Zenith Defies Gravity In Transparency With Two New Models

It is an interesting question to ask; when does Zenith reach its zenith? So far, it hasn't happened yet, and it is doubtful that it will happen in the near future. Today the brand launches two watches that give a new spin on already existing creations. What they have in common are mouthwatering movements encased in transparency and spiced up with a generous dash of blue.

By Adrienne Faurote

Unconventional Tourbillons That Set The Pace For The Future

A tourbillon is often considered one of the most traditional complications. One thing that comes into play with this is its respectable age as it was developed by Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1785 and patented in 1801. However, it took until the revival of watchmaking after the quartz crisis to be used extensively in wristwatches. Now there hardly isn't a brand that doesn't have one in its collection. Standing out can then be a challenge, but at the same time, it also offers the opportunity to innovate and pave the way for the future of this highly regarded complication.

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Skeleton Double Flying Tourbillon; Improving An Icon

With its two flying tourbillons, has this Roger Dubuis always been an instant eyecatcher. It has always been generous in showing its technical supremacy through its skeletonized movements. It has always been a watch that united past, present, and future in a single creation. While Roger Dubuis pushed the envelope with tantalizing design and innovative materials, were all Double Flying Tourbillons awarded the prestigious Geneva Seal. This is a quality seal that sets stringent standards, mainly regarding the movement's finishing and decoration. With this, Roger Dubuis is honoring craftsmanship passed from generation to generation and also plays a vital role in continuing this towards the future.

Haute Time’s Hottest Watches Of 2020

In many ways, 2020 was not an ordinary year. The Covid-19 pandemic left its marks everywhere. Lockdowns not only slowed down international travel but also confined us more and more into our own direct surroundings. This required tremendous perseverance and ingenuity to keep businesses afloat and remain in contact with those that matter. At first, it looked like the watch industry would take a direct hit. Jewelers worldwide were forced to close their doors, trade shows where canceled, and even many manufactures had to stop production for a while due to the Covid-19 outbreak in Switzerland. But as the pandemic continued, the market recovered. Jewelers sold more online than ever before, with a strong demand for the latest models and an intensified interest in vintage watches. Many watch brands had already planned their releases for this year prior to the Covid-19 outbreak, so the effect on that will be more visible next year. However, 2020 was a year worthwhile in watchmaking, of which the following were amongst the hottest releases.

Haute Complication; Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon 5345 Quai de l’Horloge

There are quite a few watches that offer more than one tourbillon, but none quite like the Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon. The brand introduced this watch in 2006, and what sets it apart is that it combines two tourbillon cages mounted on the main plate. This entire plate moves and makes a full circle, which allows Breguet to mount the hour hand on it. While this makes the watch quite imposing, regardless of the version it was made in, is the latest, the Classique Double Tourbillon 5345 Quai de l'Horloge, actually a step up.

Roger Dubuis And Kaz Shirane Join Forces For Stunning Excalibur Superbia

Roger Dubuis is a brand that loves a challenge, wither it be technical or aesthetically of nature. For the new Excalibur Superbia, the brand joined forces with internationally renowned Japanese artist and architect Kaz Shirane and created a gemstone setting unlike any seen before. Six hundred diamonds and blue sapphires, with a total of 11 carats, decorate the case. However, they do not feature a baguette or brilliant-cut, but a tetrahedron cut instead. This triangular form is incredibly complex to cut and represents the diamond's basic atomic building blocks' shape.

Light In Dark Times: The Illuminating Innovations Of The New Roger Dubuis Excalibur Twofold

When we talk about a brand like Roger Dubuis, it is challenging to put their position within the market in words. Perhaps the most appropriate is that of 'traditional innovator.' The brand is thoroughly grounded in the traditions of Swiss watchmaking, yet utilizes them to take the next step on the evolution ladder. A clear example of this is the new Excalibur Twofold, which introduces us to several novelties.

