Results for Sapphire Crystal

Jacob & Co. Bugatti Tourbillon Sapphire Crystal: The Transparent Hypercar

Hublot Combines a Two-Week Power Reserve and a Blue Sapphire Crystal Case

A perfect illustration of Hublot’s extravagant style and technical proficiency, the Hublot Big Bang MP-11 14 Day Power Reserve Water Blue Sapphire boasts 336 hours of power reserve thanks to seven laterally stacked barrels working with 90° bevel gears and a helical worm screw to drive the movement. This is a new variant of an existing model, with the difference being the case crafted from transparent “water blue” sapphire crystal. Initial thoughts Hublot is an anomaly. It’s one of the 20 biggest watchmakers in Switzerland by revenue and boasts a vertically integrated manufactured but is often criticised for being something of a “fashion” brand by enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike. Part of this pushback probably stems from the brand’s entry-level watches that use inexpensive stock movements that are priced expensively for what they are. The mechanics don’t live up to the price. That reasoning is sound, but it doesn’t reflect the brand’s top-of-the-line products. Like the recent MP-10, the new MP-11 reflects Hublot’s ability in movements and materials. Its manufacture develops and produces complex in-house calibres with unique complications and novel constructions, usually presented in cases made of novel materials with distinctive aesthetics and properties. The only downside of such complications is their size. The MP-11 is enormous at 45 mm in diameter, and it isn’t even the chunkiest watch that Hublot produces. This limits its wearability and ...

The ArtyA AquaSaphir is the first aquatic watch with a case made of sapphire crystal

Sapphire is one of the most exotic materials for a watch case these days. Notorious for being incredibly hard to work with, the material has yet to appear in more affordable models; however, ArtyA is on the right track with their new sporty summer release, the AquaSaphir. ArtyA is a small independent brand from Switzerland, … ContinuedThe post The ArtyA AquaSaphir is the first aquatic watch with a case made of sapphire crystal appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Introducing Jacob & Co Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon Blue Sapphire Crystal Unique Piece

A one of a kind tribute to the Bugatti Chiron complete with a fully mechanical working ‘engine’, inclined tourbillon, and stunning blue sapphire crystal hood.

INTRODUCING: The Zenith DEFY Zero-G and 21 Double Tourbillon are clear-cut winners in sapphire crystal

Sapphire crystal. Known for its durability and high transparency, it’s the number one choice for top watch brands around the world, providing a window for the beautiful dials that are on display. However, recently, brands have been experimenting with the material to be more than just a window. Instead, they want to create a full … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Zenith DEFY Zero-G and 21 Double Tourbillon are clear-cut winners in sapphire crystal appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

MICRO MONDAYS: The Maurice de Mauriac L3 Sees Red Chronograph exploits coloured sapphire crystal for dazzling effect

In the world of microbrands, it can be hard to stand out amidst the barrage of vintage-style divers and explorer’s watches. What isn’t hard to stand out with? A super slick minimalist chronograph that could seamlessly blend into a sci-fi franchise, with a bright red-tinted sapphire crystal that almost glows with a fiery malice. Maurice … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The Maurice de Mauriac L3 Sees Red Chronograph exploits coloured sapphire crystal for dazzling effect appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

4 New Sapphire Crystal-Cased Watches At Watches & Wonders 2021 From Hublot, Chanel, And Purnell

Transparency fascinates Elizabeth Doerr, who believes there’s no better way to reveal the inner workings of something and build an intimate relationship to it than to remove the covers. Here she shares four fascinating sapphire crystal-encased watches from Watches & Wonders 2021. Let there be light!

Chanel Celebrates 20 Years Of The J12 With The X-Ray: The World’s First Watch With A Full Sapphire Crystal Bracelet

As the Chanel J12 turns 20 years old, the brand more famous for its fashion than its high-quality watches releases a modern marvel: a very transparent version of the J12 called X-Ray that features a world premiere in the form of a full sapphire crystal bracelet.

INTRODUCING: The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Light, one of the most curious sapphire crystal-cased watches yet

The Girard-Perregaux Laureato was among the vanguard of the first luxury sports watches when it was released in 1975. But it hasn’t stayed in the past, with the constantly evolving new materials and technologies used by the brand in this collection bringing it convincingly into 2020 (with materials such as the electric-looking Carbon Glass, which … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Light, one of the most curious sapphire crystal-cased watches yet appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Best Minimalist Dress Watch for Around $1,000 Now With A Sapphire Crystal - Max Bill Automatic

Teddy Baldassarre is an authorized luxury watch retailer of brands like TUDOR, OMEGA, IWC, Grand Seiko, Breitling, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Zenith, Longines, ORIS, MIDO, Tissot, Hamilton, NOMOS Glashütte, Baume & Mercier, and more.

