From Audemars Piguet’s Skeleton Tourbillon to Tudor’s Pink Black Bay, here are eight cool new releases
Watches & Wonders begins tomorrow, and we have already seen a slew of exciting new releases roll in for the year. Some brands are marking milestone anniversary celebrations. Others are upping the ante on the use of new colours and materials. And a few brands are delivering some timeless pieces we expect to become new staples of a collection. Here are eight of the coolest new releases we saw drop in March.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked Sand Gold
Audemars Piguet has reinvented its iconic Royal Oak time and time again. Despite countless iterations of the instantly recognizable model over the years, the brand manages to keep the design fresh and unique with each interpretation. Among its latest releases, AP has introduced a 41 mm Royal Oak in a totally new metal—sand gold—marking the first time the brand has employed the metal in one of its creations. This 18-karat gold alloy beautifully plays with the light and nicely lends itself to the skeletonised design of this flying tourbillon. Here, the warm shade of the sand gold provides the perfect contrast to the rhodium-toned components of the movement’s architecture, giving the model a rich depth. Powering the model is the brand’s caliber 2972 movement.
Tudor Black Bay Chrono Pink
Are you cool enough to rock a pink Black Bay? Originally made as a collaboration between Tudor and its ambassador, Taiwanese musician Jay Chou, and now released to the public, the all new Tudor Black Bay Chrono Pink is everything you know and love about the Black Bay with a bold pink dial. Here, you have a 41 mm stainless steel build with a domed pink dial and contrasting black registers. The dial is complete with Tudor’s trademark snowflake hands. Inside, the chrono is powered by the brand’s COSC-certified manufacture chronograph caliber MT5813 movement with a column wheel construction, silicon balance spring, and 70-hour power reserve.
MB&F LM FlyingT Onyx
We called it—dials are having a major moment right now. This has always been at the core of MB&F’s FlyingT collection. Over the years, we’ve seen an array of special gemstones prominently showcased on the dial from Lapis Lazuli to Malachite and Tiger Eye to Cœur de Rubis. For the latest addition, we get a super sleek, blacked out version showcasing onyx. As the perfect complement to the deep black gemstone, the brand has chosen a contrasting yellow gold build that really makes the richness of the stone dial pop. And, in typical MB&F fashion, this is no simple stone dial. The onyx has been meticulously crafted three-dimensionally, taking into account the asymmetrical cutout for the tourbillon and the technical requirements of the movement plate below. The brand accomplishes this all in the modest real estate of just 38.5 mm.
Girard-Perregaux Laureato 38mm Copper Diamond Bezel
For those who like the perfect touch of bling: your new daily wear has arrived. Enter the Girard-Perregaux Laureato 38 mm Copper Diamond Bezel. Sweet spot 38 mm sizing and just the right amount of sparkle on the bezel—what more could you want? Here, you have a unique and subtle two-tone approach with a classic stainless steel build and a copper-hued dial, which gives a subtle nod to a gorgeous little copper-dial model circa 1950 from the brand’s archives. This piece is highly wearable and easily dressed up or down depending the occasion. It’s not only stunning but packs a punch with GP’s self-winding GP03300-2034 mechanical movement featuring a pink gold oscillating weight, visible in all its glory through the exhibition caseback.
Breitling Navitimer B12 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute Limited Edition
It’s a big year for Breitling as the brand notches its 140th anniversary. For the occasion, we’ve already seen Breitling roll out new models across its collections, most recently some new variations of the iconic Navitmer. In addition to a new 41 mm automatic and GMT, we get the Cosmonaute in a limited run of just 250 pieces. This model is a 24-hour take on the Navitimer that became the first Swiss wristwatch in space on the wrist of astronaut Scott Carpenter in 1962. This unique interpretation of the Navitimer features an 18-karat rose gold case that’s beautifully complemented by its deep green dial, golden numerals, and black alligator leather strap. The combination of metal and strap gives the typically sporty model a more elevated look.
Carl F. Bucherer Limited Edition Manero Tourbillon Double Peripheral
If you need a dose of colour as warm weather approaches this spring, look no further than Carl F. Bucherer’s latest additions to its Manero family of watches. The new Limited Edition Manero Tourbillon Double Peripheral comes in three vibrant shades—blue, green, and purple—in just 18 examples of each. The splash of colour gives these models equal parts playfulness and technical prowess. At the core, you have CFB’s T3000 movement, featuring two peripherally mounted complications, combining a peripheral automatic winding system and a peripherally mounted flying tourbillon. Each version features an 18-karat gold case and laser-cut dial with diamond hour markers and a gem-set bezel. Altogether, the gemstones, dial, and recycled PET strap have been colour-matched for the perfect monochrome effect.
Trilobe L’Heure Exquise
French watchmaker Trilobe first came on the scene less than a decade ago and yet in that time, it has built a reputation for its unique approach to watchmaking specializing in no-hands displays. The brand launched with a collection called “Les Matinaux,” named after Parisian poet Rene Char’s 1950 collection. The name is fitting for the poetic nature of the watches, which receive the addition of a moonphase in the brand’s latest addition to its catalog. The L’Heure Exquise—named after a song by the French artist Paul Verlaine—offers a fresh take on Les Matinaux with the introduction of a moonphase complication in three different styles. The model is available in two metals (titanium or 18-karat rose gold), two sizes (either 40.5 mm or 38.5 mm), and three different dials (solid blue, dune, or the “secret” edition, a bespoke option in which collectors can choose their own unique map of the night sky reflecting a day, time, and place of significance).
Blancpain 42 mm Fifty Fathoms Automatique
We love seeing models get more accessible sizing like this latest iteration of the beloved Fifty Fathoms from Blancpain. The original 45 mm automatic first appeared in the brand’s catalog back in 2007 with the development of the caliber 1315. Now, we get a more modestly sized 42 mm interpretation while retaining the same robust self-winding movement. The new Blancpain 42 mm Fifty Fathoms Automatique comes in two exciting builds: one in titanium and one in rose gold. These choice of metals feel very on trend, with lightweight titanium growing increasingly prevalent over classic stainless steel and the resurgence of precious metals, even within the sport and tool watch categories. The two metals give each variation its own unique personality—one truer to the dive watch’s roots and the other, more elevated even when complemented with a rubber strap.
This story was first published on Robb Report USA
