In this final stretch of our look at innovation in watchmaking, we get to truly new things for brands and collectors alike, which are generally new for everyone. We are talking about the curious world of Web3 and the Metaverse, of course, but also the Foundation de la Haute Horlogerie’s own showcase of innovation, the LAB event at Watches and Wonders Geneva, and the sustainability journey. Web3 here includes blockchain and NFTs, as well as overlaps with the Metaverse. Unlike most things watchmaking, this is where collectors and watchmakers alike might scratch their heads in confusion, largely because both Web3 and the Metaverse are entirely nebulous. 

This is unsurprising for purely digital technologies, but also relate to key issues in the development of these new digital tools. Never mind who will actually use these tools, and how they will be used, because you can fairly ask if these new ideas will not have been replace by newer and better (ostensibly) ones by the end of the year, or in the next couple of years. In fact, proponents of the Metaverse and Web3 are actually excited by the uncertainties here, because they see them as opportunities. Given that most watch brands struggled mightily for years with digital adoption – that means right down to making useful websites – we were surprised by how enthusiastic they are about the Metaverse and Web3. Maybe things have really changed from the days of the Quartz Crisis.

Trigger Warning 

Before we get into it, a few caveats are needed on the digital narrative in particular. First, this story is not an introduction to the big technology ideas covered here. Leaving aside our lack of pages for this, we are also not domain experts so we should not attempt to provide basic education. We will therefore be using the most mainstream definitions (i.e. Wikipedia and major players such as Meta and the Ether blockchain) while relying on prominent explainers from major news outlets, including CNBC, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal and others. 

Secondly, we will be leaning heavily on comments by key figures in luxury about the digital world and its opportunities. While we intend to sound out more brand executives about this, the most recent statements on the record will suffice for this story. Finally, Heart Media, the publisher of this magazine, is a proponent of the Metaverse while the editor of WOW (also the author of this entire section) is a freelance digital consultant who is highly critical of Web3 and its constituents, aside from the blockchain foundation. In other words, here be biases so be warned.

• READ MORE: David Li of GreaterHeat Sets His Sights on SEA and Beyond

Laboratory of Ideas

We begin this story with something a lot less controversial, which is the LAB event, which was like the Cliff’s Notes of what we have covered here. The FHH, in its own presser on Watches and Wonders, declared with astonishing confidence that the event “has just demonstrated that watchmaking know-how, artistic craftmanship and NFT (Non-Fungible Tokens) can coexist harmoniously.” Audacity aside, the release does not do the LAB event justice — just look at the pictures from the event, and ask yourself if your interest has been piqued. 

The Rebellion Robot, for example, is portrayed as a sideshow and a curiosity, but it is in fact something Rebellion have been working on for years now. The brand says that the robot is being developed to assist watchmakers on the production floor, by taking on specialised and repetitive tasks. That message is both intriguing and disturbing so perhaps it is no wonder that the FHH does not know what to do with it. True innovation has a cost, but it almost always results in even more employment for human beings. Well, that is a summary of what the aforementioned experts say. 

For our part, we think robots such as this are not so different to the ones already in use at various industrial powerhouses, including Rolex and the Swatch Group (who are of course conspicuously absent from Watches and Wonders Geneva). The Rebellion Robot, not a small or cuddly object by any means, does pose the question to collectors: how much do we value the inefficiencies that produce hand-made beauty? The robot was just one of 15 displays and we are certainly not going to cover all of them. Fortunately, some of them offer good entry points to certain key areas. 

Spacing Out

Take Louis Moinet and the creation of its own NFTs, for example, which the FHH again devotes just one line to. While the brand touted the successful sale of all its initial 1,000 NFTs on its website, it also planned to offer two owners the chance to win a Super Moon model; the Louis Moinet Super Moon debuted at Watches and Wonders Geneva, and we see what the brand did with the watch’s name! 

Louis Moinet worked with digital artist Tafi on its NFTs, which were sold on the Exclusible platform, based on the Space Revolution model. We see this as part of the ongoing shift towards contemporary aesthetics in watchmaking. The manner Louis Moinet made the NFT announcement and handled the sale were notable for being completely alien to watchmaking, although we will look to another brand for a truly novel approach to NFTs a little later. For now though, we must distinguish between Louis Moinet and other brands that have famously embraced Web3. This includes big names such as Vacheron Constantin and Bvlgari. 

The former is part of a raft of Richemont brands adopting blockchain technology to secure supply chains and ensure a measure of transparency, and to turn out what are effectively certificates of authenticity. This year happens to be Vacheron Constantin’s target to issue digital passports, secured by the Arianee technology for all its new watches, and the brand reports that it has managed it. Vacheron Constantin is thus in a new era of ownership privileges, but it is not alone. IWC and Panerai are also partnering with Arianee to explore Web3, but we will reserve that for another story.

• READ MORE: Louis Moinet: The Masters of Time and Space

Loupe Back 

Back at LAB and with IWC, we were intrigued by the concept of the Cyberloupe, a specially designed and digitally enabled version of the watchmaker’s magnifier. It has an integrated camera and a network connection, meaning collectors can potentially get virtually up-close-and-personal with movement assembly and other watchmaking activities. This is one expression of the Metaverse idea of immersive experiences powered by networks and hardware; it might very well be the first from a high-end watchmaker. Here is what IWC CEO Christoph Grainger-Herr had to say about this, from the official press release: 

“With these newly developed virtual tours, visitors will go on an interactive, personalised and memorable journey of discovery, bringing them as close as possible to our home in Schaffhausen, no matter where they may be. Not only will they gain exciting insights into our history and the complex engineering behind our timepieces, but they will also be immersed into the world of IWC in a completely new way.” 

Pleasure Principle

If the experience is as enriching as IWC promises, we have no doubt that more brands will follow suit, just as lots of brands are already onboard with their own sustainability ventures. This formed the last and potentially most significant bit of news from LAB. Panerai and Baume & Mercier were showcasing their recycled PET straps, and the former had plenty of news to announce with regards to its sustainability journey, which now includes staff-driven actions and a variety of climate-positive actions at the manufacture. This all follows on the brand’s recycled materials push, both in cases and straps, in recent years. 

“As a company, we have the responsibility to be active and support the urgent need for change and help protecting our Planet, empowering everyone to take direct action to take care of it. The more we can work together, the better,” states CEO Jean-Marc Pontroué. Panerai is also working alongside Cartier in the Watch and Jewellery Initiative 2030, which has to do with the sustainability and transparency of the supply chain. 

This allows us to neatly transition out of Watches and Wonders, and address the Metaverse. When it comes to this expansive concept, which is an enormous spectre looming large over the wraith of Web3, there is much to say, although it is mostly speculative. This is particularly germane given that Bvlgari has just announced a partnership with Naver Z’s Metaverse platform Zepeto, which has 300 million users. Reportedly, 80 per cent of these are teens. Bulgari’s virtual world launched 31 August and includes a pop-up store with online and offline experiences. There are also games in this virtual world, where users or visitors complete quests and receive rewards. In this case, these are items from the Bvlgari Resort collection, and signature accessories. No watches are in play yet. 

In the Metaverse, such rewards are meant to transfer across platforms, meaning your avatar should be able to bring its items anywhere it goes. This part is not a reality yet, no pun intended, and no one knows yet exactly how it will work. If you think this reminds you of Second Life, you will not be alone, although Bulgari has gone one better than anyone else we can think of. The brand made Web3 a part of the real world of haute horlogerie with the Octo Finissimo Ultra bearing a laser-engraved QR code (pointing to an NFT) on its rachet wheel. 

We contrast this upbeat note with a word of caution, delivered by Cartier CEO Cyrille Vigneron. He made this remark in an interview published by World Tempus, and it had nothing to do with any specific move by any specific brand. 

“The Metaverse is a complementary virtual world, which can also be likened to playing at not being yourself, which already exists: it’s called carnival. Humans have long enjoyed pretending to be someone different, so it’s not a revolution. When I was a teenager, I read The Lord of the Rings and we played Dungeons and Dragons: we were already enjoying escapist-style entertainment, so let’s see in ten years what it becomes. As far as NFTs are concerned, this results in purely virtual luxury products… Why not? Yet our main job is to make tangible products for intangible feelings. I feel the watch on my wrist, like a ring or a bracelet, gifted for a memorable date, I prefer to feel it against my skin rather than displaying something on a computer. If I go home with a bouquet of flowers, it will give more pleasure than if I offer a QR code with the symbolic value of NFTs, it’s not the same thing.”

• READ MORE: Opinion: Can There be Three Kings of Ultra Thin Watches?

NFT-Native

Nevertheless, it is certainly possible to use Web3 or NFTs in particular in a fun way to drive commercial results, as demonstrated by Nimany Club. The brand touts itself as the world’s first NFT-native watch brand, and it launched with the promise of offering NFT watches that could be ‘redeemed’ for actual watches. The entire process is randomised, with buyers being entered into a lottery, which is meant as a measure of fairness, just as MB&F demonstrated with the last MAD watch. For Nimanyclub, the idea is to promote the buying and owning experience as a journey, which also leads to the establishment of a community. 

To close this story and this entire section, we feel it should be noted that innovation in watchmaking is a developing story. What will actually come to your wrist may not match up well theory, even after years and possibly decades of development. For example, the story of silicon in watchmaking is perhaps most amazing in that it actually worked, and was implemented in actual watches that some 

of you might actually be wearing. This is not a given, even in the most famous of instances. For example, John Harrison’s marine chronometer never made it into production, amazing as it was, because it could not be industrialised. 

In the end, we may look upon some of the innovations covered here with a fair degree of scepticism, and that is only to be expected. It seems impossible to view anything Metaverse related as experimental at best, and you would be wise to think of it that way. There is no inherent benefit to getting aboard the digital transformation train early, as far as watches go anyway. Just bear in mind that watch brands want to innovate because watchmakers want to make better devices. That said, we will be revisiting new techniques, materials and perhaps even fundamental research in our issues over the next few years. It may very well turn into a long-running series, like our eight-part escapement adventure that concluded last year.

For more watch reads, click here.

When humans began to measure time, we turned to the skies. While we have no written records, we do know that ancient humans tracked the motion of celestial objects, and common sense tells us that the day and night cycle would have been obvious. After all, our own internal clocks run on this, which we confirmed experimentally and know today as circadian rhythms. That very name, circadian is derived from two Latin words, circa (about) and dies (day). It would be many millennia before we could match these internal clocks, but our ancestors did a bang-up job of using external objects to create broader measures of time, for weeks, months and years.