Inside Chopard’s Most Complex Watch Ever: The L.U.C Grand Strike 2025 with Sapphire Crystal Gongs

A $200 Seiko With A Sapphire Crystal & 100M WR That No One Talks About

Teddy Baldassarre is an authorized luxury watch retailer of brands like TUDOR, OMEGA, IWC, Grand Seiko, Breitling, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Zenith, Longines, ORIS, MIDO, Tissot, Hamilton, NOMOS Glashütte, Baume & Mercier, and more.

Introducing - The Impressive Hublot MP-10 Tourbillon Returns in Black Ceramic and Sapphire Crystal Cases

Hublot has never shown a reverence for conservative watchmaking. Starting with its explosively named Big Bang collection, Hublot revels in innovative material combinations and loud, audacious designs. However, when it comes to showing off its horological muscles, Hublot’s Masterpiece suite is where you’ll find the most technically complex models. Last year, Hublot inducted another Masterpiece […]

Bell & Ross debuts an ice blue skull in full sapphire crystal

Introducing: Takashi Murakami Releases A New Flying Tourbillon Flower Watch Made Entirely Of Sapphire Crystal

Murakami's fourth release with Hublot is his most conceptual yet.

Chopard L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire: a Minute Repeater Housed Entirely in Transparent Sapphire Crystal - Reprise

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the L.U.C collection, Chopard unveiled a minute repeater at Watches and Wonders 2022, which once again demonstrates the technical prowess of the manufacture. Part of an upcoming set called The Trilogy of Sound, the L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire pushes the boundaries of the sophisticated grand complication genre and marks some firsts in the realm of haute horlogerie.

Christopher Ward Introduces the new Biscay Dive Watch Collection

Christopher Ward has recently expanded their Trident family with the C60 Trident Biscay, set to replace the C65 Aquitaine. The UK-based watchmaker has pulled inspiration from two reference points: the skin divers of the 1960’s and the collection’s namesake, the Bay of Biscay  – which, for anyone who struggles with geography like moi, is the body of water nestled between the northern coast of Spain and the western coast of France and not Biscayne Bay, which is a lagoon in Florida. The end result is the C60 Trident Biscay Automatic, C60 Trident Biscay GMT, and C60 Trident Biscay Bronze. The first in the collection is the C60 Trident Biscay Automatic, available in 39mm and 42mm stainless steel cases. It uses Christopher Ward’s Light-catcher case with a slim 11mm profile and box sapphire crystal. This particular model also includes a granular dial, minimal text, and applied Arabic numerals at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock. The Automatic is available in black, sand/black, and black/red and has a price tag starting at $1,870. Next is the GMT, which also comes in 39mm and 42mm sizes. Here, Christopher Ward has added a fourth hand for tracking another time zone and a bi-directional aluminum bezel in two-tone color combinations. The framed date window replaces the 6 o’clock numeral, while the surface-hardened bezel has a hardness level of 250HV, which Christopher Ward says is 67% harder than untreated aluminum. The GMT is available in black/red and sand/blue, and is priced f...

Introducing: The Tudor Northflag Returns With Dual Time

What We Know Tudor's North Flag has always been something of an outlier. It was originally launched in 2015 at Baselworld and was the first Tudor to feature one of the brand's in-house movements. Only ever available in two specs, on a bracelet or on a leather strap, the North Flag (91210N) was discontinued in 2021. Today, the Northflag (now one word) returns, evolving the 2015 offering with a single reference that sports a 24-hour hand for a second time zone.  The new Northflag, ref. 9140G1A0U, uses 316L stainless steel for its 40mm case and integrated bracelet. The case is 12.7mm thick and 48.8mm lug-to-lug. Compared with the 40 x 13.3 x 50mm of the original North Flag, this new model should be more compatible with smaller wrists thanks to its more compact dimensions. The water resistance is 100 meters, and it has a domed sapphire crystal up front and a display caseback.  Inside, and viewable via that display caseback, is Tudor's MT5652-U automatic movement. It's a 4Hz METAS-certified Master Chronometer with a stated accuracy of -0 to +5 seconds/day. For those keeping track, this is the same second time zone-equipped movement found in the Pelagos FXD GMT. Both the date and the GMT function are set via the crown, and adjusting the second time zone is done by jumping the local hour hand to a new time zone (such as when you land at your destination) in standard "flyer" GMT functionality.  Like its predecessor, the second-gen Northflag's dial is black, with minimal text an...

