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Results for Enamel Dial Types

4,933 articles · 609 videos found · page 66 of 185

A. Lange & Söhne Plays the Classics with the Minute Repeater Perpetual SJX Watches
Rolex Submariner It features Apr 1, 2025

A. Lange & Söhne Plays the Classics with the Minute Repeater Perpetual

Topping A. Lange & Söhne’s 2025 line-up is the Minute Repeater Perpetual. Featuring a compact platinum case and black enamel dial, the new flagship watch of the Saxonia line marks the first time Lange has combined these two classic complications on their own. Limited to 50 pieces in platinum, the Repeater Perpetual is positioned near the top of the current catalogue. Beyond the technical complexity, it’s been endowed with an exceptional white gold and black enamel dial crafted in-house, and features the frosted movement finish that’s often reserved for the brand’s special editions. Initial thoughts It’s always nice to see a brand cover new ground, especially when that ground is the tried-and-true combination of a minute repeater and perpetual calendar. It’s an extravagant, decadent watch that combines one of the most legible perpetual calendar layouts with one of the industry’s most technically sophisticated minute repeaters. Beginning with its compact form, the Repeater Perpetual packs 640 components inside a platinum case that’s just 40.5 mm wide and 12.5 mm thick; roughly the same dimensions as a Rolex Submariner. It features an enamel dial in deep black, which is always a risk, since even the tiniest imperfections tend to stand out vividly. A cynic might point out that the new calibre L122.2 is largely a mashup of a Langematik Perpetual and Richard Lange Minute Repeater, but to do so would be to miss the point. The movement is everything Lange does be...

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Seiko Presage x Studio Ghibli Watch Review Teddy Baldassarre
Seiko Mar 17, 2025

Seiko Presage x Studio Ghibli Watch Review

It’s a little crazy to actually type this out but I never actually owned a Seiko watch until this year. Obviously I have reviewed, written about, photographed, and indeed appreciated dozens and dozens of Seikos throughout the decade I have been in this industry but there was never one that truly spoke to me as a collector. Well, that was until I saw news of the Presage SPB437, a beautiful limited edition done with a blue enamel dial as a tribute to Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, one of my favorite movies of all time and the Hayao Miyazaki film that led to the creation of Studio Ghibli, the legendary Japanese animation studio. 2024 marked the 40th anniversary of Nausicaä which seems like the perfect opportunity to release a limited edition for the most hardcore fans. This is not the first Seiko watch done for Studio Ghibli as there was a pair of Presage watches released in 2020 for the also-great Porco Rosso. The first of these was the SNR047J1, a 500-piece limited edition done with a Spring Drive movement and a white enamel dial inspired by the cockpit of the Crimson Pig’s plane with subtle touches like red seconds hand, red R, and the The Tricolour Italian flag colors. The second of these was the SRQ033, a black enamel dial Spring Drive chronograph with similar color touches and a Tricolour seconds sub-dial at 3 o’clock that was limited to 600 pieces. These were magnificent pieces made for Ghibli-heads like myself though they were significantly pricer at ar...

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Hermès’ Latest Metiers d’Art Watch is Impressionist Equestrian SJX Watches
Hermes Feb 20, 2025

Hermès’ Latest Metiers d’Art Watch is Impressionist Equestrian

Hermès’ myriad interpretations of its signature motif ranges from the comic to the complicated. The Slim d’Hermès Cheval Brossé, on the other hand, is elegantly abstract. Retaining the familiar 39.5 mm case design of the “Slim” model, this features a meticulously handcrafted dial depicting a stylised horse rendered in brushstrokes. Unusually, the “Cheval Brossé” dial is the result of both artisanal and mechanical techniques: the base is traditional, hand-made grand feu enamel, while the horse is pad printed in multiple runs for each colour. Initial thoughts While the equestrian motif is repeated often, the versatility and creativity of Hermès’ design department allows the theme to stay fresh. The Cheval Brossé illustrates this: while the horse is recognisably Hermès in form and flavour, it is still striking different from prior models. Compared to several of Hermès’ other métiers d’art watches that tend to be more elaborate, the Cheval Brossé – French for “brushed horse” – possesses an understated aesthetic with its abstractly rendered horse set against the pristine blue enamel dial. Though the dial is simple, the “brushstrokes” that make up the horse give the dial a surprising degree of motion. The combination of enamel and pad printing, while not unique, is uncommon. Though this means the dial doesn’t boast the full-fledged artisanal craft, it certainly makes the watch more affordable. Sky blue enamel As is typical for a metie...

