When I started out on my watch collecting journey, I spent a few years “accumulating” very different watches. Then a pattern emerged, and I identified moon phase watches as my first real “collecting” theme. Life events and romanticised ideals led me to develop a second theme of GMT watches about a decade later. Then, in late 2019, after five years of writing about watches in a professional capacity, I consciously started a third theme of buying one iconic case design from each watch brand.

Four watches and two years into this third theme, I decided to bite the bullet and just buy the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT I have always wanted, since seeing it for the first time at (the now-defunct) Baselworld in 2019. It is a logical purchase for me because it fits not only the iconic case design theme but also the GMT one; honestly, I did not quite care about its record-breaking slimness. To me, this watch deserved my hard-earned money because of the impeccable way the chronograph and GMT functions were joined on such an emblematic canvas.

This sleek timepiece offers so much functionality despite its minimalistic guise. At first glance, one may rationally assume that this Octo Finissimo is a normal tricompax chronograph, but the subdial at 3 o’clock is in fact a 24-hour display that you can set via the crown. When landing in another country, all you need to do is press the flat button on the left side of the case as many times as needed to align the central hour hand with local time. On the other side of the case, two more flat buttons controlling the chronograph operation flank the crown as if they are crown guards. It gives me joy just to look at how these buttons are so integrated into the case while also echoing its various angles and facets.

• READ MORE: Bulgari Celebrates 10th Anniversary of the Octo Finissimo Watch

As technical specifications are publicly available, I will cut to the chase and head straight to my ownership experience: I like wearing this watch (It is possible to enjoy some watches, yet feel uncomfortable wearing them, so Ruckdee is not being entirely facetious – Ed). It may be slim at 6.90mm, but it is not small with a diameter of 42mm. The presence on the wrist is further substantiated by the bracelet, which is 30mm wide where it meets the architectural beauty that is the case. And, with each link being small, it is possible to size the bracelet to a perfect snug fit, which is not the case for many bracelet watches with a concealed clasp.

I am as comfortable wearing the Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT with a full business suit as with jeans and other casual wear. The sartorial compatibility here is effortless. The watch will look good even with tennis wear, but I have more rugged watches for outdoor activities. I bought this Bulgari to wear when I want to look sophisticated and cultured. Since I picked it up in July, it has joined me on business trips to South Korea, Switzerland and Singapore. It is not a flashy watch at all, not with its sandblasted titanium aesthetics. Still, this Octo Finissimo watch piques the interest of those in the know (unspoken here is that Ruckdee dared to wear his watch in Europe, which is impressive – Ed).

I have received compliments on my Octo Finissimo from a handful of gentlemen from the hotel, airline and watch industries, and a few of my international watch journalist friends have asked to try the watch on. The experience could be likened to driving certain cars in a country where the automaker has yet to establish an official dealership. People are curious about your purchase, and they are interested to hear about the rationale behind your decision. This may go away in a few years when there are more Octo watches on more wrists out there.

• READ MORE: Bulgari Puts Its Name Atop In Ultra-Thin Watchmaking

In terms of performance, the watch does everything as advertised in a legible and reliable way. Its platinum peripheral rotor has no problem building the power reserve at all. Rate is stable but my particular example should have been better adjusted. As it is, the watch is about six seconds slow per day when worn and the power reserve is high. However, if I leave it in any stationary position while the power reserve is also low, it can be as slow as 13 seconds per day which is completely unacceptable to me. So I will have this adjusted to the fast side under warranty when I have the time.

The Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT is an almost perfect watch; little could have been done to improve its design or functionality. Perhaps, for the next generation of this watch, Bulgari can consider having two pushers on the left side of the case to adjust local time hour hand forward and backward. That will be great, although the current setup of adjusting forward only is not inconvenient by any standard. Also, if the subdial at 9 o’clock can feature a 12-hour totaliser instead of the continuous second hand, the watch will be even more useful in real life where the chronograph function is concerned.

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In continuation with my purchase of the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight Bronze, I have my eyes set on my next acquisition already; it is just a matter of when I commit to the purchase. I have not set a specific timeline for it, so it will happen when I eventually open my wallet again. However, there is the sticky situation of price hikes, too — the 8 per cent GST increase has come into effect on 1 January 2023, and there are also annual price adjustments to stomach, which are quite the norm these days. Unfortunately, there are little blips in the journey, but I will get to a Grand Seiko Spring Drive watch eventually.

