The art of ultra-thin
Piaget has been synonymous with ultra-thin calibres since the company was founded in 1874, and the 41 mm Altiplano Ultimate Automatic in rose gold is a testament to this expertise. Measuring an incredibly slender 4.3 mm, it would make even supermodels envious. The blue alligator strap perfectly complements the dial, while the in-house 910P self-winding calibre is seamlessly integrated with the watch case and its off-centre dial. Every superfluous element has been stripped away, resulting in a masterpiece of minimalist design.
Dark intensity
While Chanel is primarily associated with women’s fashion, their watchmaking department caters to men too. The appropriately named Monsieur de Chanel, a cornerstone of the Maison’s watch offering, is available in various different versions including this 42 mm Superleggera Intense in ceramic, mounted on a nylon and calfskin strap. This full-black timepiece exudes the sleek elegance of a racing car, but it is more than just a pretty face. Inside beats the manually wound Calibre 1, designed and developed in-house by the Chanel Manufacture, with jumping hours and a retrograde minute complication.
Architectural inspiration
MB&F continues to push creative boundaries with its latest Horological Machine, the Machine No. 11 Architect. Inspired by a quote by Le Corbusier, “A house is a machine for living in”, this 42 mm titanium timepiece resembles a 1970s architectural folly. In the center of this “bubble” house, a tourbillon serves as the living room, connected by corridors to four more “rooms” displaying hours and minutes, power reserve and temperature. The fourth room, which appears to be empty, contains the time-setting crown. The watch is driven by a manual winding movement, which is wound by rotating the entire case clockwise.
Vintage charm
Zenith takes us back to the 1970s with this reissue of a model launched in 1969: the Defy Revival A3648. This octagonal dive watch with its 14-sided bezel, measuring 37 mm in diameter, is fitted with a steel bracelet and powered by the in-house Elite 670 self-winding calibre. Its vintage appeal is enhanced by a two-tone black and orange dial, which matches the bezel. It is water resistant to 600 metres, which is 1,969 feet – the year the Defy wristwatch series was launched.
Go big or go home
Kerbedanz may not be a household name, but their Maximus model is breaking records in the watchmaking world. The Maximus GR8 in titanium, measuring 47 x 56 mm, comes on a rubber strap, and is driven by the manual-winding KRB-08-2 calibre. It has the world’s largest flying tourbillon cage, measuring 27 mm in diameter. These generous proportions give watch enthusiasts a rare opportunity to observe and appreciate the intricate and technically challenging mechanism in unprecedented detail.
