What happens when 70 years of watchmaking history is condensed into a 19mm mechanical jewel?
Blancpain answers with the Lady B, a distinctly contemporary interpretation of the idea that gave birth to the Ladybird collection in 1956.
Created under the leadership of Betty Fiechter, the first woman to lead a Swiss watch manufacture, the original Ladybird Bullet was built around an extraordinary ambition: create a remarkably small yet robust mechanical movement. Its R52/R55 calibre measured just 11.85mm in diameter and became the world’s smallest round mechanical movement produced in series, according to Blancpain’s historical account.
Seven decades later, Blancpain isn’t simply bringing that watch back.
It is rethinking the idea behind it.
From Ladybird Bullet to Lady B
The new Blancpain Lady B is explicitly described as a contemporary reinterpretation rather than a reissue of the 1956 Ladybird Bullet. Its design takes the original watch’s philosophy of miniaturisation and translates it into an entirely new architecture.
Its most immediately striking feature is its spherical case.
Measuring only 19mm in diameter, the case has a thickness of 13.20mm and a volume of just 2.9cm³. Rather than treating the watch as a flat object defined primarily by its diameter, Blancpain conceived Lady B in three dimensions.
The result is closer to a polished mechanical pebble or jewel than a conventional round wristwatch.
And that is precisely the point.
A Mechanical Heart in a Tiny Space
Inside the spherical case is Blancpain’s Manufacture Calibre 615, an automatic movement measuring 15.70mm in diameter and 3.90mm thick.
It contains 180 components and 29 rubies, operates at 3Hz, or 21,600 vibrations per hour, and delivers a 38-hour power reserve. Its plates are finished with Côtes de Genève, while a silicon balance spring is part of its evolution.
The movement’s compact architecture wasn’t simply placed inside an existing case.
The entire watch was developed around it.
Blancpain says the spherical case, sapphire crystal, polished rehaut, integrated strap passage and water resistance were developed in parallel to accommodate Calibre 615.
That makes the Lady B’s small dimensions more than an aesthetic exercise. They are the consequence of designing the watch around its mechanical core.
No Lugs. No Conventional Case Architecture.
Perhaps the most unusual aspect of Lady B is what it leaves out.
There are no traditional lugs.
Instead, the calf leather strap passes directly through an opening machined into the case. The passage measures just 10 × 1.6mm, and Blancpain describes the interior as micro-blasted so the leather can glide through it. The edges and knurling are finished by hand.
This creates a continuous visual relationship between the spherical case and the strap.
The watch doesn’t look as though a strap has been attached to it.
The strap appears to emerge from it.
Minimalism Is Doing the Heavy Lifting
The dial takes an equally restrained approach.
The warm beige opaline dial is identical across the stainless-steel and 18K red-gold versions. There is no gem-setting, allowing the dial surface, gold indices and reflections from the polished rehaut to define the visual character.
The applied stick indices are made from gold and measure only 1.82 × 0.39mm.
The hands remain deliberately simple, displaying only the hours and minutes.
This restraint is important because the case is already doing most of the visual talking. The polished spherical architecture creates changing reflections across its surface, while the clean dial prevents the watch from becoming visually busy.
Seven Straps, One Tiny Wrist Presence
The Lady B arrives on a double-tour calf leather strap, reinforcing its jewellery-like character.
There are seven colour options:
White
Beige
Mocha
Burgundy
Blue
Coral
Purple
The strap fits through the rear of the watch and can be changed easily.
The double-tour construction also changes how the 19mm case sits visually on the wrist. Instead of functioning simply as a tiny watch, the strap becomes an integral part of the design language.
Betty Fiechter: The Woman Behind the Original Vision
The Lady B story becomes considerably more interesting when you look back at Betty Fiechter.
Fiechter entered Blancpain’s workshop in Villeret as a 16-year-old apprentice in 1912. By 1933, she had become co-owner of the Manufacture, and she ultimately became the first woman to own and lead a Swiss watch manufacture.
Her contribution wasn’t limited to keeping the company operating through difficult economic and historical circumstances.
She also recognised the importance of mechanical watches for women.
Blancpain’s historical account notes that Fiechter believed women’s watches deserved the same ingenuity and mechanical integrity as other timepieces, making this area one of Blancpain’s defining strengths.
In 1956, the Ladybird emerged from this philosophy.
The Lady B now connects that history to Blancpain’s contemporary approach to mechanical miniaturisation.
The 1956 Technical Miracle
The original Ladybird Bullet’s R52/R55 calibre was only 11.85mm in diameter.
Its compact architecture incorporated a fifth wheel into the gear train and shock protection for the balance, allowing Blancpain to pursue extreme miniaturisation without abandoning robustness. The movement contained 133 individually machined components and operated at 3Hz.
The movement’s influence extended beyond Blancpain, with the press release noting that houses including Omega and Longines subsequently adopted it for their own creations. Its tiny footprint also enabled a wide variety of jewellery watches, bracelets, bangles, rings and pendants.
That history explains why the Ladybird is more than simply an old model in Blancpain’s archive.
Miniaturisation became a creative platform.
Lady B continues that idea in a radically different form.
Stainless Steel or 18K Red Gold?
Blancpain offers the Lady B in two case materials:
Stainless Steel
19mm diameter
13.20mm thickness
30m water resistance
CHF 9,500
18K Red Gold
19mm diameter
13.20mm thickness
30m water resistance
CHF 14,500
The watch is not a limited edition and is available through Blancpain boutiques and authorised retailers from 17 September 2026.
A New Chapter, Rather Than a Reissue
The Blancpain Lady B succeeds by resisting the obvious route.
It doesn’t attempt to reproduce the Ladybird Bullet line for line. Instead, it takes the central idea behind that watch, mechanical watchmaking on an extraordinarily small scale, and pushes it into a new design language.
A spherical 19mm case.
A tiny automatic movement.
An integrated double-tour strap.
A deliberately quiet opaline dial.
And a direct connection to Betty Fiechter and the Ladybird’s history.
Seventy years after the Ladybird first appeared, Blancpain’s smallest statement may also be one of its most conceptually interesting.
Luxury watchmaking has never been content with simply telling time. The most interesting watches often exist somewhere between engineering, design and culture, and Hublot’s latest collaboration with Jeff Koons pushes that idea into distinctly sculptural territory.
Unveiled in New York on 16 September 2026, the Hublot Classic Fusion Balloon Dog by Jeff Koons transforms Koons’ instantly recognisable Balloon Dog into a wristwatch. Available in mirror-polished stainless steel, red anodized aluminium and blue anodized aluminium, the collection is limited to 200 pieces in each edition.
The result is not simply a Classic Fusion decorated with references to an artwork. Hublot and Koons have rethought the architecture of the watch itself, creating a timepiece that appears almost as though it has been inflated.
From Balloon Sculpture to Wristwatch
Jeff Koons’ Balloon Dog, created between 1994 and 2000 as part of his Celebration series, takes one of the most familiar forms of childhood play and turns it into something permanent and monumental.
That transformation is central to Koons’ artistic language. Something temporary becomes enduring; something ordinary becomes iconic. Hublot sees a natural connection between that philosophy and its own approach to watchmaking, particularly its long-standing interest in combining unexpected materials, shapes and ideas.
For the Classic Fusion Balloon Dog, the challenge was therefore much greater than placing an artistic motif on an existing watch.
The 42mm Classic Fusion was fundamentally re-engineered around the visual language of an inflatable sculpture. Its normally sleek architecture gives way to rounded, convex and domed forms designed to create the impression of volume and internal pressure.
That distinction matters. This is not a conventional art-inspired dial. The artwork has influenced the physical architecture of the watch.
A Classic Fusion That Looks Inflated
Almost every visible component contributes to the illusion.
The sapphire crystal has a raised, domed profile, while the titanium H-shaped screws feature inflated heads. The dial itself adopts a convex, padded appearance, and the case follows the same rounded visual vocabulary.
Even the strap has been integrated into the concept. Its metallic leather and rubber construction continues the soft, padded aesthetic, while the attachment points have been softened rather than left with the sharper geometry traditionally associated with a sports-luxury watch.
Then come the details that make the connection to Balloon Dog unmistakable.
The crown is shaped like a balloon’s inflation valve. A flexible decorative “balloon tail” appears at 10:30, while the seconds hand carries a Balloon Dog-shaped counterweight. The hour and minute hands and dial indexes incorporate inflated Super-LumiNova elements.
It is playful, but the execution is anything but casual.
Three Interpretations, One Concept
Hublot has produced the Classic Fusion Balloon Dog in three distinct finishes.
Red
The red edition uses polished red anodized aluminium for the case, bezel and caseback, complemented by a red rubber balloon-tail detail. Its full red dial features domed appliques with 3D white Super-LumiNova and Jeff Koons’ signature at 6 o’clock.
Reference 542.UR.8170.NR.JKN26, it measures 42mm in diameter and 11mm thick, with 50 metres of water resistance.
Blue
The blue version follows the same sculptural construction but uses polished blue anodized aluminium. A blue rubber balloon tail, blue dial and matching strap create a monochromatic interpretation of the concept.
Its reference is 542.UB.5170.NR.JKN26, with the same 42mm diameter, 11mm thickness and 5 ATM water resistance as the red edition.
Silver
The third interpretation replaces colour with reflective metal. The 542.SX.0820.NR.JKN26 combines polished stainless steel with a rhodium-plated dial and grey accents.
Here, the mirror-like surface becomes particularly important. It echoes the reflective quality associated with Koons’ Balloon Dog sculptures while giving the watch a more restrained visual character.
All three versions are limited to 200 pieces.
The Horology Beneath the Sculpture
For all its artistic personality, the Balloon Dog remains a mechanical Hublot.
At its heart is the HUB1710 self-winding movement, with anthracite ruthenium-treated bridges and main plate. The movement incorporates a date display at 3 o’clock and a polished rhodium-plated oscillating weight designed with an inflated visual effect.
The technical specifications include:
Movement: Hublot HUB1710 automatic
Diameter: 25.6mm
Thickness: 3.7mm
Components: 185
Jewels: 27
Frequency: 4 Hz / 28,800 vibrations per hour
Power reserve: 50 hours
Date: 3 o’clock
Case diameter: 42mm
Water resistance: 50 metres
There is also an important technical point hidden beneath the playful exterior. The movement’s oscillating weight continues the visual language established by the case, creating a relationship between the mechanical heart of the watch and its external sculpture.
In other words, the Balloon Dog concept does not stop at the dial.
Where Art Meets Engineering
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the collaboration is the amount of engineering required to make something apparently simple look simple.
Hublot states that the components were reimagined, reshaped and refined, with 5-axis CNC machining used to create the distinctive puffed forms before the components were finished by hand.
That combination of industrial precision and hand finishing is particularly appropriate for a collaboration with Koons. His sculptures are famous for their apparently flawless surfaces, yet achieving that simplicity requires considerable control over materials, proportions and finishing.
The same principle applies here.
The watch is supposed to look effortless. Making it look effortless is the difficult part.
More Than a Limited-Edition Watch
Hublot has also extended the Balloon Dog idea beyond the wrist.
Each watch comes in packaging inspired by the sculpture, featuring a chromed Balloon Dog with a colour-matched finish. Its rubber-effect painted surface continues the tactile and playful character of the timepiece.
The watches are conceived, developed and assembled at Hublot’s Manufacture in Nyon. They are also covered by the brand’s evolved 5+5 warranty programme for eligible watches purchased from 1 January 2026, providing a five-year basic warranty with the possibility of a further five-year extension through the Hublotista programme.
The watches are priced at CHF 20,800 / EUR 24,600 / USD 25,100 / GBP 19,700 across the three editions.
The Hublot Approach to Contemporary Art
The collaboration also makes sense within Hublot’s broader history.
Since 1980, the brand has built much of its identity around the idea of “Art of Fusion”, beginning with its combination of a gold case and rubber strap. The Big Bang subsequently expanded that philosophy through its layered construction, while the Classic Fusion established a different balance between contemporary design and restraint.