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Blancpain Introduces Villeret Chinese Calendar “Year of the Snake” SJX Watches
Blancpain Introduces Villeret Chinese Calendar Dec 15, 2024

Blancpain Introduces Villeret Chinese Calendar “Year of the Snake”

To mark the Chinese New Year that begins on January 29, 2025, Blancpain has unveiled the Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar “Year of the Snake”. For the first time, the brand combines a platinum case with a green grand feu enamel dial on its wristwatch that has the unusual complication of a Chinese lunisolar calendar. As with previous editions, the Villeret Chinese Calendar displays the symbol of the Chinese Zodiac in a small aperture located at noon, in addition to featuring a snake motif engraved on its frosted white gold rotor. Initial thoughts The ability of a perpetual calendar to accurately track months, dates, and days for decades, mechanically and without any manual adjustments, remains impressive even as the complication has become common. Watches with a traditional Chinese calendar, however, remain rare and arguably more impressive. Only a handful of brands have incorporated the traditional Chinese calendar into a wristwatch, with Blancpain being one of the earliest to do so, way back in 2012 ( and more recently H. Moser & Cie. has done the same). Admittedly, the latest edition of the Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar introduces little new beyond the platinum case paired with a green enamel dial. Both the design and movement remain the same. While not intrinsically novel, the new version of the Traditional Chinese Calendar remains an interesting complication, with the new livery being appealing in itself. Year of the serpent The snake zodiac edition is...

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The Latest Massena LAB Collaboration is a Rare Heritage Inspired Moser Worn & Wound
Massena Lab Collaboration Oct 16, 2024

The Latest Massena LAB Collaboration is a Rare Heritage Inspired Moser

If you’ve been paying any attention to H. Moser & Cie. over the last few years, one thing should be abundantly clear - the Swiss watchmaker likes to keep things simple. While they may occasionally indulge themselves with an overwhelming quantity of dial text, or acquiesce to the need for a chronograph scale, Moser has increasingly adopted a minimalist approach in their watch design, with wide open expanses of dial and invisible logos taking center stage alongside hammered enamel finishes, minute repeater strikers, and elegantly finished hands.  Today, Moser is throwing all that out, and, in partnership with Massena LAB, the brand is looking back to its history for what is, in many ways, its most traditional release in years. The Endeavour Chronograph Compax would, from anyone else, barely qualify as newsworthy. After all, what brand hasn’t dipped back into the well to create a historically-minded steel sports watch in recent years? Moser hasn’t, and that’s what makes this collaboration so interesting. Even the Heritage model, the closest the brand has come to the format, isn’t so much a recreation as a reimagination, a consideration not of how to make an old watch feel new, but a thought exercise in what H. Moser & Cie. might have made were the modern brand to find themselves in a different era. This new watch is not that. Though not a direct reproduction of any particular model, the new Endeavour Chronograph Compax is a genuine reflection on Moser’s history...

