm lug-to-lug x 11mm thickness
• Case Material: Black DLC stainless steel
• Dial: Blue with Yellow & Red accents, Red Bull motif
• Movement: Quartz 
• Complications: Date, Chronograph with 1/10th sec & 30 min registers
• Water Resistance: 200m (20bar)
• Strap: Blue rubber with black DLC steel pin buckle

Australian RRP: AU$3,850

Availability: Limited to 3000 pieces. Available at TAGHeuer.com and all authorised retailers.

Back in July, we reported the re-shuffling of CEO roles over at Richemont, which all started when Nicolas Bos, then-current CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels took the role of CEO of Richemont from June 1st this year. This move then started a domino effect of sorts, with a shuffling of other brands to fill the CEO role at Van Cleef & Arpels as well as the top role at Cartier thanks to Cyrille Vigneron’s departure.

These moves resulted in Catherine Rénier, then CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre, moving into the CEO role at Van Cleef & Arpels, a good move by the company. Taking Cyrille Vigneron’s role at Cartier was Vacheron Constantin Boss, Louis Ferla. These two moves left a few empty CEO seats, and last week it was announced that they have now been filled.

Jérôme Lambert, an industry veteran has been tapped on the shoulder to take over the top role at Jaeger-LeCoultre. Some may know Jérôme Lambert already as he previously held the CEO position of Jaeger-LeCoultre from 2002 to 2013. He has had an illustrious career with Richemont, Starting out at Jaeger-LeCoultre in 1996 as the brand’s financial controller, then CFO before becoming CEO. Since leaving the CEO role, he has gone on to head up Mont Blanc and in 2017 he became Richemont’s Group Head of Operations, and in the same year, Group Operations Officer overseeing most of the Jewellery and Watchmaking operations. This set him up for the top role, with Mr Lambert becoming the Group Chief Executive Officer from September 2018 to May 2024, before stepping into the Group Chief Operating Officer role in June of this year.

“It is with profound honour and genuine pleasure that I return to the Grande Maison, the place where I first set foot into the magnificent world of Swiss watchmaking. This opportunity is both a privilege and a homecoming to the craft and heritage that have shaped my career.”

Jérôme Lambert, incoming Jager-LeCoutlre CEO

Alongside Mr Lambert at Jaeger-LeCoultre, Laurent Perves fills the CEO role at Vacheron Constantin, and again, is no stranger to the brand. Having joined the Maison in 2016, first as Chief Marketing Officer, then as the Chief Commercial Officer since 2021, he, too, is a luxury industry veteran with over 20 years of experience. Mr Perves has worked at the LVMH group as Change Manager over a number of years, and then 10 years in the ‘Prestige Products’ Division of Procter & Gamble, where he occupied various functions in Consumer Intelligence, Marketing, Creation and Business Development, before reaching a Global Brand Leadership position on Gucci Parfums.

In 2014, he entered the world of Swiss Watchmaking as Head of Brand Communication for Audemars Piguet before moving into the CMO role at Vacheron Constantin, where he worked hand in hand with Vacheron’s previous CEO, Louis Ferla.

Both Jérôme Lambert and Laurent Perves will start their new roles from the 1st of January 2025. We wish them all the best!

The Arsham Droplet is typically Hublot, even though it doesn’t look like anything else Hublot has produced. Ever. That statement sounds like an oxymoron a little, but if you know Hublot, then you’ll know that they pride themselves on creating pieces that are like no other watch brands out there. Just take a look at their watch collaborations. Orlinski, Sang Bleu, and Murakami to name a few. Or their Manufacture Pieces, like the MP-05 LaFerrari, the MP-10 Tourbillon Weight Energy System, or MP-13 Tourbillon Bi-Axis Retrograde. These are all Hublot, and while all very different, all have that distinct Hublot style, embedded with Hublot DNA at their core.

One of the main reasons these are all unique is Hublot gives create reign to their designers and collaborators, to infuse as much of them into the pieces as Hublot. To me, I love this. Rather than sticking a logo on an already existing watch with a new colour dial, Hublot makes its pieces in partnership with those people who work with the brand. Take the latest Big Bang Unico x Djokovic. Yes, it looks like a Big Bang Unico, but it is made with Novak Djokovic in mind, and also in collaboration with him, using his old requests and shirts and making the watch ultra-light and shock-resistant, designed to be worn whilst playing.