The Balloon Dog takes that philosophy into another dimension, quite literally.
Here, Hublot is not merely fusing materials. It is fusing watchmaking and sculpture, mechanical precision and visual emotion, childhood familiarity and contemporary luxury.
That is what makes the collaboration particularly relevant.
Jeff Koons
Few artists have transformed popular culture into iconography as profoundly as Jeff Koons. For over forty years, he has redefined contemporary art by taking everyday objects and elevating them through scale, transformation of material, craftsmanship with great precision and care. Known for works such as Balloon Dog, Rabbit and Puppy, Koons turns the ordinary into the extraordinary, the ephemeral into the permanent and the playful into the monumental. Beneath the reflective surfaces and universally recognizable forms lies a discipline rooted in the experience of feelings and sensation and a commitment to realizing a vision through execution. Behind their playful appearance lies a profound connection to human experience and our communal history, along with a celebration of this moment in time. His work revolves around themes of self- acceptance, empowerment, and transcendence. Mirror-polished surfaces, industrial precision and attention to detail have become his signature, transforming ephemeral objects into timeless iconic symbols.
Final Thoughts
The Hublot Classic Fusion Balloon Dog by Jeff Koons occupies an unusual space in modern watchmaking. It is recognisable as a Hublot, unmistakably connected to Koons, and yet neither identity completely dominates the other.
The familiar balloon animal has become a mechanical object. The Classic Fusion has been given curves, volume and a sense of movement that make it appear almost inflated. And beneath all that visual playfulness sits a serious automatic movement produced at Hublot’s Manufacture.
In a world where luxury watches can sometimes become exercises in adding more decoration, Hublot and Jeff Koons have taken a different route: they changed the shape of the idea itself.
And that may be the most interesting thing about this collaboration. Time has not simply been placed inside a work of art. It has been inflated into one.
Half a century after its debut, the TAG Heuer Monza returns in a limited edition inspired by one of the Maison’s most celebrated racing chronographs. The TAG Heuer Monza Flyback Chronograph combines the collection’s motorsport heritage with contemporary materials, purposeful design and mechanical precision.
Presented ahead of the FORMULA 1 PIRELLI GRAN PREMIO D’ITALIA 2026 in Monza, the new anniversary edition pays tribute to the original 1976 model while embracing the technical expertise and design language of today’s TAG Heuer. Only 500 numbered pieces will be produced, bringing together fifty years of racing history in a chronograph designed for modern performance.
Born on the Circuit
The history of the TAG Heuer Monza is closely connected to Formula 1® and Ferrari. In 1971, Heuer became the Official Timekeeper of Scuderia Ferrari, becoming the first watchmaker to partner with a Formula 1® team. Four years later, Niki Lauda secured the Formula 1® World Championship, bringing Ferrari its first Drivers’ title since 1964.
To celebrate this achievement, Heuer introduced the Monza collection in 1976. The chronograph immediately stood apart through its distinctive racing appearance and character. Its bold personality and close connection with motorsport established the Monza as one of the Maison’s most recognizable chronographs. Over subsequent decades, the collection evolved through successive interpretations reflecting the technical progress and creative direction of their respective eras.
For its fiftieth anniversary, the TAG Heuer Monza enters a new chapter. The limited edition draws inspiration from the collection’s visual identity while building upon the contemporary TAG Heuer Monza Flyback Chronograph introduced in 2023. The result honors an important moment in the Maison’s history while expressing its current vision of performance and precision.
Engineered for Today’s Race
The TAG Heuer Monza Flyback Chronograph offers a contemporary interpretation of one of the Maison’s distinctive racing chronographs. Its design combines modern materials, purposeful details and mechanical precision while preserving the visual cues that have defined the collection for five decades.
At its center is a 42 mm forged carbon case. Recognized throughout modern motorsport for its exceptional strength and remarkably low weight, forged carbon provides wearing comfort while creating a unique marbled texture. As a result, each watch has its own individual appearance. The cushion-shaped case introduced with the contemporary TAG Heuer Monza reinforces the watch’s sporting character and its connection to modern racing technology.
The case is complemented by a carbon fixed bezel and a domed sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective treatment. The watch also features a carbon crown at 3 o’clock, black DLC steel round push buttons at 2 and 4 o’clock, and a black DLC titanium-grade 2 screwed case back carrying the limited-edition engraving. Water resistance is rated at 100 meters.
A Dial Inspired by the Original Monza
The black matte dial introduces design elements inspired by the original 1976 Heuer Monza while remaining rooted in contemporary watchmaking. Matte black chronograph counters contrast with the dial to maximize legibility, while red accents recall the historic color signatures of the collection.
White lacquered hour and minute hands are treated with white SuperLumiNova® for readability. The dial layout includes a black matte minute chronograph counter with a red lacquered hand at 3 o’clock, a black matte permanent seconds indicator with a white lacquered hand at 6 o’clock, and an angled date aperture at 9 o’clock. A red lacquered central chronograph hand adds another distinctive detail.
Framing the dial is a black flange featuring both a tachymeter and pulsometer scale, referencing the functional origins of the chronograph.
The TH20-12 Flyback Chronograph
Through the sapphire crystal case back, the TAG Heuer Monza Flyback Chronograph reveals the COSC-certified manufacture Calibre TH20-12. The movement incorporates a flyback chronograph function, allowing consecutive timing intervals to be measured without interrupting the chronograph.
A single press resets and restarts the timing sequence, making the complication particularly valuable in motorsport, where fractions of a second matter.
The watch is completed by a black perforated calfskin leather strap with red stitching, a detail described by TAG Heuer as a subtle reference to the world of classic motor racing. The strap is paired with a black DLC titanium-grade 2 sandblasted folding clasp with double safety pushbuttons.
A Limited Edition of 500 Pieces
The TAG Heuer Monza Flyback Chronograph is presented as a limited edition of only 500 numbered pieces, reinforcing its position within the Maison’s collector-focused chronograph offerings. The case back carries an individual limited-edition engraving in the format XXX/500.
The model is identified as CR5092.FC8372 and measures 42 mm in diameter. It is powered by Calibre TH20-12 and features a black matte dial, carbon case and bezel, sapphire crystal, and black perforated calfskin leather strap with red stitching.
Fifty Years on the Racing Line
Unveiled during one of the most anticipated weekends of the Formula 1® season, the TAG Heuer Monza Flyback Chronograph continues the connection between the Maison and motor racing. Fifty years after the original TAG Heuer Monza celebrated a World Championship victory, the anniversary edition carries that story forward with a contemporary flyback chronograph focused on performance, precision and racing heritage.
TAG Heuer Monza Flyback Chronograph (42mm)
CR5092.FC8372
Movement
Caliber TH20-12
Dial
Black matte dial
Black flange with pulsometer, tachymeter 2 counters :
– 3 o’clock : black matte minute chronograph counter ; red lacquered hand
– 6 o’clock : black matte permanent second indicator ; white lacquered hand
White indexes printed with white Superluminova®
Hour and minute hands with black and white lacquer with white Superluminova®
Red lacquered central chronograph hand
White TAG HEUER printed logo
9 o’clock angled date
“MONZA”, “OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED CHRONOMETER”, “FLYBACK “ & “SWISS MADE” printed
Case 42 mm diameter Carbon case
Carbon fixed bezel Domed sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective treatment Carbon crown at 3 o’clock Black DLC steel round push button at 2 o’clock Black DLC steel round push button at 4 o’clock Black DLC titanium-grade 2 screwed case back with limited edition engraving (XXX/500)
Water resistance : 100 meters
Bracelet Black perforated calfskin leather strap with red stitching Black DLC titanium-grade 2 sandblasted folding clasp with double safety pushbuttons
AWAKE’s Frosted Leaf collection returns in 2026 with three new watches inspired by exceptional moments in nature. Blood Moon, Storm and Lagoon transform rare natural phenomena into handmade lacquer dials using traditional Vietnamese Sơn Mài craftsmanship, silver leaves and natural pigments.
Through the life of a brand, some pieces make a lasting impression. Back in 2025, when AWAKE presented the Frosted Leaf technique for the very first time, watch collectors and enthusiasts all around the world were unanimously… enthusiastic.
One year—and two Awards—later, Frosted Leaf is back, featuring three new creations inspired by rare and intense natural phenomena. These three versions convey the feeling of Mankind, awestruck by the grandiosity of Nature.
Blood Moon, Storm, Lagoon—they tell us about Life, catching these exceptional moments granted by Nature. They push even further the limits of a unique craftsmanship, fixing fleeting instants in lacquer for all eternity. Unforeseeable but unforgettable instants.
PRESERVING, MODERNIZING, TRANSMITTING
AWAKE’s relationship with the Métiers d’Art is not just a matter of watchmaking. It is a matter of highlighting craftsmanship, transcending borders and boundaries, and giving prominence to diverse identities and cultures—within the frame of a dial. Promoting aesthetics, handicraft, meticulousness, and timelessness is also key. Each project of the brand aims at showcasing and preserving traditional savoir-faire by making them part of our daily lives.
CATCHING A FLEETING MOMENT
Since AWAKE was created in 2019, Nature and Arts have been the core inspirations of the brand. The common thread of all AWAKE’s watchmaking projects, allowing the brand to create unique and enthralling pieces. This mindset is shared by AWAKE’s Master Lacquerers, who wish to push further the limits of their antique techniques. Thanks to their commitment, the dials of the Frosted Leaf collection convey the beauty of the world. In 2025, AWAKE drew its inspiration from the breathtaking sight of Earth from Space.
In 2026, AWAKE intends to catch Nature in some of its most exceptional moments. Mixing poetry and craftsmanship to fix them in lacquer, thus turning ephemeral into eternal. Blood Moon, Storm, and Lagoon are inspired by three rare and intense natural phenomena. When witnessing them, people are suddenly aware of their own smallness, facing something way bigger than themselves. Such a striking, universal feeling. During these natural epiphanies, while the beauty of Nature is fully on display, Time seems to stop.
“The Blood Moon only appears for a few hours per year. A clap of thunder only lasts a split second. A perfect lagoon can only be found in some places around the World. Put together, these three phenomena illustrate the dichotomies at the core of AWAKE’s creative universe: ephemeral VS eternal, light VS dark, common VS uncanny, perceptible VS hidden.”
Lilian THIBAULT—AWAKE’s founder
TURNING EPHEMERAL MOMENTS INTO ETERNAL ITEMS
Blood Moon, Storm, Lagoon: three new iterations with powerful dials that poetically capture life in motion and preserve nature at its most rare and fleeting. They push even further the boundaries of this singular ancestral Vietnamese technique (known as glacis) which makes it possible to seal within lacquer, for eternity, that which by nature does not last. Each dial is conceived as a complete visual and sensory experience, inviting inward reflection and reminding people to cherish those unplanned moments that arrive without warning, and stay with them forever.
Blood Moon
The dials of the “Blood Moon” version are inspired by one of the most fascinating celestial phenomena: the so-called “Blood Moon” which happens during a total lunar eclipse. The Moon moves through Earth’s shadow, assuming a deep shade of red and looking almost unreal. Such a rare event, which only happens a few days every ten years, tends to overwhelm anyone who witnesses it. Paradoxically, the Moon shines in darkness. But it shines differently, adding some mystery. As if our faithful companion was revealing its dark side. No wonder so many civilizations saw it as a sign of profound changes to come.
The dials wear black and red: the colors of passion, desire and mystery. They defy each other, enhance each other, creating an exceptional visual depth, between light and darkness. Such a transient moment, captured for eternity thanks to AWAKE’s exclusive Frosted Leaf technique.
Lagoon
The “Lagoon” dials pay tribute to the mesmerizing beauty of lagoons and their relation to light. Between sea and land, depth and surface, they display incomparable and magical optical effects. AWAKE decided to capture them in its dials. Translucent greenish blue, intense turquoise, deep cobalt blue or silvery pale blue, lagoons are like breathing, living creatures, always changing. Transparent at first glance, the “Lagoon” dials actually include a whole universe. Diving into them is like diving into yourself, finding some hidden truths. Such an artistic achievement was allowed by AWAKE’s Frosted Leaf technique and the command of its Master Lacquerers. Light goes through several layers of lacquer, natural pigments, and silver leaves, producing visual effects similar to lagoon waters.
