For its partnership with the Alpine Formula 1 team, H. Moser & Cie. debuts a pair of firsts for the brand: the Streamliner Alpine Drivers Edition is its first skeletonized chronograph, and the Streamliner Alpine Mechanics Edition is an entirely new model and the brand’s first true smartwatch – not counting the Swiss Alp Watch – with special digital functions tailored to the needs of an F1 team.

While the regular production Streamline Flyback Chronograph already has a racing aesthetic, it’s been dialed up to match to the Alpine team colors, with the blue-coated steel case being notable. And the digital Streamliner is more than just a commemorative watch. Most Formula 1 sponsorships are just that, but Moser decided it wanted to contribute a tool the team can rely on during the season, just as mechanical watches were decades ago. Both will be sold as a set, though the smartwatch will be available individually to owner’s of the Streamliner Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton “Alpine”.

Initial Thoughts

Nothing is off the table for Moser, whose past “concept” watches included a watch made from a cheese-filled composite, one covered in living plants, and the infamous Swiss Icons watch. Even with that in mind, a smartwatch is unexpected, though it makes sense given the brand’s stated goals with the collaboration.

Referring to the smartwatch, Chief executive Edouard Meylan says “we wanted to create a measuring instrument that meets the demands of a Formula 1 team, a device designed to accompany their missions and further improve their race against the clock, their quest for every precious second,” which can’t be achieved with a mechanical wristwatch that costs tens of thousands of dollars. Despite the “connected” movement from an external partner, the Mechanics Edition is still a true Streamliner that complements the Drivers Edition well.

The Drivers Edition, on the other hand, is basically the Streamliner chronograph in new livery – but the open-worked dial is different enough to give the watch an entirely different look. Besides aesthetics, the open dial also reveals the clever construction of the movement, which conceals the automatic rotor below the dial.

Drivers Edition

Both watches will be sold as a pair, limited to 200 sets priced at CHF59,000. In comparison, the standard Streamliner chronograph in steel with a conventional dial is priced at CHF45,000.

However, another 300 Streamliner smartwatches will be made. These will be available individually to owners of last year’s Streamliner Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton Alpine, and will also be issued to members of the Alpine Racing team.

The Streamliner Alpine Drivers Edition is a skeletonized version of the brand’s Streamliner Flyback Chronograph. The ability to reset the chronograph while running is especially useful in the fast-paced world of Formula 1 racing.

Naturally, this version is in blue and white Alpine team livery. Specifically, the case is stainless steel, with a blue PVD treatment that’s also been applied to the buckle for the white rubber strap.

Made by Agenhor, a movement specialist that Moser part owns, the HMC 700 movement uses a dial-side winding rotor, which is now on full display. It’s also been given an anthracite finish, which pairs well with the automatic aesthetic.

According to Moser, the idea of an open dial came from the drivers at Alpine Motorsports themselves. The hands and dial use Globolight, essentially solid blocks of luminous material, which improves legibility. The V-shaped struts are inspired by the suspension of an F1 race car, while on the back, the central bridge is in the likeness of a racing helmet.

Mechanics Edition

The Drivers Edition is all well and good, but it isn’t very useful to the team. Moser chose to develop a second watch in parallel that would serve as a tool for the team, rather than a luxury for fans. The result is the Streamliner Alpine Mechanics edition, a smartwatch developed with help from Sequent, a Swiss smartwatchmaker. The brand claims that, unlike other connected watches, this one is made to last and won’t be e-waste in the next few years.

The “ana-digi” display combines an analogue dial similar to that found in the brand’s Streamliner Cylindrical Tourbillon with a discreet digital display that vanishes in standby mode.

On full charge, the watch will run in standby mode, with the screen off, for a year. But accessing the many additional features brings the power reserve down to around six hours. These include a 1/100th of a second chronograph, GMT/world timer, and perpetual calendar.

The F1-specific features, which require a Bluetooth connection, are more task-specific and include a schedule of upcoming races, race countdown, and push notifications with vibration.