Another great example is the long-running partnership Hublot has with Takashi Murakami. What watch would better embody the famous Japanese artist than a flower, the shape and design Takashi Murakami is famous for and incorporates into his art? So a flower-shaped watch it is! So it would come as no surprise that when Hublot teamed up with Daniel Arsham, the multi-disciplined visual artist, this collaboration would be something not seen before. And it was!

First Impressions

This was one of those releases that as much as the images online showcased it, you had to see it in person to understand it and see how it actually looked and felt in the hand. It may have taken 6 months to get our hands on it, but it did not disappoint when we did. Firstly, it isn’t a wristwatch. So this alone puts it into the ‘intriguing’ basket. Secondly, Hublot and Daniel Arsham have come up with a unique drop-shaped, full sapphire watch, which is also a three-in-one piece. While it may sound contradictory, this fact makes it both versatile and usable, but also not at the same time. Again, this is Hublot through and through – a contradiction in terms but somehow, it works.

I’ll say this at the start – pictures don’t really do this justice, and photographing it with the way the sapphire curves and plays with the light isn’t easy, but that is not what is important. It’s how it feels in the hand and looks to the eye. The first time in the hand, you get the appeal instantly as it’s so different, and while you’re not 100% sure what to make of it, you just know you like it.

The Design

The Arsham Droplet is just that, a droplet. When coming up with the design, contemporary artist Daniel Arsham took his inspiration from the way water flows and forms drops in nature. You can see this in the strange asymmetrical-shaped case, which is made from sapphire crystal. It isn’t your typically shaped drop, but more a strange form of fluidity, like the way liquid metal starts to form and pull together when separated. What is instantly noticeable is the clarity of the sapphire, something Hublot excels at. It is as if the watch was dipped into a super clear liquid, and it solidified instantly forming the shape with no impurities or ripples whatsoever. What is more remarkable here is this isn’t one piece of sapphire either, it is two pieces, moulded and put together around an inner skeleton.

Inside the watch is a full titanium skeleton, which you can see in the image above clearly. This skeleton forms the base of the watch and holds all the vital organs in place. The titanium has been shaped with a range of different-sized circles and ovals, which together give the watch structure, but also enhance its visual aspect, assisting in bringing the droplet theme to life even more.

RELATED READING: In Person With Ricardo Guadalupe, Former CEO & Honourary President Of Hublot

Each half of the Arsham Droplet is crafted by the engineers at Hublot’s Nyon manufacture, and placed perfectly on either side of the inner skeleton and movement to create the overall shape. Sapphire is one of the hardest substances to work with, and somehow, Hublot has perfected it. Around the outside is a thin band of titanium, with a light “Arsham Green” rubber inset to assist when holding the watch. The last thing you want is this to slip through the fingers and become a very expensive insurance claim! The ‘H’ styled Hublot screws hold all this in place.

The dial is fully skeletonised to show off the Meca-10 movement. The hour markers with Super-LumiNova are done in Arsham Green varnish and are attached to the colour-matched outer track below the rehaut. At the top of this sits the Arsham logo, and the hands along with the small seconds at 9 o’clock are also done the same semi-matte varnished green. This gives off a fresh colourful vibe, and if this was a wristwatch, I’d be saying here that it just may be a great summer watch.

The watch has Hublot’s one-click system, which makes it easy to change the way you use the watch. The chains for the pocket watch or pendant can be easily interchanged with the click of a button, or with the desk clock mount, the watch can be attached to this. This fact means that you can have the Arsham Droplet on you all day, and when you get home, unclip it and place it in the dock for the table clock.

The chains for the pocket watch and the pendant are also made from full titanium with a combination of polished and microblasted areas. This keeps the weight of the Arsham Droplet down, as the piece itself has weight to it thanks to the full sapphire crystal construction, so the last thing you want when wearing it around the neck as a pendant is a full steel chain to add more weight.

How It Wears (no, wait) Usability & Versatility

This is the part where I usually talk about how the watch wears. The comfort on the wrist, the way the strap feels, how the watch sits on the wrist, the size in comparison to the wearer etc. But, this isn’t a wristwatch, so most of that is a little redundant. So instead, I’ll talk about how it’s used and its functionality, as this piece has been designed for those who want a statement piece of sorts, and one that is totally different from the crowd and used in a (now in modern-day) unconventional way.

