Wei Koh’s Top Picks from Watches and Wonders 2021

Twenty Twenty, the greatest global pandemic we’ve collectively experienced in our lifetimes has, in the words of Cartier’s CEO Cyrille Vigneron, been “The Great Revelator” — a seismic event that has separated the wheat from the chaff. Strong brands whose trajectories were already meteoric only got stronger, in particular as they had already embraced social media in all its myriad forms from Instagram to Clubhouse. But what was crucial was that the brands were making pure, unadulterated and focused expressions of what they do best. Vigneron explains, “Some brands that have been true to themselves and that have focused on iconic designs have done well. Others that have strayed too far away from who they are have done less well.” It also means that the brands that succeeded listened to what it was that the buying public wanted and made precisely those types of watches. Because in moments of crisis, we instinctively gravitate to objects that are familiar, that have timeless appeal and perennial value, and that are, as Vigneron says, “durable.”

Watches and Wonders 2021 yielded some of the best collective new launches in recent years (Image: Chopard)
Watches and Wonders 2021 yielded some of the best collective new launches in recent years (Image: Chopard)

Clearly, this lesson was not lost on the vast majority of the watch world, because for the first time in years, almost all the brands are absolutely killing it. Because the one huge lesson from 2020 was, you either get your brand right or you perish. What is wonderful to see is that on a global level, the resulting digital Watches and Wonders 2021 has yielded some of the best collective new launches I’ve witnessed in many years. Gone are the overabundance of mediocre watches that had many of us scratching our heads in befuddlement, replaced by a far more streamlined and highly focused approach. Basically, it seems that every watch CEO is highly aware that if you don’t think your watch is going to smash it, then for the love of God, please don’t launch it. Accordingly, it seems like each and every brand is trying to knock it out of the park with a few perfectly designed models that are extremely pure expressions of who they are. But this is now combined by a sense of energy, vitality and, in the context of conservative Switzerland, even a chromatic daringness that clearly understands that the post-COVID world is looking for edification in the form of uplifting colors and engaging design.

Cartier President and CEO Cyrille Vigneron
Cartier President and CEO Cyrille Vigneron

On my Clubhouse with IWC CEO Chris Grainger, we laughed about the staggering abundance of green-hued sunray finished, graduated dial watches. I asked, “Does everyone meet up a year beforehand and decide on the prevailing color theme?” Grainger, who has launched both the green and blue sunray finished Pilot’s Chronographs 41mm and a new Big Pilot 43mm in blue, said, “The truth is the green and blue Pilot’s Chronographs were designed several years ago. But what is interesting is that all these colored dials have the result of giving the industry a very uplifting and optimistic feeling, and it couldn’t come at a better time. For countries that were open, we saw really strong results and everyone is expecting the rebound to continue this year. So it is more important than ever to have the right watches that are simultaneously iconic and reassuring but fun and uplifting. That’s what I like about the new 43mm Big Pilot. It’s a size anyone can wear so it’s new but at the same time you know it and it feels timeless.”

Christoph Grainger-Herr, IWC CEO
Christoph Grainger-Herr, IWC Schaffhausen CEO
IWC’s new Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 is offered with a blue or green dial (Image: Revolution)
IWC’s new Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 is offered with a blue or green dial (Image: Revolution)

The Unmissable Green

So, in a year that seems dedicated to the chromatic magnificence of Kermit the Frog, who came out with a green dial? Let’s go down the list of my favorites:

Patek Philippe’s end-of-series reference 5711 watches feature olive green sunray dials. Audemars Piguet’s AP House special edition ref. 15202 in platinum features a non-tapisserie green dial, also with sunray finish. Audemars Piguet also launched a stunning green dial flying tourbillon in titanium with an emerald bezel, which is, to me, the most ravishing watch of 2021 so far that I know I can’t afford. They also dropped a green dial Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph — this watch features the cal. 2385, which will likely be replaced eventually by the brand’s in-house cal. 4401 movement that powers the new brown and blue dial versions of the same watch.

Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref. 5711/1A-014: a new dial in sunburst olive green
Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref. 5711/1A-014: a new dial in sunburst olive green
Audemars Piguet’s new Royal Oak collection with a variety of models all enriched with green dials.
Audemars Piguet’s new Royal Oak collection with a variety of models all enriched with green dials.
Royal Oak Self-winding Flying Tourbillon in titanium with 18k white gold bezel set with baguette-cut emeralds and green sunburst tapisserie dial.
Royal Oak Self-winding Flying Tourbillon in titanium with 18k white gold bezel set with baguette-cut emeralds and green sunburst tapisserie dial.

Jaeger-LeCoultre unveiled a damnably beautiful green sunray dial Reverso Tribute Small Seconds watch. Breitling offered its handsome 40mm Premier Chronograph in a pistachio green dial. Cartier’s delightful Tank Must comes in a green dial variation that is apparently as popular as the highly sought after signature red dial version. Panerai’s new eSteel Luminor Marina, which boasts a recycled steel case, comes in a green dial as well (the PAM 1356) that will be sold exclusively at the boutiques. Rolex offered its new Oyster Datejust 36mm in a green palm motif dial, which I have decided to dub the “Snoop Dogg.” Tudor’s new fully brushed gold Black Bay Fifty-Eight offers you a see-through caseback as well as a green dial and bezel. TAG Heuer’s very cool new Aquaracer comes in a kickass sandblasted grade 2 titanium version with a green luminous ceramic bezel inset and dial. Piaget’s latest Altiplano Ultimate Concept “Tribute to La Côte-aux-Fées” features green elements, and even Speake-Marin’s Openworked Dual Time was looking fresh in mint green livery.

Made from a cobalt-based high-tech alloy, the new Altiplano Ultimate Concept is powered by calibre 900P-UC.
Made from a cobalt-based high-tech alloy, the new Altiplano Ultimate Concept is powered by calibre 900P-UC.
Panerai’s Luminor Marina eSteel uses a recycled-based steel alloy to make its cases and dials.
Panerai’s Luminor Marina eSteel uses a recycled-based steel alloy to make its cases and dials.

So why green? Honestly, who the hell knows? I like to think that a few years ago the collective designers met in a bar and discussed their concerns about sustainability and the need to protect the planet and decided to subtly express it with this color. But that is clearly reading into it far too much. I think Thierry Stern says it best, “I wanted to make the final versions of the 5711 special and I thought of an olive green dial. This dial is very trendy at the moment, but I thought it looked really nice in the case of the 5711. Most importantly, even though it is fashionable now, I know it will endure. I know that in 20 years’ time or even 50 years’ time, the watch will still be beautiful and very much Patek Philippe. What I don’t like is when brands go too much into gimmick; that, to me, is not high watchmaking.”

Bringing a different take on the prevailing green theme was Montblanc’s genuinely cool 1858 Split Seconds Chronograph Limited Edition 18 “Lime Gold.” The case is made from a proprietary alloy composed of gold, silver and iron which gives it an unmistakable jade hue that is complemented by lime green cathedral hands and indexes. The movement, of course, is the venerable MB M16.31 split seconds chronograph, which is one of the most beautifully designed rattrapante calibers in the world.

A mix of 18 K gold, silver and iron, the Lime Gold alloy lends a vintage aesthetic to the new 1858 Split-Second Chronograph Limited Edition.
A mix of 18 K gold, silver and iron, the Lime Gold alloy lends a vintage aesthetic to the new 1858 Split-Second Chronograph Limited Edition.
A monopusher with two column-wheels and a 2.5 Hz beat-rate, the Calibre MB M16.31 showcases some truly exceptional circular graining and Côtes de Genève.
A monopusher with two column-wheels and a 2.5 Hz beat-rate, the Calibre MB M16.31 showcases some truly exceptional circular graining and Côtes de Genève.