Calendars were probably the first real external timekeeping we ever managed, and they eventually got us into all manner of conflicts between different cultural standards. Wherever people built clocks of some kind, they were likely to be about tracking cycles of some kind, like the phases of the moon. These instruments gave the human species, and only us, the ability to know our place in time and space. Little did we know that such a wonder would someday come to our wrists in a form as stylish as the Tonda PF Annual Calendar.

• READ MORE: Parmigiani Fleurier Embraces Stealth With Their Latest Release

This particular story you are reading is about a variant of that handsome watch, only slightly more handsome and much rarer. This one is the SHH Limited Edition in a shade of blue entirely exclusive to this 25-watch limited run. This is not merely a colour that has been tacked on, or borrowed from elsewhere in the PF assortment. Instead, it has been drawn from nature itself, as interpreted by legendary architect Le Corbusier and the palette of colours he advocated in his Architectural Polychromy essay of 1931. Sincere Fine Watches and Parmigiani Fleurier inform us that this colour is called Pacific Blue, and blends blue and grey for a subtle effect. The aim was to deliver a degree of “softness and clarity to the guilloché dial of the Tonda PF Annual Calendar dedicated to Sincere Fine Watches.”

Watch brands and specialist retailers have a bond that often comes with years of trust and shared passion. This will be no surprise to true blue watch enthusiasts and collectors, given that we all know retailers are the first to take a chance on new watchmaking brands. One need only look at auction catalogues to find double-signed watches, where the retailer has put its own name on the dial alongside the watchmaker’s, as a sign of trust, value and, most obviously, a strong partnership. Indeed these examples, ranging from Tiffany & Co. to Cartier are rapidly gaining favour amongst collectors in search of historic vintage pieces that celebrate certain traditional relationships in the watch trade. In the case of the SHH Limited Edition, that wonderful dial is not compromised by two brand names.

Terreni also weighed in on connections and relationships when we spoke with him last year: “What is important to me is the bond or the connection that you have (between oneself and one’s craft, and one’s clients). We want to build human relationships, human value, not brand value.

“This obliges us to not make compromises. Our reason to exist is not a commercial objective; we arrive at this by building relationships (with customers). If we succeed at cultivating relationships then we succeed commercially.”

We wrote last year that the Parmigiani Tonda PF collection was introducing an absolute rarity for the brand — an annual calendar without chronograph. While it may seem odd to get excited about a less complicated approach, dial clutter is real and can all too easily spoil the experience of wearing a beautiful watch. It can also make it unreasonably tough to read the date, which happens to be in retrograde form here… It is displayed by a crescent moon-tipped hand that points to a date track between 8 and 4 o’clock. Days of the week, month and phases of the moon are displayed at 9, 3 and 6 o’clock, respectively, in slightly recessed subdials. This helps keeps things neat and tidy, which is sometimes a challenge with subdials. Another thing that is not difficult to see is that this approach to the annual calendar is not unique to the Tonda PF, but the effect tends to be very different.

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

Terreni basically created the entire Tonda line no sooner than he had walked in the door to his deliriously well-appointed office at the manufacture. When he asked how he accomplished this in a year when it takes up to five years to develop a new collection, he smiled wryly and said he simply took advantage of what was already there, and the amazing expertise of Pamigiani Fleurier. “The creative process of the Tonda PF went smoothly (in 2021). Design was validated in the hard milestones on February 19, leaving finishings and dial colours to be finalised in parallel during the development. The first prototypes saw the light March 8, and the whole collection was finalised at the end of June, and presented with production pieces in Geneva Watch Days on August 30; deliveries to clients started in the second half of October,” said Terreni. While you might not think much of this process, but recall that Terreni had only joined in January of 2021. “I would never have taken such a challenge without such an in-house capacity (at Parmigiani Fleurier).”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sincere Fine Watches (@sincerefinewatches)

The latest iteration of the Bell & Ross BR 05, the BR 05 Sincere Green Steel, is immediately distinguished by a remarkable dial that features what might possibly be the most appropriately creative use of the ampersand. To get it out of the way, the BR 05 Sincere Green Steel is a special edition for Sincere Fine Watches in Singapore, celebrating the links between Bell & Ross and the retailer. So the use of the ampersand here is not just a Bell & Ross thing, but a hallmark of the partnership between the brand and the retailer.

The watch also comes with a moniker or nickname, the Greenback, that is also very clever because just looking at the dial explains it; for the sake of completeness, there is also another component to the name of the watch — cadran vert et motif. Basically, this means green dial with motif, and thus the full name of the watch becomes the Bell & Ross BR 05 Sincere Green Steel “Greenback” Cadran Vert et Motif, which is wild. The watch is limited to just 111 pieces so you might want to place a call to your friendly specialist at Sincere Fine Watches immediately — just ask for the Greenback and see how it goes.

• READ MORE: Bell & Ross Levels Up the BR-05 Range with the new BR-X5

The dial of the Greenback, which is how we will refer to the watch henceforth, requires close examination because it is actually the first time Bell & Ross have used the ampersand in this style. Fans of the brand and pundits will recall that the brand has leaned into the ampersand in its logo a few times, including on various tourbillon cages; Bell & Ross asserts that the Greenback is the first time the ampersand has become a design element on the dial, which combines green sunray with the embossed repeating pattern of the ampersand. As far as the colour goes, the sunray element keeps things from being flat, which works (at least in pictures) well with the highly textural aesthetic in play here. By way of contrast, there was also another green BR 05 this year, the BR 05 Skeleton Green, but we digress.

Unlike most simple three-handers with date BR 05 models, the Greenback uses applied indices exclusively, which is no doubt to avoid overloading the visual elements. Said indices are hollowed out to feature beige SuperLuminova, which is also true of the hour and minute hands; this SuperLuminova glows green in the dark and low-light conditions. In a touch that fastidious collectors will appreciate, the date at 3 o’clock is colour matched. On the exhibition caseback, the ampersand makes a return over the centre of the rotor, with the limited edition details indicated around it (as seen here).

In all other ways, including water-resistance, movement, case finishing, size and bracelet, the Greenback follows the standard BR 05 playbook.

For more watch reads, click here.

With the holiday season in full swing, Swiss luxury watchmaker Rolex has released their Holiday Gift Guide 2022. From the Oyster Perpetual Datejust to Oyster Perpetual Explorer and Oyster Perpetual Lady-Datejust, there is one timepiece for either the gentlemen or ladies. Get ready to explore the world of Rolex with your loved ones this festive season.

For Him:

Oyster Perpetual Datejust 41 in Oystersteel and 18 ct white gold with a bright blue fluted motif dial and a Jubilee bracelet

Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona in 18 ct Everose gold, with a sundust, diamond-set dial and an Oyster bracelet

Oyster Perpetual Air-King in Oysterseteel with an Oyster Bracelet

Oyster Perpetual Explorer II in Oystersteel with a white dial and an Oyster Bracelet

For Her:

Oyster Perpetual Datejust 31 in Oystersteel and 18 ct white gold with an Azzurro-blue floral motif, diamond-set dial and an Oyster bracelet

Oyster Perpetual Datejust 36 in Oystersteel and 18 ct Everose gold with a silver palm motif dial and a Jubilee bracelet

Oyster Perpetual Lady-Datejust in Oystersteel and 18 ct yellow gold with a white mother-of-pearl diamond-set dial and a Jubilee bracelet

Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 40 in 18 ct white gold with 46 brilliant-cut diamonds and an Oysterflex bracelet

Capturing the ephemeral beauty of the aurora borealis, the Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 40 has a ring of diamonds along its bezel and is arranged in a harmonious sequence of five hues repeated eight times. No doubt a loud statement when worn, the watch is the epitome of radiant prestige.

• READ MORE: Rolex Oyster Perpetual and Oyster Perpetual Datejust: Elegant Wrist Companions for Modern Mums

For more watch reads, click here.

With more than one billion views over the course of each championship, the FIFA World Cup is the world’s most watched sporting event. Hublot served as its official timekeeper for the fourth consecutive time earlier this year at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and unveiled a special watch ahead of the event to commemorate this edition of the tournament. This timepiece, the Big Bang e FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, is based on the brand’s third-generation connected watch, and was worn by all 129 official referees of the event. Just 1,000 pieces of this watch will be produced.

During the FIFA World Cup 2022, spectators who were wearing the Big Bang e FIFA had access to specific functions that were specially tailored for the tournament. For a start, the watch had a countdown function that tracked the time to the championship’s opening match, as well as the individual matches after. At 15 minutes before each of the 64 scheduled games’ commencement, push notifications would be sent to each Big Bang e FIFA with information on the teams’ line-ups and player profiles.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hublot (@hublot)

• READ MORE: Football Fever: Hublot Loves Football Pop-Up

The watch would then automatically enter “match mode” and activate its “timeline” function at kick-off. This did not just track the progress of a match, but also logged events such as when and by whom every goal was scored, and every penalty that was awarded and/or converted. The timepiece’s wearer could thus have a real time, play-by-play recount of a match as it progressed, right into overtime and penalty shootouts. This information could also be recalled after a match, to essentially serve as a record of the entire championship.

To support all these functions, as well as the staples expected of a modern smartwatch, the Big Bang e FIFA is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100+ processor running the latest version of Google’s Wear OS. A full suite of connectivity standards and sensors are included, from a heart rate monitor to GPS receiver. Hublot has stated that this watch will come with an all-day battery life, with a fully drained battery requiring just two hours to fully charge.

The lineage of Hublot’s iconic Big Bang watch is, of course, clearly visible here. Design aside, what also sets this watch apart is its finely crafted case, which is constructed from ceramic and titanium. The bold 44-millimetre case diameter also alludes to the brand’s penchant for strong, confident designs — one backed up with the equally daring watchmaking philosophy the brand dubs “the art of fusion”.

The Big Bang e FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 offers a great degree of personalisation, with dozens of dial options available via its accompanying smartphone app. There is an “official” colourway: a burgundy dial with a matching black and burgundy lined rubber strap inspired by the flag colours of Qatar, this edition’s host country. Fans will also be able to choose dial and strap designs in the colours of each of the 32 participating countries. After all, what better way to support one’s chosen team than to wear its colours on the wrist?

Movement: Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100+; up 24-hours battery life
Case: 44mm ceramic and titanium; water-resistant to 30m
Strap: Rubber
Price: S$8,200

For more watch reads, click here.