Over 100 years ago, pocket watches were the norm. To tell the time, a gentleman would pull out his pocket watch from his fob pocket, which was attached to a chain, flip open the watch, glance at the time and then close it and put it securely back in. Nowadays, we have watches on our wrists, and replacing the pocket watch’s functionality is a phone. At least for most people anyway. So when you see a brand do something left of centre, like the Arsham Droplet, you know it will be appealing to a certain type of person. As we have stated many times before, Hublot is not a brand for everyone, and with the Arhsam Droplet, this is very much the case. There are also only 99 pieces, so by virtue, this is a piece for only 99 people in the world.

As I alluded to earlier in the article, the Arsham Droplet has been designed in a certain way, mimicking the flow of liquid in nature, but also to conform to the contours of the hand. It isn’t something you think about much until you hold the Arsham Droplet. The green rubber inset around the edge makes it non-slip, important when taking it out of the pocket to check the time, and the curvature of the piece itself means that no matter if you are left or right-handed, it fits. While it is larger than most wristwatches, coming in at 73.2mm in length x 52.6 mm wide x 22.5 mm thick, by our normal standards this would be a giant watch. But, it isn’t a wristwatch, so all that matters is this is easy to read, easy to hold, and will fit in a pocket, which it does!

My one small criticism of this piece is the way the crystal shape distors the light, especially around the lower dial. This in on way impedes reading the time, but it does make the lower part of the dial around the power reserve indicator and balance look slightly off. Depening on the angle you view it from, it will either look right, or like those fun-house mirrors. In person, as you can move the watch around in your hand, this becomes less of a problem when compared to still images, but depending no how you look at it, (no pun intended) you’ll either love the quirkiness of it, or you wont.

Now I’m not one for modelling a pendant, it’s not quite my style nor would I do this piece justice as I’m not super fashionable, but Daniel Arsham is, so I’ll show how he wears the piece, as it should be worn. I will say this though, if you’re not used to wearing heavier jewellery around the neck, this piece may not be for you as I mentioned earlier, there is a little bit of weight to the watch. I feel you would only wear it this way sparingly, as a statement piece of artistic jewellery to an event. I’ve been to plenty of events over the years with celebrities, influencers, and those who are into fashion and are at the pointy end of fashion who I can see wearing this easily. But for me, I’d rather have this as a pocket watch, and use it to tell a story, a conversation starter that I can pull out and show people.

The third way of using this piece is as the desk clock. Hublot has come up with an ingenious way of doing this, by detaching the Droplet from the chain and docking it into the clock via the One-Click system. However, the watch itself isn’t large enough to be used as a proper clock, so the mount and display itself is a large magnifying glass, designed with a similar style to the Arsham Droplet itself.

With a titanium base, and two “bubbles” one acting as the crystal clear magnifying glass to show the time, the other in a translucent green to match the Arsham Green on the watch, the clock set up is something unique, and again, a statement piece for the home or office. I’ve always been fascinated by unique and interesting desk clocks, and I would love to have a carefully selected desk clock in my house one day. That is as soon as my kids are a little older and my fear of them taking it and playing with it, thus ending in tragedy subsides. that aside, I could quite easily see the Arsham Droplet as a clock in my house, taking pride of place in the living area for all to see. For me, this is how it would spend most of its time, but it would be undocked occasionally and shown off at events, as per my previous comments about wearing it.

The Movement

The movement is on full display with the Arsham Droplet, which is kind of the point here being a sapphire watch. For this, Hublot has chosen the in-house designed and manufactured HUB1201 Meca-10 movement to power the watch. To me, this makes complete sense as you are not wearing it on your wrist, so you need a manual wind movement, and when it comes to Hublot, there is no better manual winding movement than the Meca-10. You can power it up, and then not have to worry about it for a full 10 days. While it would be great to see more of the movement through the reverse side of the Arsham Droplet, there is Daniel Arsham’s logo on the back in the Arsham Green and black, so this does obscure it somewhat. Personally I would have loved to have seen the Meca-10 on full display with the three bridges being visible – a hallmark of the Meca-10 movement which resembles Meccano sets.

For those that are not aware of how the Meca-10 movement was developed, or why, you can read about it in a lot more detail in our Watch Education Article on the Movements Of Hublot. For those who want the abridged version, then the inspiration for Hublot to create the Meca-10 began when the designers looked back into their childhood days (remember those?) when imagination was limitless.  As a homage to all those who spent hours designing and building with Meccano, a more sophisticated version of Lego Technic that includes plates, wheels, and gears, Hublot created the Meca-10 range. So groundbreaking at the time, the Meca-10 won the Red Dot Award back in 2017 for innovation, so it doesn’t stand as a testament to Hublot’s movement capabilities.