Key facts and price

H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Alpine Drivers Edition
Ref. 6907-1200

Diameter: 42.3 mm
Height: 14.2 mm
Material: Blue PVD stainless steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 120 m

Movement: Cal. HMC 700
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds and flyback chronograph
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 3 Hz
Power reserve: 72 hours

Strap: Integrated white rubber strap

Limited edition: 200 pieces
Availability: Now at H. Moser & Cie. retailers
Price: CHF59,000 before taxes

H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Alpine Mechanics Edition
Ref. 6DI0-1200

Diameter: 42.6 mm
Height: 14.4 mm
Material: Steel with blue composite
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 120 m

Movement: Cal. DI0
Functions: Hours, minutes, Bluetooth, chronograph, GMT with country selection, perpetual calendar, Race mode
Frequency: 32,768 Hz
Power reserve: One year in standby mode, about six hours screen on time

Strap: Integrated blue rubber strap

Limited edition: 500 pieces
Availability: Paired with Drivers Edition

For more, visit h-moser.com

Breguet got off to a good start for its 250th anniversary with the Classique Souscription, which despite being not an entirely new model in technical terms, is arguably the best watch the brand has launched in years, perhaps reflecting the influence of a new chief executive.

Powered by a calibre based on the longstanding Tradition movement, the one-handed Classique Souscription marries an atypical (for Breguet) 20th century case with a dial inspired by 19th century pocket watches – resulting in a surprisingly coherent creation that still feels quintessentially Breguet.

Initial thoughts

I was pleasantly surprised by the Classique Souscription. Breguet managed to take a familiar model and transform it into something different and appealing. The brand didn’t manage to do the same with the second anniversary model, which is essentially a rehash of the Tradition but with an enamel dial.

Sized just right, the Classique Souscription feels like it was conceived by an enthusiast with knowledge of vintage watches; the red leather-covered presentation box underlines that. The design is simple overall, but enhanced with details like a sharply finished single hand and “secret signature” engraved the old fashion way.

The form of the case is clearly early to mid 20th century, while the dial evokes the original Souscription pocket watch. Although the case and dial styles are 150 years apart, they complement each other almost perfectly; the result still looks very much like a Breguet.

The watch is executed well, inside and out, as illustrated by the form and finish of the single blued steel hand. The quality of make is also evident on the movement. While it’s not doubt decorated by machine in some aspects – as is the norm for a large, established brand – it also shows off hand finishing in some details. The overall effect is pleasing.

The movement also stands out despite being 20 years old. It’s still an original, interesting construction. While there are newer calibres with better specs on the market, they lack the novel layout of this movement. And the independents who offer elaborate time-only watches tend to employ movements based on tried and tested architecture, with the ETA Unitas 6497/6498 and Peseux 7001 being especially popular.

The only element of the watch I do not like, however, is in the movement. It’s the engraved text on the barrel cover that reproduces Abraham-Louis Breguet’s writings. It feels gimmicky and looks like a mismatched modern detail in an otherwise historically inspired calibre.

Priced a little under US$50,000, the Classique Souscription isn’t inexpensive but priced fairly considering the unique movement construction and high quality execution, especially today where the overall market is at a high. A comparable watch from a haute horlogerie brand, like Patek Philippe or Vacheron Constantin, would probably cost more. Incidentally, the Classique Souscription costs almost exactly the same as the Zenith G.F.J. with the revived cal. 135 that was also just launched this year.

If a newcomer independent watchmaker unveiled exactly the same thing, it would be twice as expensive but an easy sell – a fact that reflects the unfortunate relative weakness of the Breguet brand today.

Very classique

The Souscription is tidily sized at 40 mm by 10.8 mm. It’s small enough to feel a little vintage, as this case design should, but large enough for modern conventions. The flat crown is an especially nice detail that chimes with the retro style. And most importantly, it feels good on the wrist.

The case design departs from the conventional Breguet style of a fluted band and straight lugs. Instead it has a vintage style that is pretty generic for the mid 20th century, but historically correct as Breguet made watches like this during that period.

