If you're a horology buff, you will know that Watches & Wonders, the quite horribly named high-end watch exhibition taking place in the spacious confines of the Convention and Exhibition Centre, starts on Tuesday. And this year promises to be bigger, better, louder, spanglier and, err, watchier? Now, now, please contain your excitement, there are still two more sleeps to go. OK, I'll admit it, I'm faking the enthusiasm a little bit as there won't be a great deal of new stuff to impress seasoned watch geeks like myself. There will, however, be the odd gem here and there. As a teaser, we'll cover three standout new pieces that will appear this coming week.
First up is the Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Day-Date and Power Reserve (top). The brand's big thing this Watches & Wonders is platinum versions of critically acclaimed watches. With this model, however, it's more than just casing the old with a new, more precious material; there are subtle design changes, too, including a clean face that's also made of fancy platinum as well as number- and numeral-less indices (again, in platinum). The case is sized at a pleasingly old-school 39.5mm, so it won't smother your wrist as modern watches are wont to do. Inside is the ever dependable in-house calibre 2475 movement, which has the coveted Hallmark of Geneva, and a power reserve that runs to 40 hours. As the name suggests, features include day, date and power-reserve indications. Not that you're ever likely to take this gorgeous watch for a swim, but, should you wish to, the water resistance runs to 30 metres. The strap is blue Mississippi alligator leather. Limited to 100 pieces, prices for the Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Day-Date and Power Reserve will be released soon.
Next we go from the classic and gentlemanly to the rugged and plain "manly", with the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Tourbillon Chronograph (above). The Swiss watchmaker has become adept at refreshing and widening its Royal Oak and the sportier Royal Oak Offshore lines without losing too much of the original thrust. And this latest iteration of the Offshore collection adds a whole splash of complications to go with the robust build and in-your-face design. The case has the company's iconic industrial look, with an octagonal bezel, but on this model, the tech ante has been upped with a forged carbon case and black ceramic bezel, which, added to the sapphire crystal glass, makes this an incredibly hard-to-scratch watch. Completing the sporty look, the strap comes in black rubber. Size-wise this isn't a beast, measuring only 44mm, so it should appeal to a wide spectrum of men. Features include the chronograph and a tourbillon, which some may consider an unnecessary garnish that just jacks up the price. Inside is an in-house calibre 2897 movement driving 65 hours of power. Limited to 50 pieces the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Tourbillon Chronograph is priced at HK$2.1 million.
