Cartier
No wonder Cartier’s new Baignoire attracted a horde of admirers when it debuted at the 2023 Watches & Wonders industry fair this spring – its beautifully balanced proportions and gold bangle made it instantly covetable. Available with a gold bracelet or leather strap, this is a contemporary icon in the making
Mini Baignoire de Cartier watch in 18k yellow gold, £11,300, Cartier
Gucci
2021 marked the centenary of Gucci and, to celebrate the occasion, the house unveiled an all-new ultra-slim watch called the 25H inspired by the sleek forms of contemporary architecture.
The unisex watch has a contemporary, sporty-looking bracelet and case, plus a dial complete with engraved G motifs. There are several iterations to look out for, including steel, pavé-set diamonds, and platinum.
25h watch in 18k yellow gold and stainless steel, £1,340, Gucci
Omega
Omega’s legendary Seamaster celebrates its 75th anniversary this year with a handsome new line up of watches all bearing aquatic blue dials in reference to the timepiece’s naval origins.
Pick of the bunch is the 38mm Seamaster Co-Axial Master Chronometer, which manages to blend the toughness of a former military watch (read: this one will last forever) with the sleek good looks of an everyday timepiece, so it will fit in perfectly with your workwear wardrobe. Be quick though, this one already has a lengthy waiting list.
Aqua Terra 150m Co-Axial Master Chronometer 38mm watch, £6,400, Omega
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Rolex
If you are lucky enough to be able to find a new Rolex Oyster Perpetual, with its sky blue ‘Celebration’ motif dial and slinky steel bracelet, act fast. These novelty dial versions of Rolex’s classic waterproof watch are as popular as they are fun to behold.
Oyster Perpetual 36mm watch, £5,100, Rolex
Chanel
Relaunched in 2022, Chanel’s beautiful Première Originale is a modern take on the fabulous Eighties’ model – with a leather and chain link bracelet modelled after the house’s iconic handbags and an octagonal dial that references the stopper on its most famous fragrance bottle, No.5.
Première Edition Originale watch, £5,200, Chanel
Patek Philippe
Renowned for their heirloom-quality timepieces, this contemporary Aquanaut Luce is Patek Philippe’s foray into less formal, more everyday watches. But with a dual time zone facility, self winding chronograph movement, moon-phase window and a new annual calendar mechanism, this high precision ‘casual’ timepiece still comes fully loaded…
Aquanaut Luce 5261R in rose gold, price on request, Patek Philippe
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Jaeger-LeCoultre
Created as a sleek solution for polo players, who wanted a watch with a crystal face that wouldn’t shatter mid-play, Jaeger Le-Coultre’s iconic Reverso features an angular case that can be slid out of its frame and reversed, so that the dial is protected and the metal caseback becomes visible instead.
This modern update on the elegant original has a slender (just 7.56mm thick) case in pink gold, which can be personalised on the back with any date or initials that you like.
Reverso Tribute Small Seconds in pink gold, £21,900, Jaeger-LeCoultre
Hermès
Inspired by the movement and eternal beauty of the heavens, Hermès’ new Arceau Petite Lune is a work of art you just happen to wear on your wrist. The maison’s original Arceau case, designed in 1978, has been adorned with a new dial sculpted from aventurine, mother-of-pearl, aragonite and opal, all framed with an orbiting halo of white diamonds.
Arceau Petite Lune watch, price on request, Hermès
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Bulgari
Bulgari’s serpent motif celebrates its 75th anniversary this year and, fittingly, has evolved at the house yet again. This time, it has been transformed into a limited edition series of flexible Tubogas watches (named for their springy bracelet design) which are adorned with tactile diamond scales across rose gold coils which snake seductively around the wrist.
Serpenti Tubogas Infiniti watch, price on request, Bulgari
Dior
20 years after the debut of La D de Dior, the house has reinterpreted this bestselling watch design with a touch of its signature cannage pattern – a graphic interpretation of the pattern on the chairs at Christian Dior’s beloved Avenue Montaigne flagship in the 1940s.
La Mini D My Dior watch, £5,400, Dior
Longines
Sporty in heritage but stylish to behold, the Master collection from Longines now comes in a sleek selection of steel watches with colourful, sunray-effect dials for a pop of juicy colour. Whilst the forest green is bang on trend for this season and the warm orange is instantly impactful, we’re also drawn to the stainless steel version with soft golden dial as a timeless everyday option.
Master Collection 34mm watch, £2,250, Longines
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Blancpain
Bright rainbow hour markers on a shimmering mother-of-pearl dial help Blancpain’s elegant new Ladybird watch stand apart from other dress watches. Available with quick-change leather straps, so you can match the hue of your watch to your every mood.
Ladybird Colours Collection watch, £30,400, Blancpain
Audemars Piguet
Audemars Piguet’s classic Gerald Genta-designed Royal Oak watch could hardly get more alluring (the man himself supposedly described it as the ‘masterpiece’ of his career). Or so we thought, until we spotted the brand new Royal Oak Self-winding yellow gold model with a slice of natural turquoise for a dial. It’s now on so many lust-have lists, it’s tricky to even find one to try on.
Royal Oak Selfwinding 37mm watch with turquoise dial, price on request, Audemars Piguet
Harry Winston
For the ultimate in precious jewellery watches, Harry Winston has returned to its roots as New York’s ‘King of Diamonds’. Its handsome ‘Avenue’ collection is a sparkling ode to New York’s Fifth Avenue and includes Art Deco design touches that evoke the jeweller’s flagship salon.
Avenue Classic watch in 18k white gold and diamonds, price on request, Harry Winston
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Vacheron Constantin
It’s the subtle details in Vacheron Constantin’s watches that really sets them apart. The diamond-encrusted bezel of the new Overseas Self-Winding, for example, is a sparkling ode to the watchmaker’s house motif – the Maltese Cross. It also comes with interchangeable straps in leather and rubber, to suit your lifestyle and wardrobe.
Overseas Self-Winding 35mm in pink gold, price on request, Vacheron Constantin
Louis Vuitton
Previously known for its chunky, drum-like case (from which the watch derives its name), Louis Vuitton’s youthful Tambour has just received a decidedly grown up make over. Available in steel and all-gold versions, the all new Tambour boasts an integrated metallic bracelet, refined case and much more elegant dial, making it a covetable luxury watch to rival those of many older watchmaking brands.
Tambour automatic 40mm watch in steel, £17,500, Louis Vuitton
Van Cleef & Arpels
Designed and named after its iconic gold-smithing technique, Van Cleef & Arpels’ new Perlée watches are subtle and sophisticated – the perfect blend of jewellery expertise and watchmaking prowess. Available with diamonds, in gold or with colourful stone dials, we think the refined mother-of-pearl version is ideal for everyday wear.
Perlée 23mm watch in 18 rose gold and mother of pearl, £8,000, Van Cleef & Arpels
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Chopard
Sandwiched between thin panes of sapphire crystal, five free-floating gems instantly link this dainty wristwatch with its maker’s legendary diamond expertise. Available with a steel or rose gold case and with a pastel-hued assortment of leather double-strap options, it’s a chic way of making an instant statement.
Happy Sport watch in Lucent Steel, £4,240, Chopard
Breitling
Dubbed the watch that signals ‘our mission to do better’, the Super Chronomat Automatic is Breitling’s first with fully traceable materials – the provenance of its gold from small-scale origin and its lab-grown diamonds can be tracked via a block-chain backed NFT record that comes with every watch.
Super Chronomat Automatic 38 Origins, £17,400, Breitling
Our favourite timepieces of the season
