Four Outrageous New Watches on Every Serious Collector’s Wish List
StyleOne looks like it was made for survival on the ice planet Hoth.By Oren HartovDecember 26, 2024Laurent Xavier MoulinSave this storySaveSave this storySaveWelcome to Watch Guy Watches, GQ’s monthly curation of high-end timepieces for the true watch nerds among us. This December, a relatively unknown young watchmaker delivers a stunning new take on his debut model; Vulcain and Massena LAB rethink a dive watch classic; Urwerk flips the script with a white Polaris; and Hublot teams up with Samuel Ross on an avant-garde tourbillon.Simon Brette Chronomètre Artisans Rose GoldLaurent Xavier MoulinIn 2023, a relatively unknown young watchmaker named Simon Brette quickly ascended to industry darling with the debut of his Chronomètre Artisans, a piece of titanium-clad haute horlogerie and a unique “dragon scales” texture on the dial. The French-born Brette had spent years cutting his teeth at various watchmaking firms in Switzerland, eventually settling at MB&F where he drew up the brand’s typically fantastical creations. When Brette released the Chronomètre Artisans on his own, it immediately found a customer base and the waitlist for the watch is now the stuff of legend.Brette’s released the follow-up the Chronomètre Artisans Rose Gold, earlier this month. The new iteration of his signature piece reimagines the time-only piece in precious metal with an incredible black DLC-coated dial finished with tremblage hand engraving. The hand-wound movement’s rose gold wheels are visible through the dial, their pinkish hue gelling with the case and making for a cohesive aesthetic that contrasts beautifully with the black of the minute track and dial center. The 39-mm watch is even better when flipped over and its rose gold bridges and plates are visible via a sapphire caseback for all to see. With its superb finishing and attention to detail, it has a bit of the je ne sais quoi that make 18th and 19th-century pocket watch movements so special to behold.At nearly $100,000, the Chronomètre Artisans Rose Gold is a bold proposition from a young watchmaker who only recently set up shop—but Brette had no problem selling all 50 pieces. In fact, the announcement for the watch included a special section titled “An Edition That Is a Victim of Its Own Success.” It’s here that the brand shares that before the watch ever became public, it sold out immediately to existing clients. It’s not hard to understand the fervor. With its gorgeous engraved dial, highly finished movement, well designed case, and perfect mix of the classical and the avant-garde, the Chronomètre Artisans is a wildly good start to a promising career in haute horlogerie.Vulcain Nautical Legacy Massena LABWilliam Massena’s Massena LAB are responsible for some of the most enjoyable collaborations in watchmaking. Take his latest project, for example—a special take on one of the most unique dive watches ever designed, the Nautical Cricket. The original 1960s model took the famous alarm watch worn by many U.S. presidents and packaged it in a waterproof case for diving. However, it didn’t stop there: the watch also includes a handy table that divers can use to help them figure out when to surface. Massena’s take imagines what the watch might’ve looked like if it were designed in the 1950s, with a brown hue that imitates old “tropical” dials and as well as vintage-colored lume and a new handset. Considering the prices of vintage versions, this one is a steal at just below $5K.Urwerk UR-230 PolarisLaurent Xavier MoulinUrwerk is for the bold collectors who have grown tired of buying up traditional round dials with elegant bracelets—bleh. The Swiss independent makes astoundingly cool, sci-fi-esque timekeeping contraptions that look like the type of thing George Lucas might’ve thought up as a prop for The Empire Strikes Back. Case in point? The new UR-230 Polaris, which sees Urwerk experimenting with white fiberglass-enhanced ceramic. Using a satellite-like system, it indicates the time via a three-armed carousel that looks not unlike a turret swiveling above ground. What’s more, the watch is semi-customizable: The wearer can disengage the winding rotor to switch it into manual-winding mode, and even use an “air brake” to modulate the winding level according to one’s activity level.Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon SR_A by Samuel RossDiode SA - Denis HayounTeaming up for the second time, Hublot and visionary British fashion designer Samuel Ross reimagined their 2020 take on the Big Bang Tourbillon—an already avant-garde watch, if ever there was one—in shades of blue and grey. Measuring 44 mm, its case and dial exhibit a uniform honeycomb pattern with both satin and microblasted finishing on the bezel, making for a lightweight, highly unusual look. Crafted from frosted grey carbon, the case is joined by a dial hewed from sapphire, beneath which sits the 264-component, in-house HUB6035 movement with tourbillon at 6 o’clock. Paired to a dark blue rubber strap, the watch does what many Hu
Welcome to Watch Guy Watches, GQ’s monthly curation of high-end timepieces for the true watch nerds among us. This December, a relatively unknown young watchmaker delivers a stunning new take on his debut model; Vulcain and Massena LAB rethink a dive watch classic; Urwerk flips the script with a white Polaris; and Hublot teams up with Samuel Ross on an avant-garde tourbillon.