The new Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series watch, the SPB295J1 Urushi Dial Limited Edition has a slice of Kanazawa on it. Kanazawa is home to celebrated Urushi lacquer artist Isshu Tamura and is where he produces works using techniques unique to Kanazawa. With the SPB295J1, Tamura highlights the beauty of summer in Kanazawa and the picturesque Hokuriku region (northwest Honshu). The warm green tones of the Urushi dial reminds us of a moss garden and summer foliage with the golden watch hands evoking rays of the sun piercing foliage.

The SPB295J1 comes powered by the automatic Seiko inhouse calibre 6R24. With this unique movement, the watch’s date, day of the week, and power reserve hands move in retrograde like a Japanese fan. The white and yellow hands, and indicators work well to contrast against the deep green of the smooth Urushi dial, offering a different expression for the dial every day.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Seiko Singapore (@seikosg)

• READ MORE: Precise Rhythms: Akio Naito, President of Seiko Watch Corporation

About this verdant dial, Seiko has often collaborated with Tamura to create amazing dials for the Presage range. This release is no exception to the high quality of work that the much-respected artisan produces. To successfully combine metal and traditional Urushi for a smooth dial surface that glows with a deep lustre, the lacquer must be skilfully applied to the dial with a sufficient level of thickness without obstructing the motion of the hands. The final product is one for the ages as Urushi does not deteriorate and its durability improves over time.

Tamura is trained in the traditional Kaga Maki-e gold lacquer technique of Kanazawa and creates unparalleled original works of art that have received worldwide acclaim. The Urushi dial on the SPB295J1 is specially crafted by Tamura as an expression of his aesthetic sense and ensures that the watch is an ethereal fusion of traditional craftwork techniques and modern watchmaking.

A total of 2,000 pieces for this limited edition shall be created for those who enjoy true Japanese watchmaking and art.

For more watch reads, click here.

Rolex is a watchmaker like none other. Beyond the realm of horology, it provides extensive support to disparate fields of endeavour, across different industries, with a belief in unlimited human potential. In the field of arts, one of the most enduring partnerships the brand enjoys is with the world of cinema.

The association between Rolex and cinema has deep roots and goes back many years. Its watches have played their own role on the wrists of stoic protagonists in numerous films since the era of black-and-white cinema. Rolex watches enrich the identity of the characters who wear them with their powerful symbolism. That they should appear in so many films is no coincidence. When a character wears a Rolex watch, this is an artistic choice made by the actors and directors. Thanks to these watches and their screen presence, Rolex is indissociable from the world of film.

And today, by its support of artistic and technical excellence in filmmaking, Rolex itself has become an acting participant in its own right. Rolex encourages the preservation and transmission of the cinematic arts, promotes excellence and celebrates progress by accompanying living legends as well as budding talents through its Testimonees (Martin Scorsese and James Cameron), its partnership with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the institution, the awards and the Academy Museum in Los Angeles) and the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative.

• READ MORE: Rolex: A Champion of Cinema

Legendary filmmakers and Rolex Testimonees

Both Scorsese and Cameron are accomplished film directors whose films have entered the pantheon of classics. They have each received many awards and accolades, capturing audience worldwide with their inimitable style.

Scorsese received his award in 2007 for The Departed and he had been previously nominated nine times — making him the second-most Oscar nominated director of all time. Cameron won his Best Director Oscar for Titanic earlier in 1998 and he was also nominated in 2010 for Avatar.

These two directors personify excellence in their craft, exemplifying shared values of excellence and craftsmanship with Rolex.

James Cameron

Canadian filmmaker James Cameron was the first Rolex Testimonee from the world of cinema. He has helmed a series of iconic movies that punctuated many a youth. His early films worked almost exclusively in the realm of science fiction. The Terminator (1894), Aliens (1986) and Terminator 2 (1991) are all classics of the sci-fi action genre. These movies melded high-tech engineering with solid action and memorable performances, introducing the world to memorable characters like Ellen Ripley, Sarah Connor and the sinister T-800.

With his reputation as a bankable director in place, Cameron had the clout to make blockbuster film and he exceeded expectations. True Lies (1994) was the highest-grossing movie that year; Titanic (1997) was the highest-grossing movie ever, until he surpassed himself with Avatar (2009).

Cameron’s association with Rolex has been linked for decades. Apart from featuring Rolex watches on the silver screen to lend identity to his characters, he has personally worn a Rolex for many years. After the success of Aliens, he bought the Rolex he always wanted: a Rolex Submariner and worn it on his many dives in the Russian MIR submersibles; on his film sets; when doing dives to the Titanic wreck; and on stage to receive a record 11 Oscars for Titanic.

Apart from the sci-fi engineering angle and trailblazing visual effects, another thread running through Cameron’s work is that of exploration. This featured prominently in The Abyss (1989) and his documentary Ghosts of the Abyss (2003), melding his loves of diving, exploration and science fiction.

Cameron has always had a fascination with the deepest reaches of the ocean. In March 2012, after building on years of experience, he set the world record for the deepest crewed dive when he piloted the Deepsea Challenger into the Mariana Trench — 10,908 meters under the surface of the Pacific Ocean. During this historic dive, he was wearing a Rolex Sea-Dweller, and an experimental watch, the Rolex Deepsea Challenge was mounted on the submersible’s arms (the timepiece flawlessly withstood the tremendous pressure of the seven-hour dive).

To commemorate this feat, Rolex released the Rolex Deepsea with a D-blue dial. On 1 November, James Cameron unveiled the Oyster Perpetual Deepsea Challenge. Inspired by the experimental watch that accompanied him on his historic descent into the Mariana Trench, the Deepsea Challenge represents a new milestone in the world of Rolex divers’ watches. Guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 11,000 metres (36,090 feet), crafted from RLX titanium, and equipped with a helium escape valve and the Ringlock system, it is capable of accompanying divers in any environment — during freedives, submersible dives or in hyperbaric chambers. A watch designed to turn pressure into an ally in any situation, and an invitation to expand yet further the horizons of the deep.

• READ MORE: Rolex and its Timeless Connection to the Cinema

Martin Scorsese

A towering figure in the world of cinema, Martin Scorsese is one of the greatest directors of his time. His career spans over 50 years, gifting the world with a vast filmography of 26 films and numerous documentaries. Many of his films have become iconic: Mean Streets (1973), Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990) and The Departed (2006).

Scorsese is a meticulous director and one who participates in every stage of the production — be it at the scriptwriting stage, working out the score or in the editing room. He is a master of the language of cinema with an uncanny ability to build antiheroes into sympathetic protagonists, producing cinematic masterpieces that offer a personal vision of America while intricately exploring the human condition.

Sharing the same beliefs as Rolex in the importance of preserving the arts and transmission of knowledge, Scorsese is behind The Film Foundation as well as a past mentor in the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative.

As the founder of The Film Foundation, he is dedicated to protecting and preserving motion picture history. The realisation for the need to preserve this fragile legacy came about early in his career around the 1970s, when he watched movies from the black-and-white film era that had degraded badly. Conscious of the need to preserve this fragile legacy, he was joined by seven other prominent directors. They are Woody Allen, Francis Ford Coppola, Stanley Kubrick, George Lucas, Sydney Pollack, Robert Redford and Steven Spielberg. A few years later, Robert Altman and Clint Eastwood also came onboard.

With support from Rolex, The Film Foundation has restored over 925 films to date, including 50 films from other countries. These films are made accessible through public festivals around the world. To promote the importance of film preservation, the foundation offers a free educational curriculum — The Story of Movies — that teaches young people about film language and history.

Rolex strongly believes that it is essential for excellence to be passed on, from one generation to the next. So as to ensure the perpetuity of crafts and expertise, the brand has established the Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative, in which promising young artists can benefit from the guidance and experience of great artists in their field. Martin Scorsese took on the mentorship role in the initiative’s 2008-2009 cycle. The protégé he was paired with was aspiring Argentinian filmmaker Celina Murga, who worked with him on the set of Shutter Island (2010). She has since gone on to direct documentaries in her native Argentina. Her first feature film, The Third Side of the River (2014) had Scorsese as Executive Producer.

Scorsese credits one of his university lecturers in New York who has set him on the path to greatness: “He set a fire in our hearts… If you were crazy enough to think you have got to make a movie, he was the one who inspired you.”

The close ties between Rolex and cinema is an essential feature of the global cultural landscape and Rolex is committed to support the artistic and technical excellence in filmmaking, and in perpetuating this form of art.

For more watch reads, click here.

It’s finally happened: Rolex is in the pre-owned watch business game, with the Rolex Certified Pre-Owned Programme. In a long-expected move, which some might insist is long overdue, Swiss watchmaker Rolex made the announcement just yesterday in Geneva, and the reverberations will be felt for years to come. Audemars Piguet has been trying to sort out its own pre-owned business model for years; Richard Mille has actually made it happen; and the Richemont Group made its own play with the acquisition of Watchfinder & Co. Of course, all those names are dwarfed by the colossus that is Rolex, but the most important question has yet to be settled: there is no word on how retailers will handle pricing.

So what do we know for now? In a nutshell, Rolex is taking a stand on the future of its watches, even after they have been sold to the public. Official retailers, or authorized dealers as they are also known, will begin to offer pre-owned Rolex watches for sale; these are certified as authentic and guaranteed by the brand, and as such come with a new international warranty, valid for two years from the date of any given re-sale. At press time, only one retailer has been revealed as a participant in the Rolex Certified Pre-Owned Programme: Bucherer.

• READ MORE: Rolex Debuts the Oyster Perpetual Deepsea Challenge

The European retailer has run its own pre-owned watch business for some years now — this writer contemplated buying a Rolex Oysterquartz at one of its stores in Zurich but ultimately demurred. The Rolex Certified Pre-Owned Programme will be available in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, France, Denmark, and the UK via Bucherer, to begin with. Rolex’s release on this subject notes that this move will, in its view, alleviate the overheated demand for Rolex watches worldwide, eventually.

Here is an excerpt of said release: “The new programme makes it possible to purchase pre-owned watches that the brand itself has certified and guaranteed. Its aim is to bring added value to the existing supply of pre-owned Rolex watches. Because when these watches change hands, their authenticity must be attestable at the time of resale by the Official Retailers.“

• READ MORE: Rolex: A Champion of Cinema

“Rolex advocates the durability of its products. Thanks to uncompromising quality standards, the brand produces watches with the longest possible lifespans. It therefore wishes to accompany the second life of its watches already circulating on the market, with a view to preserving, maintaining and guaranteeing what already exists. This approach is in keeping with the Perpetual philosophy: the relentless pursuit of excellence and a long-term commitment to future generations.”

