The holidays have barely ended and your schedule is already filling up! No surprises – ours is too. To whet your appetite for the rest of the horological year, we already have plenty going on this January. It’s just a short hop from Switzerland to Asia – if you’re Puss in Boots and you happen to have a pair of seven-league boots. But for WorldTempus this January, it’s the literal truth, because our editorial team is scattered all over the world.
Spotlight on Asia
In this week’s breaking news, LVMH takes us to the Asian tropics for the fourth edition of LVMH Watch Week. The first event in Dubai in 2020 was followed by two digital Watch Weeks in 2021 and 2022, thanks to the virus whose name need not be mentioned (just as Harry Potter’s wizarding friends prefer not to mention He Who Must Not Be Named). In 2023, Bulgari, Hublot, TAG Heuer and Zenith are taking themselves off to Singapore. From 2 am on Wednesday (Swiss time: UTC+1 or CET) you will be able to discover dozens of new timepieces they have prepared for your delectation. Chronographs, three-handers, diamond-set or skeletonised, the variety of watches unveiled will be eclectic and astonishing. Our editor-in-chief Suzanne Wong will be there, mingling with the brands and their artisans and making the most of the event. It’s Christmas all over again!
At the end of January, Singapore will be the setting for a different kind of celebration. You probably know that a significant portion of its population is of Chinese origin. On 22 January, Singapore will celebrate Chinese New Year (or Lunar New Year) and follow the Gregorian calendar into 2023. The water tiger will withdraw, leaving the stage for the water rabbit, a symbol of mischief and intelligence. Blancpain will continue the tradition it began in 2012 with the new automatic Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar. Created in a 50-piece limited edition, this technical 45mm timepiece in platinum displays the main indications of the Chinese calendar on its white grand feu enamel dial, while the oscillating weight that can be seen through the sapphire case back bears an engraving of this year’s zodiac sign. From Parmigiani Fleurier, the 42mm Tonda PF Xiali Calendar in stainless steel celebrates the arrival of the new year. The Imperial Red Grain d’Orge guilloché dial features lunar-solar calendar, as well as a sixty-year period for the years. Breguet is focusing on artistic crafts, unveiling the Classique 9075 model for women in an eight-piece limited edition. The automatic three-handed model comes with bezel and lugs set with 88 blue diamonds (a reference to the element of water, with which the rabbit is associated this year), and a grand feu enamel dial embellished with engraved rabbits and other decorative motifs, illustrating the creature’s playful nature.
The snowy mountains of Switzerland
In continental Europe, the snow has arrived. At least, it has in Switzerland’s high-altitude resorts. Elsewhere, you take your chances. So we’re heading for the Swiss Alps, and Zermatt in particular, where the summit of the Matterhorn touches the sky. Fasten your seatbelts, because once LVMH Watch Week is over we’ll be taking you on an exhilarating adventure: WorldTempus on Tour – winter edition. From via ferrata in frozen gorges to Zermatt’s endless ski slopes, along with fireside chats – the expedition promises to offer something for everyone.
Are you ready? We certainly are!