RELATED READING: Hands-On With The Hublot Big Bang Meca-10 Ceramic Blue

The HUB1201 Meca-10 is a hand-wound movement, with a full 10-day, or 240-hour power reserve stemming from two barrels inside the movement, both delivering 5 days’ worth of power to the watch. Unlike most watches, those with the Meca-10 are best viewed from the front, as this is where it is on full show. The genius of the Meca-10 is the way it both distributes the power, but more so, the way it lets the user know how much power it has left. This is shown on the two discs at the front, with the smaller wheel at 6 o’clock telling you how many days power if left, then on the larger disc at 3 o’clock, the oval-shaped window shows starts to go white when the power reserve is down to 48 hours, a little like your car when almost empty.

The other unique factor with the Meca-10 is the way it drives the power reserve indicators. The top barrel in the movement drives the rack and pinion mechanism, which can be seen just behind the Hublot logo at 12 o’clock, this in turn drives the power reserve indicator at 3 o’clock. Another throwback to Meccano sets and the way the gears and mechanisms all come together to make the models work.

Final Thoughts

The Arsham Droplet is unique. It is quirky and serious at the same time, embodying everything that Hublot does best – meticulously crafted and shaped sapphire, an award winning in-house movement, and collaborating with an artist to design and develop a piece that other wont, or can’t! In addition to this, they have gone outside the box to develop a watch that is to be worn and admired, but not on the wrist.

This last statement is the reason why I said at the start, this piece is a little bit of a contradiction in the fact that it is versatile in it’s own nature, but at the same time it is not. However, this is not a bad thing at all, it’s just how you approach a watch like the Arsham Droplet. If you fully appreciate what Hublot and Daniel Arsham have come up with, then you’ll love it. If you fail to see the concept, then you’ll not, but then this is not a pice that is for you, or for everyone.

The price point will also make most of us think twice about it – at A$132,000 it’s definitely a piece for those who have means, and by virtue of the watch itself, as well as the price, it will be a piece for collectors who are looking for something new that is nothing like they have in their current collection. If I had the coin for this, would it be on my radar? Short answer – Yes, as it would look great in my house on display for me to admire, and for anyone who came over, a great talking point. I also fully appreciate how this piece is made, and what it represents, not just from a timekeeping perspective, but as a piece of functional and wearable art. Not to mention bringing it out at watch get togethers would be fun and something very different from the stock standard pieces you always see.

Reference: 916.NX.5202.NK – MP-16, limited to 99 pieces

Specification:

• Dimensions: 73.2mm in length x 52.6 mm wide x 22.5 mm thick
• Case Material: Polished Sapphire with anti-reflective coating, inner titanium skeleton with outer band made from titanium and rubber
• Dial: Skeleton dial in grey PVD with matte varnish Arsham Green hands, hour makers and small seconds. 10-day power reserve and low power indicator at 3 and 6 o’clock
• Movement: HUB1201 Manufacture Manual-winding Skeleton Power Reserve Movement. Beating at 21,600 VpH / 3Hz and pivoting on 24 Jewels
• Case-Back: Microblasted M3 Titanium Skeleton, engraved and printed Arsham Green logo
• Water resistance: 30 metres / 3ATM
• Power reserve: 10 Days / 240 hours
• Necklace: Full Titanium with Polished Links / Shiny Microblasted Clasp and One-click Tip
• Pocket Chain: Full Titanium with Polished Links / Shiny Microblasted Carabiner and One-click Tip
• Table Stand: Microblasted Titanium / Polished Green Arsham Colour Sphere and Mineral Magnifying Glass

Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $132,200

Availability: Available through Hublot Boutiques or enquire online at Hublot.com

IWC Schaffhausen is bringing, most likely, the last update to the Ingenieur collection this year with a new blue dial variant for the Automatic 40 timepiece. IWC Schaffhausen currently has a variety of colours available in the Ingenieur Automatic 40 collection; however, adding the blue dial variant finishes off the three standard colour offerings of black, white and blue dials. In addition to these colours, IWC Schaffhausen also offers a beautiful and unique aqua dial and a grey dial.

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^{The all-new IWC Schaffhausen Ingenieur Automatic 40 Blue Dial}

The IWC Schaffhausen Ingenieur has quite the heritage too. For those new to the world of horology, the Ingenieur represented a shift in watchmaking for the luxury Swiss watchmaker when it was first released in 1955. IWC Schaffhausen introduced the Ingenieur as a response to the increasing magnetic fields in everyday life, particularly in professional environments. To combat this, The Ingenieur featured an anti-magnetic soft iron inner cage, which protected the movement from magnetic interference. This was a crucial innovation especially for engineers and scientists, now allowing them to wear timepieces in their professional environment.

