Pierre: Ulysse by Beauregard x Vianney Halter

“I love this watch because it comes out of nowhere – or more precisely, it comes from two very different worlds: the stone flowers of Beauregard and the spaceships of Vianney Halter. I love this watch because it’s a true story of friendship. I love this watch because it’s beautiful and mysterious. It looks like a mysterious Mayan astronomical object. The two eyes of a cosmic god tell you the hour and minute, and the sun in the centre, a mother-of-pearl disc, stares down at you from a deep aquamarine sky. The link between heaven and earth, between the sky and its mechanics, is organic. Animated by an invisible rotor, the cogs come to life; heaven and earth resonate in harmony. Poetics and mechanics become one. I love this watch because it’s rare. It’s art.”

Serge: Piaget Polo 79

“You have to see it to believe it: on the wrist, this full gilt model immediately becomes the star of the evening, which was almost certainly what Yves Piaget had in mind when he set up his Piaget Society in the 1970s and 1980s. It’s a period piece, reborn. I’ve seen this model so often in the archives of our magazine from the time when my grandfather ran it, that I feel like I’m reliving that era by proxy through this piece – even though I was never there! Perhaps, through this launch, Piaget has rediscovered its own Society. Its success certainly suggests that it has!”

Stephen: Grand Seiko Evolution 9 Manual-Winding Mechanical Hi-Beat SLGW003

“Grand Seiko is increasingly confident in their place in the watchmaking world, embracing their history and forging a distinctive path of their own. The Evolution 9 collection is intended to embrace a new direction with a more comfortable ergonomic case and eye-catching faceted markers and hands. But what caught my eye with the SLGW003 is what’s inside: the first manual-winding ‘Hi-Beat’ (36,000 vph) movement from Seiko in five decades! The new 9SA4 calibre recalls the groundbreaking Calibre 5740C in the 1967 Lord Marvel, Seiko’s first Hi-Beat movement. Although Grand Seiko has produced a few Hi-Beat automatic movements recently, this is a thorough reworking with all-new bridges and a special winding click in the shape of a wagtail bird for a tactile winding feel. While the birch-textured dial might be the first thing you notice about this watch, the rest of the package is a true delight!”

Benjamin: ID Genève Elements

“Since its launch in late 2020, ID Genève has made its mark in the luxury watch industry by creating timepieces with minimal environmental impact. They use no gold, precious stones or diamonds, 100% recycled steel cases, refurbished ETA calibres, plant-based biodegradable straps and mycelium packaging. Their new Elements collection introduces yet another innovation in sustainability, this time on the dial, where a nano-engraving technology ensures security, traceability and authenticity without any CO2 emissions, blockchains or NFTs. They are also introducing a new fully compostable bracelet made of hemp residue and a 100% recycled steel integral bracelet. (R)evolution starts with a genuine eco-design approach as part of a truly circular economy. The result is a slim 37 mm dress watch that exudes conviction and purpose, embodying a new, welcome and meaningful definition of luxury, which I particularly like.”

Nathalie: Chronoswiss Strike Two Golden Gear

“I’ve always loved the immediately recognisable Chronoswiss design. I really like this slightly smaller Chronoswiss Strike Two Golden Gear. It’s sleek, elegant and sporty; less busy and more refined, but it still has all the elements that define the brand’s identity. I like the way it’s both simple and technical. The mix of colours, structures and materials give it a modern architecture. It exudes a quiet strength with its serene interplay of light and shade. It’s quietly flashy! That’s what I love about it.”

Philippe: Czapek Promenade Goutte d’Eau

“A drop of water, but also the mise en abyme of a fascinating spiral of time, masterfully executed. The optical illusion created by the timeless swirls and the delightful use of grand feu enamel on the dial leave you hypnotised. This 100-piece limited edition is a masterpiece of great artistry.”

Nataliia: Artime ART01-5N

“From my first glance at the ART01-5N, I had the impression that it was a work of art. Its geometry gives it an exquisite flair, while the combination of the texture of the strap and the interplay of light and shadow on the dial creates incredible visual dynamism. This technical masterpiece is a genuine delight to look at. As I calmly observe the movement of its intriguing components, time appears to stand still – it’s almost a meditation on the concept of time. This watch brings a subtle aesthetic to the wrist that fulfils a daily need.”

Hubert: Laurent Ferrier Classic Moon Blue & Silver

“These two new Laurent Ferrier models are sure to win over the most demanding customers. Far from being an exercise in nostalgia, reproducing a boring vintage model, Laurent Ferrier offers a refined annual calendar with an original moon phase display, produced in collaboration with dial-maker MD’Art, a newcomer based in Saint-Imier. It’s a resolutely contemporary work of mechanical art. The moon phase display at 6 o’clock comprises two elements. The first is a glass disc with an aventurine tint and stars coated in white Super-LumiNova, which displays two superb, delicately painted moons. Fans of Japanese writer Haruki Murakami might see this as a reference to the two moons in the famous ‘1Q84’ trilogy, the only witnesses to a parallel universe where anything seems possible. On top of the two moons is a blue-tinted element that looks like a strange pair of binoculars. This translucent enamel appears to have been produced using the age-old ‘plique-à-jour’ technique, but MD’Art is keeping the original process to itself. The dark royal-blue tint ensures that only the correct moon phase is visible. Enthusiasts of the brand will find further evidence of its ‘Ferrieresque’ aesthetic codes. The elegant hour markers and Roman numerals, whose elongated profile brings to mind Giacometti’s superb sculpture ‘La Grande femme III’, which can be seen at the Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts in Lausanne, have been part of the brand’s stylistic repertoire for many years. It’s a wonderful artistic journey.”