Those who hope that this will sort out the ugly scenario where brand new watches are re-sold for above RRP will be disappointed to learn that the Rolex Certified Pre-Owned Programme only applies to watches that are at least three years old. In other words, do not go hoping on that Oyster Perpetual Submariner pre-owned just yet. Nevertheless, this will likely mean that there will once more be Rolex watches on display that are available for sale from authorized dealers, where warranty and authenticity issues are resolved by Rolex. While we await word from our local retailers in Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai and, of course, the North American market, we feel confident that this move will be welcomed by Rolex collectors everywhere. We are also upbeat on the pricing issue, although navigating this will require a good deal of skill on the part of retailers.

For more watch reads, click here.

Longines has had an obsession with high-frequency regulated timing devices for well over a century now. The manufacture created their first 5Hz stopwatch with flyback function, capable of measuring 1/10th of a second, as early as 1914, and then proceeded to outdo themselves with a 50Hz stopwatch in just two years, in 1916. With a balance that clocked in at 360,000 vibrations per hour, the device was capable of measuring time up to 1/100th of a second. As the wristwatch gained in popularity, Longines brought their high frequency know-how to bear in this new form too. To make a point, the manufacture began sending these high frequency wristwatches off for certification to third-party validators and chronometric competitions held by the highly regarded observatories, such as the Observatoire de Neuchâtel, and the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC). Needless to say, Longines claimed multiple accolades. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Longines (@longines)

• READ MORE: Longines Spirit Zulu Time: A True GMT, Vintage-Inspired Timepiece

This acclaim gave Longines the confidence to push boundaries further, eventually challenging even electronic watches. Because high-frequency watches beat faster, they also exhaust their power reserves a lot quicker and the components wear out faster. To circumnavigate this, Longines patented a dry lubrication in 1966, which among many other points of fine tuning, allowed for the calibre 431. This movement was able to guarantee accuracy of a minute a month, or two seconds per day. Such a standard far exceeded the requirements of COSC, the chronometer certification body and thus, Longines boldly named the calibre 431-powered wristwatch, the Ultra-Chron. 

Still in the 1960s, Longines moved to case up calibre 431 into a 200m water-resistant dive watch dubbed the Ultra-Chron Diver. Here is where we pick up the linage of the 2022 reissued Ultra-Chron Diver. The contemporary Ultra-Chron Diver has been rendered in the same cushion-shaped case of a particular 1968 Ultra-Chron Diver, along with its striking red minutes hand. Looking to the unidirectional bezel next, we must acknowledge that Longines has placed a sapphire insert on it with Super-LumiNova so that the dive bezel remains legible in dimmer conditions. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Longines (@longines)

• READ MORE: The True Legacy of Longines

For the movement, Longines, in partnership with ETA, has developed the new calibre L836.6, which boasts a frequency of 5Hz. And in the spirit of the Ultra-Chron’s legacy, to show again that Longines’ is not simply blowing its own high-frequency horns, the new Ultra-Chron Diver has been chronometer-certified by TIMELAB, an independent entity that is also in charge of the Poinçon de Genève mark of excellence. TIMELAB subjects the timepiece to a series of tests over 15 days, through which the watch is measured for accuracy at three temperatures: 8°C, 23°C and 38°C. However, what sets TIMELAB apart from its contemporaries is that its certification is based on testing cased-up movements — actual watches. COSC, by way of contrast, confers its certification on base movements. 

For more watch reads, click here.

1962 was a special year for the cinematic world as it marked the debut of the James Bond series, which has since released 25 films starting with Dr. No and the most recent being No Time to Die. Throughout the illustrious history of 007, the British secret agent has transcended from being a fictitious character to a lifestyle where even the elements from the movies are as iconic as the man himself.

Of the numerous objects that have appeared in the movies, one would be remiss for not mentioning the Aston Martin DB5. The vehicle first appeared in Goldfinger and subsequently in seven more Bond films: Thunderball, GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, Casino Royale, Skyfall, Spectre and No Time to Die. However, out of the many movies, GoldenEye holds a special place for luxury watchmaker Omega.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by OMEGA (@omega)

• READ MORE: Watch Spotting: James Bond 25 Sees Daniel Craig with Omega Seamaster Professional Diver 300M

Since becoming the archetypal Bond watch in 1995, the Omega Seamaster Diver Professional timepiece has appeared on the wrists of James Bond character played by Pierce Brosnan and later Daniel Craig, who has been an ambassador of the brand throughout his time in the role of 007. Besides the titular character, Moneypenny played by Naomie Harris also joined the Omega family and is described as “delivering both elegance and female empowerment on and screen”.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by OMEGA (@omega)

The choice of casting Omega the Bond watch came from Oscar-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming who said, “I was convinced that Commander Bond, a naval man, a diver, and a discreet gentleman of the world would wear this watch.” And the rest is history. More recently, the current US President Joe Biden has on several occasions been seen wearing an Omega.

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the James Bond franchise, a brand new Seamaster has made its debut this week. Called the “Seamaster Diver 300m 60th Anniversary Edition”, the timepiece is a steel watch with no date display and comes with a mesh bracelet. What makes this watch so unique is its design style that calls to mind the first-ever Seamaster that appeared in GoldenEye. A blend of vintage with 90s stylistic codes, the new watch features an anodized aluminium blue bezel paired with an aluminium blue dial and the signature laser-engraved wave pattern. Reference to the 60th anniversary is apparent on the bezel as the traditional bezel pip or triangle at the 12’o clock shows the number “60”.

• READ MORE: Top 5 Luxury Omega Watches for Men in 2022 

Available in two editions: Stainless Steel and Canopus Gold. The former is powered by the Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 8806, while the latter is powered by the Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 8807. Crafted by the manufacture’s 18K Canopus Gold, the gold version’s dial is embedded with crystallites that pay tribute to the Jamaican flag — Ian Fleming’s estate in the country.

Lastly, on the caseback, the ultimate homage to the James Bond series is made. The movie’s iconic opening sequence with Bond in silhouette and a spinning gun barrel design takes centre stage, which is achieved by laser-engraving a single disk.

Speaking more about this special edition, Raynald Aeschlimann, President and CEO of Omega said, “Our partnership with EON Productions and James Bond is something totally unique within watchmaking. It’s a chance to be creative and have fun, while highlighting our qualities of style and reliability. We love to bring that partnership to life on nights like this.

Daniel Craig, who played the role of James Bond over five films said, “It’s been a joy for me to work with Omega in all the films since Casino Royale. James Bond is a character who likes the very best of everything, so it’s always made sense that he would wear something as beautiful and trustworthy as an Omega.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by OMEGA (@omega)

For more information about the Omega Seamaster Diver 300m 60th Anniversary Edition, click here.

For more watch reads, click here.

Launched as a special watchmaking exploration by the grand French luxury house, the Chanel Wanted Capsule Collection presents a series of watches that playfully and unapologetically place the House’s logo anywhere and everywhere possible. 

The collection begins with the J12 Highly Wanted de Chanel Box, which presents a set of six 38mm J12 timepieces in black ceramic with increasingly bold use of the maison’s logo all over the dial and bezel of the watches. Each watch is powered by Calibre 12.1, itself dressed for maximum fun, with a rotor set with 34 brilliant-cut diamonds. Diamonds aside, Calibre 12.1 is a serious movement with COSC certification and a commendable 70-hour power reserve. The six watches will be limited to five pieces each and can be purchased individually. 

• READ MORE: Star in Motion: Chanel J12 Diamond Tourbillon Calibre 5

Next on the list is the J12 Wanted de Chanel, which first comes in a 38mm glossy black ceramic execution with an otherwise blank dial and bezel save for the Chanel logo in large font sprawled across the watch face. The letters C and L fall onto the fixed bezel while the letters “HANE” land on the dial. The watch is also powered by Calibre 12.1. The next J12 Wanted de Chanel is a 33mm piece in white ceramic, featuring the Chanel logo repeated multiple times across the bezel and dial. 

The Première Wanted de Chanel follows, with the well-known Première case and bracelet endowed with letter-charms, which spell out the name “CHANEL”. Given the diminutive size of the timepiece (19.7mm x 15.2mm), this one is quartz-powered. 

• READ MORE: Chanel Red Edition Collection: Uncompromising Elegance

Fourth on the list features another famous form factor from the House of Chanel, the Code Coco Wanted de Chanel. Designed to look like the clasp of the 2.55 Chanel bag and capable of concealing the time when the hour at hand is immaterial, here the timepiece has been given the rock ‘n’ roll treatment with a black embossed calfskin strap showing off a set of palladium-treated letters (no prizes for guessing what they spell). 

Last but not least is the Boy·Friend Wanted de Chanel, which features the rectangular case fitted onto a black satin effect calfskin strap with, again, palladium-treated letters spelling out the brand name. The black-lacquered dial is interesting, with a pixelated design that is sure to remind you of the retro video game, Tetris. 

Collectors matter, and nowhere is that more evident than in the rocketing profile of Grand Seiko. The Japanese watchmaker was once a little-known secret — treasured by watch collectors, and unknown to most outside its home market. Grand Seiko got its start in 1960, and was only launched on the international stage in 2010 – it only became a full brand in its own right in 2017. The Seiko Watch Corporation itself never seriously pursued a marketing strategy for Grand Seiko beyond Japan, which means that those who got themselves hyped-up for a Grand Seiko watch had to do a lot of heavy lifting. Never mind having to travel to Tokyo in search of Grand Seiko watches because first you would have to know such watches existed. Imagine, if you will, having to learn about the watches, for which no materials were widely available in English.

To hear collectors tell it, it was a little like the wake of the international success of the anime Akira, which brought Japanese animation to worldwide attention. For international audiences wanting to explore the bewilderingly wide world of anime, disappointment followed because very few series and features received international distribution. Anime fan communities did their own distribution, even if it was in legally dubious territory. They even did their own subtitles for select series and films.

ˆThe problem for Grand Seiko was not only external though, as Seiko Watch Corporation (SWC) President and Grand Seiko Asia-Pacific Chairman Akio Naito told the Financial Times earlier this year. “The perception among our employees was that Grand Seiko didn’t have a strong characteristic, like Richard Mille or Hublot,” said Naito. “It wasn’t eye-catching. Our own people almost gave up promoting the brand.” When we first spoke with Naito in 2021, he had just been appointed to his role at SWC, but had been responsible for Grand Seiko in both North America and Europe since 2018. He told us that he knew, first-hand, the difficulties for the collector’s favourite in these regions. After all, that Grand Seiko watches were so highly regarded outside Japan had everything to do with how collectors had been talking them up, and almost nothing to do with how SWC was marketing them.