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Revival-Brand Edouard Koehn Debuts Split-Seconds Chronograph SJX Watches
Patek Philippe before establishing his own Oct 1, 2024

Revival-Brand Edouard Koehn Debuts Split-Seconds Chronograph

A dormant name recently revived, Edouard Koehn was once famous for its high-quality pocket watches, usually signed “Ed. Koehn”, one of which inspired the Legacy Rattrapante Split-Seconds Chronograph. Powered by an automatic calibre made by Concepto, the Legacy Rattrapante has a fired enamel dial inside a stainless steel case. Initial thoughts Though it was resurrected only a short while ago, Edouard Koehn has put out a variety of watches, ranging from chunky sports watches to world-timers. The Legacy Rattrapante is its most classical design to date. The styling essentially replicates a vintage pocket watch, so it’s not imaginative, but the functional simplicity is appealing. But because the watch employs a Concepto calibre, it is thick at 14.6 mm high, which is at odds with the vintage-inspired design. And the Legacy Rattrapante is also pricey at almost CHF16,000, or about US$19,000. Though the fired enamel dial is an expensive bonus, it still costs double the Habring² Doppel, which has a more sophisticated movement for almost half the price. Pocket watch style Born in Germany, Edouard Koehn (1839-1908) was a watchmaker who worked at Patek Philippe before establishing his own brand in Geneva that produced watches signed “Ed. Koehn” as well as under the brand name, H.R. Ekegren, a Danish brand he acquired. Koehn’s son, also named Edouard, inherited the firm, which went bust during the Great Depression. Several years ago, the Edouard Koehn trademark was acquir...

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Affordable Travel-Time with the Seiko Presage GMT Urushi Lacquer SJX Watches
Seiko Presage GMT Urushi Lacquer Sep 23, 2024

Affordable Travel-Time with the Seiko Presage GMT Urushi Lacquer

Seiko adds travel time functionality to its line of affordable dress watches with the Presage GMT Urushi Lacquer Dial SPB447. The new Presage is part of the Craftsmanship series that sports dials decorated with traditional Japan artisanal crafts ranging from lacquer to porcelain to enamel, and features glossy urushi lacquer dial to go along with the GMT function.  A key part of Japanese culture for millennia, urushi is obtained from the lacquer tree and used for a variety of applications, ranging from kitchenware to samurai armour. Here it is applied to the dial by hand at the workshop of urushi specialist Isshu Tamura, which was also responsible for lacquer dials on past Presage models. Initial thoughts The new GMT offers a similar value proposition as past Presage Craftsmanship models: the dial is decorated by skilled artisans, a feature typically associated with more expensive watches, but the price tag remains an affordable US$1,750. And it has the added bonus of a GMT, giving it an added dimension of utility compared to most Craftsmanship models that either have calendar or power reserve functions. The only downside is the fact that it’s not a “true” GMT with an independently adjustable hour hand, but that is the case for practically all GMT watches in this price range, so it doesn’t put the Presage GMT at a disadvantage relative to the competition. Urushi dial The Presage GMT sports a dial finished in black urushi, with the gilt markings on the dial done in...

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Introducing – Four New Blancpain Villeret References with Sunburst Green Dials Monochrome
Blancpain Villeret References Aug 27, 2024

Introducing – Four New Blancpain Villeret References with Sunburst Green Dials

The Villeret Collection of Blancpain comprises the brand’s most classic and elegant timepieces. They offer a wide range of functions, from the basic time-only models to more complex complications like the minute repeater, perpetual calendar, dual-time zone, chronograph, and more. Recognizable by their distinctive double-stepped case design, these watches are a testament to aesthetic excellence. […]

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Introducing – The Andersen Genève x BCHH Celestial Voyager “Sunset over Cappadocia” Version 2 Monochrome
Jul 8, 2024

Introducing – The Andersen Genève x BCHH Celestial Voyager “Sunset over Cappadocia” Version 2

Longtime Singaporean collector Benjamin Chee had a dream of creating beautiful, high-end watches. To manifest his vision, he created the BCHH (Benjamin Chee Haute Horlogerie) brand and reached out to master watchmaker Svend Andersen of Andersen Genève to create the Celestial Voyager, a sophisticated world timer with a handcrafted enamel dial. Following the sold-out success […]

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H. Moser & Cie. Unveils Its Most Complicated Streamliner to Date SJX Watches
H. Moser & Cie Unveils Jun 28, 2024

