Girard-Perregaux (GP) unveils the second chapter of the Laureato’s 50th anniversary with the Laureato Three Gold Bridges Tourbillon. First launched as part of the earlier generation Laureato in the 1990s, the tourbillon has been reimagined with a monochromatic palette in a limited edition of 50 pieces that evokes GP’s golden age as a modern-day manufacture.

Initial thoughts

Few tourbillon movements are as iconic as the GP Three Gold Bridges. The concept debuted in a tourbillon pocket watch in 1867 and the manufacture has since adopted the signature arrow-shaped bridge as its logo and even employed the motif in movements without a tourbillon. 

Fortunately, the new Laureato is very much a tourbillon; this combination of two icons should please both fans of the brand and enthusiasts alike. The GP9620 tourbillon movement is good example of high-quality, in-house watchmaking, and is evidently constructed and finished to a high standard. Derived from the GP9400 series of movements, the GP9620 features improved finishing and a new monochromatic palette.

Remaining true to the original three bridges design, the proprietary calibre retains the visual identity of early GP pocket watch tourbillon movements, including the brand’s iconic tourbillon cage immortalised as its own design by Reinhard Meis in his book Das Tourbillon; very few brands have a tourbillon they can truly call their own. But the movement also incorporates modern amenities like automatic winding – thanks to a micro-rotor cleverly concealed behind the mainspring.

The backside of Cal. GP9620 mirrors the there bridges design found on the front.

The name is slightly misleading however, since the large bridges are neither made from gold nor even gold plated – although the bezel is white gold. Instead, the movement is entirely monochromatic; the metallic panorama is only broken by the occasional purple jewel set inside the going train. The look is clearly meant to underline the historical models that served as inspiration while remaining in touch with modern aesthetic sensibilities.

Although the one-minute tourbillon offers some dynamism with its constant motion, the overwhelmingly single-tone palette seems a little bland — especially when compared to the steel-and-gold Laureato Fifty. That said, additional variations of the model will probably be launched in the future, so perhaps we’ll see the return of gold bridges at some point.

A metallic sight

One of GP’s most important models in commercial terms, the Laureato was an in-house design that was one of the first integrated bracelet sports watches, unveiled 50 years ago in 1975. The octagonal bezel, textured dial and integrated H-link bracelet remain core design elements of the model’s latest iteration, along with subtle nods to the gold bridges construction.

Like most versions of the three bridges, the open-worked architectural movement (not to be mistaken for a skeletonised movement) takes the place of a conventional dial. A diverse array of finishes, including mirror polish, brushing and straight graining, give the tableau some texture — but the lack of contrasting colours mean the visual impact of the finishing is subtle. Compared to the simpler Laureato models, which feature tonally-balanced gold, silver, and blue tones, this tourbillon edition is comparatively minimalistic.

The casework is typical of the Laureato, featuring both brushed and polished surfaces, with the octagonal bezel defining the look. The case has a 41 mm diameter and is crafted from stainless steel, with the exception of the white gold bezel. The case body is finely brushed, with a thick polished bevel running from case to bracelet, which features polished centre links.

The case is just 10.85 mm thick, which makes it thinner than many simple time-only sport watches. That GP can produce an automatic tourbillon calibre that looks this good in this size is remarkable. That said, the case is only water resistant to 30 m. Though likely adequate for real-world usage, the minimal water resistance rating is slightly at odds with the Laureato’s sporty intent.

An updated movement

Powering this anniversary piece is the GP9620, a modern-looking automatic tourbillon movement derived from past GP movements. Although the finishing has been improved, the base architecture, including the tourbillon architecture, going train layout and automatic winding, should look familiar to enthusiasts of the brand. 

Stylistically, the movement is intentionally monochromatic, with bridges, gears and screws sharing the same silvery colour. The only colourful break is provided by the purple jewels set in each of the not-so-gold bridges.

Today’s fine watchmaking landscape puts a major emphasis on finishing, and GP claims the GP9620 features 418 polished angles — 362 of which are inward angles. Looking at the movement, the claim appears true, since all the visible components feature sharp, well-finished angles. Overall, the crisply faceted angular architecture suits the contemporary, technical aesthetic of the watch. 