The editors of this magazine had already noticed this by 2005, because if one wanted to feature Grand Seiko watches at that time, it was necessary to shoot them at BaselWorld (the now-defunct global watch fair that Seiko and all its imprints used to show at). We know this today because we have an archive of press kits, and there is nothing on Grand Seiko from that time; I also know this from experience, having spoken with the WOW photographers in 2008 at BaselWorld. This is not to suggest that Grand Seiko was an afterthought for SWC, by any means, as Naito reminded us in our most recent conversation with him. “When Grand Seiko was born in 1960, it was meant to be the (maker of the) best timepieces ever from Seiko at that time. A Grand Seiko watch had to be the most precise… the most legible… and the most durable for everyday use. In all these aspects, Grand Seiko had to be the ultimate.”

In this respect, it is possible that Grand Seiko is, DNA-wise, no different to than it was in 1960. What has changed though, is the rise of executives such as Naito, who recognise that the horological world might just be Grand Seiko’s oyster. We discussed this, the brand’s 2022 novelties, and the beginning of Grand Seiko’s direct engagement with the Asia-Pacific region in our conversation. We will launch directly into that from here, as it is quite long. For a bit of background on Naito, we recommend our own story on him from last year, as well as that FT article we referenced above.

• READ MORE: Seiko President Akio Naito on Making the Sports Watch Work for Grand Seiko

Congratulations on the SLGT003G Kodo, the first complication from Grand Seiko! Did the Kodo name come from the nature of the watch and did you have the sound of the watch in mind when you were developing it.

Well, I think you (and your readers) are already familiar with the technical designer who designed
(SLGT003G) Kodo, who used to be a professional guitarist. [Naito is referring to Takuma Kawauchiya,
who received the 2022 GPHG Chronometry Prize with him in Geneva for the Kodo – Ed]. He was a
musician before he joined Seiko, or Grand Seiko, and it took him more than seven years from (the
movement’s) inception to come up with the prototype movement T0. And he was, from the very
beginning, very particular, about the sound that the watch creates. He paid special attention to, you
know, the watch making a particular sound. Therefore, the name Kodo or heartbeat was from the
very beginning the nickname that he and the team had in mind. 

Right, so I suppose the connection with the taiko drum is also intentional. 

Yeah, it was of course intentional. So we were not just creating a complication watch (for the sake of
making a watch with a high complication), the very first Grand Seiko complication watch, but for the
image or the concept of a particular technical construction; the sound it made was very, very
important for the person who created the watch. 

So, of course we were asked by the media (and) the Grand Seiko fans when the brand would come up with a complication model… and for quite some time we were on that kind of quest. Of course, technologically we were capable of producing a Grand Seiko complication model, but we wanted to create a (true) Grand Seiko complication. It had to be in line with the brand’s DNA; it had to be accurate in terms of the precision of the movement, and (have excellent) legibility and durability. When all these necessary criteria for the brand were met, we thought we were ready to unveil the first Grand Seiko complication model, and that happened to be the (SLGT003G) Kodo.

• READ MORE: Grand Seiko Spring Drive Chronograph: Two-tone Appeal

Does this signify a change for Grand Seiko?

Well, I don’t say it’s a change or transition; I would call it evolution. The complication model Kodo reflects the DNA of the brand, and we believe that even though the dial or the look of the watch seems complicated or crowded, but it can still tell the time (very clearly)… legibility is something our engineers try to achieve (despite the look of the complication). So the DNA or the prerequisites of the brand have not been lost in coming up with the complication model.

Will there now be fewer quartz models? What other things might we expect in future?

Well, just like (our progress with) mechanical movements, we have been making progress with quartz. You know, in terms of research and development the same thing can be said of Spring Drive too. Our engineers have been painstakingly working on the progress of how we can make the Spring Drive movement better in various aspects of its technology… So yes, we will be coming up with something new in future.

(One the matter of) quartz for Grand Seiko, which we call the 9F movement (for example), that is not a conventional quartz, obviously. And we have put particular emphasis on creating an ultimate quartz (movement) and this is the 9F movement, under the Grand Seiko brand. Just like mechanical movements or Spring Drive movements, we are still working on quartz technology. As the very first brand (Seiko) to come up with the quartz watch in 1969, we think we are responsible for improving quartz technology even further into the future.

What other complications might Grand Seiko pursue? 

Well, for the high-end, you know the higher price-range watches, I think we have a few ideas on complication models in future. I think our Grand Seiko fans demand some iconic or interesting sports models. That’s something we’ve been working on.

So in future we will certainly come up with more complication models, and more sports models. We have a history of pursuing accuracy (goals) under Grand Seiko, so you know Kodo is of course, one example of accuracy. It is the achievement of accuracy through the tourbillon and constant force mechanism, but other than that we are, or have been, also pursuing accuracy from the technological perspective [meaning how much time a watch gains or loses, versus an atomic clock for example – Ed]. 

So when we succeed in achieving a new level of accuracy with a mechanical movement, that would be the time when we will unveil another interesting and innovative product.

If you could define it in a few words, what’s the vision of the sports watch as far as Grand Seiko is concerned?

Yes, actually that is a very important subject that has been debated internally within Grand Seiko. As you say [in our full conversation, which has been edited to remove our own comments – Ed], we have a long history or heritage in Seiko, with Seiko divers for example, of sports timekeeping. But for Grand Seiko we did not really have that kind of a historical icon.

So how can we create a new Grand Seiko that is appealing to our fans that is faithful to our brand’s DNA? This is the internal debate.

I would say luxury sports is one category of watches sought-after by many fans in the watch community. But I’m not quite sure how we can realize luxury sports under the Grand Seiko label. That is one challenge that we have.

We look forward to seeing how Grand Seiko addresses that challenge! Moving on, how was the Watches and Wonders Geneva experience for Grand Seiko?

Well as you know, we have attended BaselWorld for many, many years. And it was an important platform, both for Grand Seiko and Seiko, but with the changes in the business, the community, and then COVID… This made it very difficult for us to communicate with our fans all over the world (in a physical global event). We were fortunate enough to be able to join Watches and Wonders Geneva for the first time as, you know, a brand from Asia to showcase our new releases at that platform. And we were extremely happy with the feedback and reactions we received through that new trade fair. We are confident, especially with the trade and consumers in Europe, because we were able to draw the attention of European retailers and European watch fans as a result of the fair.

• READ MORE: Shirakaba Beauty: Grand Seiko SLGH005

Is Grand Seiko keeping pace with the increasing demand for fine timepieces? How do you handle the balance between being able to create the kinds of pieces that you want to be able to create, while also being able to supply people and keep them happy?

Well to the first part of the question, in the last five to six years, we have been experiencing tremendous growth of Grand Seiko as a brand, especially outside of Japan. Take the US for example; between 2016 and 2021, for a period of five years, the brand has grown more than 11 times in terms of what it was (in that market prior to 2016).

And with the brand becoming so well known, not just among the core watch aficionados, but among wider watch community, I think that influence reached other English-speaking countries or the markets where people look at watch content in English. And now is the time for us to develop the brand in English-speaking Asian markets like Singapore!

On the second question, yes, of course, as a brand from a commercial entity we have to chase both short-term gains and long-term gains. And sometimes these two may conflict with each other. If we are too hasty to satisfy the demand which is growing all over the world, then it may damage the long-term healthy development of the brand. That is always a very important management decision we have to face. So far I think we have been able to hit a good balance.

In the Asia-Pacific region, will you be applying lessons that you have learned from the US market?

Yes, well when I first arrived in the US in 2016, one of the issues that I faced was how I could develop or set up a team of experts who are experienced in the luxury watch business. I was fortunate enough to recruit those people who were capable of making use of their experience to develop Grand Seiko. That was 2018. In Europe, I took a similar strategy, recruiting people who are capable of growing Grand Seiko. That was 2020. [In both the US and Europe, Naito managed the split between the Seiko and Grand Seiko – Ed]. Now it is time for us to do the same thing in the Asian market.

We decided to create Grand Seiko Asia and recruited capable management to handle the brand. Because we are looking at a totally different distribution and totally different audience for Grand Seiko compared to Seiko, it is necessary for us to make use of separate sorts of expertise and a separate management team. This is so that Grand Seiko can be fully developed.

For more watch reads, click here.

Franck Muller design language, just like art, is open to one’s interpretation; a Franck Muller watch is a canvas on which the watchmaker expresses its joie de vivre and mastery of craft. Suffice to say, whenever the Swiss watchmaker announces a new design, the world of horology sits up and pays attention.

This design language is perfectly exemplified in the Vanguard Skeleton Color Dreams, now available as a Southeast Asia exclusive. Described as “putting colours on your wrist”, the eight colours of the famous Franck Muller Color Dreams collection are featured, available in a trio of different variants for this iteration. It’s like psychedelia came to life in a timepiece.

At first glance, the watch sports complicated good looks. The pop colours, the criss-cross bridges and the visible movement underneath convey a sense of complexity. But there is a simplicity that these complex elements achieve. These are classic Franck Muller aesthetic touches rebuilt from the ground up for this year’s iteration of the Color Dreams series. The Vanguard Skeleton Color Dreams, designed as a skeleton watch from the outset, puts the movement on show from both sides of the watch (via the exhibition caseback).

Dial-side, the satin-finished, anodised aluminium bridges of the movement are secured directly to the inner case, machined precisely to fit the curved case, revealing the manually wound mechanical movement inside.

These plates and bridges are coloured in signature hues through the process of electrolytic anodisation, which requires the special manufacture of components in aluminium, instead of the traditionally used brass or nickel silver. It should be noted that each component needs to be treated separately to achieve the different colours here, which is remarkable. Skeletonisation has the effect in the Vanguard Skeleton Color Dreams of relegating the minute numerals to the flange, with the trademark oversized numerals entirely absent. Working double-time to ensure legibility here are the hour and minute hands, which are in different colours. Running seconds is likewise marked by a hand in a different colour, in a subdial with a yellow track at 6 o’clock.

This mechanical wonder is encased in the new, lightweight V 43 case made of CarboTech, a synthesised carbon fibre material. There is also the added benefit of no two Vanguard Skeleton Color Dreams being exactly the same. The striations on each piece, created by the compression of the carbon fibre, results in differing patterns on each watch. Notably here, each case is hand-buffed, adding a bit of traditional watchmaking charm.