H. Moser & Cie. Unveils Its Most Complicated Streamliner to Date

The most complicated H. Moser & Cie. sports watch to date, the Streamliner Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon Blue Enamel is derived from the unique Streamliner Pandamonium created in collaboration with MB&F;. The new Streamliner retains both the minute repeater and tourbillon, but without the panda figure and the oversized balance wheel. In typical Moser “concept” style, the blue grand feu enamel dial is free of any markings and finished with a fumè gradient effect that darkens towards the periphery. Also found in the Endeavour, the movement was developed in collaboration with specialist Manufacture Hautes Complications (MHC). Initial thoughts Since Moser released the Streamliner four years ago, the sports watch has become the brand’s bestseller – unsurprisingly given the popularity of the integrated-bracelet-sports-watch category in general. The new repeater-tourbillon fills in a gap in the Streamliner range, which is to say a top-of-the-line, flagship complication. Both minute repeater and flying tourbillon are visible on the dial If you like the Streamliner design, as I do, the new repeater-tourbillon is a handsome watch. The addition of the visible mechanisms on the dial add greater detail and depth to the visuals, while the fired enamel dial is a nice tough, though a fragile enamel dial is somewhat paradoxical in a sports watch. The repeater-tourbillon is similar in dimensions to the Streamliner chronograph, a good size for a sports watch of this design. The ...

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Jaeger-LeCoultre Facelifts the Master Grande Tradition World-Timer SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin May 14, 2024

Jaeger-LeCoultre Facelifts the Master Grande Tradition World-Timer

Jaeger-LeCoultre (JLC) unveils a new variant of the Master Grande Tradition Calibre 948 World-Timer, combining an 18k pink gold case with a domed, champlevé enamel dial depicting the Northern Hemisphere. As the name suggests, the watch features the cal. 948 with an orbital tourbillon that makes one revolution around the dial every 24 hours in conjunction with the map, mimicking the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. Dial and case metal aside, this is essentially identical to the white gold model released in 2022. Initial thoughts As a variation of an existing model, the new Calibre 948 World-Timer is not entirely novel. It is, however, a quite a stunning watch in both looks and mechanics. The enamel dial and pink gold case are in a rich, complementary colours, resulting in a striking, warm aesthetics. And the level of execution is also high, reflecting JLC’s strength in industrial-artisanal high-end watchmaking. That said, with JLC’s storied history, it feels like the brand can do more than rehash this tourbillon (and the Duometre as it did at Watches & Wonders earlier this year). The watchmaker’s watchmaker Sometimes known as the watchmaker’s watchmaker, JLC historically supplied calibres to many notable brands, including the “Holy Trinity” of Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, and Vacheron Constantin. As a result, it has a manufacturing know-how that is amongst the best in the mid- to high-end of Swiss watchmaking. A world-time orbital tourbillon with a champlev...

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Up Close: F.P. Journe Chronomètre Furtif Bleu “Only Watch 2024” SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Chronomètre Furtif Bleu “Only May 1, 2024

Up Close: F.P. Journe Chronomètre Furtif Bleu “Only Watch 2024”

Possibly the successor to the Chronomètre Bleu, the Chronomètre Furtif Bleu is a unique creation made for Only Watch 2024 taking place on May 10, but also the template for a next generation of lineSport watches. The Furtif Bleu retains the familiar silhouette of the lineSport, but is executed entirely in tantalum – notably the bracelet is tantalum – with a fired enamel dial. Additionally, it is equipped with a new calibre that displays the power reserve and moon phase on the back. Initial thoughts Despite its name and low-key colours, the Furtif Bleu is a very striking watch, largely because of the contrast between the dark grey tantalum and the blue dial with an orange seconds hand. In the hand, it is heavy, as expected for the metal, and also silky in feel due to the finely blasted surfaces of the case and bracelet. Close your eyes and it feels like the current lineSport in platinum, though the blasted finish is finer than that on the existing gold and platinum models. And on the wrist, it is unexpectedly elegant for a sports watch because of its height, which is just 9.5 mm. That’s slightly thicker than the Chronomètre Bleu and noticeably thinner than the lineSport Automatique Reserve. One of the most notable aspects of the watch is the bracelet, which is entirely tantalum. The nature of the alloy makes it particularly difficult to work, explaining the cost and rarity of tantalum watch cases. Tantalum bracelets are even less common. The only other brand I can t...

