Happy New Year 2022! All the best wishes of health, happiness and success for you and your dear ones! With this occasion, I would like to make a small top with the watches that impressed me in 2021! So let’s begin.
Number 1 – Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 Technical
Celebrating 90 years of Reverso, Jaeger-LeCoultre amazed us this year with some amazing pieces: high jewellery version (Cordonnet and One Precious Flowers), magnificent enamel paintings (Hidden Treasures), Minute Repeater, Duoface, Duetto, Small Seconds, the Tribute Nonantième and the ultra-complex Hybris Mechanica.
Sporting 4 faces with complications, the mightiest Reverso displays:
- Face 1: Hour – Minute, Tourbillon (indicating the Second), Instantaneous Perpetual Calendar, Grande Date, Day, Month, Leap Year, Night & Day
- Face 2: Jumping Digital Hour, Minute, Minute Repeater (with system avoiding dead time)
- Face 3: Northern Hemisphere Moon Phase, Draconic Lunar Cycle (height of the moon), Anomalistic Lunar Cycle (apogee and perigee), Month, Year
- Face 4: Southern Hemisphere Moon Phase
It is impressive how the JLC master watchmakers founded again ingenious ways to maximise the use of all surfaces that Reverso has to offer.
Number 2 – Frederique Constant Slimline Monolithic Manufacture – 40Hz
Frederique Constant broke the Internet this year with an ultra-rapid new escapement – an 80-hour power reserve, 288’000 alt/h, 40Hz silicon monolithic oscillator.
Etched from silicon, its oscillator replaces an assembly of several parts and eliminates many of the major weaknesses of mechanical watches. Thanks to its specific design and reduced size, the revolutionary high-frequency oscillator has been designed to fit inside a traditional movement configuration. Housed inside a 40mm case with an aperture on the dial to view the oscillator, this cutting-edge technology is available at a price that respects the brand’s commitment to accessible luxury.
The launch represents a new chapter in the history of watchmaking and Frederique Constant earned a well-deserved place between the most avantgardist innovators.
Number 3 – Ulysse Nardin UFO
Another birthdays boy in 2021 was Ulysse Nardin that spoiled us, besides an exceptional anniversary collection featuring Marine Torpilleur pieces and Marine Torpilleur Tourbillon Grand Feu, with a clock.
Not only it has a power reserve of 365 days but also displays 3 time zones (hours, minutes) and amazes on top with deadbeat second complication. Taking deep roots in its maritime chronometer traditions, Ulysse Nardin asked for help L’Epee 1839 and together they managed to produce one of the most amazing clocks of these last years.
I have written an extensive review of this piece here. If you want to see it live, you can do so by visiting the Ulysse Nardin private showroom in Le Locle, Switzerland.
Number 4 – Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph Aston Martin Edition
I am not the first to say that cars and watches go excellent together and this piece made it fast into my heart since is a collaboration piece between the car manufacturer Aston Martin and watch manufacturer Girard-Perregaux.
Subtle but rich in details for those in the know, the Laureato Chronograph Aston Martin Edition represents everything that usually this type of collab don’t: no precious or highly sophisticated materials, no spectacular complications, not yelling “look at me”, not expensive. It is a steel watch in a traditional Laureato presentation with a chronograph and a gorgeous green dial. All the elements are hidden for those not familiar with both brands. Even the AM logo is on the back. And this makes it special and more desirable for me.
Armillary tourbillon perpetual calendar – Planetaria
9820C/000R-B707
Number 5 – Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Armillary tourbillon perpetual calendar – Planetaria
While for the 220th anniversary of the tourbillon I would have expected some fireworks from Breguet, the one that stole my heart in this category is the Les Cabinotiers Armillary tourbillon perpetual calendar. Vacheron Constantin takes care to give us high heart rates every year. But this double-axis tourbillon presents some historical relevant complications and a spectacular modern look.
Equipped with the new manual-winding Calibre 1991 stemming from four years of development, this single-piece edition features a completely original perpetual calendar with a retrograde display of dates, days and months. This timepiece also offers a rare three-dimensional representation of the Earth’s Northern and Southern hemispheres. The two titanium globes perform a full rotation in 24 hours, complete with a day/night indication. The regulation of the movement is based on the same concern for technicality expressed by a double-axis armillary tourbillon whose nested aluminium carriages move at a speed of 60 seconds per rotation.
Special mention – MB&F x BULGARI Legacy Machine FlyingT Allegra
This happens when Bulgari’s Product Creation Executive Director, Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani and MB&F’s Founder and Creative Director, Maximilian Büsser collaborate as friends. We have an already superb ladies watch, the FlyingT receiving the full jewellery expertise of the Hause of Bulgari.