To conclude here, the Vanguard Skeleton Color Dreams is the latest addition to a collection inextricably tied to Franck Muller. The first Color Dreams watches were born from the brand’s passions, rooted in the founder’s obsessions, colliding in a burst of creativity. The Color Dreams watch was a canvas for a rainbow display accentuated by iconic oversized hour markers, and gave rise to various creative executions. It was always about celebrating time, and the Vanguard Skeleton Color Dreams is perhaps the purest watchmaking expression of this spirit.

For more watch reads, click here.

The relationship between timekeeping and flying is hardly straightforward, in the way that the dive watch is inextricably linked with the activity for which it is named. At the very start though, precise timing was key, if only to prove a point: establishing evidence for the first sustained powered flight. As every child learns, this was Orville Wright’s flight of just 12 seconds in 1903, which was just about 12 seconds longer than anyone else had managed; his brother Wilbur made an attempt days before that lasted just three seconds. The press was unimpressed by the duration, at first, but people eventually came around, but we relate this only to note that timing was important, even if not functionally vital. 

This being a watch magazine, many of you, dear readers, will hasten to remind us (we can imagine the gears of your minds turning) that aviation requires a fair bit of navigating and that means the longitude factor will be as important to pilots as it is sailors. It has not escaped our attention, rest assured. This is the reason we crown our selection of timepieces with the Breitling AOPA Navitimer, and a note about the slide rule that the brand introduced, which served as a sort of wrist computer for pilots. 

On that note, let us also head off the notion that the wristwatch itself was (partly) attributable to the needs of pilots. No doubt you clever folks will have immediately thought of Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont and Cartier. Well, this story takes off quite a bit later, with commercial air travel, but the romance of flying remains part of the story, even if it remains in the background. Obviously, we are looking beyond traditional pilot’s watches here. 

Images are also a problem here, with many of the watches in our selection having simple “soldier” style shots, or are courtesy of the auction house Phillips, and as such are standardised “semi-soldier” shots. Certain pieces, such as the Concorde watch do not have print-quality images at all, while Tudor has not shared images of the Air France models. Where images are small, it is because that is the best we could find. 

Speaking of background information, we reserve space here in this introduction for the Rolex GMT-Master (below), which is probably the world’s most famous symbol of the relationship between watch brands and commercial airliners. This watch debuted in 1955 as civil aviation came into its own, and soon became the official watch of Pan American World Airways (better known as Pan-Am). In 1959, the pilot of the first Pan-Am New York to Moscow wore a GMT-Master watch, which reportedly performed a vital navigation function on said flight. 

Functionality was a major factor for timepieces from early on, and in the 1950s, found its apotheosis in the Breitling for AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) watches. As Eric Wind, owner of vintage watch shop Wind Vintage and watch expert said, “The AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) and Breitling collaborated on the production of a trailblazing chronograph watch so the early Navitimers had the AOPA logo; some only had the AOPA logo, with no mention of Breitling on the dial. Breitling designed the Navitimer for use by pilots in the 1950s with a slide rule for making intricate calculations and a 24-hour dial timepiece named the Cosmonaute ended up going to space on the wrist of astronaut Scott Carpenter in 1962. There are also some Vulcain watches introduced with the TWA logo in the 1960s and 1970s.” 

Neither Breitling nor Rolex made watches co-branded with airlines in the above examples, which contrasts strongly against Vulcain, but this is besides the point, which is glamour and adventure. A life of freedom, if you will, by flying the friendly skies. It was a simpler time for air travel, clearly, and the watches that played their parts in that era remain unblemished by all the chaos of the decades since then. Watch collectors have been turning their attention to these vintage pieces, which in turn inspired this story. The historical models chosen here all have very specific stories tied to them, and all are unavailable without some effort or special access. 

“Watches with an aviation and space history and connection have always had a fascination for collectors and I expect they will always be desired in one way or another. This is where watchmaking and aviation industries need to work together by finding innovative ways in order to stay relevant,” said Wind. Clearly there is an idea lurking about that there is a future for this sort of co-branded venture. We found just one current venture, discounting the limited edition AOPA Breitling pieces, which is one more than we were expecting, if we are honest… 

On that note, the writers acknowledge a debt to both the experts consulted for this story, including auction houses, and the original Hodinkee story published in 2021 that features many of the same models.

Concorde Air France Quartz Plastic Watch

Developed together by Air France and British Airways, the Concorde opened a whole new era of air travel through its supersonic capacity that made it possible to reach world’s major cities in the shortest time. It reigned in the sky from 1976 to 2003, and might be making a comeback. However that pans out, the most unforgettable moment of Concorde happened to be in 1996 when it safely completed the journey between New York and London in two hours, 52 minutes and 59 seconds. So, this inherently disposable watch is an ironically famous bit of memorabilia that brings back the memory of those days straight away. Anything related to Concorde is invaluable and collectable because of what it stood for—a technological feat in the field of commercial aviation. If you can get a version that works, where the battery was removed for safety’s sake, it might be worth your time. 

• READ MORE: Supersonic Travel Is Within Reach With the New Overture Aircraft

Breitling AOPA Navitimer

Shared goals between partners lead to incredible milestones, or at least they can, as evidenced with Breitling and the AOPA nearly 70 years ago. In 1952, the Swiss watch manufacturer started working on the Navitimer for the AOPA, to the organisation’s requirements. Nevertheless, it took two more years for Breitling to launch the Navitimer with a slide rule and finally introduced it with the AOPA logo at 12 o’clock on a black dial in 1954. The same year, it was declared the official watch by the AOPA for its members with the word Breitling being conspicuously (to contemporary eyes) absent. The 1956 41mm Breitling Navitimer ref. 806 with slide rule had both logos present. It proved to be the ideal wrist companion for both military and civilian pilots in the 1950s and 1960s. To this day, the old Navitimer remains an iconic tool watch thanks to its Venus 178 movement, beaded bezel and Mark II white-painted. 

Hence, early Navitimer timepieces were solely tailored for the American aviation industry, including the famed 1959 version that was reissued in 2019, and the current crop of Navitimers that all pay tribute to the 50th anniversary of the watch. As of this year, the number of Navitimer references produced since 1952 stands at more than 40, making this the most successful of all the watches featured in this story. 

The unsigned versions of the watch with the AOPA logo that were powered by the Valjoux 72 calibre were only in production from 1954 to 1955. Reportedly, these traded on the open market even then so non-AOPA members may have started wearing them already. Interestingly, these early models did not have reference numbers mentioned anywhere on them, making them extremely rare and prized by collectors. 

• READ MORE: Breitling Aviation Scholarship Celebrates Navitimer’s 70th Anniversary

SAS Universal Genève Polarouter

The 36mm Polerouter ref. 20217-6 stainless steel timepiece bearing the SAS (Scandinavian Airlines System) logo on the dial was designed by Gerald Genta for Universal Genève when he was just 23 years old. Regarded as one of his most important watch designs, it was launched by the watch manufacturer in order to commemorate SAS’ first direct polar flight from Copenhagen to Los Angeles in 1954. The route required anti-magnetic timepieces (for which Universal Genève was the go-to-watch brand back then) since SAS flights had to fly directly over the North Pole to reduce the distance between these two cities. Soon after this historic moment, Universal Genève became the sole supplier of chronometers and anti-magnetic watches to SAS. In fact, the initial pieces were distributed among pilots and crew members as soon as the flight landed at LAX on 15 November 1954. 

Powered by the calibre 138 bumper automatic movement, the watch is a collectable piece, for obvious reasons, including that movement. It is also notable for its lyre lugs, a solid case and a simple silvered dial. According to Adam Hambly, a seasoned expert on Polerouters, there are only 150 examples of verified SAS-signed examples today. In 1955, Universal Genève changed the model name from Polarouter to Polerouter. Sadly, Universal Genève is defunct now. 

Tudor Prince Oysterdate Reference 74000N Philippines Airlines

Collectors will not be surprised that Rolex and Tudor have a history of filling corporate orders, and thus creating models that are unavailable to the general public. While we do not have an example of Rolex working with an airline with a co-branded watch, we do know about the Domino’s Pizza logo on the dial of an Air-King watch made for the pizza chain in the 1970s that still resonates with collectors. No, we are talking here about the Tudor Prince Oysterdate reference 74000N, with the logo of the Philippines Airlines (PAL) on the dial at 6 o’clock. The geometric palette of the logo placed on the silvered dial gels well with the overall look of the 34mm watch, which is powered by calibre 2824-3.

It is believed that PAL offered this watch to its employees after they completed 25 years in service to the airlines from the 1980s. There is another Tudor reference, the Oysterdate ref. 9101/01, that was produced with the name and logo of Philippine Airlines circa 1979. 

Such watches are hardly accessible through normal retail channels, making them even more desirable. A quick check on secondary sales sites shows that prices are not out-of-reach by any means.

• READ MORE: Tudor Black Bay Pro: New Crown

Air France Tudor Black Bay 58 Blue and Black Bay Gmt

While Rolex is no longer making very many special editions, if any, Tudor continues to do so, as seen in a couple of stunners for Air France. There is not much information on this relationship, or on the Black Bay 58 and Black Bay GMT models specifically. While these certainly exist, the exact details are cobbled together from purely speculative sources, besides the Hodinkee story. Nevertheless, it is perhaps unsurprising that Tudor aligned with Air France to produce the Black Bay GMT Ref.79830RB-00AF with “Pepsi” bezel in aluminium and Black Bay 58 Blue Ref.79030B-00AF, both in 2020. Only 300 pieces of Black Bay GMT with calibre MT5652 were made (supposedly) while only 100 pieces of Black Bay 58 Blue with calibre MT5402 were produced (supposedly) and they were all sold to the flight members of Air France albeit at a discounted rate. Whether this is borne out in the exact details, these models are certainly unavailable to the general public, and are not currently listed for sale on any reputable pre-owned shops.

Seiko ANA 7S26-0620 

This one is a real treat because it was actually available to the public, and it was designed and developed in cooperation with ANA pilots in 2003. It was made available through the in-flight catalogue of ANA (All Nippon Airways) in 2004 so those who want to go hunting for the model can start there. As far as we can tell, it was only available that year. Notable here is the ANA logo at 9 o’clock, which balances out the day and date displays; yes that is a Kanji day wheel, which of course is highly desirable and very distinctive, as if we even have to say it. The ANA logo is also stamped on the left side of the case. 

