IWC has crowned 2020 as the year of the Portugieser, and that means that we can welcome lots and lots of new additions to this collection. Some are just revamped versions of old favorites, but many are also entirely new watches, some with innovative complications.

This past weekend, Haute Yachts held a virtual "deck-side" conversation with The Yacht Guy and Florida Yachts International Owner and Brand Ambassador Ralph Navarro on the yachting industry's latest as quarantine and restrictions are close to being lifted.

With the 2020 edition of Watches & Wonders, formerly known as the SIHH, in full swing, lots of novelties are being introduced by the thirty participating brands. May trends already emerge, blue is holding its ground as a popular dial color, classic designs get a boost, and diameters tend to get a little bit smaller. Another trend that remains strong is that for complicated watches. Many brands use these watches as their calling card, and to delight their most demanding and affluential clients. The following four are the ones that caught our eyes for sure;

Usually, we would be in Geneva right now, visiting Watches & Wonders, the former SIHH. Unfortunately, very little is normal these days. The COVID-19 pandemic is making its marks around the world, and for the watch world, it meant that many prestigious, international events, had to be canceled. As it sometimes feels that the world has come to a standstill, it is also important that some things do continue, and we have to be creative about how to achieve this. The Foundation de la Haute Horlogerie, who organizes Watches & Wonders, therefore took the decision to take the show into the digital space and has created in record time a platform on which all the thirty exhibiting brands can present their latest products.

When people think of a vintage sports watch with a second timezone, the Rolex GMT-master is often one that comes to mind first. However, there have been more imposing sports watches with this complication, like the Heuer Autavia GMT. The one we have here is from around 1970 and part of the second generation of reference 2446, with its distinct red chronograph hand, larger registers, and fluted pushers.

Haute Time held a special webinar this afternoon with Ulysse Nardin President of Americas François-Xavier Hotier, and retired Navy SEAL Senior Chief and Managing Director of non-profit One More Wave, Kyle Buckett. They engaged in a conversation about the value of time under current conditions and the relationship that has developed between the luxury brand and the non-profit organization that serves veterans.

The history of the Omega Speedmaster is like a treasure trove for watch enthusiasts. The brand has created a wide range of watches that made a significant contribution to the exploration of space. While we haven't visited the moon for quite some time now, the Speedmaster hasn't lost any of its relevance or appeal. Over the last few years, Omega has done a great job nurturing their legacy in space and introduced us to incredible limited editions highlighting some of the most exciting moments in history. These are Haute Time's favorite Omega Speedmasters from the last couple of years:

The COVID-19 pandemic hits many communities around the world and in the United States very hard. Next to the virus itself, is also the economic fallout that came in its wake devastating for many. While fighting the virus is essential, as is caring for those who are now in immediate need, so is supporting our economy. It is vital that when we come out on the other side, we still have a strong foundation on which we can build once again our prosperity. Working to achieve all that is challenging by itself, yet for Parmigiani, it formed the inspiration to develop in record time its "Helping Heroes" program for North America.

Boiling hot or ice-cold? Whatever your preference, Ulysse Nardin is now offering both of these extremes in two new versions of their Freak X model. Introduced in 2019, the Freak X took the legacy of this extraordinary Ulysse Nardin collection to new heights by offering many of its highlights into a smaller and more affordable package. Fitted into a 43mm case, we find caliber UN-230. As always, with the Freak makes its carrousel-type movement the balance wheel an intricate part of telling time. Prominently placed on the dial side as part of the minute hand, is it quite the eyecatcher. For optimum performance, Ulysse Nardin made it out of silicon and fitted it with micro-blades and nickel flyweights for stabilization.

Watch industry legend Jean-Claude Biver and Grammy Award-winning artist and entrepreneur Swizz Beatz joined Haute Time for a conversation on life during quarantine, the watch industry's reaction to it, and more.

Roger Dubuis is one of the few brands that have a very successful partnership with a leading car brand. Perhaps it is because it shares the same outlook on product development with Lamborghini, or that they have a similar style. A fact is that the machines from Sant'Agata Bolognese have served as an inspiration for Roger Dubuit to create equally impressive watches. One of these watches is based on the Huracán, Lamborghini's V10 powered sports car which replaced the Gallardo in 2014.

Rolex and Patek Philippe are among five major luxury watch brands that have decided to leave Baselworld and begin a new fair with FHH.

There is no question that any Greubel Forsey is already a piece of horological art. It is a brand that has taken the term finish to new heights and utilizes them on some of the most sophisticated watches ever made. For the Art Piece Edition Historique, they took it a step further and decided not to display the time prominently, but instead put the focus on their double, inclined 30° tourbillon and exceptional relief micro-engraving.

Over the years, they have become a thing, the annual editions of Glashütte Original. What sets these watches apart is not that they are entirely new models, but rather that they feature the most stunning dials. In the last few years, Glashütte Original has shown us stunning dials in a 'raindrops against a windshield' kind-of-motif featuring bright colors such as orange and green. This year their approach is quite different and remarkably appropriate for the times we are living in today.

Jacob & co's timepieces always combine technical excellence with visual excitement. Sometimes this excitement is created by the use of exquisite gemstones, but Jacob & Co also enjoys creating enticing watches that put never-seen-before complications on center stage. The new Jacob & Co. X Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon, which took almost a year to develop, is precisely that.

The times we are currently facing are challenging for many of us, and for a variety of different reasons. Yet no matter what the reason is, it is essential to maintain hope. Only then can we find the strength to come together, be creative, and work our way productively through the problems. Watches can then be seen as a trivial thing, but apart from being an industry by itself which fuels our economies, can they also serve as an inspiration. When we are capable of making mechanical watches that can measure time with an accuracy of 99.994% (the worst rating with which a watch can still be Chronometer-certified), it serves as a testimony that human ingenuity knows no bounds and that we can persevere. Therefor four mechanical timepieces that can not only inspire but also brighten our day with their colorful appearance.