As a rule, watch enthusiasts appreciate regularity and precision. I suppose that could be said of everyone, but I’m going out on a limb to say that watch enthusiasts are particularly keen on these two things. Two years ago, it so happened that a series of auctions usually held during a particular week in November was moved up a week — I recall hearing some highly vocal expressions of displeasure from members of the watch community who had planned their calendars based on the assumption that the major events of the horological year were more or less etched in stone. All this to say that despite a low-key approach to pre-event communications, the last Monday in January has reliably (and thankfully) served up our first dose of watchmaking excitement for the year. I refer, of course, to LVMH Watch Week.
By the time you’re reading this, you’ll no doubt have already received an array of email notifications and social media alerts about the latest timepieces launched by Bulgari, Hublot, TAG Heuer and Zenith, the four watchmaking juggernauts of LVMH. Perhaps you’re the kind of person who likes to browse different sources for your watchmaking news — a varied diet being key to a healthy knowledge of any subject. Here at WorldTempus, we’re well aware of this need for diversity in watch-related information, so our comprehensive coverage of the next three days consists of a mix of voices and opinions.
Starting in chronological order, we have Bulgari, from the perspective of yours truly. Although you know me mostly as a technical writer with a passion for the mechanical side of things, it must be said that Bulgari’s LVMH launches this year made me throw my usual analytical, (some might say over-)cerebral approach aside. The return of the Bulgari Bulgari in black and gold will strike a resonant chord in anyone who lived through the 1980s and 1990s — take a look and you’ll see exactly what I mean.
Hublot, through the lens of our close colleague and collaborator, the fiercely intelligent and astute Marie de Pimodan, is revealed in all its mechanical splendour. Not to give anything away and spoil your pleasure of reading Marie’s full report, but you should probably be sitting down when you discover the first new Hublot timepieces of 2024. (An explosive mix of colour and motion, that’s all I’ll say.)
TAG Heuer takes a panoramic approach this January, leaving us utterly convinced that this is a brand that can do it all, from sophisticated complications to everyday wrist companions. While their iconic Carrera reinforces its heritage and legendary status, the Aquaracer continues to make strides in the high-tech realm. People sometimes forget that the TAG in TAG Heuer stands for Techniques d’avant-garde. This collection will remind them.
Lastly, Zenith’s new Chronomaster models come under the exacting eye of Allissa Pataki, the newest (read: has the greatest amount of energy out of all us) member of the WorldTempus editorial team. I don’t know about you, but I can’t think of anyone better to bring you information about Zenith’s most dynamic and high-potential collection. Don’t forget to keep an eye out later this week for our very first interview with Zenith’s new leader, Benoît le Clerck, fresh at the helm and ready to share his first insights and plans for the brand.