Obviously, passengers flying on ANA flights were able to book their orders for this particular watch, and it does appear on some pre-owned specialist sites. Powered by the in-house 7S26 movement, this 40mm from Seiko is typical for the brand. Its popularity also quadrupled thanks to the Japanese Kanji date wheel. As a result, it was hard to find making it the cult favourite watch. I’m sure all this will be enough to stir up watch lovers’ curiosity for it. 

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

Fossil Southwest 50th Anniversary Watch

Last year, Southwest Airlines teamed up with Fossil to celebrate its 50th anniversary, the airliner being founded in 1971. As part of this collaborative alliance, 1,971 units were produced with the logo of the airline on the dials and casebacks. Each Retro Pilot Chronograph watch comes in a tin box in the blue colour of Southwest Airlines. There are possibly two versions to get into. One is a 44mm watch with a blue dial with a blue leather strap and a 36mm one that boasts a silver dial with contrasting details and 

a blue leather strap. The crowns of both watches are decked up in the blue, red and yellow of Southwest Airlines. Amazingly, the leather straps of both watches have been constructed from recycled seats of the airlines, further underscoring what a pivotal role the watch industry can play in addressing the sustainability crisis. Well, however you feel about that message, it is a nice touch to have the watches secured by something viscerally tied to the heritage of the airline. 

For more watch reads, click here.

On the heels of the success of the Bell & Ross BR-05 range, the firm follows up by levelling up with the 41mm BR-X5. While the BR-05 marked Bell & Ross’ first move away from the world of professional tool watches, the BR-X5 reveals entirely new ambitions. Indeed you can tell everything important about the BR-X5 watch by examining it closely. This includes a new three-part case structure but it is important to start here with the engine. This is an automatic time-only watch with date and power reserve indicator; a full wind feeds calibre BR-CAL.323 with energy for more than 70 hours, approximately. What you cannot see is that this movement is COSC-certified and enables Bell & Ross to offer a five-year warranty, and now the combination of details (and perhaps phrasing) might be speaking to you.

So, while it looks very much like a line extension for the BR-05, it is actually designed quite literally to appeal to collectors who have always wanted a manufacture movement in Bell & Ross’ core collection. Brand founders Carlos Rosillo and Bruno Bellamich confirmed to us twice — first obliquely at a press conference in KL, Malaysia, and then directly when we spoke with them the next day. In fact, Rosillo talked specifically about offering a Bell & Ross watch for enthusiasts who did not want anything powered by an ETA or Selita standard calibre. Instead, what we have here with the BR-X5 is a made-to-order calibre from none other than Kenissi.

• READ MORE: Bell & Ross BR 05 Artline: Streamlined Appeal

On one level, this is unsurprising given the relationship Chanel has with both Kenissi (it owns a stake in the specialist firm) and Bell & Ross, where the luxury bastion had an important role in the founding of the watchmaking brand. To address a popular theory, the founders of Bell & Ross noted clearly that they wanted a specially made calibre so Kenissi did not just use some old stock they had, say from the discounted Tudor North Flag.

About the case and variants, there are three different options, with up to five versions (depending on how one defines this, according to Rosillo), with the ice blue dial variant in steel being particularly fetching. On the other hand, the orange and black version in forged carbon, titanium and steel showcases the new multipart case structure to best effect. As you might expect, this is the most expensive version of the BR-X5, as compared with the BR-05. It is a somewhat conservative jump, things considered. All versions are water-resistant to 100m. The versions with rubber straps are S$9,700, while the bracelet options are S$10,500. The final orange piece is S$16,700.

For more watch reads, click here.

A new chapter begins for CODE41 as it unveils its latest timepiece: Mecascape. This new watch class takes an atypical form where it is neither a watch nor a clock. But what it represents is the brand’s constant push for innovation and an amalgamation of beauty and precision as it has been designed according to the Golden Ratio and the Fibonacci sequence. The result is a new architectural vision of time, space, volume and light — a handy, portable travel desk clock to remind one of home constantly.

Starting from its name, Mecascape is a contraction for “mechanical” and “landscape”. Despite a break away from traditional watchmaking endeavours, CODE41 still manages to achieve a delicate balance and harmony for its latest creation. Cut from grade 5 titanium, the timepiece’s movement is flat and measures up to only 7mm. The mechanical complications are on full display like the balance, escapement and all the gears for the wears to admire. This open-worked aesthetic has since become synonymous with the brand’s six watch collections: ANOMALY01 & ANOMALY02, DAY41, X41, ANOMALY Evolution, NB24 and ANOMALY-T4.

• READ MORE: CODE41’s NB24, the Chronograph Watch That Everyone Is Fighting Over

Reading time is easy with the Mecascape. The sundials showing the hour, minute, seconds, a second time zone and its power reserve have been positioned intuitively to show the interconnectedness of the different components. Two small knurled crowns are placed on either side of the Mecascape to allow the wearer to set time and the timepiece to be wound mechanically. To round off, a small push button on the side sets the date, and the timepiece has an eight-day power reserve.

Mecascape is encased by an anti-reflective sapphire crystal, and the caseback is in solid grade 5 titanium. A small opening on the back allows the wearer to peek into the moving parts of the timepiece. Created in collaboration with the independent watchmaking workshop Cercle des Horlogers, the workshop expertly handled the technical difficulties of making the watch. From the unprecedented dimensions to the complex calibration process and structural integrity. Accompanying the Mecascape are two accessories: a metal stand that allow it to be positioned vertically and a travel case made of high-quality Italian leather lined with microfibre. 

Speaking more about the Mecaspace, Claudio D’Amore, founder and CEO of CODE41 said, “My idea for the Mecascape goes back to 2009, more than 12 years ago. Today, after having founded CODE41, given birth to six collections, and dedicated five years of focused development to the project, the time has come, the maturity and the means too, to give birth to the first Mecascape. I knew, with the team, from the outset that we were working on something really special. An ambitious and daring project in every sense of the word. Translating my vision into a unique and original watch object was a real collective challenge, and we are all very proud of the result. Working with time from all angles (and that’s the right word here) has rarely been so rewarding.”

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

The birth of the Mecascape is a testament to CODE41’s vision of creating ingenious timepieces that breaks the mould of traditional watchmaking. “To acquire a Mecascape is to enter a different, unique and intimate universe. It means adhering to an original vision of ultra-contemporary and independent watchmaking. It is to let yourself be guided by a state of mind that explores new territories of technical and aesthetic expression, evoking new emotions,” as mentioned in the press release.

Head over to CODE41’s website here to learn more about the Mecascape.

For more watch reads, click here.

You may not believe me when I tell you that I have never interviewed a CEO in his office. That means outside of watchmaking too. Even during the various pandemic lockdowns, the interviews were done over the Internet but the CEOs themselves were working from home. Why should this be? Well, most watch brand bosses do the rounds with the press at watch fairs, when they visit markets, or on junkets. This all means that you are more likely to interview a watch brand representative at a hotel, in a hidden antechamber next to some mad party, or on a yacht in the South Pacific than you are to do the same at the manufacture.

The office space of a firm’s CEO is the inner sanctum — space that outsiders and those who do not have business with the top brass are excluded. Journalists are certainly not meant to be there, even watch specialists for whom someone like Parmigiani Fleurier CEO Guido Terreni is a star. Well, this interview is a first for this journalist, having taken place at Terreni’s office at the manufacture in Fleurier.

Our previous interview with Terreni — also our first meeting — was last year, after he took over as CEO. While changes in models and collections are quite normal in this type of situation, Terreni moved with great speed to launch the Tonda PF, a collection that has generated more buzz for the brand than any other I can recall. As for retail partners, a number of specialist titles have reported that the brand’s order books are full till at least next year, and possibly beyond for some models.

Given that the watch market is currently experiencing unparalleled growth (even as inflationary pressures grow, and Chinese demand remains contained within China), extraordinary demand for Parmigiani Fleurier watches might seem like a bit of non-news. On the contrary though, this brand, with what Terreni calls a quiet soul, does not grab much attention. Perhaps more than a few of you were surprised to learn the King Charles III has favoured a Parmigiani Fleurier since his days as the Prince of Wales. Of course, His Majesty is no IG superstar and cannot be expected to drive interest in a watch like social media messiahs can.

That might be as Parmigiani Fleurier prefers it, but its Tonda PF has proven to be such a hit that the force of its appeal is organically elevating the brand. Terreni attributes this, partly, to the enormous wellspring of goodwill that collectors and the industry have towards Parmigiani Fleurier. He even recalls that his former colleagues at Bulgari — where he headed up the watchmaking division for a decade — not only wished him well when he announced his departure, but also the brand. “I don’t know if it’s because Michel Parmigiani is so humble, and is a kind person, or maybe because we are not arrogant in pushing the product and distribution. Parmigiani Fleurier is a gentle brand.”

Parmigiani Fleurier is indeed an understated brand, and even its showcase at Watches and Wonders Geneva reflected this. Terreni is aghast at some of the excesses seen at the show, with “palaces” in place to create a spectacle, despite the fact that some of the brands in question cannot even take orders because they are struggling to meet demand. “I do not think I should put a lot of money into the stand at Watches and Wonders; I prefer to put it into the watches.” That said, the Tonda PF collection in particular is experiencing a surge in demand that puts the brand in a tight spot, which is where our conversation properly takes off.

• READ MORE: Parmigiani’s New CEO: Why Restoration Is A Black Belt Skill

The Tonda PF Is Doing Extremely Well, and We Hear You Are Sold Out for Everything You Presented Last Year. What’s the Situation Now?

Well, it depends on the reference; some new orders (for 2023) we can deliver by November, others by January (next year). As for the 2022 watches, we will probably deliver half (of all received orders) this year — we want to deliver more but the demand is overwhelming and we cannot keep up. Already before Watches and Wonders, we had great orders (for the Tonda PF from last year, which remains in the collection so continues to receive orders) and it has resulted in amazing growth… but it’s not a strategic way of doing scarcity on purpose. This is not who we are. We would love that everyone who wants a Tonda PF can get one, because we are the first who would like to see more of our watches on the wrists of our audience. 