I have been paying more attention to Grand Seiko releases over the past three years (Asaph also choose to recommend Grand Seiko last year – Ed) and am particularly enamoured with the nature-inspired watches. The usual suspects that come to mind are the Snowflake or the recent hot favourite White Birch but others such as the Mount Iwate, Lake Suwa, or Seasons Special are capable of holding their own against the more illustrious duo. Of course, the high-end pieces are truly captivating, but in the interest of staying realistic, I will not mention pieces such as the Credor Eichi II or the Kodo Constant-Force Tourbillon (the latter is not a Spring Drive, but you get the drift).

• READ MORE: Grand Seiko Spring Drive: Root of Excellence

The next question is whether to get a Spring Drive watch with a power reserve indicator on the dial. A Spring Drive watch is characterised by many technical innovations, and the power reserve display is one of the best bits of visual evidence for them. They say if you got it, flaunt it but having it concealed is quite the flex as well. Grand Seiko’s calibres 9RA5 and 9RA2 are the latest incarnations of the Spring Drive, offering a five-day power reserve amongst the other subtle but noteworthy improvements.

While Spring Drives are in a league of their own, Grand Seiko’s hi-beat calibres are probably the closest competitors, most notably the Grand Seiko calibre 9SA5. It is one of the most advanced calibres being produced at the moment, and while it has made its way into regular production, no one can say for sure what the production numbers are for the movement. In a nutshell, the 9SA5 is a hi-beat movement offering 80 hours of power reserve (hi-beat and longer power reserves do not usually exist in the same sentence) thanks to a dual impulse escapement. There are a whole host of other technicalities that make the 9SA5 such an impressive movement, which you can check out in an article written expertly by Ashok in 2020.

A close friend recently picked up the Grand Seiko SBGA413 “Shunbun” and has graciously offered to exchange it for a month with my Black Bay Fifty-Eight Bronze so I can have a feel of a Spring Drive watch for an extended period. I am definitely looking forward to that experience!

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Parmigiani Fleurier took its winning GMT Rattrapante idea and applied it to the minute hand in the aptly named Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante. The presence of three pushers here should alert you to hidden complexities in what the Parmigiani Fleurier manufacture is trying to accomplish. To begin with, there are two minute hands here (one in rhodiumised white gold, the other in rose gold), and one behaves reasonably, tracking the minutes as it should. The other, the rose gold hand, does something never seen in watchmaking as far as we can tell — it tracks ahead of the standard minute hand by increments of one or five minutes. This effectively allows it to act as a countdown timer, waiting for the standard minute hand to catch up. The pusher at 8 o’clock advances this hand by five minutes while the pusher at 10 o’clock advances it by one minute. 

The above description shows how the watch might easily be used to mark elapsed minutes, but what is the pusher on the crown for then? It returns the rose gold hand back under the standard minute hand, where it moves in lockstep until called forth again. Now, this is the sort of complication that must either leave you scratching your head or grinning broadly, because this is a kind of chronograph yet is nothing of the sort. As the manufacture cheekily notes, this kind of function is typically done with a rotating bezel, but has now been literally complicated by being performed by the movement, the automatic calibre PF052 with micro-rotor. Personally, I use the bezel-operated function on my dive watch for this purpose, while I travel, to cover certain key timing events (how much time left before I need to head to the departure gate at the airport, for example). If I had the Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante, I would be using the pushers on the watch for the same effect. 

You might fairly ask if this sort of thing really requires a new movement, and strictly speaking, it does because of all the increased action in the motion works, and the necessity for the pushers to interact with the same. That being said, having three pushers here challenges the aesthetics of the Tonda PF case, pushing elegance to the limit. The manufacture says the pusher system is in place to make the watch easy to use, and it certainly does that. A function selector, via the crown for example, would make the watch a little fussier even as it would potentially make the case cleaner and the watch more mysterious. The Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante from last year also probably made the decision to use pushers easier, since that watch looms large in the minds of many collectors. 

• READ MORE: Guido Terreni, CEO of Parmigiani Fleurier on the Star Piece: Tonda PF

In a lot of ways, this new Minute Rattrapante echoes its GMT predecessor, down to its 40mm diameter and 10.7mm thickness. The manufacture calibre, P052, seems like an evolution of the P051, which powered the GMT Rattrapante; examining it via the exhibition caseback, it looks exactly the same. This is unsurprising, given that all the action happens in the motion works, which you would only see if the dial was openworked, or in sapphire crystal. The watch is in steel, with knurled platinum bezel, and rest pusher in rose gold. At Watches and Wonders Geneva, the price was listed at CHF28,000.