With two models expressing Mediterranean warmth and exuberance, the FlyingT Allegra goes far beyond the realm of the complicated feminine jewellery watch. It highlights two visions of the world, two interpretations of creativity that are radically different in form, yet which merge in substance within an integrated and harmonious co-creation vividly demonstrating the power of two.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 Technical Specifications
Case material: White gold
Case dimensions: 51.2 x 31 mm
Thickness: 15.15 mm
Movement: Manually wound Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 185
Functions:
Face 1: Hour – Minute, Tourbillon (indicating the Second), Instantaneous Perpetual Calendar, Grande Date, Day, Month, Leap Year, Night & Day
Face 2: Jumping Digital Hour, Minute, Minute Repeater (with system avoiding dead time)
Face 3: Northern Hemisphere Moon Phase, Draconic Lunar Cycle (height of the moon), Anomalistic Lunar Cycle (apogee and perigee), Month, Year
Face 4: Southern Hemisphere Moon Phase
Power reserve: 50 hours
Water resistance: 30 metres
Strap: Blue alligator
Reference: Q7103420
Limited edition of 10 pieces
Frederique Constant Slimline Monolithic Manufacture
Functions
- Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Movement
- FC-810 Manufacture calibre, automatic, Heart Beat, silicon monolithic oscillator, date adjustable by the crown
- Perlage, circular satin-finishing, anglage and circular Côtes de Genève decorations
- 80-hour power reserve, 288’000 alt/h, 40HZ
- 130 components including 19 jewels
Case
- Polished stainless steel 3-part case
- Diameter 40 mm
- Front convex sapphire crystal
- See-through case-back
- Water-resistant up to 3 ATM
Dial
- Guilloché clous de Paris decoration and printed black Roman numerals
- Hand-polished black hands
- Date counter at 12 o’clock
- Open heart showing the oscillator at 6 o’clock
Strap
- Alligator leather strap
Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph Aston Martin Edition Technical Specifications
Reference: 81020-11-001-11A, Limited edition of 188 pieces, not numbered
Functions
- Chronograph, hours, minutes, small seconds, date
Movement
- Reference: GP03300-0141
- Self-winding mechanical movement
- Diameter: 25,95 mm (111/2’’’)
- Frequency: 28,800 Vib/h – (4 Hz)
- Power reserve: min. 46 hours
Case
- Material: 904L steel
- Diameter: 42.00 mm
- Glass: sapphire anti-reflective
- Case-back: anti-reflective sapphire crystal, engraved Aston Martin logo
- Dial: sunray green with Aston Martin diamond pattern, ’baton’ type indexes with luminescent material (green emission)
- Water resistance: 100 meters (10 ATM)
Bracelet
- Material: 904L steel
- Buckle: 904L steel, triple folding
World Prices
- CHF 17’300 | EUR 18’200 | USD 18’100 | GBP 14’000
Armillary tourbillon perpetual calendar – Planetaria Ref. 9820C/000R-B707
Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Armillary tourbillon perpetual calendar – Planetaria Technical Specifications
Reference
9820C/000R-B707
Calibre
1991
Developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin
Mechanical manual winding
35 mm diameter, 11.20 mm thick
Movement power reserve: approximately 60h
2.5 Hz (18,000 vibrations/hour)
745 components
94 jewels
Hallmark of Geneva certified timepiece
Indications
Hours and minutes
Double-axis armillary tourbillon
Perpetual calendar
Retrograde date, day and month
Moon phases in Northern and Southern hemispheres
Northern and Southern day/night and 24h indication
Case
18K 5N pink gold
46 mm diameter, 20.20 mm thick
Dials (front & back)
18K gold, opaline silvered dial
18k 5N pink gold hands
Strap
Dark brown Mississippiensis alligator leather with alligator leather inner shell, hand-stitched, saddle-finish, large square scales
Clasp
18K 5N pink gold folding clasp
Presentation box
Les Cabinotiers model
Unique piece
“Les Cabinotiers”, “Pièce unique”, “AC” hallmark engraved on caseback
MB&F X BULGARI – LM FlyingT Allegra Technical Specifications
20 pieces in 18k white gold and 20 pieces in 18k red gold diamond-set cases, with fully diamond-set dial plates, adorned with fine gemstones. CHF 160,000 + VAT (or USD 185,000 / EUR 150,000 + tax)
Engine
- MB&F FlyingT movement featuring three-dimensional vertical architecture, automatic winding, conceived and developed in-house.
- Central flying 60-second tourbillon.
- Power reserve: 100 hours.
- Balance frequency: 2.5 Hz / 18,000 bph.
- Three-dimensional sun winding rotor in 18k 5N+ red gold, titanium and platinum.
- Number of components: 280.
- Number of jewels: 30.
Functions/indications
- Hours and minutes displayed on a 50° vertically tilted dial with two serpentine hands.
- Two crowns: winding on left and time-setting on right.
Case
- Material: 18k white or red gold, set with diamonds.
- High domed sapphire crystal on top with anti-reflective coating on both sides, sapphire crystal on back.
- Dimensions: 39mm x 20mm.
- Number of components: 17.
- Water resistance: 30 m / 90’ / 3 ATM.
Stones
For the white gold version:
- Brilliant-cut diamonds on the dial and crowns: ~ 0.24ct
- Brilliant-cut diamonds on the case and buckle: ~ 2.80ct
- 3 tsavorites square, pear and round: ~ 1.33ct
- 1 oval topaz: ~ 0.71ct
- 1 oval amethyst: ~ 0.4ct
- 1 round tanzanite: ~ 0.43ct
- 1 round tourmaline: ~ 0.06ct
For the rose gold version:
- Brilliant-cut diamonds on the dial and crowns: ~ 0.24ct
- Brilliant-cut diamonds on the case and buckle: ~ 2.80ct
- 2 tsavorite square and round: ~ 0.38ct
- 2 tourmaline oval and round: ~ 0.64ct
- 1 oval tanzanite: ~ 0.47ct
- 1 pear amethyst: ~ 0.70ct
- 1 round rubellite: ~ 0.39ct
Strap & buckle
- Alligator leather strap with white or rose gold pin buckle matching the case.