[This massive demand situation] is not a problem because it allows us to be more precise in our distribution. It allows us to do more and deliver watches to people [and partners] who are building the brand. So we will be reducing distribution but not in Singapore because we just started [again], now with Cortina and Sincere; I had a great meeting with Jeremy Lim (CEO of Cortina Watch) and he was extremely happy [with the partnership]… it was a very, very promising meeting [and we are] looking forward to doing business together in a very qualitative way. I was very happy to have met him with such an offer that he could understand. So in the future, [Parmigiani Fleurier] will be very coherent, very clean and not overdoing things [in the sense of the design and the substance of the watches]. So, not too many references, and that will keep the value of the watches very, very high. 

• READ MORE: Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF: A New Chapter For The Manufacture

Does Parmigiani Fleurier Factor After-market Prices Into This?

(Terreni pulls up a certain famous after-market dealer’s website to demonstrate where the Tonda PF is now, simultaneously demonstrating his point on the need to reduce some distribution!) So you see it is between 50-100 per cent above retail, and this is new for us. Parmigiani Fleurier always had a problem in keeping the value (over time), but that’s due to the fact that probably the brand got a bit lost in the last decade and didn’t have a true value proposition in terms of what was the vision. So my first job was really let’s put the values of the brand at the heart of the brand, [which is the watchmaking]. It is a lot about [watchmaking] competence, cultural colour, and knowledge, because of the restoration expertise of Michel Parmigiani himself. And that means there is a lot of understatement because Michel is extremely humble and not loud, not showy. So, these two values, knowledge and competence, have been interpreted (to match what) a gentleman today would like to wear. 

And this is where the sports watch aesthetic comes in? 

Of course, we are moving towards more informal dressing… From how we dress, how we behave when we are with people; there’s less etiquette now than there was before so it’s clear that a sporty watch has become the most coveted because it’s more or less adapted to being impeccably informal. In my opinion, the evolution of tastes in timepieces in the next decade will go towards watches that are more refined. I don’t see that big chunky watches have a big future so (brands) who have that as a core value proposition should be worried, okay. To have refined informality that is elegant and not loud, rich in watchmaking value like we’re doing is not easy because it’s not about extravagance. You have to be subtle and minimal in your ideas and execution, a bit like our GMT Rattrapante. It is so pure and so simple that you ask yourself, why did nobody do it before? This is in line with subtlety and elegance. It is understated because it is there, but not there, like the Grain d’orge (used for the quietest finishing touch with guilloche in the Tonda PF) you know. These are the values that are now behind the brand. To answer your question on value, this all adds up into an experience which preserves the value of the watches. The rest depends on how much we push…and how we bring the watches to the market.

• READ MORE: Parmigiani Fleurier Embraces Stealth With Their Latest Release

Speaking of Subtlety, How Do You Manage That in Something Like the Tonda PF Skeleton?

When you look at skeleton watches in the market, they are not always designed as a whole watch. Too many designers of watches are looking at the watch in a fragmented way, not as a whole object. Often you have people who are designing the movement, who are only designing the movement. They are creating contrasts in the movement… so maybe the barrel is in gold and the bridges are nacre treated. And then you add the hands and now you cannot read the time — unless there is even more contrast. What we wanted was to have a very, very homogeneous background so you can read the time, because the beauty of the mechanics is there, but it is not that only the mechanics has to do all the work of making the watch beautiful. We have gone with something all-black; even the rubies are black, not to have a red disturbing you, when you read the time. In a blink of an eye. Our job is to make the experience of the customer seamless and comfortable in reading the time. And even in a complication or in a skeleton, you must never lose track of the fact that you have two hands that have to stand out more than all the rest of the information. 

So Telling the Time Is Still Important, at This Level?

If you don’t read the time on your watch, why do you have it on your wrist? Okay, it is not the only reason… like you don’t buy a Ferrari to get you from A to B. Yes it can do that, but in a different way…something luxurious and refined. To have a watch that is your companion, you have to have pleasure in reading the time. 

Finally Then, What Is Your Perspective on Design? Are Watchmakers Themselves Not the Best Designers of Watches?

True icons in watchmaking design are rarely created by those who are completely outside watchmaking. I don’t think that you can dissociate the design from the technical side, because you have to understand what is the potential of [any given watchmaking] technique. Okay, I think you have to blend [aesthetics and technical qualities] and each of them, these two souls, they have to understand each other. That doesn’t mean that they don’t have to challenge each other, but they have to understand each other. There has to be communication between them. The technical side should not impose a constraint — they have to work on the constraints that the designer sets. If a designer has an intuition, and the technical side says it’s not feasible, I don’t accept this. At the same time, the designer has to understand what the technical side can and cannot do. Both sides need to circumnavigate issues and find ways out [of creative roadblocks]. Maybe you make a concession here or there, but without taking away the soul of the designer’s intuition.

For more reads on leaders, click here.

For decades, Rolex watches have appeared on the wrists of many protagonists in iconic films. In one of its first few appearances on the silver screen, Sean Connery donned a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner in the first Bond film, Dr. No, in 1962. This same watch would accompany Bond on his adventures through three more instalments, namely From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, and Thunderball.

From then on, Rolex became a staple timepiece in the world of cinema. Paul Newman sported an Oyster Perpetual Datejust in The Color of Money; Robert Redford checked the time on an Oyster Perpetual Submariner in All the President’s Men; Marlon Brando menaced us out of the shadows while wearing an Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master in Apocalypse Now; Bill Paxton sported a gold Oyster Perpetual Submariner Date in Titanic; and Eddie Murphy wore an Oyster Perpetual Datejust in The Distinguished Gentlemen, famously quipping in one scene, “Oh, another Rolex! I collect these, mine is a slightly older model!”

These are just four examples out of a veritable roster of Rolex appearances in films, many of them considered as classics in the world of cinema. Show, don’t tell, the film axiom goes. And Rolex watches portrayed fortitude in these characters, conveying a sense of toughness and control, along with a sophisticated sense of style.

The relationship between Rolex and cinema is a long-standing one, extending far beyond the brand’s appearances on the big screen. The brand has been equally busy behind the camera in supporting and uplifting the film industry. This is the area where Rolex’s relationship with the film industry has its deepest roots.

Rolex encourages the preservation and transmission of the cinematic arts, promotes excellence and celebrates progress by accompanying living legends as well as budding talents through its Testimonees (Martin Scorsese and James Cameron), its partnership with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the institution, the awards and the Academy Museum in Los Angeles) and the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative.

• READ MORE: Rolex and its Timeless Connection to the Cinema

Rolex: Perpetuating the Art of Filmmaking

Recognising the importance of preserving these records of bygone, albeit recent, eras, Rolex has dedicated itself to the preservation of film history for future generations. This commitment is realised in two ways.

First, Rolex is a Founding Supporter of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, the world’s premier institution dedicated to the art and science of movies and home to the Rolex Gallery. The Academy Museum offers exhibits and programmes delving into the art, technology, history and social impact of cinema, telling the stories of moviemaking. Exhibitions from this year alone include the ongoing Stories of Cinema and The Oscars Experience, and tributes to filmmakers Hayao Miyazaki and Melvin van Peebles. These stories are celebratory and aim to tell the different aspects of cinematic history.

The Rolex Gallery, situated on the third floor, is a permanent exhibit dedicated to the many aspects of moviemaking — technology, artists, history and social impact and showcasing Paul Newman’s Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona.

The second is Rolex’s support for The Film Foundation, a non-profit organisation established in 1990 by legendary director and Rolex Testimonee Martin Scorsese, dedicated to protecting and preserving motion picture history. The legendary director of classics films Goodfellas, Raging Bull and Casino initiated the Film Foundation when he became aware of the poor state of film conservation, upon viewing a print of the 1955 Marilyn Monroe comedy The Seven Year Itch in the late 1970s. He noted that the print, from the studio’s official archival copy, was only a couple of decades old at the time. Yet, it had faded considerably to a print with muted colours and foggy images.

As a filmmaker, the lack of detail and poor state of the film disturbed him greatly. He felt that much of the film’s visual narrative quality was lost (no mention is made of what he thought about the audio). From there, he became aware that of the many movies made before 1950, more than half were irretrievably lost, even some Oscar winners. These films had been erased from cinema history and those surviving were quickly deteriorating in quality.

So, he drove the Film Foundation initiative together with his director friends, including George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, and to date, the Film Foundation has worked in partnership with archives institutions and studios to restore over 925 films. These are then made accessible to the public through festivals, museums, and educational institutions around the world. Expanding to the world at large, the Foundation’s World Cinema Project has restored 50 films from 28 different countries, and its free educational curriculum, The Story of Movies, teaches young people about film language and history.

Mentoring the Next Generation

Celebrating achievement and preserving the past are important, but equally important is ensuring the future of cinema. Rolex makes its contribution by promoting the transmission of knowledge across generations through the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative.

This Initiative, founded in 2002, was developed by Rolex and is one of their first collaborations with Hollywood. The Initiative sees younger artists of exceptional promise — the protégés — selected by established masters to work with them on a one-on-one basis for two years (called a ‘cycle’). Working so closely together creates a mentor-student relationship, enabling creative exchange and catalysing the transfer of knowledge from one generation to another.

The Initiative spans various disciplines that rely on creative ability, including visual arts, architecture, dance, literature, music, and of course film, with the aim to ensure that the knowledge and skills of those disciplines are passed on to future generations.

Out of the 58 Mentor and Protégé duos, eight have been in film. The roster of film mentors reads like a list of renowned film directors: Mira Nair, Stephen Frears, Walter Murch, Zhang Yimou, Alfonso Cuarón, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Spike Lee and of course Martin Scorsese. The 2020-2022 cycle, currently still underway, paired Spike Lee (Do The Right Thing, Malcolm X and Da 5 Bloods) with native American filmmaker Kyle Bell. For the initiative’s 2023 – 2024 cycle, the mentor will be Chinese film director Jia Zhang-Ke (The World, A Touch of Sin and Mountains May Depart) who will be mentoring Filipino filmmaker Rafael Manuel.

As for Martin Scorsese, he mentored independent filmmaker Celina Murga in the 2008 – 2009 cycle. Along with fellow film director and Rolex Testimonee James Cameron, these two towering figures have a longstanding relationship with the brand. In 2012, James Cameron famously took a Rolex Deepsea Challenge watch on his record-breaking Mariana Trench dive.

Rolex has always maintained close ties with the world of cinema, not only through the presence of Rolex watches in films, but also underpinned by Rolex and Hollywood’s shared beliefs in excellence, fostering talent and encouraging progress, and recognizing the importance of transmitting knowledge to future generations. Through its many initiatives and support for the film industry, Rolex has become an acting participant in Hollywood, of its own right.

For more watch reads, click here.