The Audemars Piguet “Black Panther”

While Stern was clearly making a global statement with his last sentence and not referencing anyone specific, it allows us to segue into our discussion of Audemars Piguet’s maiden mash-up with Marvel, the Royal Oak Concept “Black Panther” Flying Tourbillon — a watch that was, suffice it to say, the subject of much heated commentary following its launch. Says Audemars Piguet ambassador Austen Chu, “Look, would I buy it? Probably not, but there is already a crazy waiting list because the comments you see on social media do not reflect AP’s client base. To me, all the commentary was a pity, because it distracted from the fact that this is the first Royal Oak Concept case that is 42mm in diameter and fits the wrist perfectly. It distracts from the insane level of artisanship in the micro engraving of the black panther figure. Do I think the watch could have used the Black Panther theme in a less obvious way? Sure, but on a craft and watchmaking level, I have huge respect for everything that went into the watch.”

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept “Black Panther” Flying Tourbillon
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept “Black Panther” Flying Tourbillon
This is the first Royal Oak Concept case that is 42mm in diameter and fits the wrist perfectly

How do I feel about this watch? To me, it’s a little facile and could have better expressed the massive cultural impact of the 2018 film and its uplifting effect on the world. Do I find it funny that at 6:30 p.m. the Black Panther gets a little, ahem, anatomical? You know I do, as I’m very childish. But my inclination is to agree with Chu, as the social media bashing also distracted from the fact that Audemars Piguet has had one of the most stellar years in terms of new watch launches, with a whole new Offshore family with incredible ergonomics and a quick-change strap as well as the green dial watches I mentioned in earlier, which were absolutely stunning. It does, however, shows that today’s social media can turn incendiary very fast and perhaps it was the young Pierre Biver who showed true wisdom beyond his years when he took to his Instagram to tell everyone to take a collective frickin’ chill pill, as it was after all, “just a watch,” meaning if you don’t like it, you don’t have to buy it. Well done, Pierre.

Breitling, A. Lange & Söhne, Vacheron Constantin and Omega

What were the other brands that impressed me? I liked Georges Kern and Fred Mandelbaum’s Breitling Premier Chronographs, as they brought a whole new dimension of style and elegance to a brand that people sometimes associate with being kind of “bro-like” in its tool watch focus. In particular, the aforementioned green pistachio dial Premier Chronograph 40mm and the salmon dial Datora Chronograph 42mm with full calendar were truly beautiful. Does the second watch feel slightly reminiscent of Patek Philippe’s 5270 in platinum with applied Arabic indexes and a salmon dial? Fred says no and I say, “Maybe, kind of,” but to be honest it’s two totally different audiences with the Breitling also costing one-tenth of the Patek. And honestly any time anyone compares you to Patek, that’s a very good thing. The takeaway here is that I like the fact that Kern is significantly broadening the audience of Breitling.

The new Breitling Premier Chronographs brought a whole new dimension of style and elegance to the brand
The new Breitling Premier Chronographs brought a whole new dimension of style and elegance to the brand

A. Lange & Söhne has had a great year so far with a stunning white gold case Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar with pink gold dial — previously this complication was only available with a tourbillon. It also charmed with the Little Lange 1 Moon Phase featuring a “Gold Flux” dial and impressed with a Triple Split in pink gold with blue dial. Vacheron Constantin has somehow become one of the dead sexiest brands on the market. This year, it had four absolutely stunning watches with the two white gold versions of the absolutely blisteringly epic Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra Thin in skeleton and solid blue dial configurations. I love these two watches. Vacheron also charmed with its phenomenal Excellence Platine version of the Historiques American 1921, and the Excellence Platine Split Seconds Chronograph Ultra Thin (which features the world’s thinnest automatic split seconds chrono caliber) was also totally on point.