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Up Close: Louis Vuitton Voyager Flying Tourbillon Plique-à-Jour SJX Watches
Louis Vuitton Voyager Flying Tourbillon Plique-à-Jour Mar 13, 2024

Up Close: Louis Vuitton Voyager Flying Tourbillon Plique-à-Jour

A watch that exemplifies the ambitious vertical integration of Louis Vuitton’s watch division, the Voyager Flying Tourbillon Poinçon de Genève Plique-à-Jour combines a skeleton tourbillon movement with a plique-à-jour enamel dial. Transparent and akin to stained glass, plique-à-jour enamel is rare in watchmaking, with only a handful of brands having accomplished it. But this specific form on the Voyager tourbillon, which goes without any backing under the dial, is even more uncommon. Because there is no base for the dial, the transparency of both the dial and the movement is maximised. Initial thoughts The original version of this watch, essentially identical but without the enamel dial, was launched in 2016. Louis Vuitton didn’t get much attention as a watchmaker then, though I liked the watch, particularly the slim profile and open-worked movement made by La Fabrique du Temps (LFT). The quality of the watch indicated Louis Vuitton was going places as a watch brand. Louis Vuitton has come a long way since then as a watchmaker. It now boasts several automaton wristwatches, the Rexhep Rexhepi RR01 collaboration, and its own prize for independent watchmakers. Appropriately enough, the Voyager tourbillon has been enhanced, reflecting the substantial expansion and development of LFT since 2016. The movement, dial, and case are all made in-house at LFT, reflecting Louis Vuitton’s impressive manufacture that now rivals some of the most prominent names in haute horlog...

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Up Close: Breguet Classique 7637 Répétition Minutes SJX Watches
Breguet Classique 7637 Répétition Minutes Feb 23, 2024

Up Close: Breguet Classique 7637 Répétition Minutes

Breguet recently unveiled the latest generation of its minute repeater wristwatch, which embodies minimalist classicism. The Classique 7637 Répétition Minutes has a fired enamel dial in glossy black with just two pomme hands and Breguet-style numerals in silver-powder print – and a case that is a surprisingly large 42 mm. Inside is the cal. 567.2, a variant of the calibre that has equipped Breguet repeating wristwatches since the 1990s. But while today’s cal. 567.2 still has the familiar layout of a traditional striking movement, it incorporates a series of upgrades that give the 7637 particularly impressive acoustic qualities. Initial thoughts The 7637 in its latest guise is a beautiful, elegant watch in the traditional Breguet style. Traditionalists might say the black enamel dial is too stark, but the look is still quintessential Breguet in my eyes. Moreover, this is the best iteration of the model to date. Compared to the earlier open-dial model, the new ref. 7637 is restrained and refined in the manner expected of Breguet. The latest 7637 with an enamel dial (left), and its predecessor that featured an open dial revealing engine-turned movement plates Even though the 7637 is descended from prior generations of Breguet repeating wristwatches – the movement originates in the 1990s – it sounds substantially better. The volume, clarity, and tonality of its chimes are leagues ahead of its predecessors. This results from upgrades to both the movement as well as ca...

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Seiko Brings Out Presage Inspired by Studio Ghibli SJX Watches
Seiko Brings Out Presage Inspired Feb 12, 2024