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Although the Grand Seiko line was introduced in 1960, it was Seiko’s release of the 44GS watch in 1967 that definitively established the collection. This is because the 44GS’s design language would go on to define the aesthetics of all subsequent Grand Seiko timepieces, even today, with Grand Seiko now operating as a separate entity from Seiko itself.

In 2020, Grand Seiko updated the aesthetic code set down by the 44GS. The reworked design language, Evolution 9, was conceived to represent the most contemporary form of watchmaking at Grand Seiko. More than this, however, Evolution 9 is now also a standalone collection within the brand’s line-up, with offerings ranging from sporty chronographs to dressier time-and-date watches. The latest addition to this line is the SLGA021, which bears a textured dial inspired by the view of Lake Suwa before dawn.

Grand Seiko’s Spring Drive-equipped watches are produced at the brand’s Shinshu Watch Studio in the town of Shiojiri, some three hours’ drive from Tokyo. To the manufacture’s southeast sits Lake Suwa, a prominent landmark that has long inspired its watches’ designs. The focus this time is on a familiar pre-dawn scenery, when Lake Suwa is still clothed in tranquil darkness. During this period, the gentlest breeze stirs up rippling waves that create an undulating surface bearing various shades of blue, each blending into each other while also playing with the ambient light differently.

Have you ever tried on a watch and just felt like keeping it on? Sort of like taking that Porsche 911 out for a test drive… and just drive off into the sunset. Well, I don’t know about you but I certainly have, especially at Watches and Wonder Geneva where I tried on the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph 39mm for the second time. Apparently, Ryan Gosling had the same idea, although he could probably have any TAG Heuer he wants! In the new short film, The Chase for Carrera, promoting 60 years of the Carrera watch collection, Gosling plays himself as a star on the run… from the prop master who wants his TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph. Hilarity ensues. 

• READ MORE: Partnership is Key: Frédéric Arnault, TAG Heuer CEO

While Gosling wears the new design for the Carrera, Vanessa Bayer, who plays the prop master, wears the uncredited TAG Heuer Carrera Date with pink dial. There is a lot that is uncredited in the short film, including plenty of sight gags. See how many you can spot.

The comic short film is produced by David Leitch’s 87 North company (John Wick and Deadpool 2, amongst others), and directed by Nash Edgerton (Mr InBetween). Leitch has a bit in The Chase for Carrera too. 

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On the heels of Watches and Wonders Geneva, Breguet has revealed the new Quantième Perpétuel 7327, marking the debut of a new perpetual calendar from the storied watchmaker. In a season dominated by chronographs — Breguet has its own something-something coming up — it is great to see a new execution of the most complex of all calendar mechanisms, the perpetual calendar. This writer is somewhat biased towards calendar complications, and to asymmetric dial layouts so the Breguet Quantième Perpétuel 7327 is a straight-up win. Collectors should note that reference 7327 is a replacement for reference 5327, the Classique perpetual calendar that was a mainstay of that collection. You can see from the layout of displays on the dial that there is a new calibre at work here.

We begin with the new automatic calibre 502.3.P, which delivers a highly unusual retrograde date display (between 9 o’clock and 12 o’clock on the dial); this is the most obvious sign that there is a new movement here, and is how we distinguished this model. Oddly, Breguet did not lead with this information in its publicity materials (we have not seen it in person), yet this is precisely what collectors should take note of. Basically, it makes reference 7327 an important milestone for Breguet. The hairspring and anchor are in silicon, which is par for the course at the manufacture, and the escapement beats at 3Hz.

• READ MORE: New Beginnings: Lionel A Marca Shares About His New Role At Breguet

Significantly, the calibre is just 4.5mm thick, allowing the case to come in at under 10mm — this is just right to fit under a sleeve. Breguet faithful will recognise calibre 502.3.P as an evolution of the ultra-thin calibre 502 (and thus another upgrade to the original Frederique Piguet calibre 70, as reported by SJX), and the brand says that the calendar mechanism was added as module. There are a total of 294 components in total. The modular construction is perhaps slightly disappointing for purists who insist on integrated calibres, but we think that reference 7327 should be judged on its overall merits (for the record, we would love to see how the 21st century Breguet manufacture would approach engineering a perpetual calendar from the ground up, particularly with regards to the 45-hour power reserve, which is well below contemporary expectations).