Introducing: Studio Underd0g 02Series "Mantis"

What We Know Not even two months on from the initial launch of the updated 02Series Gen 2, Studio Underd0g is jumping headfirst back into limited editions with the Special Edition 02Series Mantis. The headline here is a bright green, full-lume dial, which Studio Underd0g claims is the brightest to ever grace a watch from the brand, but it's also worth reiterating some of the changes that the brand brought to this watch earlier in the summer. The biggest change separating the 02Series Gen 1 and Gen 2 is the new case used for the latter. Upsized by half a millimeter to 37.5mm, the case has also been thinned out and now measures just 11.5mm rather than 12mm, and a full 2.1mm of that comes from the domed sapphire crystal. With lug-to-lug holding steady at 46mm, the updated case finds itself squarely in the Goldilocks zone for many collectors. There are also some meaningful technical updates in the new watch. Tolerances are tighter, and the SW210 movement has been replaced by the SW200-2 M (modified to remove the automatic winding system), which brings with it an accuracy of ±7 seconds per day and 63 hours of power reserve. The whole watch is assembled in-house at the D0ghouse, Studio Underd0g's newly established workshop, and is an evolution of the Horologium. All that said, the real reason to buy this watch is the dial. Like most watches from Studio Underd0g, the 02Series Mantis uses a sapphire sandwich dial construction, with a transparent sapphire disc printed with the min...

The New Timex Expedition Pioneer Shows How Far the Collection Has Come

Timex expands its Expedition Pioneer lineup with a $429 steel automatic featuring sapphire crystal, 200m water resistance, and a Miyota movement.

Orient Mako Gets a GMT for the First Time in Five Cool Colors

Orient has given its long-running Mako sports watch a GMT function for the first time. Five references have appeared for the Autumn/Winter 2026 collection, comprising four regular models and one 4,000-piece limited edition. The watches were listed as in stock by an authorised UK retailer on 20 August 2026. Orient’s own global catalogue and press archive had not yet added them at the time of writing, so broader regional availability remains unconfirmed. A Larger Mako With Familiar Equipment The Mako GMT uses a 42.8 mm case made from brushed and polished 316L stainless steel. It measures 49.5 mm from lug to lug and 13.4 mm thick, making this a substantial watch rather than a compact travel companion. Each version has a sapphire crystal, a solid caseback and 20 bar, or 200 metres, of water resistance. The three-link steel bracelet has solid end pieces and a deployant clasp. Around the dial is a 120-notch unidirectional bezel carrying a 24-hour scale instead of the usual elapsed-time markings. The New F6P22 Automatic GMT Calibre Inside is Orient’s F6P22 automatic GMT movement. The current listings state a power reserve of approximately 40 hours, hacking seconds and an accuracy range of +25 to -15 seconds per day. The movement drives the normal hour, minute and seconds hands, the date at 3 o’clock and a fourth central hand that completes one turn every 24 hours. There is an important limitation. The GMT hand cannot be adjusted independently on this first version. To show ...

A Look at the New Certina DS-1 Chronograph Automatics: Models C029.462.16.011.00 and C029.462.26.051.00

Over the years, I have added a few Certina watches to my collection. I enjoy wearing them because the brand consistently delivers timepieces that are well-made and nice to look at. Certina has a reputation for building solid, reliable watches, and my personal experience with them has confirmed this. Recently, they introduced two new models to their DS-1 Chronograph Automatic lineup: reference C029.462.16.011.00 and reference C029.462.26.051.00. I took some time to look closely at these releases to see what they offer. Both of these new chronographs share the same core foundation. They are housed in a 42-millimeter case made from 316L stainless steel. This size gives the watch a substantial presence on the wrist without being overly bulky. Inside both watches beats the Valjoux A05.231 automatic movement. This is a movement that features a silicon hairspring, which helps protect the watch from magnetic fields. It also provides a generous 68-hour power reserve. This means you can take the watch off on a Friday evening, and it will still be running on Monday morning. As part of Certina’s Double Security concept, both models are water-resistant up to 100 meters and feature a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. Model C029.462.16.011.00: Clean and Classic Style The first model is the more traditional of the two. It features a crisp white dial set inside a polished silver-tone case. The dial layout is very clean, displaying the time, the date, and the chronograph sub-dials in a ...