North America Only: Greubel Forsey And Jaeger-LeCoultre Launch Tempting Limited Editions

In recent years it has become quite a thing for brands to launch a limited edition for a particular geographical region. In many ways, this is a smart strategy. It allows the brand to cater to local tastes, offer its clients and dealers there something exceptional and limited and therefore enable it to strengthen the brands present there. Both Jaeger-LeCoultre and Greubel Forsey have aimed at North America, each with a limited edition in which the color blue plays an important role.

Why Greubel Forsey Went Through Double The Trouble For The Double Tourbillon 30°

Is a tourbillon in a wristwatch truly useful? Ask this question to a group of watch enthusiasts, and most likely you will end up in heated discussions up until the wee hours of the night. Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey actually wanted to go a step further and prove that the tourbillon had an added value in a wristwatch. With the first innovation that they introduced after founding the company that bears their name in 2004, the Double Tourbillon 30° they did just that.

It’s Not All About The Dial Side: 4 Incredible Movements

With most watches, there is only one way to wear them on your wrist: dial side up. While this is a true pleasure, it also means that the heart of the watch, its movement, it hidden. For decades the privilege of seeing the movement and being able to admire all its details and craftsmanship was that of the watchmakers making and servicing these watches. Today, especially in the higher echelons of watchmaking, a display back is almost standard and allows us to behold the true magic behind mechanical watches; movements with technical ingenuity and a perfect finish on even the smallest part, turning these practical objects into the realm of wearable art.

The Need For Speed Of The Zenith Defy El Primero Double Tourbillon

This year Zenith is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the legendary El Primero. This chronograph became known for its high frequency of 36.000 Vph/5Hz, which meant that it could measure up to 1/10th of a second. The movement was so exceptional that it was even adopted by brands such as Rolex, Ebel, Concord and Daniel Roth for the use in their watches, either in its original configuration or slightly modified.

Four Tourbillons That Make Your Head Spin

Of all the complications, the tourbillon must be the most mesmerizing. It is therefore not surprising that most brands also make this complication visible from the dial side so that whoever is wearing it, can fully enjoy it. For others, this is not enough, and they like to take the tourbillon to a whole other level;

The Best Men’s Watches From Baselworld 2019 Part I

When it comes to men's watches, most brands expanded their lineup during the 2019 edition of Baselworld with some solid additions. Some of them favoured evolution over revolution, further perfecting what are already great watches, while others developed breathtaking technical novelties. One of the great difficulties of any fair, and especially Baselworld, is to pick from this wide array of often very different watches the favorites that truly stand out.

Watches For When Money Is No Object

Price is something we rarely discuss at Haute Time and for a good reason: the watches we feature have transcended from being merely a functional device to become an object of art. Yes, they tell time, and sometimes a few things more, but the way that they were designed and created is fare more an artistic process than anything else. However, to obtain such a piece of art money needs to change hands and becomes a natural limitation for the number of people who want to get one. The following watches are far beyond the horizon for most collectors, but unfortunately, that doesn't make them any less desirable!

Tourbillons: From Precision Device To Collectors Favorite Complication

The tourbillon is one of the most highly regarded complications you can buy in a wristwatch. The reasons for this are usually a combination of its perceived technical difficulty together with its aesthetic beauty. The contribution of a tourbillon to the precision of a wristwatch is always a heavily debated topic.

Red Hot Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Pirelli Double Tourbillon To Mark 2018 Run To Monaco

Roger Dubuis, Pirelli, Lamborghini: three iconic names in their respected fields that come together in a unique event. In the 'Run to Monaco', they are taking some of the world's most exclusive and exotic cars in an epic road trip through the south of France to the principality of Monaco. Last year Haute Time participated in this high-octane, high-speed event, driving a Lamborghini Aventador, of course, fitted with Pirelli tires.

I’m Spinning Around! Top 5 Tourbillon Watches

The tourbillon is still the undeniable king of the complications. It is often the one that envokes the most feverish reactions from watch collectors and connoisseurs alike. Part of its magic is its undeniable ability to captivate through its mesmerizing motion and the technical complexity to achieve this. These are some of the most recent watches with a tourbillon that were able to capture, and hold our attention!