The iconic three-bridges design is integral to the movement architecture, with one bridge supporting the barrel and automatic winding works, the second securing the time-telling gear train, and the third carrying the one-minute tourbillon.

The mainspring barrel sits on the same axis as the platinum micro-rotor, while the winding system encircles the barrel, leaving almost no trace of its presence. This layout remains aesthetically faithful to the original Three Gold Bridges pocket watch movement, which featured a single large hand-wound barrel at the 12 o’clock position.

The tourbillon is executed in classic Girard-Perregaux fashion with a long index regulator, weighted balance, and slim cage. The balance beats at 3 Hz, and the movement delivers about 55 hours of power reserve. Interestingly, the escapement jewels are set into silver-coloured chatons so subtle they could easily be missed.

A precious version

Girard-Perregaux is also offering a gem-set version of this anniversary watch, featuring diamonds on the eight-sided bezel. Set with 32 baguette-cut stones, the jewelled edition of the Three Gold Bridges Tourbillon is not a limited edition per se, though it will almost certainly be produced in small quantities since the market for such watches is relatively small.

Key facts and price

Girard-Perregaux Laureato Three Gold Bridges
Ref. 99112-58-3576-1CM (white gold bezel)
Ref. 99112-58S3451-1CM (diamond-set bezel)

Diameter: 41 mm
Height: 10.85 mm
Material: Stainless steel and white gold bezel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: GP9620
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 55 hours

Strap: Stainless steel bracelet with folding clasp

Limited edition: Yes, 50 pieces for the regular version, not limited for the gem-set version
Availability: At GP retailers and boutiques
Price: CHF162,000 (white gold bezel) or CHF215,500 (diamond bezel) excluding taxes

For more information, visit Girard-perregaux.com.

Chopard marks 30 years of the Chopard Manufacture with the L.U.C Grand Strike – its most ambitious complication to date, a minute repeating clock watch with grande et petite sonnerie striking on a pair of sapphire gongs. This comes on the heels of Chopard’s sister brand, Ferdinand Berthoud’s Naissance d’une Montre 3, making 2025 arguably the most significant year for Chopard, product wise, since the 1997 launch of L.U.C.

Initial Thoughts

For hundreds of years the sound of clocks coordinated human society. In fact, the very word “clock” comes from the Latin word clocca, meaning bell. Before the noise pollution of the modern day, the bells of clock towers could disseminate accurate time over several miles. It is only that many first complicated the first watches, which were made by clock makers during the 16th century, were equipped with strikes.

In 2016 Chopard launched its first self-developed chiming watch, the L.U.C Full Strike, a two-train trip repeater with sapphire gongs. It is not much of a surprise, I’ve multiple people speculate that a grande sonnerie was the next step given the design depictions Chopard made with the Full Strike. Even the name, “Full Strike” sounds like the name of a grande sonnerie, not just a repeater.

The Grand Strike is class leading technically, it’s only weakness, the middling strike work power reserve is easily forgiven when considering its size. Aesthetically, however, the watch struggles, at least for me, though the simple addition of a dial would go a long way. Anyway, if a grande et petite sonnerie is doing it job, you won’t need to look at it anyway.

The Next Step

Besides the full strike, the Grand Strike owes much to Chopard’s general technical excellence. For example, the brand’s latest perpetual calendars have the unusual refinement of an instantaneous change on all but the last day of the month – according to Chopard that experience contributed to the strike release system. The manufacture‘s experience juggling the Quattro’s four barrels was useful here as well, though the full strike uses only two barrels.

Look familiar?

Like the Full Strike, the Grand Strike’s gongs and sapphire crystal are one and the same. The carefully designed geometry of the gongs results in a C-sharp to F-natural note. It is a remarkably clear sound that, from personal experience, can be made out from several meters away in a bustling convention hall.

Most repeaters are wound and activated simultaneously, usually by way of a slide. A trip repeater, on the other hand, separates the two, using a much larger strike barrel – which can power multiple repetitions – wound from the crown, can be effortlessly “tripped” by a button or switch. This is also the first step to creating a grande sonnerie, the modern implementation of which is essentially a repeater that trips itself on the quarters.

