Summer is here, which means it’s time to ramp up on outdoor activities! Long hikes in the country, bicycle trips along the coast, windsurfing on the lake… Or not — if you prefer to spend your summers on the beach reading magazines (we’ve got some fantastic magazine suggestions for you as well), we totally support your choice. Here are six watches that will bring the sunshine, wherever you are in the world.
Classic: Longines DolceVita
The name says it all — Italian vacation, here we come! The near-architectural silhouette of the case, with its tiered flanks, takes us to cities where the urban landscape is still marked by monuments of past centuries. The bright orange lacquer dial and strap is the vibrant hue of a refreshing cocktail on a café terrace, bathed in the glowing light of a late sunset. Salute!
Modern: Hublot Unico Summer Purple
Party on a boat, anyone? The new Hublot Unico Summer Purple is the perfect wrist companion to keep you on time in the Balearic isles while you pre-game on a yacht before your favourite late-night DJ starts his set. The aluminium case is dressed in an enchanting shade of purple, light and bright to complement that tan you’ve been working on.
Retro/Vintage: Chopard Alpine Eagle Flying Tourbillon
The Chopard Alpine Eagle, for those who know their 1980s style icons, is the brand’s modern-day successor to the St Moritz. Contemporary and robust whilst still retaining plenty of retro appeal, the Alpine Eagle collection welcomed an additional model to their lineup this year, a flying tourbillon that defies gravity in a whirl of mechanical ingenuity. What better watch to take into the mountains for a week of hiking amidst the splendour of nature?
Formal: Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Self-Winding
Although the headlines during Watches And Wonders 2022 were dominated by high complications and technical creations, it’s this demure beauty that our team ended up developing a major crush on. The iconic Patrimony of Vacheron Constantin brought us a fresh-faced debutante with a 36.5mm case, a slim tiara of diamonds on her head and the lightest blush on her cheeks. This is the one you’ll dream about while this summer’s catchiest love songs play in your ears.
Sports: Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Chronograph 0 Oxygen
Intrepid explorer and mountaineer Nimsdai Purja, Montblanc’s most exciting Mark Maker in 2022, just set two new world records on his quest to conquer Mt Everest without supplemental oxygen. Strapped securely to his wrist, the 1858 Geosphere Chronograph 0 Oxygen accompanied him all the way to the top, making it clear that this watch belongs to those destined for adventure.
Fun: Maurice Lacroix Aikon #tide
This is a new category that we’ve just added — and we didn’t take this decision frivolously. The Maurice Lacroix Aikon #tide is by all appearances a summer watch. It is light, colourful, robust, and made for the sun, sand and sea. It is a fun watch! Our editorial director Sophie Furley wears the bright pink model and every day with her in the office is like having a perpetually fresh marine breeze in here. What’s more, with the associated initiative to clean our oceans, the Aikon #tide ensures that we’re safeguarding the ability of the next generations to enjoy our planet in the years to come. Responsible fun is not the paradox that you might think it is — it is real and it comes in the form of the Maurice Lacroix Aikon #tide.