While we have not seen the watch in the metal, Breguet lists an impressive list of finishing arts here, including a circular barleycorn motif (rose-engine handworked) on the oscillating weight, Geneva stripes on the bridges, and chamfered edges on many components. A look at the real calibre will reveal a lot about the quality and nature of the finishing, but Breguet is certainly on par with other brands at the haute horlogerie level.

• READ MORE: Breguet Traditional Quantième Rétrograde 7597: Regal Monochrome

Turning to the case and dial, note the fluting on the case middle and the straight lugs, both of which are Breguet staples. The 39mm watch is available in white gold and rose gold, but the dial and hands remain the same in both. The hands are called “Breguet” because Abraham-Louis Breguet came up with the design, but the brand also prosaically refers to this style as “moon” tip hands. Overall, the 7327 is very fetching, including the update to the moon phase display (no more smiling anthropomorphised moon), and the balance of the information on the guilloche dial.

We have some questions about the fit here, given the style of lugs, and we will return to this story with updates once we see the watch. Having said that, if you are in the market for a distinctive perpetual calendar with a grand story, and have S$116,300 to spare (same price in either gold), the Quantième Perpétuel 7327 might be it.

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With transparency, community and fair prices as its guiding principles, Swizerland-based watch brand CODE41’s consultative approach to watchmaking is making waves far and wide. It has successfully launched a couple of projects from NB24 to X41 and the latest creation, Mesascape. All of these represent the brand’s raison d’être of pushing the limits of watchmaking while keeping the cost of its product reasonably priced. 

For its latest venture into the world of haute horology, CODE41 debuts the T360 Tourbillon, which is the brand’s first tourbillon watch and a testament to its mastery over the art of watchmaking. In a similar vein where the CODE41 community were involved in designing the T360, the final product also ensures that customers are given many options for customising their desired watch (bridge and hand colours, straps, and even the shape of the case). In doing so, the brand hopes that the T360 tourbillon can bring about a shift in watchmaking where it is open, participatory and accessible.

As per how the previous projects were conceived, the CODE41 community voted on what the brand should venture next, and the tourbillon was the top favourite. To make the process as transparent as possible, the brand created dedicated pages on its website to document each step leading to the final stages of production. The T360 underwent numerous changes: 192 design variations, over 12,500 votes were casted, some 400 comments were given and 43 sleepless nights. Each critical step has been made through voting by hundreds of thousands of community members.

• READ MORE: CODE41 Debuts the Mecascape: A New Watch Class

The tourbillon is widely considered the “Holy Grail” in watchmaking and has captured the hearts of many watch connoisseurs since its creation. Patented by Abraham-Louis Breguet, the purpose of the tourbillon was to counterbalance the effects of gravity, which affects the regularity of a watch’s mechanical movement. In today’s context, a tourbillon is exalted for its “unique esthetic and exceptional mechanical ballet that its primary utility” because the “movement of our wrists already deals with offsetting the variations in rate due to the Earth’s gravity.”

Making a tourbillon is no easy feat, and the cost of making one can easily hit up to five or six figures. However, CODE41 is able to bring the price down thanks to its economic model, where they cut out intermediaries and sales are done directly to the customers. The X41 model is a prime example. While its lower cost would cast doubts, the brand reassures that the T360 tourbillon surpasses all the regulatory tests with flying colours. For a starting price below CHF 10,000, the T360 tourbillon is the culmination of peerless Swiss watchmaking expertise with accessibility.

Looking at its design, the T360 is unreservedly masculine and retains CODE41’s signature skeletonise features. Here, the wearer will be mesmerised by the enthralling horological ballet in which the tourbillon dances as it completes one full revolution in its cage every 60 seconds. Also, taking into the modern sartorial trend, the watch is made for everyday life rather than being worn only during special occasions. Some key features include a 105-hour power reserve, deviation at ±5 seconds per day, Super-Luminova on hands, indices and the bridge of the tourbillon cage, and two types of cases.