The strike release lever resembles the grande lever of Chopard’s perpetual calendars.

In grande sonnerie mode, the watch strikes out the full hours and quarters each quarter, while in petite sonnerie mode the watch strikes out just the quarters on the quarters, and only strikes the hours on the new hour. Despite its name, the petite sonnerie is more complicated to implement, requiring a means to surpass the hour strikes on the quarters. As a result, it is sometimes omitted or simplified, a shortcut that Chopard didn’t take.

The cannon pinion with release star.

The switch and two o’clock cycles though the two strike modes, and silence, while the nearby stacked up/down indicators track the reserve of both the strikes and movement, and pressing the crown trips the on-demand minute repeater. The indicator at twelve displays the selected strike mode.

Power Management

The Grand Strike packs a minimum of 12 hours of power reserve for the strikes in grande sonnerie mode, and 70 hours of going for the movement. Only twelve hours of striking, futher reduced by use of the minute repeater, is far from class leading. Patek Philippe’s ref. 6301P boasts at least a full day’s worth of striking in grande sonnerie more, even more in petite sonnerie mode. However, the Grand Strike is more compact.

Oddly, while the petite sonnerie mode normally extends the power reserve of clock watches by reducing the travel of the hour rack, Chopard says its system “acts as a brake on the chiming system and effectively shortens the power reserve.”

Like most modern grande sonnerie movements, it the strikes will automatically cease once the power reserve is exhausted. Without this feature the exhaustion of the strike barrel would stand the racks against the cams, causing the watch to unexpectedly stop.

Stress Testing

As expected of an L.U.C model, the Grand Strike’s cal. 98.03-L carries the Poinçon de Genève, meaning it adheres to certain stylistic standards for construction and decoration assisted with Genevan fine watchmaking. While L.U.C movements are manufactured in Fleurier, they are assembled in Geneva and thus eligible for the Geneva Seal.

The movement is framed with maillechort or German silver bridges, a material with a long history in Genevan fine watchmaking. Decoration is comprehensive and attractive. Interior angles have become something of a litmus test for finishing quality, requiring either hand work, or difficult machining – often a little of both, and the Grand Strike has plenty, over 60 by my count.

To test the strike works’ resolve, Chopard tested the 31,200 activations in grande sonnerie mode, another 31,200 in petite sonnerie mode, and 3,000 of the trip minute repeater on a single prototype to simulate five years of operation.

In the past watches with tourbillons were expected to be precise and/or accurate, which is less the case today. However, each Grand Strike is Chronometer certified by the COSC. On its own that is not particular impressive, but movements are tested while in petite sonnerie mode – which is. The tourbillon also “hacks” when the crown is pulled for synchronizing to a reference time.

Key Facts and Price

L.U.C Grand Strike

Diameter: 43.00 mm
Height: 14.08 mm
Material: White gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: Dust resistant only

Movement: L.U.C 96.01-L
Functions: Hours, minutes, tourbillon, power reserve indicators for both strikework and timekeeping barrels, grande and petite sonnerie, trip minute repeater.
Winding: Manual wind
Frequency:  25,200 beats per hour (3.5 Hz)
Power reserve: 72 hours for time, 24 hours for strikework

Strap: Alligator leather with folding clasp

Availability: From Chopard
Price: CHF 780,000 (before taxes)

For more information, visit Chopard.com.

Matching sets are a motif of Phillips’ upcoming Hong Kong auction, with the most spectacular being the Concord Saratoga Splendour, a set of four minute repeating, high jewellery wristwatches representing the four precious stones – diamond, sapphire, ruby and emerald – each with a distinct movement made by Christophe Claret.

Also on offer is a set of three watches from Glashütte Original with Meissen porcelain dials, and a Patek Philippe Pagoda quartet.

Lot 857, a matching pair of Bovets depicting Hong Kong harbour by day and by night. Image – Phillips

Such sets enjoyed popularity at the top end of the market during the 1980s and 1990s, often centred around the four precious coloured stones, diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires. Perhaps the ultimate example of the matched set is the most complicated Patek Philippe watch, the Calibre 89, that was originally launched as a set of four in yellow, rose, and white gold, and platinum. Unfortunately, many of these sets have since been split up. Can these three escape that fate?