As is expected for Breguet, the case is done well. Admittedly it’s simpler in form than the usual fluted style, but it’s as good as it gets for this form. The one bit of decoration is the guilloche around the rim of the case band, a wavy pattern known as “Quai de l’Horloge” that was developed for the anniverary models.

Like the case, the dial is also simple, but it carries more detail.

The dial is fired enamel, white and domed, as it should be in order to replicate the look of the souscription pocket watch of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, which was the closest thing to a mass-produced watch that A.-L. Breguet made. The markings are all printed, but the “secret signature” just above six o’clock is engraved with a manual pantograph, essentially a hand-operated milling machine, just like how it was done in A.-L. Breguet’s time.

The single hour hand is a particularly pleasing detail, though it is not especially functional since it only indicates the time approximately, to the closest five minutes more or less.

Also modelled on the souscription pocket watch, the single hand is blued steel, with chamfered edges and a mirrored countersink for the hub. Notably, the hand sits on a cannon pinion with a large, obvious square profile, again echoing the pocket watch.

Tradition mechanics

The VS00 movement is probably the least novel aspect of the watch. It is clearly based on the manual-wind calibre found in the original Tradition model of 2005, but modified in several ways, most obviously to relocate the hands to the front (which was the back on the 2005 model).

The base plate is hand engraved with the bread name and serial number, while the rest of the movement engraving is done by machine

Repeating the theme of the watch, the architecture is based on the souscription pocket watch. It has the same symmetrical layout that exposes most of the moving parts. The calibre is beautiful and ranks amongst the most distinctive 21st century movements constructed.

Even the technical details of the pocket watch movement are replicated, including the pare-chute shock absorber for the balance staff and the curved spokes of the gears. The balance wheel, however, is clearly modern, and might just be in titanium, while its regulating weights are gold.

The finishing of the movement lives up to expectations. Many of the finer details appear to have been finished by hand, including the chamfered spokes of the wheels and bevelling on the finger cocks. The steel spring of the pare-chute is a good example of fine steel work. But the engraving on the barrel cover is too much decoration; I would happily forgo this.

Concluding thoughts

The Classique Souscription proves several points: Breguet can make an interesting, appealing watch without actually doing that much; the Breguet aesthetic is strong yet versatile enough to accommodate a newish look like this; and Breguet still makes high quality high horology despite its industrially minded parent. It’s a good start to the 250th anniversary and I hope the brand keeps up the momentum.

Key facts and price

Breguet Classique Souscription 2025
Ref. 2025BH/28/9W6

Diameter: 40 mm
Height: 10.8 mm
Material: 18k “Breguet” gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: VS00
Functions: Hours
Winding: Manual wind
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 96 hours

Strap: Alligator strap with pin buckle

Limited edition: No
Availability: First availability at boutiques, but also at retailers
Price: US$48,700; CHF45,000

For more information, visit Breguet.com.

At Watches & Wonders 2025, all eyes were on Rolex. But the polarising Land-Dweller grabbed most of the headlines, relegating new versions of existing models, including the mighty Cosmograph Daytona Turquoise Blue ref. 126518LN, to second billing.

Regardless, the Daytona remains one of the most iconic watches in the industry and its inherent quality makes any new version worthy of a close look. In this case, those who probed the depths of the Rolex catalogue were rewarded with the unusual combination of an 18k yellow gold case and a turquoise lacquer “Stella” dial. (And those lucky enough would have seen the “off-catalogue” Daytona ref. 126538TBR with an actual turquoise stone dial and diamond-set case.)

Initial thoughts

Let’s just say this was not love at first sight. I initially found this new colourway overly garish, but I am a sucker for turquoise, whether natural stone or, in this case, lacquer, so the look has grown on me over time. I think I’d have preferred a different treatment for the sub-dials, which to my eye dull the vibrancy of the turquoise, but this is a subjective critique of an objectively well-made watch.

Dial colour aside, the new Daytona benefits from the model’s 60th anniversary updates rolled out two years ago, including the gold rim for the ceramic bezel. The case offers roughly ideal proportions for a sporty chronograph, 40 mm in diameter and around 12 mm thick.