• READ MORE: DAY41, the latest CODE41 watch for both men and women

In keeping with its principles of openness and excellence, CODE41 has delegated the tourbillon’s development and production to 100 per cent Swiss partners, without whom none of this would have been possible. Each of these artisans has contributed significantly to the T360’s design in their own right and these craftspeople can be found on the website. Their tasks and responsibilities are clearly stated and emphasised. In addition, this human story serves as one of the daily motivational factors for the CODE41 teams, who are inspired by showcasing the master watchmakers who make dreams come true. 

Touching further on the customisation options, the T360 allows for what CODE41 calls ultra-personalisation. There are over 200 possible combinations starting from the straps, where the wearer can choose between leather, rubber or steel. With its interchangeable straps, the T360 tourbillon adapts to any circumstance and reflects the wearer’s personal style and moods. Then, there are two types of cases available: NativeDNA or Stratom. In addition, there are five colour combinations that the wearer can also choose from for the watch’s dial and hands.

The CODE41 T360 tourbillon is available for pre-order on 19 April until 17 May for a starting price of CHF 9,898, and only 150 Creator Edition pieces are on offer. Click here to learn more about the watch.

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Conceived back in 1987 as the Maison’s inaugural watchmaking creation, the Première watch was the born from the genius mind of Jacques Helleu, Artistic Director at Chanel. Devoting himself to Chanel since the young age of eighteen, he was coming into his fourth decade at the Maison.

Icons Together

From the moment of its creation, the Première watch rose as a shining star and proved to be an unstoppable icon for Chanel and for the world of watches. The octagonal shape of the stopper of the legendary Chanel N°5 perfume bottle is the main inspiration behind the shape of the case. The stopper was, in turn, a design idea taken from the outline of Place Vendôme in Paris as seen by Gabrielle Chanel from her suite at the Ritz.

Dressing this recognizable shape in black lacquer was just the first step. Bringing it all together was the interlaced leather and chain strap of the iconic quilted Chanel bag. Its form was chosen to perfectly partner said case as the bracelet of the watch. The bracelet is flexible and comfortable to wear and ends in a superbly refined clasp befitting of the whole setup. As a whole, the completed Première watch took the watchmaking world by storm and, finally, women had a watch that could match the masculine giants of horology.

Free from the norm and exuding the charm and aura of femininity, the watch represents the first of its kind that is genuinely intended for women and not simply a scaled-down version of a men’s watch. The Première is an elegant watch made for women and dedicated to every woman who lives in the present and seizes the moment.

• READ MORE: Autumn Encased In a Fragrance: Chanel’s Sycomore Eau De Parfum

Grand Comeback

Back in 1987, Chanel opened two boutiques exclusively for the launch of the Première. They were located at 40 avenue Montaigne, Paris and at 43 rue du Rhône, Geneva. Subsequently, in 1990, another boutique opened at Place Vendôme. During these times, the Première watch appeared with all the freshness and charm of a jeune première across all variations. The symbol of ingenuity and elegance continues today. With Chanel Watchmaking and Fine Jewelry now at its new home in the redesigned townhouse at 18 Place Vendôme, the Première returns to the spotlight, in a subtly streamlined version. Nevertheless, contemporary, unique and full of personality, the watch fully retains its radiant persona even though 35 years has passed since its arrival. After all this time, Chanel is letting us in once again into the grand world of the Première — the Chanel Première Original Edition. Crafted with the same level of passion and skill, but with the latest in technology and savoir faire, the Première Original Edition is a watch with an incomparable provenance and timeless appeal.

• READ MORE: Chanel Drops New Diamond-Studded Additions To Its PREMIÈRE Collection

Effortless Luxury

Every single aspect of the Chanel Première Original Edition points to undeniable opulence. The elegant silhouette and sleek shiny lines bring together a watch that simply exudes class, style and desirability. The main star of the watch, its case, is crafted with solid stainless-steel, coated with yellow gold. One may set the time with a matching crown, also coated in yellow gold and set with a prominent onyx cabochon that mirrors the deep stark black lacquered dial which seems to have a mysterious depth. The golden hands stand out against this dial to legibly tell the time.

Within the watch is a highly accurate and precise quartz movement for convenience. It is protected from the elements, by the case, for up to 30 metres of water resistance. Another key highlight is the bracelet of the watch. Made specifically to complement the design of the case, the steel bracelet is also coated in yellow gold and interlaced with a black leather strap. The interplay between black and gold offers the watch a rich and grand aura with just a hint of playfulness, thus justifying the Chanel Première Original Edition’s icon status.

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