Seiko Brings Out Presage Inspired by Studio Ghibli

This year is the 40th anniversary of Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, a 1984 Japanese anime film portraying the titular heroine’s valiant adventures in a post-apocalyptic world. To mark the occasion, anime studio Studio Ghibli and Seiko created the Presage Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind SPB437, a limited edition with an unusual combination of finishes, namely a blue enamel dial and a brushed steel case. Initial thoughts Seiko has long incorporated Japanese pop culture into its timepieces, drawing inspiration from iconic franchises such as Gundam and the Street Fighter video game. While the new Presage isn’t the first collaboration between the watch brand and Studio Ghibli, the Nausicaä edition is arguably amongst the best due to its classical, almost minimalist design. Even though it is a cartoon-inspired watch, the Nausicaä edition has a restrained aesthetic with stylish details. Particularly notable is the blue enamel dial featuring the emblem of the Princess Nausicaä and elongated indices. The simplicity of the dial design, combined with a steel case featuring an unusual aged finish completes the aesthetic that sets it apart from the typical Presage model. Its clean styling stands out even compared to the earlier Presage Castle in the Sky from 2021. The Nausicaä edition is priced at US$1,600, a modest increase over the previous Studio Ghibli model but still affordable. As is often the case with affordable Seiko limited editions, the m...

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Up Close: Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Ultra-Thin “Thunder God” and “Wind God” SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Jan 26, 2024

Up Close: Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Ultra-Thin “Thunder God” and “Wind God”

One of the most striking – no pun intended – timepieces created by Vacheron Constantin in recent memory are Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Ultra-Thin “Thunder God” and “Wind God”. Created for an Japanese-themed art exhibition in 2022, the two form a matched pair of striking watches, each featuring an miniature enamel dial reproducing one half of Wind God and Thunder God, a pair of folding screens so important they are a National Treasure of Japan. Initial thoughts Each year Vacheron Constantin (VC) introduces a sizeable Les Cabinotiers collection, typically several dozen watches in all, made up of one-off timepieces that are either complicated, decorated with artisanal techniques, or both. Last year’s line-up included a handful of ornate tourbillon watches and a diamond-set dragon watch. The “Wind God” and “Thunder God” duo, however, rank amongst the most impressive of the Les Cabinotiers. “Wind God” and “Thunder God” are variants of the regular production VC minute repeater, which is ordinarily a somewhat plain, large watch with a slim profile. The 41 mm case of the repeater, however, makes it ideal as a canvas, particularly for artwork that is large scale in real life, as the Wind God and Thunder God folding screens are. At a distance, both watches appear to be exceedingly plain, but up close each reveals remarkable miniature enamelling on the dial and a finely chased case accented by gemstones on the minute repeater slide. The case engravi...

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Breguet Introduces an Atypical Classique for the Year of the Dragon SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Jan 19, 2024

Breguet Introduces an Atypical Classique for the Year of the Dragon

Continuing a recent streak of unusual designs that depart from its traditional formality, Breguet is marking the Chinese Lunar New Year with the Classique “Dragon” ref. 7145BR. Unlike last year’s “Rabbit” edition that was a whimsical ladies’ watch, this year’s Chinese zodiac edition is an ultra-thin men’s watch with a surprisingly vivid and figurative enamel dial in two shades of red. Initial thoughts A dragon-themed watch is not unexpected, and Breguet joins brands like Vacheron Constantin and Blancpain in launching such watches for the Lunar New Year. The watch itself, however, is a radical departure from the usual Breguet style in both colour and execution. Even though there are enough elements on the dial to mark it out as a Breguet, the aesthetic is more elaborate than the average Breguet, which tends towards classical restraint. Even though it is different, I like this approach because it offers something new in terms of aesthetics. That said, the engraved dragon appliqué isn’t exactly right in terms of design. The creature is too stout and lacks the slender proportions of the dragon as portrayed in Classical Chinese art. The overall aesthetic would have been much improved with a restyled dragon. The execution is in the high quality expected of Breguet, so the dragon is solid gold and the dial is grand feu enamel. As a result, the price is US$77,800, significantly greater than the standard Classique 5157, but within the ballpark for such metiers d...

