Prior to now decade, we have now witnessed a number of tendencies within the watch trade; blue after which inexperienced dials, barely smaller instances making a comeback, built-in bracelets… And principally, a robust focus of manufacturers on informal, if not sporty watches. For too lengthy, the elegant costume watch has been forgotten. However plainly it’s slowly making its comeback. Throughout the Geneva Watch Week 2024, we have now seen extra costume watches than ever up to now decade, but with one essential truth to consider… Gown watches aren’t traditional anymore, however now include colors and a sure casualness. 2024 could possibly be the period of the sartorial watch (I need to give credit score to Parmigiani’s CEO for that) and listed below are 6 of the most effective costume watches we’ve seen throughout Watches and Wonders 2024.
Chopard L.U.C XPS Forest Inexperienced
Quiet luxurious and informal class at its greatest… This new Forest Inexperienced Chopard L.U.C XPS was one of many watches I used to be desirous to see within the metallic through the honest, and it didn’t disappoint. An ideal instance of a brand new era of costume watches that take issues much less significantly, this Chopard combines the excessive shine of its Lucent Metal case with a surprising darkish inexperienced sector dial. Add to this a cultured cognac strap and you’ve got a stunner. Elegant however not old style, it has persona and presence, modernity and classism. Below the sapphire again is a good-looking micro-rotor motion, the emblematic ultra-thin Chopard Calibre 96, which is right here offered with a gold oscillating weight and a COSC certification. And at CHF 11,200 or EUR 12,700, it’s actually not low cost however stays fairly accessible contemplating the general magnificence and high quality of the craftsmanship.
Fast info: 40mm x 7.20mm lucent metal case – sapphire crystals back and front – darkish inexperienced sector-style dial – in-house ultra-thin calibre L.U.C 96.12-L, automated with micro-rotor, 65h energy reserve, COSC-certified – cognac easy leather-based strap with pin buckle – reference 168629-3001 – EUR 12,700
Grand Seiko Hand-Wound SLGW003
Normally extra anticipated within the sports activities watch class, Grand Seiko has expanded its Evolution 9 assortment this yr with its imaginative and prescient of a contemporary costume watch. And this SLGW003 has lots to supply. Housed in a compact and sharp titanium case, it retains a lot of the design cues of this assortment, but in a much more restrained and chic method. The dial, in typical GS style, has a nature-inspired texture and streamlined palms and markers. However importantly, it comes with a brand new hand-wound motion, that includes an modern escapement, a strong energy reserve and an total interesting look and end. The costume watch in accordance with the Japanese philosophy… Additionally obtainable in pink gold, in a restricted run of 80 items.
Fast info: 38.6mm x 9.95mm Sensible Exhausting Titanium case – sapphire crystals back and front – silvery-white dial with birch bark texture – in-house calibre 9SA4, hand-wound, Twin Impulse Escapement, 80h energy reserve – leather-based strap with three-fold clasp in titanium – reference SLGW003 (additionally obtainable in pink gold SLGW002) – obtainable in August – EUR 11,700
Parmigiani Toric Small Seconds 40mm
After specializing in modernizing the model with the Tonda PF assortment of luxurious sports activities watches, Parmigiani Fleurier is now coming again to its roots, with the return of the Toric assortment – which was, in 1996, the primary watch of the model. Following its imaginative and prescient of sartorial class mixing Swiss precision and Italian sense of magnificence, PF has revamped the emblematic Toric in a supremely elegant method… Solely product of valuable metals (for the case, dials, palms and even a lot of the motion), it’s rendered in a collection of heat, delicate colors mixed with a extra discreet knurling on the bezel and a hand-grained dial. The again reveals the brand new hand-wound calibre PF780 with authentic Côtes de Fleurier texture over 18k pink gold bridges. Extraordinarily interesting, however not likely accessible…
Fast info: 40.6mm x 8.8mm rose gold or platinum case – sapphire crystals back and front – Celadon gray or Sand-Gold hand-grained dial in strong gold with gold palms and markers – in-house calibre PF780, hand-wound, strong gold bridges, 60h energy reserve – soft-touch alligator strap with pin buckle – CHF 45,000 in gold and CHF 52,000 in platinum
Raymond Weil Millesime Moonphase
In a totally completely different worth section, we have now to present credit as soon as once more to Raymond Weil and its Millesime assortment. Whereas we already praised the small second model for its trendy tackle the traditional sector dial, the model now provides a sublime moon complication to its assortment. Pretty compact, housed in a Calatrava-style case with a flat bezel, it has an simple attraction (perhaps much more within the gold PVD with blue dial model) and the additional moonphase show solely provides to the retro look of this in any other case trendy watch with a strong Sellita automated motion. Fairly a look ahead to barely greater than 2K euros.
Fast info: 39.5mm x 10mm metal case (gold PVD coating obtainable) – sapphire crystals back and front – silver or midnight blue sector dial, brushed – calibre RW4280 (Sellita SW280-1), automated with moon phases, 38h energy reserve – calfskin strap with pin buckle – obtainable October 2024 – from CHF 2,125
Rolex Perpetual 1908 Platinum & Ice Blue Guilloche
One of many least anticipated new fashions from Rolex this yr… but in addition one of the interesting watches of the Crown. Efficiently launched final yr, the Rolex Perpetual 1908 assortment already made fairly an affect in its discreet gold variations with matte white or black dials. However this yr, Rolex got here with one thing sudden but extremely elegant, a platinum version with… a hand-guilloche dial. And so as to add to the great thing about this watch, the rice-grain texture (made historically on a lathe) is mixed with a traditional Rolex ice-blue tone. The consequence stands out and has an simple attraction and class. The again, with its in-house calibre 7140 seen beneath a sapphire crystal, additionally makes fairly an impression. At 31k euros, it’s not what I’d name an inexpensive watch however the worth feels justified.
Fast info: 39mm x 9.50mm platinum case – sapphire crystals back and front – hand-guilloche with ice blue color and rice-grain motif, strong gold palms and markers – in-house calibre 7140, Superlative Chronometer, automated, Chronergy escapement, 66h energy reserve – alligator leather-based in matte black or matte brown, platinum folding clasp – reference 52506 – EUR 31,300
Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Guide-Winding
This yr, Vacheron Constantan up to date certainly one of its most traditional and impartial watches, the Patrimony Guide-Winding. Not what I’d have referred to as a stand-out piece up to now, the replace provides attraction and class, leading to a watch that’s of a uncommon class. Celebrating the Patrimony’s twentieth anniversary, Vacheron has given its Patrimony manual-winding a extra compact 39mm case. However principally, it’s the brand new old-silver-toned dial with pronounced sun-brushed ending and domed profile that stands out. Heat and vigorous, it’s paired with a white or pink gold case, and vibrant straps (one thing extra impartial would certainly match too). Contained in the case however hidden beneath a strong again is the Geneva Seal hand-wound calibre 1440, an ultra-thin motion (2.6mm) with a tad brief energy reserve of 42 hours.
Fast info: 39mm x 7.7mm white or pink gold case – sapphire crystal and strong gold again – convex old-silver-toned dial with utilized pink gold indices and pearl minute observe, gold palms – in-house, ultra-thin manual-winding calibre 1440, 42h energy reserve, Hallmark of Geneva – olive-green or azure-blue alligator leather-based strap with gold pin buckle – approx. EUR 25,000 (to be confirmed)