Simon Brette Chronomètre Artisans Rose Gold
In 2023, a relatively unknown young watchmaker named Simon Brette quickly ascended to industry darling with the debut of his Chronomètre Artisans, a piece of titanium-clad haute horlogerie and a unique “dragon scales” texture on the dial. The French-born Brette had spent years cutting his teeth at various watchmaking firms in Switzerland, eventually settling at MB&F where he drew up the brand’s typically fantastical creations. When Brette released the Chronomètre Artisans on his own, it immediately found a customer base and the waitlist for the watch is now the stuff of legend.
Brette’s released the follow-up the Chronomètre Artisans Rose Gold, earlier this month. The new iteration of his signature piece reimagines the time-only piece in precious metal with an incredible black DLC-coated dial finished with tremblage hand engraving. The hand-wound movement’s rose gold wheels are visible through the dial, their pinkish hue gelling with the case and making for a cohesive aesthetic that contrasts beautifully with the black of the minute track and dial center. The 39-mm watch is even better when flipped over and its rose gold bridges and plates are visible via a sapphire caseback for all to see. With its superb finishing and attention to detail, it has a bit of the je ne sais quoi that make 18th and 19th-century pocket watch movements so special to behold.
At nearly $100,000, the Chronomètre Artisans Rose Gold is a bold proposition from a young watchmaker who only recently set up shop—but Brette had no problem selling all 50 pieces. In fact, the announcement for the watch included a special section titled “An Edition That Is a Victim of Its Own Success.” It’s here that the brand shares that before the watch ever became public, it sold out immediately to existing clients. It’s not hard to understand the fervor. With its gorgeous engraved dial, highly finished movement, well designed case, and perfect mix of the classical and the avant-garde, the Chronomètre Artisans is a wildly good start to a promising career in haute horlogerie.
Vulcain Nautical Legacy Massena LAB
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William Massena’s Massena LAB are responsible for some of the most enjoyable collaborations in watchmaking. Take his latest project, for example—a special take on one of the most unique dive watches ever designed, the Nautical Cricket. The original 1960s model took the famous alarm watch worn by many U.S. presidents and packaged it in a waterproof case for diving. However, it didn’t stop there: the watch also includes a handy table that divers can use to help them figure out when to surface. Massena’s take imagines what the watch might’ve looked like if it were designed in the 1950s, with a brown hue that imitates old “tropical” dials and as well as vintage-colored lume and a new handset. Considering the prices of vintage versions, this one is a steal at just below $5K.
Urwerk UR-230 Polaris
Urwerk is for the bold collectors who have grown tired of buying up traditional round dials with elegant bracelets—bleh. The Swiss independent makes astoundingly cool, sci-fi-esque timekeeping contraptions that look like the type of thing George Lucas might’ve thought up as a prop for The Empire Strikes Back. Case in point? The new UR-230 Polaris, which sees Urwerk experimenting with white fiberglass-enhanced ceramic. Using a satellite-like system, it indicates the time via a three-armed carousel that looks not unlike a turret swiveling above ground. What’s more, the watch is semi-customizable: The wearer can disengage the winding rotor to switch it into manual-winding mode, and even use an “air brake” to modulate the winding level according to one’s activity level.
Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon SR_A by Samuel Ross
Teaming up for the second time, Hublot and visionary British fashion designer Samuel Ross reimagined their 2020 take on the Big Bang Tourbillon—an already avant-garde watch, if ever there was one—in shades of blue and grey. Measuring 44 mm, its case and dial exhibit a uniform honeycomb pattern with both satin and microblasted finishing on the bezel, making for a lightweight, highly unusual look. Crafted from frosted grey carbon, the case is joined by a dial hewed from sapphire, beneath which sits the 264-component, in-house HUB6035 movement with tourbillon at 6 o’clock. Paired to a dark blue rubber strap, the watch does what many Hublot models—and what Samuel Ross—does well: Namely, it flaunts convention with an artistic flair that few other companies (and designers) can match.
