The watch industry ends the year in style
The year ends on a high note in the watch world with a host of new releases that dropped in December. Funky materials were a strong theme, starting with the Chronoswiss Delphis Firestarter and its fiery red case made out of a new titanium and composite mix. The Urwerk UR-230 Polaris presented a white ceramic-based composite case; while Grand Seiko’s SBGH349 showcased a dial inspired by frozen waterfalls; Omega’s SeamasterDiver 300M fused titanium, bronze gold, and green aluminum; and Zenith’s Defy Extreme Jungle introduced Tiger’s Eye stone to its famous chronograph.
Milestones were also a reason to celebrate this month with Blancpain’s Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar 2025 preparing for the upcoming Year of the Snake. Breitling ended its 140th anniversary year with two new Chronomats, and Parmigiani honoured its founder’s birthday with a new Armoriale Répétition Mystérieuse timepiece.
The year also ended with a couple of inspiring collaborations with Louis Erard and Vianney Halter as well as Vulcain and Massena LAB.
Let’s take a closer look.
Blancpain Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar 2025 “Year of the Snake”
Blancpain presented its Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar 2025 edition this month in celebration of the upcoming Year of the Snake. Fusing the Gregorian and Chinese calendars, this 45.2 mm platinum edition with its green Grand Feu enamel dial is ready for the Chinese New Year on 29 January 2025. In Chinese culture, people use the Gregorian calendar for civil purposes, but the Chinese calendar remains important for agricultural production and determining certain holidays, so what better way to ring in the New Year? You can expect to pay around US$90,600 for this model.
Breitling Chronomat 36 and Super Chronomat 44 Caribbean Editions
Celebrating its 140th anniversary this year, Breitling has unveiled a host of new timepieces in 2024. The brand ends the year with an exclusive edition available solely in its boutiques in the Caribbean. Like with previous Caribbean editions, the new Chronomat 36 and Super Chronomat 44 come with turquoise blue dials and black counters. If ever you need an extra reason to take off to the Caribbean for the holidays, now you have one! The Chronomat 36 will retail for US$5,400 and the Super Chronomat 44 is priced at US$9,950.
Chronoswiss Delphis Firestarter
Known for its love of bright colors, Chronoswiss launched a fiery red Delphis Firestarter Limited Edition of 50 pieces this December. The timepiece debuts a brand-new red case material which is created using a titanium core nanoshell to which a red composite is bonded. The bold red design continues onto the dial with its hand-guilloché decoration and red Grand Feu enamel. The retrograde minutes are indicated by a large central hand, while the hours are in an aperture at 12 o‘clock, and the small seconds are displayed using a red and white disc. The price tag for the Delphis Firestarter is around US$43,600.
Grand Seiko SBGH349
This brand-new high-beat mechanical watch from Grand Seiko was inspired by the beauty of the icy-blue frozen waterfalls found on Japan’s Mount Iwate. Previously released in a 37 mm case size, Grand Seiko has just unveiled a larger version in a 40 mm titanium case, offering a more prominent display of this unique dial. The high-frequency timepiece is powered by the brand’s Hi-Beat Caliber 9S85 which maintains an accuracy of +5 to -3 seconds per day and comes with a power reserve of 55 hours. The price tag of this new Grand Seiko is US$7,400.
Louis Erard X Vianney Halter
This month Louis Erard and Vianney Halter unveil a second iteration of their Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Vianney Halter. This new version takes its inspiration from Halter’s iconic Antiqua perpetual calendar, displaying all the indications in separate subdials. The minute hand is in the centre, while the hours and seconds are displayed on off-centered counters at 11 and 4 o’clock respectively. In terms of the design, the mix of rose gold and rhodium plating on the dial brings an industrial feel to the timepieces. The watches come in 43 mm stainless steel cases, are powered by automatic Sellita movements, are limited to 178 pieces each, and are priced at around US$5,000.
Omega Seamaster Diver 300M
A metallic-looking Omega Seamaster Diver 300M just dropped in time for the holidays in grade 2 titanium and bronze gold. The combination of these two materials is complemented by a green aluminum dial, blackened indexes filled with a vintage-colored Super-LumiNova, and an oxalic anodized green aluminum bezel ring. The 42 mm watch is powered by Omega’s Co-Axial Master Chronometer Caliber 8806 and comes with the choice of a mesh bracelet or a green rubber strap. This timepiece is priced at around US$11,500.
Parmigiani L’Armoriale Répétition Mystérieuse
There is a tradition at Parmigiani where the brand celebrates Michel Parmigiani’s birthday (Dec 2) each year with a new creation. This year was no exception with the launch of the L’Armoriale Répétition Mystérieuse. This timepiece comes in a 42 mm white gold case that was created exclusively for this model. At first, it is not obvious how to read the time as the front of the watch showcases a guilloché pattern covered with pastel green Grand Feu enamel. Turn the watch over, however, and the time is discreetly hidden on the case back. Price on request.
Urwerk UR-230 Polaris
A surprising new white-colored case made the news at Urwerk this month. Crafted from a layered, ceramic-based composite, its polymer base houses sheets of woven ceramic that are intertwined with fiberglass. This unusual material is usually found in the worlds of airspace and medicine but, we are sure you will agree, it makes a great aesthetic choice for the UR-230 Polaris as it provides a striking contrast to the black movement. The watch is paired with a white rubber strap which enhances the contrast even further. The Urwerk UR-230 Polaris is priced at around US$168,000.
Vulcain Nautical Legacy Massena LAB
Vulcain and Massena LAB announced their partnership this month with the arrival of the Vulcain Nautical Legacy Massena LAB limited edition. This 1950s-inspired diver’s watch is modeled on the original Vulcain Cricket Nautical watch that featured an alarm that was audible underwater. This new timepiece is fitted with a warm brown dial, vintage-inspired hands, and a brand-new Massena-LAB-designed black rubber strap. Powered by the manually wound Cricket Alarm Caliber V12, the timepiece is limited to 25 pieces and is priced at US$4,950.
