Haute Complication: Patek Philippe Ref.5905 Annual Calendar Chronograph

Complications are great, but a combination of them is even better. The Ref.5905 Annual Calendar Chronograph delivers just that, in a way only Patek Philippe can do. With its first annual calendar introduced in 1996, the brand is actually the inventor of this complication. As it only needs manual adjusting every February of each year, it is less complex and expensive than a perpetual calendar, but far more convenient than a regular one. Ref.5905 also taps into the long-standing tradition at Patek Philippe to merge a calendar complication with a chronograph. No wonder that it quickly amassed its own share of admirers.

By Adrienne Faurote

The New Tonda PF; Parmigiani’s Take On Contemporary Elegance

The biggest challenge for any watchmaker is to create a design that defies and defines time simultaneously. With its new Tonda PF collection, Parmigiani takes it on and makes a clear case for a return to elegance. Clean lines, attention to detail, and refined movements make these watches a compelling proposition for any watch connoisseur. With their integrated bracelets, they wear like a piece of jewelry, oozing exclusivity in a more chic, restraint way.

Ulysse Nardin Is Expanding Marine Torpilleur Collection With Seven New Models

Marking 175 years of history can be a daunting task, yet not for Ulysse Nardin. Founded in 1846, their legacy in Haute Horlogerie has been firmly based on pursuing precision timekeeping. The brand became one of the best-known suppliers of marine chronometers, delivering them to navies and ship lines worldwide and contributing to science by supplying them to geodesic institutes and astronomical observatories. Ulysse Nardin is introducing seven(!) exciting new watches to their Marine Torpilleur collection to mark this moment.

Watch of the Week: Rolex Sky-Dweller

As the world is slowly opening up again, traveling is once again the norm. Rolex has always been a loyal travel companion, combining robustness and water-resistant with style and elegance. In 1954 they added to that the convenience of displaying a second time zone with the introduction of the GMT-Master. This model, and its successors, has become the go-to watch of many globetrotters since but was in 2012 joined by the Sky-Dweller. While it can also show the time in different parts of the world simultaneously, this timepiece is another animal altogether. Its design is more reminiscent of the Datejust, with its distinct bezel, making it less of a tool-watch in comparison to the sportier-styled GMT-Masters.

5235/50R; Patek Philippe’s Annual Calendar That Dares To Be Different

One can wonder if Patek Philippe would have known that when they launched their very first annual calendar in 1996 that it would have become such a popular complication. Today, its popularity even goes beyond Patek Philippe itself, as many other brands have developed watches that feature this complication. For Patek Philippe, it has become one of their signature complications, and many of the watches fitted with it, follow the classic dial design for calendar watches. There is however one exception, and that is reference 5235/50R.

Watch of the Week: IWC Portugieser Annual Calendar

If there is one complication that, especially in recent years, has become very popular, it is the annual calendar. This is also for good reasons, as it offers nearly all the benefits of a perpetual calendar, with the only exception that you have to adjust the date at the end of February manually. As a result, an annual calendar doesn't have to know when it is a leap year, making it less complex to make, and therefore, it can also be offered at a lower price. While there are now many annual calendars on the market, one of the most beautiful is still the IWC Portugieser Annual Calendar.

Haute Complication: Bovet Récital 20 Astérium

Bovet is a brand known to go above and beyond to create the most exceptional complications. However, they are also dedicated to bringing them to life in a very engaging and mesmerizing way. That makes a Bovet not only instantly recognizable but also stand out in the world of the Haute Horlogerie.

Watch of the Week: Omega Globemaster Annual Calendar

Designing a watch for men that looks both elegant yet masculine is quite the task, especially in the 21st century. With the Globemaster, Omega tackled that challenge by giving a new interpretation of some celebrated design aspects of the watches from their rich past. By this, they avoid going into full retro-mode, yet did create a modern-day watch with a fresh yet recognizable appearance.

Watch of the Week: Ulysse Nardin Marine Chronograph

With its Marine-collection has Ulysse Nardin created a very recognizable and refreshingly different watch with a nautical theme. It has been around now long enough to justify as a classic of its own, and the model forms one of the pillars of the brand. While the time-only is a very tempting watch, the chronograph offers just that added bit of dynamic that many watch connoisseurs appreciate so much.

Haute Time’s Favorite Watches From Blancpain

Blancpain has been a very fortunate brand. As one of the pioneers in the field of diving watches and that of automatic watches, they have a tremendously rich history. Even when the quartz crisis almost made an end to the brand, there was Jean-Claude Biver, who together with Jacques Piguet, son of Frédéric Piguet, took the company to new heights. Since 2002 the brand is in the capable hands of Marc A. Hayek, who has carefully build upon the history of the brand, yet with a keen eye to what modern consumers are looking for. While their current collection is vast, these are our Haute Time favorites.

Haute Time’s Favorite Watches From Patek Philippe

It can be no secret that Patek Philippe is a brand that gives a slight elevation of the pulse whenever we lay eyes on one. For such exclusive watch manufacture, their collection is surprisingly diverse and large. The same can be said of our list of favourites, although the debate is still going on if not a few other references also deserve to be included as well.....

Blue Dials Of Baselworld 2018

When I started last year with 'Blue Dials of Baselworld' I did not expect it to become a reoccurring topic. Earlier this year at the SIHH, we already saw enough blue dials to warrant a similar article and this year at Baselworld....well, judge for yourself!

The Blue Dials Of SIHH 2018

Last year after Baselworld I wrote an article about the many beautiful blue dials that caught my eye. This trend continues to live on, as also at this years SIHH, there where blue dials galore, including some very special one!

Laurent Ferrier Galet Annual Calendar School Piece: A Master Class By A Master Watchmaker

Annual calendars are still enjoying increased popularity. As their calendar only need adjustment once a year, they come very close to the complexity of the perpetual calendar, yet require much less of an investment to obtain. For Laurent Ferrier, this was enough reason to dedicate his fifth unique caliber to this complication. During the design process, which was done completely in-house, two things were paramount: the user-friendliness of the watch, as well as obtaining a visual balance of the dial.

Throwback Thursday: Patek Philippe “Cathedral” Minute Repeating Annual Calendar Ref. 5033P-001

There are a lot of very tempting things about this exquisite Patek Philippe, but first and foremost that it is such a very understated watch! With its distinct tonneau case and subtle Roman numerals, it shows that it is a fine watch, yet disguises how technically refined it is!

Haute Complication: Richard Mille RM 11-03 Jean Todt

One of the first people to prominently wear a Richard Mille was Jean Todt. It was the beginning of a deep friendship between the charismatic watchmaker and the racing car legend. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Jean Todt's illustrious career, Richard Mille created a collection of limited editions, and among them this beautiful RM 11-03 Jean Todt.

Annual Calendars: That Beautiful “Little” Complication

A "little" complication that is not only a lot of fun to have, but also one that is very useful: the annual complication is it all, and more!