The most striking: Alpiner Extreme Chronograph Automatic
Here it is at last. The first chronograph to enter the revamped (in 2022) Alpiner Extreme line. Contemporary and incisive, the Alpiner Extreme Chronograph Automatic is clear about what it wants to say. Alpiner has downsized the powerful cushion-shaped case - a rarity for a sports watch - to 41 x 42.5mm, and offers blue and grey dial options. There is a lot to like here, from the steel integrated bracelet to the unusual geometry to an automatic movement that runs for 62 hours (almost three days) on a full wind. At under €3,000, it’s also unbeatable value.
The most expressive: Genus – GNS 1.2
2024 - the Chinese year of the dragon – is certain to inspire an array of dragon-themed watches, one of which already stands out. Hand-carved from gold, the fire-breathing beast on the Genus GNS 1.2 literally coils itself around the brand’s exotic minutes and seconds complication. Staged beneath a domed crystal, the dragon flows literally with time, bringing a remarkably profound dimension to the piece. A rare and precious watch for the discerning collector.
The most authentic: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon Enamel
For those seeking the hallmarks of age-old expertise, the new Master Ultra Thin Tourbillon Enamel is the obvious choice. Its attributes are a “what’s what” of traditional fine watchmaking: an in-house tourbillon movement, a dial that has been hand-engraved on a rose lathe with 1,080 radiating lines then finished with Grand Feu enamel, and an eminently wearable 40mm diameter. Time unfolds in its multiple guises in a vertical arrangement: at 12 o’clock, the leisurely pace of the date; everyday time with hours and minutes in the centre and, at 6 o’clock, precision time with the 60-seconds tourbillon. Virtuoso, poetic, unique.
The most unlikely: Blancpain X Swatch “Oceans of Storm”
After 2023’s Moonswatch drop sent collectors into a frenzy, Swatch’s announcement of a fresh collaboration, this time not with Omega but with Blancpain, sent the watch world into overdrive once again. Blancpain and Swatch released a five-watch collaboration last year, one for each of the five oceans, making this the sixth. “Oceans of Storm” takes the Fifty Fathoms aesthetic but is equipped with a Sistem51 movement: Swatch’s mechanical automatic calibre with a 90-hour power reserve. The NATO strap is made from recycled fishing nets, the case is bioceramic (two-thirds mineral and one-third vegetable) and the bezel rotates. Yours for €400.
The rarest: Vacheron Constantin Chronomètre Royal in steel
It’s been several decades since Vacheron Constantin made its last Chronomètre Royal, which explains why this is an unfamiliar name in its portfolio. In December, the brand quietly reactivated its “Les Collectionneurs” programme, which offers restored and certified vintage pieces to selected customers. Among the dozen (at most) timepieces proposed in Bangkok a few days ago was this sumptuous Chronomètre Royal. Introduced in the early 1970s, its avant-garde design pairs a shaped case with an integrated bracelet. From the time it was launched, the Chronomètre Royal was available in yellow gold but also in steel: a metal that was just beginning to make an appearance on Vacheron Constantin’s chronometers. Fifty years on, this is still an astonishingly modern piece and a rare find, with collectors in pursuit of the few still in circulation.