“Lagoon” watches foster people to see beyond what is visible. They are made for those who know that the most precious things are way under the surface. A silent reminder that some treasures, and savoir-faire, are timeless. You reach wiseness when you realize how much is left to discover.
Storm
The “Storm” dials are an artistic rendering of one of the few natural phenomena which generates awe and fear alike: storms. Mankind has been both fascinated by and fearful of storms, since the dawn of time. They still have a strong, universal meaning, even today. Black and orange hues convey the beauty and danger of a flash of lightning ripping the darkness. It merely lasts a split second—all it needs to illuminate everything around, with unequaled intensity. A bold dial with electric vibes, illustrating the huge amount of energy suddenly unleashed by Nature. It also displays the duality of destruction and creation, silence and crash, fear and amazement.
“Storm” is for those who are looking for a lively and unpredictable watch, neither conventional nor discreet. People who live life to its full and who know that unforgettable moments happen suddenly, without notice, with an unpredictable strength.
15 HOURS TO CATCH THE UNCATCHABLE
The remarkable technique used to produce the Blood Moon, Storm and Lagoon dials requires the highest level of focus and dexterity. It is a long and complex handicraft—each movement is of paramount importance. And perfection is the only objective. Each dial is like a hypnotizing “millefeuille”, playing with light.
A rare and delicate raw material: it starts with the sap of the Rhus verniciflua tree, which grows in North Vietnam. After a decade, each tree only gives 200 ml of the precious liquid per year. The harvest happens only at daybreak, in June and July. Purified and dehydrated, the sap becomes a transparent lacquer, well-known for making shine and protecting surfaces.
An antique and unique Vietnamese art: Sơn Mài is an age-old technique, requiring several years of practice. It consists in applying and polishing several layers of natural lacquer to obtain a mirror-like surface with unrivalled depth. Contrary to the Chinese and Japanese traditions, Vietnamese craftsmen include precious materials between layers of lacquer—like silver leaves, in this case—to create a one-of-a-kind texture, with relief and plays of light.
A shining and sparkling silver leaf: At the bottom of the dial, the craftsmen apply a first layer of lacquer and very dark black pigments. Then they varnish it. They apply the first layer of pure silver leaves with a brush and delicately sand it to remove the excess of material. It all gives an organic quality to the dials, with metallic and warm flashes of light.
An exceptional depth: That is where the “Frosted” technique comes in. Instead of starting the lacquer layering as usual with “classic” dials, AWAKE’s Master Lacquerers repeat the previous process, adding silver leaves to lacquer. Said lacquer is enriched with blue, orange or red pigments, thus creating a striking contrast. The material laying between each layer is lively. This technique requires patience and consistency. And time… It dramatically enhances the complexity of the dials.
A gifted craftsman: This light and substance “millefeuille” is then entrusted to the most experienced craftsman of the workshop. He must sand it with the greatest care, directly with his fingers, to slowly unveil the reliefs and patterns that render every dial unique. Several layers of lacquer, each sanded and polished, are needed to offer a perfect and eternal brilliance. The process is methodical, demanding, and lengthy (about 15 hours). Any mistake could spoil the dial.
A unique piece of art: The full process requires patience, dexterity and focus. It turns each dial into a one-off piece, where Light and Time stop and converse. They also bear the marks of the expert hands that made them. They are the results of an antique handiwork, bringing a century-long tradition to the present days.
NEW 38 MM CASE
These three models are equipped with AWAKE’s new 38 mm case—with thinner proportions. Perfectly balanced, its elegance is definitely accentuated by the concave lines of the polished bezel, along with the slightly convex sapphire crystal, and the delicately rounded lugs. The result is a mix between 1960s aesthetics and contemporary design. The contrast between polished surfaces and satin-finished sides is an adhesion to modernity. The slightly resized and now screw-down winding crown—allowing a 100 m water resistance—is adorned with a new “coat of arms”, symbolizing AWAKE’s commitment to Artisanship. Finally, the rehaut has been reshaped, expounding AWAKE’s vision with clarity and authenticity.
REIMAGINED BRAND IDENTITY
The dials show AWAKE’s new visual identity with a handwritten logo, as a tribute to the craftsmen’s handiwork. It is not only about aesthetics, it is about highlighting Tradition, Savoir-faire and Métiers d’Art in a contemporary frame. Punched with AWAKE’s new coat of arms illustrating transmission and cultural dialogue, the watches embody the brand’s sensibility and commitment. Each detail glorifies the richness of Artisanat and AWAKE’s will to keep it alive.
HIGHLIGHTED SAVOIR-FAIRE—QUITE LITERALLY…
Blood Moon, Storm and Lagoon display AWAKE’s exclusive “Chiaroscuro” luminous signature, which enhances the depth and contrasts of the dials, whether by day or by night. Hands and indexes combine Super-LumiNova® BGW9 and polished, brushed, and faceted steel. This innovation, called “coiffe”, allows for a subtle diffusion of light and a better readability without spoiling the dial. During the day, discretion is de rigueur. In the dark, luminescence works its magic. A gentle luminous halo appears and accentuates the brilliance of the lacquer, the sparkling of the silver leaves and the contrast of the pigments, bringing poetry and technical exploit together. A feast for the eyes!
LA JOUX-PERRET G101 MOVEMENT
The automatic G101 movement—made by Swiss manufacture La Joux-Perret—is the beating heart of the Blood Moon, Storm, and Lagoon models. Performing and reliable, up-to-date and precise, this finely-finished caliber offers a 68-hour power reserve. Besides, it is equipped with AWAKE’s new custom-made rotor. Made of tungsten, the rotor associates technical prowess and elegance, thanks to its reliefs and counter-reliefs, embellished by polished, brushed and bead-blasted finishes. The rehaut is engraved with AWAKE’s motto—Illuminating the hands and heritage behind rare crafts—and its slogan—Artisanship, Awakened.
HOMEMADE AND HANDMADE STRAPS
To make the new pieces even more sublime, AWAKE chose nubuck calfskin straps in orange, red and blue. They are made by hand in France. More precisely, AWAKE calls on the master leather workers of Maison Bouveret, in Franche-Comté (French Jura). No less than 60 steps are necessary to produce comfortable and sustainable straps, according to strict specifications. Each one shows tone-on-tone topstitching and black rubberized calfskin lining, which offer a highest level of flexibility, water, and wear resistance. Finally, these straps are equipped with AWAKE’s new Fitwell M1 micro-adjustment ardillon buckle, with only 3 mm between each hole. Hence a perfect fitting to feel comfortable all day long. The outcome is both technical and refined, so that connoisseurs can enjoy their watch on a daily basis. Dimensions: 115×75 – 20/16.
A PROPOSITION LIKE NO OTHER
The new creations have many assets: unique handmade dials, using two antique Métiers d’Art techniques; an exclusive luminous signature; a reputable Swiss caliber; straps made by hand in France. They are worth €2,820, taxes and shipping costs included, all around the world. True to its vision, AWAKE does its best to offer watches associating aesthetics, fine watchmaking, traditional savoir-faire and pure emotions, while remaining within the same price range.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
References:
Sơn Mài – Frosted Leaf « Storm » – standard collection – around 100 pieces a year
Sơn Mài – Frosted Leaf « Blood Moon » – standard collection – around 100 pieces a year
Sơn Mài – Frosted Leaf « Lagoon » – standard collection – around 100 pieces a year
Case: 316L Stainless Steel
Diameter: 38 mm
Lug to lug: 44,75 mm
Lug width: 20 mm
Thickness: 11.5 mm, glass included/10 mm without glass
Métier d’Art dials: each dial requires 15 hours of work. They are handmade, using two traditional savoir-faire: Sơn Mài Vietnamese lacquerwork and pure silver leaves
Indexes and hands: Super-LumiNova® BGW9, AWAKE exclusive luminous “coiffe” signature
Water resistance: 10 ATM (100 m)
Crystal: anti-reflective sapphire crystal
Case back: screw-down, sapphire crystal
Movement: Automatic La Joux-Perret G101 – 68-hour power reserve
Decorations: New custom-made rotor made of tungsten, with reliefs and counter-reliefs, polished, brushed and bead-blasted finishes. Bead-blasted and engraved rehaut
Strap: Maison Bouveret – nubuck calfskin – rubberized calfskin lining, tone-on-tone topstitching – curved quick-release spring bars – new adjustment ardillon buckle
Born from the golden age of recreational diving, the Bathyscaphe embodies the typical skin diver codes through its balance of elegance and everyday wearability. Created in 1956 as the civilian counterpart to the Fifty Fathoms, the model bore a name that had already been registered in 1953 by Blancpain’s then-CEO and passionate diver, Jean-Jacques Fiechter, reflecting his early vision of creating a diving watch designed not only for professional use but also for enthusiasts. Seventy years after its creation, Blancpain celebrates this legacy with a reproduction of a landmark model from 1968. A timepiece that bridges the aesthetic design of the past with watchmaking excellence, this 300-piece limited edition pays tribute to a defining chapter in the evolution of the diver’s watch.
The Skin Diver Style: A New Relationship with the Underwater World
During the 1950s and 1960s,a new generation of watches emerged alongside the growing popularity of recreational diving: the skin diver. More than purely technical instruments, these watches reflected a new relationship with the underwater world, one shaped by leisure, enjoyment, and a growing fascination with this emerging lifestyle. They captured the spirit of a time when diving became not only a professional activity, but also a source of personal adventure. Characterized by more compact proportions, clean lines, and a refined aesthetic, skin diver watches combined essential diving features with a more understated and daily- wear design.
Emerging from that philosophy, the Bathyscaphe was created in 1956 – despite the name having already been registered in 1953 – by Jean-Jacques Fiechter, then CEO of Blancpain and creator of the Fifty Fathoms, bringing Blancpain’s pioneering diving expertise into
a civilian expression designed for everyday wear.
The Bathyscaphe: The Diver Legacy
The name “Bathyscaphe” refers to the pioneering deep-sea exploration vessel conceived by Swiss scientist Auguste Piccard in the 1940s. Designed to reach the greatest depths of the ocean, the Bathyscaphe represented a major milestone in humanity’s exploration of the underwater world, an achievement that resonated with Jean-Jacques Fiechter’s own passion for diving and exploration.
While the Fifty Fathoms, introduced in 1953, was developed as a professional diving instrument for military forces, professional divers, and underwater specialists, the Bathyscaphe offered an everyday interpretation of the same heritage yet preserving the essential features of the diver’s watch. The distinction between the two models was particularly evident through their proportions. Measuring slightly over 41 mm in diameter, the original Fifty Fathoms was created to be a robust professional instrument. With a more compact 35 mm case, the first Bathyscaphe adopted a slimmer profile, reflecting a more civilian style while maintaining the reliability expected from a true diver’s watch. Over seven decades, the Bathyscaphe has evolved through various interpretations but has always remained faithful to its original identity.
The Spirit of 1968, Reborn
For the model’s 70th anniversary, Blancpain turns to one of the most emblematic expressions of the Bathyscaphe’s history with a watch from 1968. This timepiece was selected for the way it embodied the collection’s defining qualities: balanced proportions, functionality, and understated elegance. Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe, 1968
Staying as close as possible to this iteration, Blancpain translated the anniversary piece through contem- porary watchmaking standards. The new edition retains the original 37.40 mm diameter and stainless- steel construction, but its case was specifically developed around the movement to achieve the desired proportions and ergonomics. The remarkable diameter-to-thickness ratio, defined by a slender case middle, contributes to the watch’s harmonious profile on the wrist. The polished finishing, curved surfaces, and carefully shaped lugs enhance its refined aesthetics.
The bezel continues this dialogue between heritage and innovation. Made of steel with a ceramic insert and lacquered numerals – replacing the original black hesalite material – it reinforce durability and legibility.