The 2021 Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar (Image: Revolution)
The 2021 Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar (Image: Revolution)
A close-up of the Lange manufacture calibre L021.3 that powers the Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar (Image: Revolution)
A close-up of the Lange manufacture calibre L021.3 that powers the Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar (Image: Revolution)
2021 pink gold A. Lange & Söhne Triple Split Limited Edition of 100 Pieces (Image: Revolution)
2021 pink gold A. Lange & Söhne Triple Split Limited Edition of 100 Pieces (Image: Revolution)
Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921 – Collection Excellence Platine
Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921 – Collection Excellence Platine

My friends in Bienne at Omega dropped a fantastic Seamaster Diver 300 “Black Black.” Sure, all-black watches have become de rigueur today but this one is different in that it uses different finishing techniques and, in particular, laser ablation to create a pure ceramic watch that possesses incredible legibility. Even an old guy with failing eyesight like me could read every marker engraved into the ceramic bezel and make out every wave decorating the ceramic dial perfectly. Says Raynald Aeschlimann, “This is Omega’s way to do things with real authenticity by using innovation such as this laser ablation technique to create a beautiful visual effect of an all-black watch but with amazing legibility. Similarly, we know bronze is a trendy material but we never wanted to make a bronze watch if the caseback and buckle had to be a different material because it was not hypoallergenic.” Accordingly, Omega created a new Seamaster 300 based on a 1962 design made in its new alloy of Bronze Gold that is actually 9K gold, and as such, can be used for all parts of the watch.

The Omega Seamaster Black Black Diver 300 has a matt surface decorated with a unique pattern that resembles “dinosaur skin”. It has the added advantage of not showing fingerprints. (©Revolution)
The Omega Seamaster Black Black Diver 300 has a matt surface decorated with a unique pattern that resembles “dinosaur skin”. It has the added advantage of not showing fingerprints. (©Revolution)

Jaeger-LeCoultre, Bell & Ross, IWC and Piaget

Jaeger-LeCoultre takes the prize as the brand demonstrating that incredible high watchmaking creativity and technical innovation are still alive and well with its 1.3 million-dollar Reverso Hybris Mechanica Caliber 185 “Quadriptyque,” which features four different faces and 11 complications. Hermès brought a joyful and fun all-new cushion shaped watch named H08 that can also be fitted onto an integrated titanium bracelet.

The Reverso Hybris Mechanica Quadriptyque is the world’s first wristwatch with four functioning display faces and 11 complications.
The Reverso Hybris Mechanica Quadriptyque is the world’s first wristwatch with four functioning display faces and 11 complications.

Bell & Ross created one of the most entertaining timepieces of the year with the BR V2-94 FULL LUM watch, which gives me a tremendously uplifting effect to see the completely luminescent dial glowing away at full blast. IWC got us very excited with their homage to the legendary 1994 ref. 3705, this time made with Ceratanium instead of ceramic, and as previously mentioned, followed up with the colored dial 41mm Pilot’s Chronograph and the 43mm Big Pilot. Over at Piaget, CEO Chabi Nouri and her team extended the Piaget Polo Skeleton range with gold versions. If you haven’t tried this watch on yet and you like integrated bracelet sports chic watches, I urge you to, because it’s really good. The architecture of the caliber 1200S is fantastic with its micro-rotor at nine o’clock, balance at six o’clock and barrel at 12, and it affords endless visual and technical entertainment and wears beautifully on the wrist.

The Bell & Ross BR V2-94 FULL LUM
The Bell & Ross BR V2-94 FULL LUM
IWC paid homage to the legendary 1994 ref. 3705, this time made with Ceratanium instead of ceramic (Image: Revolution)
IWC paid homage to the legendary 1994 ref. 3705, this time made with Ceratanium instead of ceramic (Image: Revolution)

