https://www.scmp.com/rss/323843/feed News and insight on the luxury Swiss watch manufacturer en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Josiah Ng Josiah Ng The record-breaking 66 brands exhibiting at Watches and Wonders this year gave us plenty of exotic complications, materials and designs, but as market share between top, middle and smaller scale brands continues to shift wildly amid universal price increases, this year’s biggest releases seem geared to making watches more universally wearable, durable and modernised. Brands experimented with familiar materials like platinum or titanium, but began to expand possibilities for ceramic, forged... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3350452/best-watches-and-wonders-2026-launches-cartier-and-hublot-patek-philippe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3350452/best-watches-and-wonders-2026-launches-cartier-and-hublot-patek-philippe?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 08:44:13 +0000 Anders Modig Davin Anders Modig Davin Visitors to Patek Philippe’s salon on Geneva’s luxurious Rue du Rhône in April could observe unique timepieces in the making at the brand’s métiers d’art exhibition. Watching the in-house artisan cutting wood with a foot-operated jigsaw into marquetry pieces depicting a Geneva Harbour scene from the 18th century was jaw-dropping – a display of the patience of a saint and the precision of a maestro. The artisan went on to explain that for one dome clock, he had cut 2,191 veneer parts of different... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3343498/how-luxury-watch-brands-are-reinventing-art-marquetry-hermes-patek-philippe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3343498/how-luxury-watch-brands-are-reinventing-art-marquetry-hermes-patek-philippe?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 22:00:08 +0000 Gloria Fung Gloria Fung Watch straps are as much about function as they are about form. They are an integral part of a watch’s construction and wear, and can also transform a design’s aesthetic through their build, texture and fit. The strap has always been crucial in the development of the wristwatch: its development is the reason why pocket watches and their chains are almost never seen in the wild any more. They are an integral part of the experience of wearing a watch, transforming a design’s aesthetic through its... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3341209/evolution-watch-strap-tudor-and-grand-seiko-jaeger-lecoultre-and-zenith?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3341209/evolution-watch-strap-tudor-and-grand-seiko-jaeger-lecoultre-and-zenith?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 22:00:09 +0000 Josiah Ng Josiah Ng November was packed with high horology moments the world over. In Geneva, the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève gathered once again to honour the year’s best watches, while in Dubai, retailer Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons organised the most well-attended Dubai Watch Week yet. In the UK, the newly minted Lady Victoria Beckham sported a stunning watch to complement the outfits she designed for herself and her husband – now Sir David Beckham – at the latter’s knighthood investiture. And brands like Vacheron... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3335188/novembers-hottest-watch-moments-lady-becks-patek-philippe-dubai-watch-week-and-gphg-winners?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3335188/novembers-hottest-watch-moments-lady-becks-patek-philippe-dubai-watch-week-and-gphg-winners?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Dec 2025 06:00:10 +0000 Carla Thomas Carla Thomas Few athletes in the world right now are enjoying a hotter streak than Mohamed “Mo” Salah. The Liverpool FC star played a huge role in his club’s recent Premier League triumph, playing some of the finest football of his career over the season. He’s widely considered one of the team’s most valuable players, and as a result, has become a top target for cash-injected clubs worldwide. Case in point: earlier this year, he turned down the equivalent of a small nation’s GDP – a jaw-dropping £500... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3313373/inside-liverpool-star-mo-salahs-impressive-luxury-watch-collection-recent-richard-mille-rm17-02-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3313373/inside-liverpool-star-mo-salahs-impressive-luxury-watch-collection-recent-richard-mille-rm17-02-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Jun 2025 20:00:08 +0000 Since the dawn of mechanical timekeeping, legendary watchmakers have grappled with the need for accuracy in timekeeping while being up against the limits of a watch’s functionality. Myriad complications that have ever more closely addressed that accuracy dot the history of high horology. Today, in an era when the atomic clock and precision instruments remove the need for the traditional mechanical functions of many complications, brands nonetheless continue to add them, connecting horology’s... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3262202/watches-and-wonders-2024-boldest-complications-revealed-iwc-jaeger-lecoultre-hermes-ulysse-nardin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3262202/watches-and-wonders-2024-boldest-complications-revealed-iwc-jaeger-lecoultre-hermes-ulysse-nardin?