Every element has been considered to reinforce the aesthetic codes of the original design, from the mid-20th century Blancpain logo to the baton hands and indexes enhanced by vintage-coloured Super-LumiNova®, which recalls the warm tones of the luminous materials used in the past. The hand- stitched chocolate calf leather strap further drives this heritage-inspired spirit, developing a natural patina over time.
The result is a faithful contemporary Bathyscaphe reproduction carrying the unmistakable character of its 1968 inspiration.
Vintage Soul, Contemporary Performance
Beneath its vintage-inspired exterior, this anniversary edition reveals the expertise of Blancpain’s contemporary watchmaking. The Manufacture calibre 1150 was selected to equip this timepiece, offering a combination of reliability, precision, and exceptional autonomy with a 100-hour power reserve.
Its silicon hairspring provides antimagnetic properties, contributing to the movement’s stability and long- term performance.
Visible through the sapphire crystal case back, the movement showcases the meticulous Haute Horlogerie finishing. Inspired by the design of that of the original Fifty Fathoms, its open worked 18K gold oscillating weight highlights the beauty of the mechanical architecture. Unlike the 1968 inspiration piece, which featured a closed case back, this new interpretation allows the movement to become part of the experience of ownership, emphasizing the daily- wear DNA of the piece. This choice reflects Blancpain’s desire to offer not only a connection to the past, but also a direct appreciation of the watchmaking expertise behind the timepiece.
Hublot continues to redefine transparent watchmaking with the launch of the limited-edition Big Bang Sapphire Sky Blue, pairing its signature sapphire expertise with the impressive Meca-10 manufacture movement.
There are watches that tell time, and then there are watches that make a statement before you even glance at the dial. The Hublot Big Bang Sapphire Sky Blue belongs firmly in the latter category. Limited to just 100 pieces worldwide, this latest creation showcases everything Hublot has become synonymous with over the past decade: innovative materials, bold engineering and contemporary design.
Hublot’s Mastery of Sapphire Continues
Working with sapphire is no simple feat. Renowned for its exceptional hardness and transparency, sapphire is one of the most demanding materials in watchmaking. While many brands have experimented with it, Hublot has consistently expanded its possibilities, introducing coloured sapphire cases that combine technical complexity with striking aesthetics.
The Big Bang Sapphire Sky Blue captures the calm brilliance of a summer sky through its fully polished 44mm sapphire crystal case. Its transparent construction allows light to flow through every angle of the watch, giving it a presence that constantly changes depending on its surroundings. Titanium H-shaped screws secure the sapphire bezel, while a structured sky-blue rubber strap completes the distinctive monochromatic look.
The Meca-10 Movement Takes Centre Stage
Inside the transparent case is one of Hublot’s most celebrated in-house calibres: the HUB1201 Meca-10.
Originally introduced in 2016, the Meca-10 broke away from conventional movement architecture. Rather than hiding the mechanics beneath the dial, Hublot designed the movement to become the visual centrepiece of the watch. Inspired by mechanical construction systems, its fully skeletonised architecture reveals every functional component.
The manually wound movement consists of 223 components, delivers an exceptional 10-day (240-hour) power reserve, and uses two parallel mainspring barrels to maintain consistent energy delivery. One of its most distinctive features is the innovative rack-and-pinion power reserve display that moves horizontally across the movement, reinforcing the industrial aesthetic that has become synonymous with the Meca-10 collection.
Transparency That Reveals Every Detail
The appeal of the Big Bang Sapphire Sky Blue extends beyond its sapphire case. Its matte sky-blue skeleton dial, matching movement bridges and sapphire case-back ensure that the watch remains visually captivating from every angle.
Instead of concealing its mechanics, the watch celebrates them. Every gear, bridge and wheel becomes part of the overall design, creating a fascinating interplay between engineering and aesthetics. It is a reminder that modern haute horlogerie is as much about visual storytelling as it is about precision.
Built with Confidence
The Big Bang Sapphire Sky Blue is more than an exercise in design. It also reflects Hublot’s confidence in its manufacturing capabilities.
Eligible models purchased from 1 January 2026 benefit from Hublot’s 5+5 warranty programme, providing a five-year standard warranty with the possibility of extending coverage to ten years through the Hublotista programme. It is among the most comprehensive warranty offerings in contemporary luxury watchmaking and reinforces the brand’s trust in its products.
Limited to Just 100 Pieces
Exclusivity remains central to the appeal of this release.
The Hublot Big Bang Sapphire Sky Blue is limited to 100 pieces worldwide and will be available through selected Hublot boutiques, authorised retailers and the brand’s official online store. The watch is priced at USD 84,300, reflecting both the complexity of its sapphire construction and the sophistication of its in-house movement.
Final Thoughts
Few brands have embraced sapphire as confidently as Hublot. Over the years, the manufacture has transformed what was once considered an experimental material into one of its defining signatures. The Big Bang Sapphire Sky Blue continues that journey, combining a transparent sky-blue sapphire case with the technically impressive Meca-10 movement in a package that is both futuristic and unmistakably Hublot.
For collectors who appreciate avant-garde watchmaking, architectural movements and limited-edition craftsmanship, this latest Big Bang demonstrates exactly why Hublot remains one of the industry’s most daring innovators.
Thirty years after its founding, independent Swiss watchmaker Parmigiani Fleurier has unveiled one of its most ambitious and meaningful creations to date. The new Carillon Tourbillon is far more than an anniversary watch. It is a celebration of the Maison’s philosophy of restoration, transmission, and mechanical excellence, expressed through a remarkable combination of a four-gong minute repeater and a tourbillon.
Created to mark Parmigiani Fleurier’s 30th anniversary, this exceptional haute horlogerie timepiece is limited to just five examples worldwide. Entirely conceived, developed, assembled and finished within the Manufacture, the Carillon Tourbillon stands as a testament to the independent Swiss watch brand’s dedication to preserving traditional craftsmanship while advancing contemporary watchmaking.
A Legacy Rooted in Restoration
Few modern watchmakers can claim a foundation as unique as that of Parmigiani Fleurier. Before establishing the Maison in 1996, Michel Parmigiani built his reputation as one of Switzerland’s foremost restorers of historic timepieces, automata, clocks and mechanical masterpieces.
His approach to restoration was never driven by nostalgia. Instead, it was a process of understanding. Through decades of studying historical mechanisms, Michel Parmigiani developed a profound appreciation for the intelligence, architecture and artistry hidden within traditional watchmaking.
The Carillon Tourbillon is a direct reflection of this philosophy.
Its origins can be traced to an early nineteenth-century pocket watch created by Perrin Frères and preserved within the renowned Sandoz Collection. Restored by Parmigiani Fleurier in 2000, the historic timepiece became a source of inspiration for the Maison’s latest creation. Rather than replicating its design, Parmigiani Fleurier sought to reinterpret its acoustic architecture, mechanical ingenuity and distinctive serpentine gongs within a contemporary luxury watch.
The Art of Sounding Time
At the heart of the Parmigiani Fleurier Carillon Tourbillon lies one of watchmaking’s most revered complications: the minute repeater.
Historically, the carillon tradition originated in bell towers, where the sound of bells marked the passage of time for entire communities. The Carillon Tourbillon transforms that public experience into something deeply personal, allowing time to be heard on demand through an intricate mechanical symphony worn on the wrist.
Unlike conventional minute repeater watches that utilise two gongs, the Carillon Tourbillon employs an advanced four-gong system.
The chiming sequence consists of:
One low-pitched gong for the hours
One high-pitched gong for the minutes
Two additional gongs dedicated to the quarter hours
Together, these four gongs create a rich and distinctive four-note melody that gives the watch its unique acoustic signature.
The striking mechanism is regulated by an integrated flywheel governor that ensures a smooth and perfectly controlled cadence throughout the chiming sequence. This guarantees a fluid acoustic performance free from acceleration or slowing, preserving the purity of every note.
A Contemporary Haute Horlogerie Statement
While inspired by historical horology, the Carillon Tourbillon is unmistakably modern in its execution.
The 41.6mm case is crafted from 18-carat white gold and features vertical gadroons inspired by classical architecture, a recurring design element deeply associated with Michel Parmigiani’s aesthetic vision.
A sapphire crystal box construction allows an unobstructed view of the dial-side mechanics, including the visible hammers responsible for striking the gongs. Their presence transforms the watch into a dynamic performance, revealing the exact moment when mechanical energy is converted into sound.
One of the watch’s most distinctive visual features is its four serpentine gongs, which elegantly wrap around the dial. Inspired directly by the Perrin Frères pocket watch, these flowing curves create a powerful visual identity while simultaneously serving an essential acoustic function.
In the Carillon Tourbillon, acoustics become design.
The Beauty of Morning Blue
The dial itself represents another showcase of Parmigiani Fleurier’s artisanal expertise.
Crafted from 18-carat white gold, the dial features a hand-hammered finish and is presented in a subtle Morning Blue hue that shifts between silver and azure depending on the light.
The textured surface reflects the Maison’s belief in the value of the human hand. No two surfaces are exactly alike, ensuring each watch possesses its own individual character.
This hand-hammered finish continues the design language introduced through Parmigiani Fleurier’s recent anniversary creations and reinforces the Maison’s commitment to traditional craftsmanship.
Calibre PF950: A High-Complication Masterpiece
Powering the watch is the manually wound Calibre PF950, an extraordinary manufacture movement designed specifically for the Carillon Tourbillon.
Comprising 456 components and 42 jewels, the movement integrates a minute repeater, a four-gong carillon striking mechanism and a 60-second tourbillon within a remarkably refined architecture.
The calibre operates at 21,600 vibrations per hour (3Hz) and delivers a power reserve of at least ten days, an impressive achievement for a high-complication watch featuring a chiming mechanism.
To achieve this performance, Parmigiani Fleurier developed a sophisticated three-barrel system.
Two superimposed barrels provide power to the movement, while a dedicated third barrel is reserved exclusively for the striking mechanism. This third barrel is automatically rewound each time the repeater slide is activated, ensuring optimal energy delivery whenever the chiming function is engaged.
Among modern haute horlogerie creations, combining a tourbillon and a minute repeater within a movement offering such extended autonomy remains a significant technical achievement.
Hidden Complexity and Refined Finishing
In keeping with Parmigiani Fleurier’s philosophy of restrained elegance, much of the watch’s complexity remains discreetly hidden from immediate view.
The tourbillon and power reserve indicator are positioned on the reverse side of the watch, preserving the balance and clarity of the dial while rewarding closer inspection.
The movement itself serves as a canvas for exceptional hand-finishing. Its components are decorated with the Maison’s distinctive mezzo vibrato engraving, a technique previously explored on the Armoriale Objet d’Art collection.
Executed entirely by hand, the decoration creates a visual rhythm across the movement’s surfaces, echoing the acoustic resonance generated by the chiming mechanism.
The calibre’s bridges and components are further enhanced through hand-bevelling and hand-graining, underscoring the artisanal nature of the piece.
A Case Designed for Resonance
In a minute repeater watch, the case plays a crucial role in shaping the quality of sound.
Parmigiani Fleurier selected white gold not only for its luxurious appearance but also for its controlled acoustic properties. The material contributes to the transmission, clarity and resonance of the chiming sequence, ensuring harmony between the movement and its surrounding architecture.
Integrated into the case band is the repeater slide, which activates the chiming mechanism through a deliberate and tactile gesture. The interaction creates a ceremonial connection between wearer and watch, reinforcing the emotional dimension of mechanical horology.
Why the Parmigiani Fleurier Carillon Tourbillon Matters to Collectors
For collectors of independent haute horlogerie, the Carillon Tourbillon represents far more than a limited-edition luxury watch.
It embodies everything that has defined Parmigiani Fleurier over the past three decades: restoration as a source of innovation, craftsmanship as a form of cultural transmission, and mechanical complexity pursued in the service of beauty rather than spectacle.