Hublot, Zenith, Tudor and Louis Vuitton

Hublot genuinely blew us away with the world’s first fully sapphire watch with an integrated sapphire bracelet. Hublot also offered up a Big Bang for the first time in yellow ceramic, and I have to say, it is actually incredibly striking. On the subject of striking, Zenith’s El Primero 21 limited edition designed in collaboration with Argentinian-Spanish artist Felipe Pantone in a Watches and Wonders pre-launch has to win the contest for the coolest and best executed mash-up of the fair period. Launched exclusively online in the same way that the IWC 3705 was launched through their e-commerce website, collectors blew through the 100 pieces of this close to USD 30,000 watch in a matter of hours. Along with Breitling’s Top Time collaboration with Deus ex Machina, these watches demonstrate that the Swiss maisons now have leadership savvy enough to identify truly cool new partners and create designs that are genuinely compelling.

Hublot Big Bang Integral Sapphire Tourbillon Ref. 455.JX.0120.JX
Hublot Big Bang Integral Sapphire Tourbillon Ref. 455.JX.0120.JX
Launched exclusively online, the Zenith DEFY 21 Felipe Pantone was sold out in a matter of hours
Launched exclusively online, the Zenith DEFY 21 Felipe Pantone was sold out in a matter of hours

Zenith also offered up a beefed-up version of the Defy Extreme and made some stunning steel gem-set versions of the El Primero 21 under the name Spectrum. Tudor extended its BB58 family with a lovely silver cased version replete with a taupe dial as well as a face-lifted Black Bay Chronograph which is both handsome and one of the best values around. Louis Vuitton actually brought some of the highest watchmaking heat around with their badass Tambour Carpe Diem, a quadruple jacquemart watch with jumping hour, retrograde minute and a minute repeater made in collaboration with the LVMH-owned La Fabrique du Temps. As if that was not enough, the enamel work is all done by the legendary Anita Porchet.

Louis Vuitton’s Tambour Carpe Diem is a quadruple jacquemart watch with jumping hour, retrograde minute and a minute repeater
Louis Vuitton’s Tambour Carpe Diem is a quadruple jacquemart watch with jumping hour, retrograde minute and a minute repeater
The Zenith Defy 21 Spectrum is made from stainless steel with its skeleton dial revealing full chronometer certified chronograph sub-dials
The Zenith Defy 21 Spectrum is made from stainless steel with its skeleton dial revealing full chronometer certified chronograph sub-dials
The Tudor Black Bay 58 925 is made in sterling 925 silver
The Tudor Black Bay 58 925 is made in sterling 925 silver

Ulysse Nardin Hourstriker

While Ulysse Nardin was one of the first modern watch brands to reintroduce the world to the hour striking complication, this year with the Blast Hourstriker, the objective has been to give the world a far more modern interpretation of the complication. On the acoustic side, Ulysse Nardin has worked with audio technology firm Devialet (co-founded by one of the Nardin family’s descendants) to create an ultra thin membrane sound amplification device. Accordingly, the watch’s looks are vibrantly modern with openworked larger-than-life styling replete with a flying tourbillon.

Ulysse Nardin created an ultra thin membrane sound amplification device for the Blast Hourstriker in collaboration with audio technology firm Devialet.
Ulysse Nardin created an ultra thin membrane sound amplification device for the Blast Hourstriker in collaboration with audio technology firm Devialet.

Leaders of the Ethical Evolution — Cartier, Bvlgari, Chopard and Panerai

For me, the most significant evolution in our industry relates to how the underlying ethics of any luxury watch brand has come under enhanced scrutiny for millennial and Generation Z customers. The most dynamic leaders in the watch industry, Cyrille Vigneron of Cartier, Jean-Christophe Babin of Bvlgari, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele of Chopard and Jean-Marc Pontroué of Panerai have already made sustainability and social responsibility instrumental to their brands. For Vigneron, this is perhaps best expressed by his amazing Tank Must collection which features for the first time in a luxury watch, a solar powered movement called SolarBeat which requires no service for a full 16 years. Says Vigneron, “This watch is very Cartier in that it features a design that is almost 100 years old, that of the Tank Louis Cartier, but uses solar energy to enhance its usefulness and sustainability for today.” Cartier also uses 95 percent recycled gold. To read my full story on this incredible watch, click here.

