Many of the fascinating timepieces at Watches and Wonders 2026 deserve recognition. But isn’t it worth looking beyond the usual suspects? After all, the world of watchmaking is vast and rich, extending beyond the most familiar, hype-driven names.

Paradoxically, I begin with a watch that is decidedly more of a jewel: Myst de Cartier. This new creative expression continues in the vein of Cartier’s recent pieces, such as Tressage, Reflection de Cartier and Baignoire, which have explored alternative ways of presenting time, always framed by that intentional preciousness that defines the maison. Here, the key technical innovation lies in the bracelet: a flexible architecture of articulated segments that flows like a continuous organic structure, without visible breaks. Integrating this dynamism with diamond pavé and lacquered surfaces requires extreme precision and rigorous execution. The result transcends timekeeping, which takes a back seat to the jeweler’s new feat.

Myst de Cartier

In my next watch of choice, purpose finds an evolved form: subtle, rich and deeply intelligent. It is the Sport Traveller by Laurent Ferrier, an expression of functionality and restraint that integrates the second time zone and date in perfect visual harmony, within a cool, technical ensemble crafted from Grade 5 titanium. It represents a finely tuned balance between technical prowess and real-world usability. The key lies in how it incorporates this complication without betraying its no-nonsense approach. The dial remains clean, almost introspective, while the second time zone — jumping and activated by pushers — offers true practicality. Inside, the LF275.01 micro-rotor movement prioritizes reliability, now adopting a Swiss lever escapement instead of the double-direct escapement of the previous variant, and is accompanied by pragmatic yet immaculate finishes, as always. It is watchmaking intelligence at its finest.

Laurent Ferrier Sport Traveller

Speaking of discretion, how about this beauty that went almost unnoticed? The new two-hand Overseas Ultra-Thin in platinum from Vacheron Constantin plays a quiet yet powerful card. The combination of a 39.5mm case and platinum bracelet with a salmon-colored dial — a first for the line — redefines its presence: warmer, more nuanced. The architecture remains slender and modern, with taut lines that cement its status as one of the most refined integrated sports watches. Aside from the pristine aesthetic, the other novelty lies within: the automatic Caliber 2550. At 2.4mm thick and the result of seven years of development, the caliber introduces a more efficient, slimmer and stable mechanical base. This Overseas Ultra-Thin signifies understated luxury, impeccable craftsmanship and an identity that evolves with complete coherence in its design language.

Vacheron Constantin Overseas Ultra-Thin

Coherence also defines the aesthetic vocabulary of Hermès, whose modern, elegant watches — classic yet unmistakably distinctive — find one of their clearest expressions in the H08. Here, that language opens a new chapter through skeletonization, handled with almost effortless ease. The H08 Squelette underscores the maison’s ability to deliver contemporary watchmaking without excess. Its open-worked dial reveals a lucid, near-graphic architecture, where bridges and voids engage with the 42mm cushion-shaped case. The Zanzibar blue-toned timepiece, paired with a textured rubber strap and the signature H08 typography, injects a subtle “cool sportiness” to the line. The automatic H1978.S caliber fuses technique and design into a coherent, refined whole. A quiet favorite for those who pay attention.

Hermès H08 Squelette

Let’s conclude this personal roundup with another showstopper: the Armin Strom Minute Repeater Resonance 12:59 First Edition. The Bienne-based brand combines two highly demanding fields — resonance and the minute repeater — within the open architecture of the ARR25 caliber, which serves as a true mechanical lesson. The symmetrical double oscillator system seeks chronometric stability through the physical interaction of its regulators, while the striking mechanism with four hammers and four gongs adds a superior, precise acoustic dimension, with rhythmic, well-defined tones (each quarter-hour strike consists of four notes!). Nothing is hidden: bridges, hammers and regulators form an orderly, gilted and kind of alien technical landscape. A true star from Watches and Wonders.

Armin Strom Minute Repeater Resonance 12:59 First Edition