With only five examples produced, the Carillon Tourbillon is among the rarest watches ever created by the Manufacture. Its exclusivity is not driven by marketing, but by the extraordinary level of expertise, hand-finishing and acoustic tuning required to bring each piece to life.
Thirty Years of Independent Watchmaking Excellence
The Carillon Tourbillon serves as a fitting tribute to Parmigiani Fleurier’s first thirty years.
Combining a four-gong minute repeater, a tourbillon, a hand-hammered Morning Blue dial and a movement engineered for exceptional acoustic performance, it captures the essence of the Maison’s identity.
More importantly, it demonstrates that true innovation in Swiss watchmaking does not require abandoning tradition. Instead, the Carillon Tourbillon proves that the most compelling creations emerge when history, craftsmanship and contemporary engineering work in harmony.
For Parmigiani Fleurier, the sound of thirty years is not merely heard. It resonates.
Technical Specifications
Parmigiani Fleurier Carillon Tourbillon White Gold Anniversaire
Audemars Piguet’s Neo Frame Jumping Hour doesn’t tell time the way you expect—and that’s exactly the point.
With no traditional hands and a display that jumps every hour, it challenges how we read a watch altogether. Inspired by a 1929 design and shaped by Art Deco principles, this release blends heritage with modern engineering, powered by the new Calibre 7122.
But beyond the complication, this is a watch about intent—about doing less, but doing it better. And once you understand it, the question becomes simple: what more do you really need from a watch?
What is the Audemars Piguet Neo Frame Jumping Hour?
The Audemars Piguet Neo Frame Jumping Hour is a rectangular pink gold timepiece that replaces traditional hands with a digital-style display. The hour appears in an aperture and jumps instantly at the top of each hour, while the minutes are displayed progressively alongside it.
Powered by the in-house Calibre 7122, it represents the brand’s first selfwinding jumping hour movement—combining historical inspiration with contemporary watchmaking.
A Watch That Changes How You Read Time
This isn’t a watch you glance at. It’s one you interpret.
Instead of hands sweeping across a dial, time is revealed through two apertures. The hour disc snaps forward precisely every 60 minutes, while the minutes glide continuously. The result is a display that feels both mechanical and unexpectedly modern.
It slows you down, forcing a second look—and in doing so, makes time feel more deliberate.
How Does a Jumping Hour Watch Work?
A jumping hour watch displays time using rotating discs instead of traditional hands. The hour disc advances instantaneously at the top of each hour, while the minute disc moves in a continuous, progressive motion.
This system improves legibility and creates a distinctive digital-like display, while remaining entirely mechanical in execution.
Calibre 7122: A First for Audemars Piguet
At the heart of the Neo Frame is Calibre 7122—Audemars Piguet’s first automatic jumping hour movement.
Developed entirely in-house, it combines precision with practicality:
Instantaneous jumping hour mechanism
52-hour power reserve
Shock-resistant system to prevent misalignment
Titanium hour disc for durability
Visible through the sapphire caseback, the movement is finished with traditional Haute Horlogerie techniques, reinforcing that this watch is as serious mechanically as it is visually.
Inspired by 1929, Designed for Today
The Neo Frame draws from a 1929 Audemars Piguet timepiece (pre-model 1271), reinterpreted through the lens of modern craftsmanship.
Its design language is rooted in the Streamline Moderne movement—a late branch of Art Deco characterised by aerodynamic forms, curved lines, and architectural precision.
This influence is visible throughout:
Vertical gadroons running along the case
A rectangular pink gold profile with sculpted lugs
A minimalist sapphire dial with two apertures
The result is a watch that feels less like an object, and more like a piece of design.
A Case Study in Restraint
What makes the Neo Frame compelling isn’t complexity—it’s clarity.
There are no extra elements competing for attention. No unnecessary layers. Just a refined display, a strong design identity, and a complication that serves a purpose.
Even the sapphire dial construction required a new approach to ensure durability and water resistance without compromising the open aesthetic.
This is watchmaking distilled.
Key Specifications
Case: 18k pink gold, rectangular
Size: 34.6 mm × 34 mm
Thickness: 8.8 mm
Movement: Calibre 7122 (selfwinding)
Power Reserve: 52 hours
Display: Jumping hour with trailing minutes
Water Resistance: 20 metres
Strap: Black calfskin leather
Why This Watch Matters
The Neo Frame Jumping Hour stands out not because it tries to do more—but because it chooses to do things differently.
It brings back a rare complication, pairs it with a strong design philosophy, and delivers it in a way that feels relevant today.
In a market that often leans on familiarity, this is a reminder that originality still matters.
Final Thoughts
Audemars Piguet hasn’t just revisited a complication—it has redefined how it fits into modern watchmaking.
The Neo Frame Jumping Hour is thoughtful, deliberate, and quietly confident. It doesn’t demand attention. It earns it.
At LVMH Watch Week 2026, Tiffany & Co. presented a clear and confident watchmaking statement through four distinct timepieces. Rather than pursuing volume or spectacle, the Maison focused on precision, jewellery craftsmanship, and decorative horology—each watch expressing a different facet of Tiffany’s evolving identity in modern watchmaking.
Long recognised as one of the world’s most influential jewellery houses, Tiffany continues to translate its heritage into contemporary horology with increasing clarity and restraint.
Tiffany Timer: Precision and Heritage
The Tiffany Timer anchors the 2026 collection with a direct link to the brand’s earliest horological achievement. The original Tiffany Timer, created in 1866, was the earliest American-made stopwatch designed for exacting measurement and technical performance. One hundred and sixty years later, Tiffany revisits that legacy with a modern, limited-edition chronograph.
The watch is housed in a 40 mm polished platinum case and features a multi-layered Tiffany Blue lacquer dial, offering depth and luminosity. Baguette-cut diamond hour markers add refinement, while the faceted crown references Tiffany’s iconic engagement ring setting.
On the caseback, a customised Swiss chronograph movement reveals a yellow gold Bird on a Rock motif integrated into the oscillating weight. Limited to 60 pieces, the Tiffany Timer bridges historical innovation with contemporary execution.
Eternity Baguette: High Jewellery Meets Mechanics
With the Eternity Baguette, Tiffany places gem-setting at the centre of watch design. Presented in a 36 mm 18k white gold case, the watch introduces baguette-cut stones on the bezel, creating a continuous, light-catching frame.
Available in Diamond and Blue Gradient versions, the watches feature snow-set diamond cases and hour markers cut in twelve different shapes, including heart, pear, Asscher, and princess cuts. For the first time, the Eternity line is powered by self-winding Swiss movements, adding mechanical depth to its jewellery-led design language.
Sixteen Stone Mother-of-Pearl: Kinetic Design
The Sixteen Stone Mother-of-Pearl watch draws inspiration from a 1959 Jean Schlumberger design. At the centre of the dial, a mother-of-pearl disc is encircled by a rotating ring of gold “X” motifs and 24 brilliant diamonds, introducing a subtle kinetic effect as the wrist moves.
The 36 mm white gold case is snow-set with more than 400 diamonds and paired with a high-precision Swiss quartz movement. Finished with a Tiffany Blue alligator strap and diamond-set buckle, Sixteen Stone blends playful motion with refined elegance.
Jean Schlumberger by Tiffany Bird on a Flying Tourbillon
The most elaborate piece in the collection is the Jean Schlumberger by Tiffany Bird on a Flying Tourbillon, where high jewellery and high watchmaking converge. Inspired by the iconic Bird on a Rock brooch, the watch features a multi-layered champlevé enamel dial accented with appliqué lacquered flowers.
Crafted in 18k white gold, the watch is set with nearly 800 diamonds totalling over 3 carats, including a diamond-encrusted bird. At the centre, the flying tourbillon appears suspended, introducing lightness and movement while maintaining visual balance.
EyesOnTime Take
Tiffany & Co.’s 2026 watch releases demonstrate a measured and confident approach. The Tiffany Timer speaks to precision and heritage, the Eternity watches reinforce diamond authority, Sixteen Stone introduces kinetic design, and the Bird on a Flying Tourbillon showcases decorative haute horlogerie.
At LVMH Watch Week 2026, Tiffany didn’t attempt to redefine watchmaking overnight. Instead, it presented a focused collection that clearly articulates where the brand stands—and where its watchmaking is headed.
Hublot and legendary brand Yohji Yamamoto unite once again to redefine the art of black. For the fourth time since their first collaboration in 2020, they elevate black from a color to the Classic Fusion Yohji Yamamoto All Black Camo. A limited edition of 300 pieces where every texture and contrast are intentional. Matte black ceramic sculpts the 42mm case into light and depth, a monochrome camouflage pattern adds rhythm and motion while fabric and rubber fuse seamlessly on the strap.
This collaboration is more than fashion or watchmaking. It’s about vision. About how far you can strip something down to its essence. Both Hublot and Yohji Yamamoto have built their legacies on the same foundation: questioning the meaning of luxury. Both create through deconstruction. Hublot first broke Swiss tradition in 1980 with its Art of Fusion, blending gold with rubber, innovation with heritage. Since its debut at the Paris Fashion Week in 1981, Yohji Yamamoto redefined the conventions of fashion, using black as a response against excess and fashion’s norms.
For both creators, black is not absence, it is essence. Hublot pioneered the All Black concept in 2006, where light is defined by volume and texture, beyond its color. When Yohji Yamamoto first presented the collection in Paris in 1981, the black silhouettes were seen as revolutionary, an anti-fashion statement that freed creation from decoration. At Hublot, black is sculpted through material: matte ceramics, smoked sapphire, surfaces that play with shadow. For Yohji Yamamoto, black is woven through fabric: wool, silk, cotton layered to breathe and shift. Both treat black as visible and invisible.
“For Yohji Yamamoto, black reveals what truly matters, it purifies form, letting silhouette and texture speak. At Hublot, we treat black as a living material, sculpted, layered, folded where each surface interacts differently with light. This project marks our very first collaboration on a Classic Fusion model, and together, we share the belief that luxury is not what shines, but what endures”, stated Julien Tornare, CEO of Hublot.
Camouflage, reimagined in Yohji Yamamoto’s language, becomes a study in movement and material. On the Classic Fusion Yohji Yamamoto All Black Camo, the pattern appears as monochrome relief, black on black, dynamic under changing light.
“Black is modest and arrogant at the same time” affirmed Yohji Yamamoto.
The 42mm matte black ceramic case absorbs light and sculpts shadow. The black-on-black camouflage dial shifts subtly with movement, alive with contrast. The smoked sapphire caseback unveils the MHUB1110 Hublot automatic calibre and its skeletonized rotor while preserving a monochrome mystery. The strap, crafted from fabric and rubber, echoes the Japanese designer’s tactile couture and Hublot’s technical precision. The signature of Yohji Yamamoto is incorporated into the design of each of the 300 custom All Black boxes. The new Classic Fusion Yohji Yamamoto All Black Camo is available at a selection of Hublot points of sale and online at hublot.com.
HUBLOT
In 1980 and for the first time, a watch dared to put a gold case on a rubber strap, turning the luxury watch world upside down in the process. Named for the porthole-shaped bezel with its exposed screws, Hublot was born and with it, the Art of Fusion.
In 2005 the brand took this exercise in creative thinking to a new level with the Big Bang and its iconic design, size and layered construction case. That same year, Hublot received the Best Design award at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. Since then, spurred by this revolutionary mindset, the Big Bang has never stopped reinventing itself. The twenty-first century has its first watch Icon.
The concept of fusion is omnipresent, the guiding principle for every collection. Big Bang timepieces reshape the geometries of time; Classic Fusion balances boldness and restraint, while the Exceptional Timepieces overwrite expectations to create unprecedented horological objects. With its disruptive approach of challenging convention, Hublot’s DNA is transcribed in the Unico, Meca-10 and tourbillon in-house movements, to add another tier of meaning to the Art of Fusion.
Alchemy is ingrained into Hublot and not just at La Manufacture. Magic can take place on a football pitch, producing partnerships with major events (UEFA Champions League and UEFA EuroTM). Sometimes it happens at a concert, a basketball match, an artistic performance or at a unique gastronomic experience with Hublot’s family of starred Chefs. And so, the Hublot Vibes come to life, through shared moments of exaltation amongst the Hublotistas, its very own community of proud Hublot owners. The Art of Fusion goes beyond the tangible. It is a way of being, the Hublot way of life.