Anders: Cartier Privé Tortue Monopoussoir Chronograph

“I couldn’t believe it when I strapped the Cartier Privé Tortue Monopoussoir Chronograph onto my wrist. Yes, Cartier likes to call itself the master of shapes, but it’s very rare that I get the impression these shapes were designed for my rather slim wrist or my minimalist taste in watches. However, this elegantly curved and slender turtle-shaped platinum case – the slimmest chronograph from the Maison to date – stopped me dead in my tracks. I didn’t want to unfasten the purple strap! My eyes were drawn to the design details, including the railway track around the outside of the Roman numerals, which frame the stars of the show: the subdials. Blued steel apple-shaped hands and a central second hand operated by the monopusher adorned with a red ruby cabochon complete the look. From the back, you can see the beautiful 1928 MC movement with its textbook decorations. What more could one wish for?”

Sky: Hautlence Retrovision ’47

“This concept watch is to Watches & Wonders what a concept car is to the Geneva Motor Show. To mark its 20th anniversary, the hyperwatch brand has unveiled an eccentric yet totally on-brand unique piece that’s quite the showstopper. Synonymous with TV-screen cases, bold designs and novel time displays, there’s no one better than Hautlence to take a nostalgic trip back in time with the Retrovision ’47. It’s reminiscent of a 1940s radio – specifically the General Television & Radio Corp. Chicago Model 5A5 – which influenced the styling of early television sets. It even has a hand-painted marbled case designed to resemble the vintage plastic of the original radio receiver. But don’t let its retro appearance fool you. Behind the horizontal grille lies not a speaker cone or voice coil, but a lookalike in the form of a 60-second flying tourbillon. Interestingly, the Retrovision ’47 is touted as Hautlence’s most ‘traditional’ watch yet, sporting a classic dial with central hands to show time (while mimicking a radio’s frequency selector). It certainly provoked a reaction; even the small detail of the crown sitting snugly inside the crescent lug at the bottom just made me smile.”

Isabelle: Chanel Musical Clock Couture Workshop

“Many pieces caught my eye during the Watches and Wonders show, but if I had to pick just one, it would be the Chanel Musical Clock Couture Workshop, which is also a music box and automaton. This animated clock awakens our inner children with its five white ceramic couture dress forms trimmed in black leather that spin around to the sound of ‘My Woman’, a 1932 song by crooner Al Bowlly – which Gabrielle Chanel apparently used to hum, and which has been sampled countless times since, notably by the singer Earl in her song ‘All that Glitters’. The busts waltz around under a chandelier that is an exact replica of the one in Gabrielle Chanel’s flat at 31 rue Cambon in Paris, with its 5-sided pendants, a nod to her lucky number, also the name of her most famous fragrance: Chanel N°5. Protected by a glass dome, this timepiece tells us a story of the crafts of couture, watchmaking and jewellery. Mounted on a long gold chain dotted with diamonds is the key for winding the mechanism. The time is read off a tape measure around the edge, with indexes indicating the minutes as if they were millimetres. But you could manage without them. I like the idea that, at a certain level of sophistication, you don’t need to chop time up too finely: the hour is enough.”

Matteo: Xhevdet Rexhepi Minute Inerte

“This watch is the epitome of everything I love about watchmaking: inventiveness, boldness and a poetic vision that challenges our perception of time. At each rotation of the dial, the second hand suspends its motion for two seconds before resuming, along with the minute hand. This ‘Inert Minute’, which allows time to take a breath of fresh air, is the work of Xhevdet Rhexepi, a 33-year-old watchmaker based in Geneva. For this first watch, he took some major risks. This complication had never been achieved before in a mechanical watch. It was inspired by the quartz-powered Swiss railway clock he observed every morning, on his way to the Patek Philippe manufacture where he trained. I also like it because it’s a watch born of passion and resourcefulness. Xhevdet put all his savings into the project, almost going bankrupt to realise his vision. The timepiece has a retro appearance inspired by the Ebel pocket watches of the 1930s and Roman porticoes, but with a resolutely innovative mechanism. It’s refreshingly ambitious.”

Baudouin: Cyrus Etheral Twin Orbital Tourbillon

“This piece caught my attention for two reasons. First, the watch itself: in addition to the animation on the dial, which has all the elements rotating throughout the dance of the minutes triggered by the jumping hour, there is this new case. Cyrus has launched a new round case – it’s slimmer and so discreet only a trained eye could notice it. Indeed, this new model is the first in a brand new collection, the Etheral, designed to showcase the brand’s finest craftsmanship. This new creative chapter is the brainchild of Jean-François Mojon and designer Benjamin Muller. For them, this collection provides a space for expression, curated by the brand, almost as if it were a mechanical art gallery. Watch this space closely! The Twin Orbital Tourbillon got the ball rolling, so what’s next?”