Unlike most heritage lines in the world of watchmaking, the original design of the Ingenieur didn’t carry through the ages. In 1976, the Ingenieur collection went through a major update and facelift. The famous watch designer Gerald Genta took hold of the Ingenieur and gave it his magic touch, just like he had done with the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak a couple of years prior. When you look at the two designs, you will certainly see similarities between the Royal Oak and the Ingenieur, from the tonneau-shaped case to the bezel with screws design to the integrated bracelet. From this point forward, both these models will go on to be iconic in the world of horology and become signature timepieces for both brands.

Related Reading: Masters of Time: The IWC Journey Through the Ages

This latest version of the IWC Schaffhausen Ingenieur Automatic 40 (Ref. IW328907) comes with a 40mm case, bezel and integrated H-link bracelet that is all made from stainless steel. IWC Schaffhausen have re-engineered the case to be more ergonomic to ensure excellent wearability. To enhance the visual aesthetics of the timepiece, IWC Schaffhausen has given the Ingenieur Automatic 40 multiple different finishes.

The bezel itself features a brushed finish on the surface, while the side profile has a polished finish. The case then features vertical brushed finishing (in the opposite direction to the bezel), and like the bezel, the chamfered edges have a polished finish. Finally, the bracelet follows suit, with the surface being a vertical brushed finish to match the case, while the chamfered edges are polished. This ultimately creates a timepiece that plays beautifully with light. The varied finishing of brushed to polish also lets the polished surfaces stand out more, creating an elegant timepiece.

The dial of this latest Ingenieur Automatic 40 keeps the signature and characteristic “grid” structure dial, which consists of small lines and squares stamped into a soft iron base using high pressure. Afterwards, IWC Schaffhausen applies this gorgeous new blue colour with a PVD coating. The rhodium-plated baton hands and the applied metal marker are all filled with Super-LumiNova^® luminescent mass to ensure perfect legibility in all lighting conditions.

The engine inside powering this new Ingenieur Automatic 40 is the IWC-manufactured 32111 calibre movement. This self-winding automatic movement features an efficient double-pawl winding system. What is a double-pawl winding system, you may ask? Well, simply put, it’s a system that uses two pawls (levers) instead of one to engage with the ratchet wheel or similar. This effectively ensures a smoother operation and increases reliability since both pawls/levers can contribute to winding the mainspring. The 32111 calibre movement with this system can offer up to 5 days (120 hours) of power reserve.

Final Thoughts

If you are after a more “affordable” dress watch that has the looks, mechanical prowess and a rich history, then the IWC Schaffhausen Ingenieur Automatic 40 is an ideal candidate. The timepiece fits well on the wrist thanks to the integrated H-link bracelet. The design is also iconic; the true work of Gerald Genta is still kept intact after almost 50 years, bar resizing of the timepiece to suit modern standards. If you want a full hands-on review of this model besides the dial colour change, Mario has done a deep dive into the aqua-coloured IWC Schaffhausen Ingenieur Automatic 40 released during Watches & Wonders this year.

Related Reading: REVIEW: Hands On With The IWC Ingenieur

This new blue dial variant brings a classic colour that stands out beautifully. Like the aqua dial version, the blue has a sunburst finish, which gives the dial different shades of blue depending on the light angle. The rhodium-plated hands are filled with white Super-LumiNova, which not only aids in nighttime visibility but also provides a stark contrast against the blue dial during the daytime. The IWC Schaffhausen Ingenieur Automatic 40 reflects bold aesthetic codes and has high ergonomics, wearability, finishing and movement technology standards while also now finished in an attractive blue dial.

Reference: IW328907

Specifications

• Case Size: 40mm case diameter x 10.7mm thickness
• Case Material: Brushed and polished Stainless steel
• Dial: Blue with a checkerboard pattern
• Water resistance: 100m (10 Bar)
• Movement: Automatic Cal. 32111 movement
• Movement Frequency: 4Hz (28,800 VpH)
• Power reserve: 120 hours (5 days)
• Bracelet: Stainless steel with sequential butterfly folding clasp

Australian Recommended Retail Price: AU$17,300

Availability: Available now from IWC Boutiques or online at IWC.com