Yohji Yamamoto
Since his debut runway show in Paris in 1981, Yohji Yamamoto has been revolutionizing the fashion world through his philosophy of “conquering fashion through antithesis” – namely, an antithesis to traditional western clothing. Armed with a spirit of rebellion, he expresses his design philosophy though creating pieces that have endured the test of time, and which challenge taboos and propose radical convictions.
CASE
Microblasted Black Ceramic
Sapphire with Anti-reflective Treatment
Screws: Black plated H-Shaped polished Titanium
Size: 42 MM
Thickness: 10.4 MM
Water resistance: 5 ATM / 50M
CASE-BACK
Microblasted Black Ceramic
Frederique Constant Redefines Everyday Elegance with the New Classics Première Collection
Frederique Constant is proudly unveils two brand new Classics Premiere models sporting a dial in Blue or salmon – the year’s signature colours – and for the first time, a fluid, flexible steel bracelet and case combo. Retaining the compact 38.5-millimetre case format, each watch offers a more urban, contemporary look than the earlier leather-strap versions. Suitable for women and men alike, these two new Classics Premiere will win over collectors in search of a new automatic watch for everyday wear – as well as first-time buyers looking for a quality Swiss Made watch.
Rooted in the age-old canons of Geneva watchmaking, the two new timepieces also reflect the return of dials in pastel shades: one is blue, the other salmon pink. Both colours have emerged as collectors’ favourites at major international watch shows, being acclaimed for their elegance and discretion – and their homage to the finest watches of the 1950s and 60s.
Frederique Constant Classics Premiere blue dial watch
The styling here unashamedly emulates vintage watchmaking’s greatest classics. A typical twentieth-century font has been used for the Arabic numeral hour markers; above them glide ‘pomme’ hands that became popular in the mid-eighteenth century, while the ‘railtrack’ minute circles hark back to the Art Deco timepieces of the 1920s and their sector dials. The dial itself showcases Frederique Constant’s watchmaking expertise, with a delicately grained matte finish capturing the light on the central section and a circular sunray finish on the surrounding raised hour circle diffusing light to the markers arrayed around the dial.
Both models feature a new bracelet that adds a decidedly urban touch: a flexible five-link strap. Here too Frederique Constant demonstrates its devotion to fine watchmaking finishes, with three mirror-polished links nestled amid the two others; meanwhile the case is mirror-polished throughout, matching the similarly finished hands and hour markers. The horological pedigree of both variations is clearly visible too, thanks to a sapphire caseback that reveals the innermost workings of the automatic FC-301 calibre. The latter is a Swiss Made product through and through, developed from a highly-acclaimed La Joux-Perret base, packed with mechanical precision and boasting a power reserve of 68 hours – almost three full days.
Frederique Constant Classics blue dial watch
Frederique Constant automatic dress watch front view
LIVE YOUR PASSION!
Founded in 1988, Frederique Constant is a Swiss watchmaking manufacture based in Geneva. Having celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2023, the brand continues to showcase its ever-advancing watchmaking expertise as it pursues its aim: providing Swiss Made luxury watches at fair prices. Through the decades, Frederique Constant has been characterised by creativity and inventiveness – and even more so by mechanical ingenuity and pragmatism.
Born out of the shared passion of an independent entrepreneurial couple, Aletta and Peter Stas, Frederique Constant has written its own rules, blazing a trail into territory where none had dared venture before. Today the brand can proudly offer a range of quartz and mechanical models – and most importantly, a collection of 34 calibres designed, developed and assembled in its own Manufacture in Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva. These movements include Tourbillon, Perpetual Calendar, Flyback Chronograph, Worldtimer, Power Reserve and Big Date complications as well as the Monolithic escapement, made out of a single piece of silicon and beating at a rate of 40Hz.
Frederique Constant presently has close to 3,000 points of sale in 120 countries. To pursue its international expansion and develop new synergies, since 2016 the Frederique Constant Group (Frederique Constant, Alpina Watches, Ateliers deMonaco) has been part of the Japanese group Citizen.
Since its inception, AWAKE has explored the paths of conscious and poetic watchmaking, where the craftsman’s hand becomes an extension of time itself.
With the Sơn Mài – FRAGMENTS collection, the brand takes a new step in its creative adventure, combining Vietnamese lacquer, natural mother-of-pearl and the ancient Japanese art of Raden in a mesmerizing, luminous harmony.
Three limited editions combining exceptional craftsmanship, creative poetry and Swiss watchmaking precision, each dial becoming a work of art in itself: a handcrafted iridescent mosaic that captures and diffracts light, transforming every second into a suspended moment.
An invitation to slow down, to contemplate, to remember that the beauty of the world lies in the most subtle details — those that only the human hand can reveal.
KEY FEATURES OF THE FRAGMENTS COLLECTION
• A new exclusive technique. One year after the launch of the Sơn Mài collection, whose first iteration combines the purity of traditional Vietnamese lacquer with the subtlety of silver leaf, the artistic exploration of Hanoi’s craftsmanship of excellence continues with mother-of-pearl, prized for its multiple colors and iridescent beauty – the embodiment of mystery and elegance.
• Three versions, each limited to 100 pieces. Three poetic interpretations of light and time.
• Exceptional craftsmanship. Each dial requires nearly 15 hours of manual work, combining precision, patience and emotion.
• A unique luminous signature. Inspired by Japanese chiaroscuro. The hour markers and hands reveal a poetic and hypnotic depth in the night.
• Swiss precision. La Joux-Perret G101 automatic movement, 68-hour power reserve, high-end finishes.
• Sensory elegance. Jean Rousseau – Paris straps, handcrafted in black calfskin and lined with Alcantara.
AWAKE Son Mai Fragments Green dial watch
AWAKE Son Mai Fragments Green dial watch
AWAKE Son Mai Fragments Blue edition wristwatch
EXCEPTIONAL CRAFTSMANSHIP TO TRANSCEND BORDERS
The starting point for the FRAGMENTS collection lies in our fascination with the Japanese art of Raden: a refined technique dating back several centuries, consisting of inlaying fragments of mother-of-pearl, ivory or shell into lacquered objects to enhance their iridescent reflections and create a hypnotic sense of depth.
AWAKE offers a free and contemporary interpretation of this technique, blending different cultures and skills. In their workshops in Hanoi, master lacquerers have developed a unique method that combines natural Vietnamese Sơn Mài lacquer, renowned for its purity and brilliance, with mother-of-pearl, a universal symbol of light and elegance. Each dial is the result of a long, meticulous and entirely handmade process, demonstrating rare mastery and a true passion for the art of lacquer.
This new collection becomes a true dialogue between Japan, Vietnam, France and Switzerland: four territories, four craft traditions united by the same quest for beauty, poetry and meaning.
“We aim to transcend borders and bring different know-how together. The FRAGMENTS collection was born from this idea: uniting cultures in the tiny space of a watch dial.” – Lilian THIBAULT – Founder of AWAKE
FROM SAP TO LIGHT
The creative process begins long before the first brushstroke… The lacquer used for the FRAGMENTS collection comes from the sap of the Rhus verniciflua, a tree native to northern Vietnam. It takes ten years of growth for a tree to produce just 200 ml of sap per year, harvested only in the early morning in June and July. Purified and dehydrated, this sap becomes a lacquer of incomparable transparency and brilliance, renowned for its protective properties.
Next, fragments of mother-of-pearl are selected one by one according to their color, fineness and reflections, then sprinkled delicately over the dial and adjusted one by one by hand to create a mosaic of light. The Mother-of-pearl is distinguished by its ability to capture and transform light: depending on the angle and the moment, it changes color, density and depth, evoking sometimes the calm sea, sometimes the sky at dusk.
This alchemy between organic matter and living light makes the dial a miniature landscape in constant evolution — a silent scene where time seems to stand still.
THE CREATING RITUAL: A WORK OF PATIENCE
Each dial in the FRAGMENTS collection requires nearly fifteen hours of manual work and a level of precision that only a mastered technique, repeated thousands of times, can provide.
The metal base of the dial is first prepared, then coated with a first layer of black lacquer with natural pigments, and polished to a perfect mirror finish. The mother-of-pearl fragments are then sprinkled and adjusted one by one with tweezers, according to a process that is both instinctive and skillful: the smallest ones first, to create the background, then the larger ones to create texture and relief.
Then comes the pigment phase: blue, green and pink, obtained from organic materials. These shades, sprayed on in a light veil, color the mother-of-pearl without masking its light, allowing each dial to express its personality.
Finally, around a dozen layers of pure lacquer are applied, dried, sanded and polished one by one. This is an extremely patient task, where each step reveals a new shine, sealing the fragments in an invisible case and revealing an almost infinite depth.
“Each dial then becomes a fragment of the universe, capturing the changing beauty of the world in the transparency of time” – Lilian THIBAULT – Founder of AWAKE
THREE INTERPRETATIONS OF LIGHT
Three unique expressions, each conveying its own emotion and atmosphere, created by the craftsman’s hand.
• FRAGMENTS – Green
Soothing and organic, green evokes the serenity of forests, light filtering through foliage, the murmur of nature in motion. The mother-of-pearl fragments, worked in a gradient, diffuse reflections of an almost meditative softness. An ode to slowness and harmony.
• FRAGMENTS – Blue
Inspired by the depths of the sea, the blue of this dial encapsulates the silent poetry of the ocean. Under the light, the iridescent fragments seem to come to life: blues turn silvery, grays take on azure hues. A living, changing dial that captures the fluid essence of time.
• FRAGMENTS – Pink
The most enigmatic of the three. Its pink and pearly shades embody the dialogue between matter and emotion, the visible and the invisible. From some angles, it evokes the softness of twilight; from others, the stellar reflections of the cosmos. A dial of light and mystery.
LUMINOUS SIGNATURE: CHIAROSCURO BY AWAKE
True to its unique aesthetic, AWAKE enhances the FRAGMENTS dials with an exclusive luminous signature inspired by the Japanese poetic concept of chiaroscuro, dear to Jun’ichirō Tanizaki. The hands and hour markers, crafted from a Super LumiNova® BGW9 base, are clad in faceted polished steel: discreet in daylight, they glow softly and mesmerizingly at night, revealing the hypnotic depth of the dial. The hands and hour markers, crafted from a Super LumiNova® BGW9 base, are clad in faceted polished steel: discreet in daylight, they glow softly and mesmerizingly at night, revealing the hypnotic depth of the dial.
SWISS PRECISION
This visual poetry is matched by the precision of the movement. FRAGMENTS watches are powered by the G101 La Joux-Perret movement, a symbol of excellence and reliability. With its 68-hour power reserve and meticulous finishes visible through the sapphire crystal case back, this movement echoes the craftsmanship of the dials. Its oscillating weight, machined from a block of tungsten and delicately engraved with the brand’s emblem and the words ‘La Joux-Perret for AWAKE’, also plays with light thanks to the alternation of sandblasted, polished and micro-beaded surfaces.
THE ELEGANCE OF DETAIL, BY MAISON JEAN ROUSSEAU
To extend the sensory dimension of the watch, AWAKE has partnered with Maison Jean Rousseau, an iconic figure in French leather goods. Each strap is handmade from calfskin leather and lined with Alcantara in colors that match the dials: forest green, midnight blue or purple. Suppleness, a velvety feel and tone-on-tone finishes are the hallmarks of the discreet elegance of an object designed to last. The straps are equipped with quick-release buckles and a recycled steel pin buckle, the result of complex machining. Because every detail counts, right down to the way the watch sits on the wrist.
A WATCHMAKING JOURNEY BETWEEN VALUE AND EMOTION
With Sơn Mài – FRAGMENTS, AWAKE continues its exploration of the link between art, culture and watchmaking. A collection born from the encounter between Asian traditions and Swiss excellence, between slow gestures and mechanical precision, between light and time.