The new Cartier Tank Must is a pioneering watch with a photovoltaic dial and a strap made from recycled apple peels
The new Cartier Tank Must is a pioneering watch with a photovoltaic dial and a strap made from recycled apple peels

Bvlgari was one of the fastest to respond to the COVID pandemic last year by first donating a hi-tech microscope for Rome’s Lazzaro Spallanzani National Institute; second, transforming one of its fragrance factories into a sanitizer factory; and third, creating a virus eradication fund that helped make the AstraZeneca vaccine developed at Oxford University, which has now been broadly rolled out in the UK with 20 million vaccines administered as of end March 2021. Karl-Friedrich Scheufele ensured that his maison Chopard was the first to use only ethically sourced gold and the first watch brand to create a family of timepieces made exclusively from recycled steel. Finally, Jean-Marc Pontroué not only introduced his eSteel watches which feature cases and dials made exclusively from recycled steel, but also created the world’s most highly recycled watch, the Submersible eLab-ID, with a case, dial and baseplate from recycled EcoTitanium with recycled Super-LumiNova for its indexes and hands and recycled silicon for its escapement.

The Panerai Submersible eLAB-ID has its case, dial and even the bridges of its movement made of recycled EcoTitanium
The Panerai Submersible eLAB-ID has its case, dial and even the bridges of its movement made of recycled EcoTitanium

I was pleased to see that all four of these brands had tremendous offers at Watches and Wonders this year. Apart from the Tank Must, Cartier also impressed with the fantastic new Pasha Chronograph which features a very cool hidden luminous signature. Bvlgari continued to set new records with a seriously jaw-droppingly epic watch, the Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar — the world’s thinnest automatic perpetual calendar which features a double retrograde indication. Chopard L.U.C kicked off the very beginning of its 25th anniversary celebrations with the final series of Qualité Fleurier watches in steel with a sector dial, as well as the fantastic Time Traveler world-time watch in black titanium and the lovely polished titanium Perpetual Chrono. Panerai dropped both a new collection of Luminor Marina Chronographs, the eSteel watches as previously mentioned, and also one of the best sports watches of the year, the 42mm Submersible Bronzo Blu Abisso (PAM 1074).

Chopard’s L.U.C QF Jubilee in stainless steel; numbered 25-piece limited edition (Image : Revolution)
Chopard’s L.U.C QF Jubilee in stainless steel; numbered 25-piece limited edition (Image : Revolution)
The L.U.C Time Traveler One Black in ceramised grade 5 titanium with black rubber strap
The L.U.C Time Traveler One Black in ceramised grade 5 titanium with black rubber strap

The Independents

What about the noteworthy outliers? Well, I thought the Arnold & Son Luna Magna with the world’s largest three-dimensional moon phase indicator was intriguing. For whatever reason, I loved the Chronoswiss Flying Regulator Open Gear Pink Panther. But, to me, one of the best launches this year was the Oris Divers Sixty-Five in bronze with the wonderful “Cotton Candy” dials. As far as independent watchmaking brands were concerned, URWERK with their UR-100V “Blue Planet,” Max Büsser with his LMX and H. Moser & Cie. with their stone dial Endeavor Tourbillon Concept Tiger’s Eye all took top marks. It makes me happy that the world is once again in the throes of its love affair with independent watchmakers and I am also delighted to see a new generation coming to the fore including Kudoke, Sartory Billard and Pascal Coyon. As always, I have nothing but the greatest respect for Richard and Maria Habring and Naoya Hida. But, to me, the greatest horological treasure in the pantheon of independents is the amazing De Bethune, which I feel is genuinely on a steep rise. Their double-sided Kind of Two watch represents exactly the staggering level of horological ambition expressed in each and every one of their timepieces. To read my story about this watch, click here.