Introducing: Seiko x Tradman's Bonsai Presage Classic Series

What We Know It may not always come as a surprise when Seiko releases a new collaboration, at least in the abstract. Still, it is always exciting to see just who Seiko has chosen to partner with, and what that partnership can turn into. This time, Seiko has paired itself with Tradman's Bonsai, a Japanese creative collective whose mission is to celebrate and continue exploring the traditional art of Japanese Bonsai through both the creation of Bonsai spaces and the pursuit of collaborations with brands in the street culture, fashion, and art worlds. The result here is the latest addition to Seiko's Presage line, Seiko's dressier alternative to other, more technical watch families likeProspex. It's also the line Seiko often uses to celebrate heritage Japanese aesthetics and artistry, making it a perfect canvas for Seiko to honor Bonsai, an art form that involves growing, cultivating, and shaping small-scale trees with rigorous dedication and precision. With this watch, Seiko has evoked Bonsai trees in several ways, most clearly with the introduction of a new dial color and texture. Inspired by the bark of aging pine trees, the new pattern gently spirals outward from the center of the dial and is paired with a deep green gradient treatment and a dual-curved sapphire crystal with an AR coating on the inside. A 38mm stainless steel case with a fluted bezel and yellow-gold-tone finish houses the dial and the watch's 6R51 movement, a time-only automatic from Seiko with a 72-hour ...

Alpinist to Astron: Seiko Celebrates 145 Years

Kintaro Hattori is considered the father of the Japanese watch and clock industry, having opened K. Hattori & Co. in Tokyo 145 years ago. Hattori’s humble store eventually evolved into an empire that made Seiko the largest watch manufacturer in the world during the 1980s. To mark the anniversary, Seiko has dressed six of its greatest hits in regal “Edo purple” livery. The standouts include the compass-bezel Alpinist ref. HBC006 built the take on the Japanese Alps, the luxe titanium-and-ceramic Astron Dual-Time Chronograph ref. HAB011, and the spacefaring Rotocall ref. HFL001. Seiko Prospex Alpinist HBC006 Last year, Seiko’s iconic green-and-gilt Alpinist turned 30; this year it turns purple. The Alpinist line dates back to 1959 but this case style launched in 1995, designed by Shigeo Sakai — the same designer responsible for the amusing inflatable Seiko Airpro. The green-and-gilt colourway inspired by Mr Sakai’s Mini Cooper became a sales success, defying conventional wisdom that green watches are niche products. I can’t predict if that will hold true for purple, but with 7,000 units Seiko seems to think it will. The colour is certainly eye-catching, which will help it stand out on social media and boost collectibility. The US$$900 price tag helps too, making it a good value considering its solid specifications. Upmarket details include a Diashield-protected stainless steel case, a sapphire crystal with sapphire date magnifier, an unexpected 200 m test depth,...

IWC Dresses the Big Pilot ProSet IW329603 in Black and Gold for 140 Years of Mercedes-Benz

IWC introduced the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet 140 Years Mercedes-Benz on August 13, 2026. Reference IW329603 is limited to 140 pieces, one for each year since the invention of the automobile in 1886. The anniversary edition combines a 42mm stainless steel case with a black-and-gold dial and IWC’s new ProSet perpetual calendar, which can be corrected both forward and backward. The limited IW329603 combines a 42mm steel case, black dial and gold details. Image: IWC. The dial is the best part I like the design, especially the dial. The glossy black surface gives the four subdials enough visual separation, while the solid gold appliqués and gold-plated hands make the display warmer without making it look gaudy. A white minute track keeps the outer edge clear. The date sits at 3 o’clock, the month at 6, the day at 9 and the Double Moon display at 12. A four-digit year window appears between 7 and 8 o’clock. The angled view shows the solid gold appliqués, gold-plated hands and four calendar subdials. Image: IWC. The brushed and polished steel case is 42mm wide and 14mm thick. It remains a substantial watch, especially on my 6.5-inch wrist, but these dimensions are easier to imagine wearing than the traditional oversized Big Pilot format. A convex sapphire crystal has anti-reflective coating on both sides, while the sapphire caseback carries the first joint Mercedes-Benz logo from 1926, combining the three-pointed star with a laurel wreath. That histori...