In this tiny canvas, composed of fragments of mother-of-pearl, lacquer and light, a whole world comes to life: that of craftsmanship, transmission and pure beauty. A true distillation of excellence, passion and creativity, available at a price of €2,250 excluding tax.
AWAKE Son Mai Fragments Blue edition wristwatch
Awake Watches
Handcrafted mother-of-pearl and lacquer dial detail
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Case: Recycled 316L stainless steel Diameter: 39mm
Dimensions ‘Lug to lug’: 45.6mm Lug width: 20mm Thickness: 11.80mm including glass / 10.90mm excluding glass
Entirely handcrafted Métiers d’Art dials: Reinterpretation of the ancient Japanese technique of Raden using a mosaic of fragments of mother-of-pearl, Vietnamese lacquer and natural pigments.
– Sơn Mài – Fragments – Green : Limited Edition of 100. – Sơn Mài – Fragments – Blue : Limited Edition of 100. – Sơn Mài – Fragments – Pink : Limited Edition of 100.
Indexes and hands: Super LumiNova® BGW9, AWAKE luminous ‘coiffe’ signature Water resistance: 5 ATM (50m) Glass: Anti-reflective sapphire crystal Case back: Screw-down case back, sapphire crystal Movement: Automatic La Joux-Perret G101, 68-hour power reserve Decoration: Personalized tungsten rotor, alternating concave and convex surfaces with brushed, micro-beaded and polished finishes. Micro-beaded bezel engraved with laser inscriptions specific to each version. JEAN ROUSSEAU strap: Matte black calfskin leather lined with colored Alcantara, tone-on-tone topstitching, equipped with ‘presto’ pumps and mounted on a hollowed-out pin buckle. 115×75 – 20-16mm. Warranty: 3-year international warranty Price: €2,250 excluding tax Distribution: https://awakewatches.com Retailers: https://awakewatches.com/pages/points-of-sale
As a distinctively modern expression of femininity, the Rendez-Vous quickly became a pillar of JaegerLeCoultre’s collections when it was introduced in 2012. Now in 2025, the Maison refines and redefines the collection, beginning with two models: Rendez-Vous Night & Day and Rendez-Vous Moon.
Thirteen years after the collection’s inauguration, an aesthetic redesign and technical upgrades bring new allure to the Rendez-Vous, masterfully demonstrating the art of transformation while remaining faithful to the collection’s original codes.
A PIONEERING COLLECTION WITH A DISTINCTIVE ALLURE
When introduced in 2012, the Rendez-Vous offered women a rare combination at the time: marrying outer style and beauty with inner technical sophistication. In an era where quartz movements still dominated women’s watchmaking, Jaeger-LeCoultre quietly redefined expectations. The mechanically advanced movement that powered the first Rendez-Vous model, Calibre 967A, was developed and produced entirely in-house, specifically for the new watch.
The philosophy behind the Rendez-Vous collection can be traced back to the pioneering spirit of La Grande Maison’s founder, Antoine LeCoultre. Always forward-looking, the Maison began creating watches for women as well as men at an early stage; its feminine collections have continually captured evolving trends, and embodied women’s changing needs and desires. Since the late 19th century, when women pioneered the wearing of watches on the wrist (several decades before men were to do so), the Maison has understood the immense aesthetic and technical potential of timepieces that can also be worn as jewels and accessories. It is this philosophy that guides the Rendez-Vous collection today.
The first Rendez-Vous model in 2012 was envisaged not as a standalone but as the foundation for a full collection. Many variations have been created since then, in different case metals and varying sizes, with different complications and calibres – always produced entirely in-house at Jaeger-LeCoultre and featuring a variety of Métiers Rares™ created in the Manufacture’s own dedicated workshop. Through every interpretation, Rendez-Vous has represented the quintessential expression of modern femininity – that of confidence and elegance.
Rendez-Vous Moon 34 mm diamond bezel timepiece
Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Night & Day 34 mm watch
Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Night & Day 34 mm watch
A SUBTLE AESTHETIC EVOLUTION
When creating the new Rendez-Vous design, it was imperative to retain the four key aesthetic codes that define the collection: the textured guilloché dial, the ‘Floral’ numerals and hands, a complication displayed at 6 o’clock, and diamonds to express the jewellery spirit and draw the eye to the beauty of the dial.
While a total of 64 elements have been modified (including significant technical upgrades), many design changes are barely perceptible in their own right; however, taken together, they bring a notable freshness and richness to the overall aesthetic.
The new Rendez-Vous Night & Day is offered with three variations of the 34 mm case: all steel; steel with a diamond-set bezel and 18k pink gold (750/1000) with a diamond-set bezel. The new Rendez-Vous Moon, also in a 34 mm case is offered in steel or pink gold, both with a diamond-set bezel.
Emphasising the graceful allure of the collection, the redesigned case features a convex bezel, rounded sides and flattened lugs, enhancing comfort on the wrist and creating an impression of slimness.
Diamond hour markers and bezel
Interchangeable alligator leather strap close-up
On the dial, jewellery finishes have been subtly enhanced on all models. On the steel models with diamond hour markers, the diamonds have been slightly increased in size. On all models with gem-set bezels, the diamond size has significantly increased to further captivate the light. The tone-on-tone aesthetic and overall unity of the dial design has been enhanced: on the Night & Day steel model with non-set bezel a textured inner dial ring replaces a ring marked with dots while the other versions feature a diamond-set inner ring echoing the diamond-set bezel. The pink gold version adorns golden coloured floral numerals that match the colour of the precious metal case.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Night & Day 34 mm watch
Rendez-Vous Moon 34 mm diamond bezel timepiece
An entirely new bracelet has been designed for the collection, its exclusive lozenge-shaped links smooth, comfortable and wearing like a second skin on the wrist. The integration between bracelet and case has been improved and the bracelet can be quickly interchanged by the wearer, without the need for a special tool or technique. A second strap, in alligator leather, is included with models that are purchased with a metal bracelet. Alternatively, both the Rendez-Vous Night & Day and Rendez-Vous Moon in both steel and pink gold may be purchased with only an alligator strap.
Sunray finished dial with applied numerals
Rendez-Vous Moon 34 mm diamond bezel timepiece
IN-HOUSE MECHANICAL MOVEMENTS REVISITED
Complementing the aesthetic changes, both of the new Rendez-Vous models are equipped with enhanced self-winding movements. The power reserves of both calibres have been significantly increased, from 38 hours to 70 hours. The Rendez-Vous Night & Day is powered by Calibre 898 with functions of hours, minutes, seconds and a night-and-day complication, while the Rendez-Vous Moon is animated by Calibre 925, offering hours, minutes, seconds and a moon phase display, with a quick-reset moon phase adjustment button on the left case side.
Updated to deliver a fresh expression of beauty, elegance and performance, the Rendez-Vous collection continues to offer a graceful interpretation of timekeeping for women. More than simply marking the time, the new Rendez-Vous models are distinctive visions of femininity, crafted to capture the attention and imagination.
TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS
RENDEZ-VOUS NIGHT & DAY
Case: Steel, or steel with diamonds, or 18k Pink Gold (750/1000) with diamonds Dimensions: 34 mm x 8.63 mm Movement: Automatic Manufacture Calibre 898 Functions: Hours, Minutes, Seconds; Night & Day complication Power Reserve: 70 hours Dial: Silvered sunray-pattern guilloché Caseback: Open Stones: 12 diamonds ( 0.05 carats), or 107 diamonds (0.84 carats) Water resistance: 50 m Strap: Blue alligator (steel), Taupe alligator (pink gold) Bracelet: Steel, for steel models, interchangeable double folding clasp
References:
Q3448411 Steel 12 diamonds, blue alligator strap
Q3448111 Steel 12 diamonds, steel bracelet and blue alligator strap
Q3448431 Steel 107 diamonds, blue alligator strap
Q3448132 Steel 107 diamonds, steel bracelet and blue alligator strap
Q3442441 Pink Gold (750/1000) 107 diamonds, taupe alligator strap
Night & Day indicator subdial close-up
Night & Day indicator subdial close-up
JLC Rendez-Vous elegant round case design
Rendez-Vous 2025 relaunch luxury watches
JLC Rendez-Vous elegant round case design
RENDEZ-VOUS MOON
Case: Steel with diamonds or 18k Pink Gold (750/1000) with diamonds Dimensions: 34 mm x 9.42 mm Movement: Automatic Manufacture Calibre 925 Functions: Hours, Minutes, Seconds; Moon phase complication Power Reserve: 70 hours Dial: Silvered sunray-pattern guilloché Caseback: Open Stones: 107 diamonds (0.84 carats) Water resistance: 50m Strap: Blue Alligator (steel), Black alligator (pink gold) Bracelet: Steel, for steel models, interchangeable double-folding clasp
References:
Q3578431 Steel 107 diamonds, blue alligator strap
Q3578131 Steel, 107 diamonds, steel bracelet and blue alligator strap
Q3572431 Pink Gold (750/1000) 107 diamonds, black alligator strap
Q3572131 Pink Gold (750/1000) 107 diamonds, black alligator strap
Some watches tell time. Others redefine it.
Zenith’s Defy Zero G Sapphire belongs to the latter. It doesn’t just keep time—it defies gravity itself. Literally.
In a world where watchmaking has seen almost everything, Zenith dares to reimagine what precision can mean. And the result? Two breathtaking limited editions that look as if they were carved from starlight itself—one in deep celestial blue sapphire, the other in transparent crystal clarity. Each limited to just 10 pieces worldwide.
A Story of Defiance and Discovery
Back in 2008, Zenith unveiled a concept that seemed almost impossible: a wristwatch movement that could cancel out gravity’s pull on its precision. Fast forward to today, and that dream lives inside the Defy Zero G.
At the heart of this watch beats a world-first innovation — the Gravity Control module, a gimbal-mounted escapement that constantly keeps itself perfectly level, no matter how your wrist moves.
It’s inspired by marine chronometers that once helped sailors navigate the open seas. Only now, that same principle of stability lives inside a 46mm sapphire case, wrapped around your wrist.
That’s the kind of audacious engineering that makes Zenith… Zenith.
A Universe Captured in Sapphire
The blue sapphire edition is pure cosmic poetry. Its lapis lazuli dial, flecked with gold pyrite, shimmers like a slice of the night sky. Each piece has its own pattern—no two alike—like constellations drawn by hand.
The transparent sapphire edition strips everything down to pure form and function. Every bevel, bridge, and balance wheel is visible in luminous clarity. Nothing to hide, everything to admire.
Inside beats the manual-winding El Primero 8812S calibre, running at 5Hz, revealing a hypnotic dance of motion through openworked architecture. The rotating Gravity Control module at 6 o’clock keeps the escapement level, as if the laws of physics were optional.
Precision Becomes Art
There’s something almost philosophical about the Defy Zero G. In a world obsessed with speed, Zenith slows things down—to focus on mastery. Every movement, every polished edge, every laser-engraved star speaks of patience and purpose.
The counterweight of the gyroscopic system even carries an engraving that resembles a celestial body—a reminder that this isn’t just a watchmaker’s experiment. It’s a meditation on control, beauty, and balance.
Ten Pieces. Infinite Imagination.
Each Defy Zero G Sapphire is a limited edition of just 10. Priced around USD 207,500, it’s not a watch for everyone—and that’s exactly the point.
It’s for the dreamers, the collectors, the believers in the impossible. Those who see time not as something to measure, but something to master.
Because at Zenith, defying gravity isn’t a metaphor.
It’s a way of life.
Conclusion
The Zenith Defy Zero G Sapphire isn’t just about mechanics—it’s about emotion. It’s about watching centuries of horological heritage collide with modern innovation to create something timeless, transparent, and alive.
In sapphire and steel, light and motion, Zenith has built not just a watch, but a statement: that perfection is never static—it’s always in motion, just like time itself.
Technical Specifications
DEFY ZERO G Reference: 04.9003.8812/51.R584 Key points: Full blue sapphire case. Entirely skeletonized movement : El Primero 8812.