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 May 2024 02:00:15 +0000 Not everyone can afford a rare Reference 96 Quantieme Lune by Patek Philippe – a model once owned by China’s last emperor Aisin-Gioro Puyi was recently snapped up at auction for US$6.2 million – but Hong Kong-based artist and watch lover Gabe Lau is hoping to remedy that. “My art is a way of experiencing the beauty, design and craft of a luxury watch without having to buy it. The best part of what I do is being able to connect with people and learn about their passion for watches. Their journey... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/entrepreneurs/article/3243062/cant-afford-luxury-watch-these-cardboard-copies-might-do-meet-hong-kong-artist-making-playful-art?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/entrepreneurs/article/3243062/cant-afford-luxury-watch-these-cardboard-copies-might-do-meet-hong-kong-artist-making-playful-art?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Nov 2023 07:00:14 +0000 Mechanical and functional timepieces have followed and supported us through history to the ends of the earth and the depths of the sea. They have followed us as we broke records in speed, set records above water and in the air, and followed us as we soared ever higher, even into space. Though technology has caught up with the times and watches are no longer the sole piece of precision equipment used to break such records, maisons have found ever more creative ways to remind us of just how... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3203270/6-most-macho-luxury-watches-2022-iwcs-top-gun-pilots-timepiece-breitlings-cathay-partnership-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3203270/6-most-macho-luxury-watches-2022-iwcs-top-gun-pilots-timepiece-breitlings-cathay-partnership-and?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Dec 2022 08:28:28 +0000 The ever-changing universe of timepieces has recently embraced an emerging trend of monochromatic, densely textured dial designs with minimalistic or architectural patterns, delivered with the help of artists and architects alike. The most eye-catching is an in-house creation of Ulysse Nardin. Aptly named Freak X Razzle Dazzle, its geometrical pattern is inspired by wildlife camouflage and the patterns used to confuse observers trying to track the movements of warships during WWI. The vibrant... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/article/3142542/2021s-most-unlikely-design-trend-hublot-bulgari-luxury?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/article/3142542/2021s-most-unlikely-design-trend-hublot-bulgari-luxury?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jul 2021 02:00:14 +0000 This year’s watch fairs, as well as Paris Couture Week – a hub for jewellery launches – all went online due to the pandemic. Don’t fret though, timepiece and jewellery maisons are still putting out gorgeous collections that offer beauty, craftsmanship and lots of dazzle. Here are some of the most anticipated launches and news titbits for watch lovers. The most talked-about luxury watch releases to lust after this season Watch & Wonders joins hands with Net-a-Porter The watch industry has... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3104872/sienna-millers-dazzling-gucci-high-jewellery-necklace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3104872/sienna-millers-dazzling-gucci-high-jewellery-necklace?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Oct 2020 11:00:09 +0000 Ulysse Nardin revolutionised our understanding of time display when it first launched Freak, a watch with a central bridge that doubles as hands, and a rotating bezel to adjust the time in place of a crown. But at Ulysse Nardin, there is always room to grow, even when it comes to the most far out of designs. The result, says CEO Patrick Pruniaux, is the new Freak X, a collection that has piqued the interest of a new set of Ulysse Nardin fans. SIHH 2019: Ulysse Nardin’s new futuristic Freak X is... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/article/3002698/why-ulysse-nardins-freak-x-collection-piquing-interest-new?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/article/3002698/why-ulysse-nardins-freak-x-collection-piquing-interest-new?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Mar 2019 20:00:04 +0000 Bovet is set to attract crowds at this week’s SIHH – the annual Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie watch fair – in Geneva. The Swiss luxury watchmaker unveiled the Tourbillon Amadeo Fleurier Virtuoso IX, which houses the new calibre 17BM04-DFR with a 10-day power reserve. Former soccer star Luis Figo, who just turned 46, talks watches, family and selfies The 46.30-millimetre timepiece is housed in a convertible case, meaning the reversible wristwatch can be turned into either a pocket... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2182092/sihh-2019-bovets-convertible-tourbillon-amadeo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2182092/sihh-2019-bovets-convertible-tourbillon-amadeo?