It also comes equipped with the brand’s rubberised Oysterflex bracelet, which looks like a rubber strap but in true Rolex fashion is engineered for maximum durability and features a flexible metal core. I personally like the look and the comfort of the Oysterflex, which helps dress the watch down compared to the typical Oyster bracelet with polished center links.

Of course, the most eye-catching part of this new Daytona is its turquoise lacquer dial. Rolex has made turquoise Daytonas in the past, with one being actual mineral stone, but they’re still rare enough to stand out. But the new Daytona is the first to combine a turquoise dial with a ceramic bezel, panda colourway, and pencil-shaped hour markers.

Arguably the best part of any modern Daytona is the movement. Hidden behind a solid yellow gold case back, the cal. 4131 includes the brand’s own Chronergy escapement, and features a fully serviceable vertical clutch and anti-backlash gearing for smooth operation. And while Rolex seems to be favouring silicon hairsprings lately, the cal. 4131 still retains its elegant Parachrom overcoil hairspring.

Depending on how you look at it, the retail price of US$37,400 is either a lot of money for an industrially produced sport watch on a rubber strap, or a reasonable proposition for a distinctive and unusual precious metal version of what might be the most well-made chronograph on the market. Most collectors will probably resonate more with the latter perspective.

(And for any enthusiasts who thinks this is not enough, Rolex also launched the Daytona ref. 126538TBR at the same time. Unlike this “Stella” version, the Daytona ref. 126538TBR has an actual turquoise mineral stone dial, along with a bezel set with baguette-cut diamonds and brilliant-cut diamonds on the lugs. Priced at over four times the “Stella” Daytona, this is an “off-catalogue” model, shown only to retailers at Watches & Wonders, explaining the lack of photos.)

The goldilocks chronograph

It’s difficult to find something new to say about a watch like the Rolex Daytona. Largely unchanged for nearly 50 years, the Daytona has a well-earned reputation for functional excellence, timeless design, and effortless ergonomics. Over the years brand has made countless variations, but has avoided the all-too-common pitfall of diluting the signature form to suit the tastes of the moment. The result is that even new references like this one feel instantly familiar.

When reviewing watches, many things are subjective, but ergonomics are at least somewhat less subjective. The Daytona’s compact dimensions help it wear well on wrists of all sizes, something that has no doubt contributed to its enduring appeal. In this case, the comfort is dialed up a notch with the Oysterflex bracelet, which is engineered with internal elastomer blades for maximum ventilation.

Even better than before

For nearly a quarter century, the Rolex cal. 4130 reigned supreme over all other industrially produced chronograph movements. Its mechanical simplicity resulted in outstanding precision and reliability, traits that won it many admirers, myself among them.

Despite this dominant position, Rolex saw fit to replace this venerable movement with the cal. 4131 in 2023. The small difference in nomenclature has always felt misleading to me, since the inclusion of the Chronergy escapement seems like a pretty big deal.

Regardless, the cal. 4131 features all the things that made its predecessor a great movement while managing to reduce the parts count even further. Otherwise, it’s still a 4 Hz chronograph with a free-sprung balance and overcoil hairspring. It runs for up to 72 hours when fully wound, and features state-of-the-art anti-backlash gearing to ensure stutter-free operation.

Despite being hidden behind a solid case back, the movement in the new Daytona is further dressed up with Rolex striping and a solid 18k gold winding mass. I find the faux gold chatons off-putting, but the overall look is clean and attractive.

Closing thoughts

Some watches seem almost born for Instagram, this being one. The singular combination of turquoise, black, yellow gold is easily recognisable even at a great distance, all but ensuring its popularity. But more importantly, after the hype fades, the undeniable intrinsic quality will remain.

Key facts and price

Rolex Cosmograph Daytona “Turquoise Blue”
Ref. 126518LN

Diameter: 40 mm
Height: Unavailable
Material: 18k yellow gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Cal. 4131
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and chronograph
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 72 hours

Strap: Oysterflex synthetic rubber with folding clasp

Limited edition: No
Availability: Available at Rolex boutiques and retailers starting April 2025
Price: US$37,400 before taxes

For more, visit Rolex.com.