“Gravity Control” gyroscopic module that ensures horizontal positioning of the regulating
organ. Now occupies only 30% of its initial volume. Inspired by the legendary marine
chronometers. Openworked dial. The movement is protected by 1 patent related to the
Gravity Control cage. Limited edition of 10 pieces. Movement: El Primero 8812 Frequency: 36,000 VpH (5 Hz) Power reserve: 50 hours Functions: Hours and minutes excentred at 12 o’clock, small seconds at 9 o’clock, self-
regulating Gravity Control module at 6 o’clock, power-reserve indication at 3 o’clock Finishes: Exclusive two tones (blue and rhodium) signature on plates and bridges + milled
Starry Sky. Laser decorated Platinum counterweight of the gyroscopic system. Price: 200 000 CHF / 220 000 Euros / 207 500 USD Material: Blue Sapphire Water resistance: 3 ATM Case: 46mm Dial: Openworked with Lapis Lazuli dial Hour markers: Rhodium-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova SLN C1 Hands: Rhodium-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova SLN C1 Bracelet & Buckle: Blue Alligator leather lining on rubber with titanium folding clasp
DEFY ZERO G Reference: 04.9000.8812/51.R584 Key points: Full transparent sapphire case. Entirely skeletonized movement : El Primero
8812. “Gravity Control” gyroscopic module that ensures horizontal positioning of the
regulating organ. Now occupies only 30% of its initial volume. Inspired by the legendary
marine chronometers. Openworked dial. The movement is protected by 1 patent related
to the Gravity Control cage. Limited edition of 10 pieces. Movement: El Primero 8812 Frequency: 36,000 VpH (5 Hz) Power reserve: 50 hours Functions: Hours and minutes excentred at 12 o’clock, small seconds at 9 o’clock, self-
regulating Gravity Control module at 6 o’clock, power-reserve indication at 3 o’clock Finishes: Exclusive two tones (blue and rhodium) signature on plates and bridges + milled
Starry Sky. Laser decorated Platinum counterweight of the gyroscopic system. Price: 200 000 CHF / 220 000 Euros / 207 500 USD Material: Transparent Sapphire Water resistance: 3 ATM Case: 46mm Dial: Openworked with Lapis Lazuli dial Hour markers: Rhodium-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova SLN C1 Hands: Rhodium-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova SLN C1 Bracelet & Buckle: Blue Alligator leather lining on rubber with titanium folding clasp
In the world of haute horlogerie, few names carry the mystique of Jaquet Droz. Known for its automata, métiers d’art, and poetic approach to time, the brand has spent nearly three centuries challenging conventions while keeping emotion at the heart of every creation.
During his recent visit to India, Alain Delamuraz, CEO of Jaquet Droz, shared his thoughts on legacy, innovation, and the brand’s deepening connection with Indian collectors.
Art Beyond Time
When asked whether Jaquet Droz feels closer to a poem, a painting, or a piece of music, Alain Delamuraz resists a single definition: “I think that all the arts are connected. Watchmaking art, métiers d’art, paillons, enamel, engraving, micro-painting — all these things are together. If you copy an art, you die. All the arts need to be challenged every time.”
For him, watchmaking at Jaquet Droz is less about the object itself and more about the dialogue it inspires: “We do not make a piece and then try to sell it. We create it together with the people who will wear it. It’s a connection, a human connection.”
Disruptive Legacy
With centuries of history behind the brand, the temptation might be to look backward. Alain Delamuraz instead looks forward: “The question is not what did Pierre Jaquet-Droz do, the question is what he would do today if he were still alive… He was a disruptive person — inventive, creative, full of craziness. We have to keep this disruptive attitude. Disruptive is positive — it is not destroying, but it is faster and more creative than normal evolution.”
For him, disruption is not an occasional strategy but the brand’s DNA: “Innovation is our tradition. Disruption is our legacy.”
The Soul of Emotion
Precision is essential, but it is emotion that defines true luxury. As Alain Delamuraz explains: “You can have passion, authenticity, technical excellence — but without emotion, it is nothing. We are in direct connection between an artist and another artist who is the collector. If there is no emotion, people don’t buy. There is never, ever something we do without emotion.”
That emotional connection is rooted in people — the watchmakers, artisans, and collectors who bring each piece to life: “The soul is that you can see the people making your piece of art. You talk with the engraver, the painter, the enameller. You create together. That, I believe, is the soul of Jaquet Droz: putting people together, humanizing luxury, and giving emotion — not only price.”
India: A Dialogue of Cultures
India, with its rich artistic heritage, resonates naturally with Jaquet Droz’s philosophy. “We take inspiration from every culture — Japan, China, India. We also did some Indian themes. Always by hand, always unique, one-of-one. That is why I am here in India — to feel the culture, to meet people, to understand more, and to be more ready to create bespoke pieces of art in the spirit of this culture.”
Indian collectors, he observes, are especially eager to co-create: “It would begin with colors, crafts, and themes unique to India — because this is what connects naturally to our métiers d’art. We work with the client to refine it: more blue, less green, more red, different materials. The idea is always to co-create.”
What excites him most about the market is its youthful boldness: “The younger generation cannot be fooled. They want authenticity, emotion, and individuality. They are curious and bold. That’s why we create both the timeless and the unexpected.”
Collaborations & Living Art
Beyond watches, Jaquet Droz has often blurred the lines between horology and fine art. A striking example is the brand’s collaboration with John Howe, the legendary illustrator behind The Lord of the Rings: “He created a dragon for us — his signature is engraved on the back, and the automaton moves with 16 separate pieces. This is live art. With a lot of pleasure, we are always ready to collaborate with artists. Our concept is to redefine painting, engraving, or sculpture so collectors can travel with their piece of art.”
It’s a philosophy that aligns perfectly with India’s own artistic traditions — a fertile ground for future collaborations.
An Industry of Emotion, Not Marketing
In a world where marketing often overshadows craft, Alain Delamuraz insists on a more human-centered approach: “In our case, we don’t do advertising anymore. Our marketing concept is to know the people and to interact with them. Automata are about surprise and emotion — you don’t know what will happen, then suddenly something moves and you say ‘wow.’ That surprise is the emotion. We are not only a brand, not only a watchmaker. We are an emotion.”
Conclusion
Alain Delamuraz’s vision for Jaquet Droz is clear: a brand rooted in disruption, guided by emotion, and deeply connected to its collectors. Whether through métiers d’art, automata, or bespoke creations inspired by India, Jaquet Droz continues to prove that true luxury lies not only in what is made, but in the human connection it creates.
The Hublot MP-17 Meca-10 Arsham Splash Titanium Sapphire marks the next evolution of the brand’s creative collaboration with Daniel Arsham — American artist, sculptor, and Hublot Ambassador. Following the experimental MP-16 Arsham Droplet, this wrist-worn sculpture channels the beauty and movement of water, transforming timekeeping into an art form.
Sculpting Time Through the Art of Fusion
Hublot’s Art of Fusion has long been about blending materials, ideas, and worlds. The MP-17 takes that philosophy to a new dimension — merging Arsham’s “fictional archaeology” with Hublot’s modern mechanical mastery.
Every element — from its frosted sapphire bezel to its microblasted titanium case — celebrates transparency, structure, and motion. The splash-shaped dial opening represents a single moment of impact, forever suspended.
The Mechanics of Motion
Powered by the HUB1205 Manufacture Meca-10 movement, this hand-wound engine delivers a remarkable 10-day power reserve, visible through both the dial and caseback. Measuring 42mm across and just 15.35mm thick, it achieves sculptural balance and everyday wearability — a rare combination in Hublot’s MP series.
Green accents — Arsham’s signature tone — energize the hands, numerals, and power-reserve indicator, while the openworked dial reveals the intricate depth of the movement beneath.
The Fluidity of Time
Arsham once described his work as “collapsing time — you’re not quite sure if it’s an object from the past or the future.”
That tension defines the MP-17 Splash. The design blurs the boundaries between liquid and solid, past and present. It’s an exploration of time as a tangible medium — sculpted, contained, and in perpetual motion.
Edition of 99
Limited to just 99 pieces, the MP-17 Meca-10 Arsham Splash Titanium Sapphire stands as both collectible art and high watchmaking. It invites wearers — and viewers — to perceive time not as it passes, but as it flows.
“This collaboration explores the fluidity of time through a case inspired by the perfect geometry of a water droplet,” says Daniel Arsham. “Its transparent structure captures the clarity and motion of water — suspended, precise, and always in flux.”
An unexplained watchmaking phenomenon has entered our atmosphere. ZENITH unveils an unprecedented and conceptual take on its staple 1/100th of a second chronograph, reimagined as a mirroring camouflage: Meet the DEFY Extreme Mirror.
The ultimate ultramodern camouflage watch has arrived. A monolithic object that reflects all light and colours – yet has no colours of its own. A form so geometrically outstanding but finished in such a way that it blends right in with its surroundings. An engine that operates at such a high-frequency rate, it’s nothing short of astounding. The DEFY Extreme line is not only inspired by the elements but also built to adapt and blend into them. With the DEFY Extreme Mirror, ZENITH is exploring a totally new expression of its most rugged chronograph to date that seemingly blends reality and our perception of our surroundings.
Shrouded in mystery and intrigue, the DEFY Extreme Mirror evokes some kind of UFO that has masked its arrival on our planet. With its fully mirror-polished metal exterior, the earth, the sky and the entire horizon are reflected without distortion. Paradoxically, the DEFY Extreme Mirror is at once eye-catching and stealthy. It doesn’t attempt to hide in its surroundings but blends in completely by reflecting it entirely from its gleaming surface. The highly angular case, as well as its integrated bracelet, are crafted in stainless steel, which are then immaculately mirror-polished all over for a chrome-like appearance.
And it’s not just the case that’s mirrored. The open multi-layered dial features a central element in sapphire crystal with a metallic mirrored finish that’s translucent yet reflective. The 1/100th of a second chronograph scale features satin-brushed metallic elements, keeping the dial easy to read while maintaining the fluid, all-metal theme.
Partially visible through the open dial as well as the sapphire case back is the world’s fastest automatic high-frequency chronograph calibre in production, offering 1/100th of a second time measurements by means of two independent escapements beating at the rates of 5Hz (36’000 VpH) for the timekeeping part and 50Hz (360’000 VpH) for the chronograph function. For the DEFY Extreme Mirror, the star-shaped winding rotor is finished in a silvery-grey metallic tone to match the case and dial elements.
Completing the look of this intriguing piece are the supplied durable black Velcro strap and rubber strap, which can be easily swapped with the steel bracelet using the quick strap-change mechanism on the back of the case.
The DEFY Extreme Mirror is available at ZENITH physical and online boutiques as well as authorized retailers around the world.
ZENITH: TIME TO REACH YOUR STAR.
ZENITH exists to inspire individuals to pursue their dreams and make them come true – against all odds. Since its establishment in 1865, ZENITH became the first vertically integrated Swiss watch manufacture, and its watches have accompanied extraordinary figures that dreamt big and strived to achieve the impossible – from Louis Blériot’s history-making flight across the English Channel to Felix Baumgartner’s record-setting stratospheric free-fall jump. Zenith is also highlighting visionary and trailblazing women by celebrating their accomplishments and creating the DREAMHERS platform where women share their experiences and inspire others to fulfil their dreams.
With innovation as its guiding star, ZENITH exclusively features in-house developed and manufactured movements in all its watches. Since the creation of the El Primero in 1969, the world’s first automatic chronograph calibre, ZENITH has gone on to master high-frequency precision and offers time measurements in fractions of a second, including 1/10th of a second in the Chronomaster collection and 1/100th of a second in the DEFY collection. Because innovation is synonymous with responsibility, the ZENITH HORIZ-ON initiative affirms the brand’s commitments to inclusion & diversity, sustainability and employee wellbeing. ZENITH has been shaping the future of Swiss watchmaking since 1865, accompanying those who dare to challenge themselves and reach new heights. The time to reach your star is now.