H. Moser & Cie’s Endeavor Tourbillon Concept Tiger’s Eye with Falcon’s Eye natural stone
H. Moser & Cie’s Endeavor Tourbillon Concept Tiger’s Eye with Falcon’s Eye natural stone
The MB&F LMX in polished grade 5 titanium with green CVD treatment on plates and bridges
The MB&F LMX in polished grade 5 titanium with green CVD treatment on plates and bridges

Rolex and Patek Philippe

We can’t discuss the 2021 watch year without delving into the novelties launched by the two juggernauts of watchmaking, Rolex and Patek Philippe. The big news with the Explorer I is that it has gone back to its original size, down from 39mm to 36mm, and it is absolutely perfect. I love that the watch now features a subtle but very useful enhanced Chromalight display and actually like the two-tone version of the watch as well. Do I think Rolex could have been a bit more daring when it came to the 50th anniversary of the Explorer II? Well, like a lot of fans, I would have loved to see a 1655-inspired new watch at 39mm or 40mm; instead, the change to this model was subtle. It stayed at 42mm but with a subtly sleeker case now featuring the enhanced Chronergy escapement caliber 3285 inside it. But the bigger news for me was the stunning array of Daytonas that included three of the most ravishing watches, each with a meteorite dial, in Everose and yellow gold with matching metal bracelets, and in white gold on an Oysterflex strap. It perhaps says something that even on the limited budget of a watch journalist, if given the opportunity, I would find some way to own this watch. The other Daytona which I lusted after was the new Everose gold watch with a sundust dial set with baguette diamond indexes. This dial is a stunning dusty washed pink that is different from the matching Everose gold dial that appeared on this watch previously.

The new Rolex Cosmograph Daytona in yellow gold and meteorite dial (Image: Revolution)
The new Rolex Cosmograph Daytona in yellow gold and meteorite dial (Image: Revolution)
Cosmograph Daytona in 18 ct Everose gold, with a sundust, diamond-set dial
The Cosmograph Daytona in 18 ct Everose gold, with a sundust, diamond-set dial (Image: Revolution)

Finally, I love that Patek Philippe has basically claimed its rightful place as the opening and closing acts of Watches and Wonders 2021 by first dropping the end-of-series ref. 5711 Nautilus watches along with a stunning rose gold, blue sunray dial ref. 5990 on us at the beginning of the week on April 7th, then on April 12th, unveiling the true majesty of its novelties with the incandescent ref. 5236. This is the world’s first single aperture perpetual calendar with an inline display day, date and month. To read my full story on this watch, click here.

The Patek Philippe Reference 5236P is the world’s first single aperture perpetual calendar with an inline display day, date and month.(Image: Revolution)
The Patek Philippe Reference 5236P is the world’s first single aperture perpetual calendar with an inline display day, date and month.(Image: Revolution)

Patek Philippe also demonstrated its full mastery of simple watches with the Calatrava ref. 6119 featuring a hobnail bezel that is, in my opinion, the single most beautiful simple time-only watch in existence. It also now comes with a full sized 31mm wide by 2.55mm in height movement that perfectly complements its 39mm diameter. The movement architecture of this new caliber 30-255 PS is nothing less than ravishing. It contains two barrels simply because it has enough space to and they run in parallel to improve the torque of the movement. Lastly, there is also the 38mm ref. 4947 annual calendar with a steel case and bracelet and a blue shantung dial. Even though it was created as a women’s watch, it is a great demonstration that watches today are largely genderless as I would leap at the opportunity to own this watch, such is its beauty. Placing it on my wrist, it is absolute perfection, and since the annual calendar complication was invented in 1996 by Patek Philippe, though the brand doesn’t bill it as such, the ref. 4947 is a fitting 25th anniversary tribute to this amazing achievement.

Patek Philippe Ref. 6119R Calatrava "Clous de Paris" with a silvery grained dial
Patek Philippe Ref. 6119R Calatrava "Clous de Paris" with a silvery grained dial
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