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jan 2019 06:30:07 +0000 Ulysse Nardin has launched a compact extension of its famed Freak series, crafting its new Freak X out of carbonium, a new tough material fit for a tech-heavy watch. Here is an exclusive look at this new generation of futuristic complication timepieces. Ulysse Nardin goes up a notch with Marine Tourbillon Blue Grand Feu The Freak redefined time for a generation of watchmakers and collectors, removing hands from the dial and replacing them with the watch rotating mechanism. The Freak X is an... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2181727/sihh-2019-ulysse-nardins-new-futuristic-freak-x?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2181727/sihh-2019-ulysse-nardins-new-futuristic-freak-x?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Jan 2019 08:03:03 +0000 In a sinfully red boudoir chamber, three of the 18 red-gold and platinum Classic Voyeurs sat on velvet pedestals. The erotic watches – a tradition dating back to the 18th century and proof that sex has long been a driver of new technologies – were surrounded by whips and other tools you’d find at Mr Gray’s.  Demonstrated by an extremely red-lipped, somewhat risqué hostess, the watches feature two Jaquemart automaton couples, caught in erotic acts coinciding with the movements of the hammers of... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/special-reports/topics/sihh-2018/article/2137344/sihh-2018-ulysse-nardins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/special-reports/topics/sihh-2018/article/2137344/sihh-2018-ulysse-nardins?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Mar 2018 02:00:30 +0000 Ulysse Nardin has taken the trendy blue dial up a notch with its new Marine Tourbillon Blue Grand Feu watch. The timepiece, as part of the brand’s pre-SIHH collection, features a blue grand feu enamel dial. The particular hue is even more challenging to achieve than the regular white enamel. “We own blue. Blue is Ulysse Nardin,” says Patrick Pruneaux, the brand’s CEO. “So it was [only natural] that we made the Marine Tourbillion, which we introduced earlier this year, with a new blue... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/2122269/ulysse-nardin-goes-notch-marine-tourbillon-blue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/2122269/ulysse-nardin-goes-notch-marine-tourbillon-blue?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Dec 2017 00:30:30 +0000 Ulysse Nardin has appointed Patrick Pruniaux, who joins from Apple, as its new CEO. His term starts on August 28. He replaces Patrik P. Hoffmann, who, according to a press statement released by the brand, left “to move in a new direction for personal reasons”. Before Pruniaux joined Apple, he was with TAG Heuer for nine years starting 2005, and held different posts – the most notable of which was vice-president of Global Sales and Retail in 2010. He left TAG Heuer to join Apple in 2014 to help... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2107363/new-ceo-ulysse-nardin-named-patrick-pruniaux?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2107363/new-ceo-ulysse-nardin-named-patrick-pruniaux?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Aug 2017 08:18:22 +0000 I was spellbound the first time I saw Jaquet Droz’s Charming Bird at the 2012 Baselworld fair. The miniaturised automaton bird inside the 47mm-diameter watch turned, flapped its wings, moved its head and tail, and opened its beak to chirp, all driven by an intricate mechanism set against an even more intricate hand-decorated dial which depicted the Swiss countryside. Priced at US$450,000 then, this wristwatch was way beyond the budget of ordinary watch-lovers but I could see why it would be a... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2061565/timeless-metiers-dart-watches-continue-defy-trends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2061565/timeless-metiers-dart-watches-continue-defy-trends?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Jan 2017 07:15:30 +0000 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) is one of the most important events in the Swiss luxury watch industry. The international exhibition, running this year for the 27th edition, sets the benchmark for the entire industry. The fair, which takes place from January 16 to 20, 2017 at Geneva’s Palexpo, features major players in the luxury watchmaking industry, many owned by luxury conglomerate Richemont Group, such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Piaget. It also features independent... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2060525/5-factors-forcing-change-sihh-2017?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2060525/5-factors-forcing-change-sihh-2017?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Jan 2017 07:15:30 +0000 Ulysse Nardin, the new kid on the block at the prestigious Salon Internationale de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), is already living up to the hype surrounding its first foray into the prestigious watch show with four eye-catching timepieces. The star of the show might just be the Hourstriker Pin-Up, which features a pair of peacocks – one curled around a seductive burlesque dancer – on the dial. When the hourstriker function is employed, the peacock wrapped around the dancer cheekily lifts its... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2060515/ulysse-nardin-joins-sihh-four-eye-catching-models?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2060515/ulysse-nardin-joins-sihh-four-eye-catching-models?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Jan 2017 06:30:15 +0000