La Fabrique du Temps, or "the time factory" in English, is one of the most coveted places in the watch industry. Here, Louis Vuitton creates its mechanical marvels like the Tambour Moon Mysterieuse Tourbillon Volant. This watch is quite a feat, not only in a technical sense but also in terms of design, as it is a Louis Vuitton, after all. The distinct case of the Tambour is sculpted from platinum and given a polished finish. With a diameter of 45mm, is the watch relatively large. However, the short lugs and supple alligator strap ensure great wearing comfort, even on smaller wrists.

With the Tiffany Blue Patek Philippe Nautilus fetching $6.5 million at auction in December of last year, it is safe to say that this iconic model is hotter than ever. This passion also causes an even broader interest in the history of the Nautilus. This includes many exquisite and often rare models like this Reference 3800/1, which Patek Philippe made just before the turn of the Millenium in 1999.

While Patek Philippe is a manufacture rooted in history and tradition, it didn't become one of the most renowned brands by lack of innovation. Instead, the brand offers innovation on its own terms, focusing on advancing traditional watchmaking with better and more stable performance. The new Ref.5750 Advanced Research Minute Repeater is a watch that has exactly those qualities. It was developed by Patek Philippe's Advanced Research department, which was established in 2005 with the aim of finding and applying new materials, concepts, and technologies to further perfect Patek Philippe's offerings.

While Chopard has been one of the leading luxury brands for decades, writing history with their jewelry and watches, its manufacture is surprisingly young. Only a quarter of a century ago, they fully began with developing and producing their own movements. Since then, these activities have rapidly increased and made Chopard one of the most respected and leading Haute Horlogerie brands when it comes to complicated movements. To mark this occasion, the brand is launching two limited editions, underscoring its achievements in those 25 years.

In 2016, Patek Philippe delighted the world with the reference 5930G-010, a watch that combined a world time function with a flyback chronograph. Featuring a blue dial and white gold case, it became an instant favorite of the brand's connoisseurs with a passion for its more complex creations. Last week Patek Philippe introduced a new version that raises the bar to an even higher level, combining a platinum case with a green dial and details.

Rarely has a name of a timepiece been more appropriate than with the Rolex Yacht-Master, because if you own a yacht, this is the watch to wear. While deeply rooted in Rolex's sailing heritage, a field in which they have been active since the 1950s, it was first launched in 1992. Right from the start, it held a unique position as it combines the tool watch look of the Submariner with a generous dash of elegance. This resulted in a tempting sports watch that has been one of the pillars of the Rolex collection ever since.

The complexity of a watch can go beyond its movement and complications. The way it is created, and decorated can also add to this. As the inventor of the tourbillon, is this complication still the calling card of Breguet. They show their passion for this through a variety of different models, among them the Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Squelette 5395. While, in essence, a classic, time-only version, Breguet has applied innovation on nearly every level, maintaining their heritage and rich DNA, but at the same time create a watch fit for the future.

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.

The watchmakers of Grand Seiko's Micro Artist Studio in Shiojiri have created yet another masterpiece to celebrate Seiko's 140th anniversary. Named SBGZ007, it does remind of the SBGZ001, mainly thanks to its textured case made of platinum. The texture itself is, however, quite different. The artisans of Grand Seiko took inspiration from the night sky over their manufacture and decorated the Zaratsu polished case with a star-like pattern. This further highlights the slim and elegant profile of the case, which has a diameter of 38.5mm and is only 9.8mm thick.

The perpetual calendar is a complication that has always held an important place in the history of Patek Philippe. In 1925 the brand already launched its very first perpetual calendar wristwatch, and in 1941 the brand introduced Ref.1518, combining a perpetual calendar with a chronograph, something that has never been done before on a watch made in series. Patek Philippe always had a strong presence when it came to pocket watches as well, and in 1972 they introduced a novel perpetual calendar with in-line display. Now, part of its rich legacy in this field merges with the introduction of the new Ref. 5236P-001 In-line Perpetual Calendar.

Grand Seiko is, above all, a brand of subtleties. There is a good reason for that, as they invest so much time, effort, and resources to perfect every single detail so that even a subtle watch becomes extraordinary. It is also a sign of modesty, not to boast, but to simply enjoy creating something extraordinary that connoisseurs highly value and appreciate. The latest highlight representing this unique spirit is, without a doubt, the new Heritage Collection Seiko 140th Anniversary Limited Edition SLGH007.

These days, many brands have proprietary gold-alloys that improve the properties of conventional ones. Rolex Everose gold is a good example, which not only offers a richer color but combines this with the added advantage that it hardly tarnishes over time. Hublot even achieved significantly increasing the scratch resistance of gold by combining it with ceramic in their Magic Gold. Platinum alloys are far rarer. In part, this is because there is literally less room to innovate. With 18 karat gold, 750 of every 1000 particles in the alloy are pure gold, the other 250 particles are other metals. These are not only needed to make the alloy harder but can also change the color, most commonly into white, pink, or red. Most brands typically use 950 platinum, meaning that only 50 particles per 1000 are a different metal. For Panerai's Laboratorio di Idee this was enough to make a significant improvement.

These days there is no shortage of perpetual calendars. Most brands have one in their collection, yet not all are equal. Because there are quite a few to choose from, standing out of the crowd can be a challenge. Hermès has no problem tackling this by simply staying true to their own DNA and use an interesting mix of materials.

This year, it was 160 years ago that the founder of (Grand) Seiko was born in central Tokyo. Kintaro Hattori was a visionary who recognized that Japan's rapid modernization and its increasingly outward focus to the rest of the world was an opportune time to found a company of his own. He did so in 1881, at the age of 21, focussing initially on importing timepieces, but later would start producing them himself. With this, he laid the foundation for one of the most formidable brands in watchmaking.

Platinum has the reputation of being the most prized of all the precious metals. In luxury watchmaking, it is often only used for top-of-the-line models. Here they often create a contradiction, as the appearance of polished platinum is rather understated. Grand Seiko takes a different approach for their Grand Seiko Elegance SBGZ001, which is crafted in their renowned Micro Artist Studio.

The history of Cartier is filled with many incredible watches, often in unique shapes. Over the years, many have become icons of 'La Maison' and gathered quite a few fans along the way. Others remain somewhat of a mystery, as they are so rare that they hardly ever come up for sale, and are often not more than a footnote in most books. This is also the case with the Tank à Guichets, with its novel way of indicating the time.