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Review: Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Chinese Zodiac “Year of the Dragon” SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Chinese Zodiac Jan 5, 2024

Review: Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Chinese Zodiac “Year of the Dragon”

Arriving just as the Dragon year begins in February, the Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac “Year of the Dragon” is the latest illustration of the Geneva brand’s artisanal and technical capabilities, with a hand-engraved dragon sculpture on a grand feu enamel dial and an in-house calibre that indicates the time and calendar on discs. The “Year of the Dragon” is the final chapter in the brand’s Chinese Zodiac collection, an annual series of limited editions that began in 2012 with the rabbit. With the Chinese zodiac made up of a repeating 12-year cycle – with each year represented by an animal – the series reaches its conclusion with this dragon edition, which like its predecessors is available in either pink gold or platinum. Initial thoughts Dragon-themed watches have already started to proliferate with the incoming Year of the Dragon, simply because the dragon has the most universal appeal amongst all of the zodiac animals. It carries desirable symbolism across East Asia, as opposed to say, the rodent or pig, which have a niche audience. So the appeal of a dragon watch is arguably less about the motif, which is now common, but the execution. And here the Metiers d’Art “Year of the Dragon” excels in both presentation and technique. I’ve always been fond of Vacheron Constantin’s quadruple-disc display because it is both logical and attractive. The display makes sense because it leaves majority of the dial free fo...

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Hands On: Rexhep Rexhepi Chronomètre Contemporain II Diamant SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Nov 13, 2023

Hands On: Rexhep Rexhepi Chronomètre Contemporain II Diamant

Much lauded at its launch last year, the Rexhep Rexhepi Chronomètre Contemporain II (RRCC II) was originally available only in two guises of rose gold or platinum, each with a matching enamel now. Now Rexhep Rexhepi has quietly debuted a small run of the RRCC II in the same metals with gemstone hour markers to match. The platinum version features a black enamel dial with baguette-cut diamond indices that give it a stark, formal beauty. And the rose gold model has a cream enamel dial with ruby markers. Initial thoughts Discreetly glamorous gentlemen’s watches with diamond hour markers are a well established tradition in watchmaking, particularly so during the mid-20th century at high-end brands like Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet. The new RRCC II is clearly a reference to such historical watches. Despite being a modern watch, and clearly recognisable as such, the diamond-set RRCC II manages to capture the subtle, elegant nature of its historical inspiration thanks to its compact case with graceful lugs inspired by vintage Patek Philippe models, including this ref. 2551. A possibly unique Patek Philippe ref. 2551 dating from 1957 with a white gold case and diamond indices that sold for almost CHF360,000 at Phillips in 2022 Interestingly, even though the RRCC II was not originally conceived as a gem-set watch, the dial accommodates the diamond hour markers perfectly. The glossy surface of the enamel dial complements the diamonds’ sparkle, while the alternating track ...

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Patek Philippe Pays Tribute to Philippe Stern with the Minute Repeater Alarm Ref. 1938P SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Pays Tribute Nov 10, 2023

Patek Philippe Pays Tribute to Philippe Stern with the Minute Repeater Alarm Ref. 1938P

To celebrate Philippe Stern’s 85th birthday, Patek Philippe has released the Minute Repeater Alarm ref. 1938P-001. The 30-piece limited edition is a minute repeater with a novel alarm function that chimes the programmed time, powered by a new calibre that will never be repeated. The watch is also a tribute in a literal sense: the fired enamel dial bears a monochromatic portrait of Philippe Stern, now the honorary president of Patek Philippe and the man who laid the foundations of the Geneva watchmaker’s present-day success. Initial thoughts This watch was long anticipated since it was first teased for Only Watch 2023, where it was announced as a unique piece made for the charity auction followed by a limited edition release. Now we have the specifics of the watch and it is impressive in technique, even if the dial is surprising at first sight. Evocative of the iconic black-and-white portrait of Francis Ford-Coppola’s 1972 film The Godfather, portrait of Mr Stern initially feels out of place in such a classical watch. But then it is perhaps not as apparent on a wrist when reading the time, and more importantly, considering Mr Stern’s achievements he deserves an overwhelmingly prominent place on a watch. It is a certainty that the buyers of the 30 watches will be clients personally acquainted with Mr Stern – word has it that all were allocated by Geneva prior to launch – and I imagine all of them would be happy to concede part of the dial to him. With four new pa...

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