On the lookout for a new watch? These are the latest launches that might pique your interest.
Believe it or not we are well past the halfway mark on 2019. If like most watch aficionados, you can’t wait till 2020 to go postal on the string of new timepieces from Baselworld and SIHH, then good news awaits. These great houses still have a few good surprises up their sleeves, so this is a round-up of the best summer releases. We’re just going to leave it here. What you do with it, is entirely up to you.
Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra “Ultra Light”
To some people, the perfect watch is one that lets you feel like you’re wearing nothing at all. Some brands go for ultra-thin but with this new Seamaster Aqua Terra model, Omega went straight for ultra-light. Jointly developed with pro golfer Rory McIlroy MBE, “Ultra Light” weighs just 55 grams. Its entire case is made of Gamma Titanium, a material derived from the aeronautical industry. The stencilled dial also helped reduce weight and mass while a telescopic crown keeps it protected from damage. Likewise, the manually-wound movement is all ceramised titanium.
The damage: S$67,500
Panerai Luminor Due
When Italian style meets Swiss watchmaking, you get the Panerai Luminor Due which has everything unique about the Luminor delivered in elegant proportions. Latest additions to the collection include titanium with blue dials as seen in PAM926 and PAM927, and a 45mm Luminor Due GMT with power reserve PAM964. Also very interesting are PAM1043, PAM1045 and PAM1046 offering a new dial design – white with ecru numerals and indexes. It doesn’t sound like much but the effect of this new colour combination does give the watches a completely new personality.
The damage:
PAM926, S$9,800
PAM927, S$10,300
PAM964, S$17,350
PAM1043, S$8,650
PAM1045, S$27,950
PAM1046, S$9,200
Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Celestial
Created expressly for the woman watch connoisseur, this exquisite timepiece is now interpreted in new colours inspired by the aurora borealis. Jaeger-LeCoultre delivers a pair of Rendez-Vous Celestials that evoke vivid greens, purples, pinks and blues of the natural phenomenon. Using mother-of-pearl and multi-coloured sapphires, the maison brings in two of its favourite crafts: gem-setting and hand-painting. Shades of green and turquoise, purples and blues, dance all over the dial, emitting a mysterious glow thanks to the natural mother-of-pearl plate beneath.
The damage: S$149,000
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste
An orbital flying tourbillon synchronised to one sidereal day, set against a hand-painted night sky blanketed with stars. How could the Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste be anything but a dream? All 12 zodiac signs lay sprawled across this eye-catching disc. And at night they glow in the dark – how delightful! Its white gold case, too, is quite the sight for sore eyes, offering a blend of various surface textures including satin finish to micro-blasting to mirror polish.
The damage: S$255,000
Longines Master Moon Phase
The flagship collection of all that Longines produces each year, the Master line is both emblematic and aspirational. Now, a new and very eloquent complication enters the fray: The Master Moon Phase. Classical Breguet style numerals and blued feuille hands set against a barleycorn guilloche-style (or blue sunray) dial and a solid stainless steel case. It’s a failsafe recipe but Longines does it well. The Master Moon Phase is available in 42mm and 40mm for men and women.
The damage: From S$3,510
MB&F Legacy Machine 2
Gorgeous from every angle, the MB&F LM2 is now dressed in an immaculate combination of red gold and blue. And that specific tone of blue is just breath-taking, providing all the contrast needed to highlight the white lacquer dial, the two gracefully arcing arms that hold the twin flying balances, and the red gold bridge and cartouches that hold the centre wheel in place. All these sit under a smooth domed sapphire crystal cupola that’s polished and shaped to perfection – just like everything else done at MB&F.
The damage: S$227,400
The Hour Glass 40thanniversary special editions
One of Singapore’s leading watch retailers, The Hour Glass celebrates 40 glorious years in 2019. As the anticipation builds up for its exhibition slated to happen in November, the company has released a series of ultra-cool boutique-exclusive models beginning with the seductive green-and-gold Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph in June. All of these watches are limited edition and only available through The Hour Glass stores.
The damage:
Audemars Piguet Royak Oak Selfwinding Chronograph The Hour Glass Commemorative Edition, sold out.
Chopard Happy Sport The Hour Glass 40th Anniversary, S$9,790
URWERK UR-105 Commemorative Edition, S$100,100
De Bethune DB28 Steel Wheels Blue, S$162,100
