SJX Watches
Best of 2022: Compelling Complications
Most brands, especially the establishment names, stuck to the evolutionary rather than revolutionary in 2022, which also held true for the latest complications for the year. Nearly all of the year’s most notable complications were derived from past concepts. But the result can still be impressive, as demonstrated by the Ulysse Nardin Freak S. The latest version of a watch that was revolutionary when it was introduced in 2001, the Freak S embodies the ideas that made the original Freak a milestone, including the unorthodox movement construction and the liberal use of intricately-shaped silicon components. But above all it boasts a far more complex regulator that takes the form of twin oscillators connected by a differential. As outlined in our in-depth review, the twin-balance setup was mostly found on classical (and expensive) chronometers from the likes of Greubel Forsey and Philippe Dufour, making the Freak S an outlier with its hyper-modern design. And at US$137,000, it is also more affordable than similar complications from other makers. Standing in stark contrast to the aggressively contemporary styling of the Freak S is the Cartier Masse Mystérieuse. Typical of Cartier with its Roman numerals and ruby cabochon in the crown, the Masse Mystérieuse is inspired by the mystery clocks made by the jeweller in the first half of the 20th century. The result of over eight years of research and development, the Masse Mystérieuse was the final complication devised by C...