Lots 858 to 862 – Concord Saratoga Splendour Set

Concord was one of a few brands that saw great, but ephemeral, success during the 1980s and 1990s, in the same vein as Gerald Genta, Ebel, and Corum. In 1995 Concord launched the Saratoga Exor, a minute repeating tourbillon with perpetual calendar and bimetallic thermometer, set with 15.85 carats of baguette diamonds.

With a price tag of CHF2 million, it was probably the second most expensive watch ever sold by the brand, after the men’s Sirius jewellery watch (64.16 carats of diamonds). Yet Concord quickly found a buyer for the watch, and set about making a followup.

Concord Saratoga Exor. Also sold by Phillips Hong Kong. Image – Phillips, May 2016

That followup would be the Saratoga Splendour, a set of four watches themed around the four precious stones – diamond, sapphire, ruby, and emerald, for CHF3 million. Concord named the watches after the old French words for each stone – Adamas, Sapphirus, Rubeus, and Esmeraude, each of which is hand engraved on the respective case back.

The Splendeur series takes after the Exor, with the same 42 mm platinum Saratoga case, which would have been 30 m water resistant when new – surpassing most repeaters today. The Splendours’ gem setting however, is restrained by comparison with lower carat weights and smaller stones. Concord sold both the Exor and Splendour to collectors from Hong Kong – or possibly to a single collector.

Lot 861 – Concord Saratoga Splendour Adamas

The Adamas has only two hands, putting focus on the minute repeater and the 278 diamonds that total 9.92 carats.

As with the Exor, Christophe Claret made the movements using ebauche from Nouvelle Lemania. As proof of Lemania’s prominence in the repeater market at the time, three other watches in the present auction use the same base, from Ulysse Nardin (lot 823), Robergé (lot 884), and Breguet (lot 849).

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Adamas, being the most restrained Saratoga Splendour, carries the lowest estimate of the quartet, HK$250,000 – 500,000 ($32,100 – 64,100), which represents excellent value for money.

Lot 860 – Concord Saratoga Splendour Sapphires

Besides the blue sapphires on the case and buckle, Sapphirus also adds a moon phase and a strike barrel power reserve indicator. The latter isn’t very useful, but found brief adoption during the 1990s and 2000s, especially by Franck Muller – another one of Christophe Claret’s customers.

The Saratoga Splendour Sapphirus has the highest estimate of the tetrad, HK$400,000 – 800,000 (US$51,300 – 103,000) surpassing even the more complicated Esmeraude.

Lot 859 – Concord Saratoga Splendour Rubeus

Rubeus is the penultimate watch in the series, and the most quirky. The dial appears use the ubiquitous Dubois Depraz perpetual calendar also found on the Exor, though with the moon phase and day omitted. It is set with 327 diamonds (6.43 carats) and of 32 (2.95 carats) rubies.

It uses the same bimetallic thermometer as the Exor, but this time mounded on the front. Its mechanism is visible and easy to understand from the back.

The strip comprises a layer of brass and a layer of steel fused together. The mismatch in coefficient of thermal expansion between the who materials causes the arms to deflect with changes in temperature. A rack transmits this motion of the thermometer hand on the dial.

Perhaps the most individually interesting of the group, Rubeus has an estimate of HK$250,000 – 550,000 (US$32,100 – 70,500).

Lot 858 – Concord Saratoga Splendour Esmeraude

Last is Esmeraude, representing the most precious of precious stones, with a full Dubois Depraz perpetual calendar on top and a tourbillon on back. The movement decoration of all four – but especially the Esmeraude – is traditional and assuredly manual.

It has the same charming, nineties-era industrial-artisanal character of many other haute horlogerie brands. Certainly a contrast from the glossy, perfect finishing we’ve come to expect today.

The quatrain’s final and most most complicated line, Esmeraude, has an estimate of HK$300,000 – 600,000 (US$38,500 – 76,900), which is, again, fantastic value for money.

Lot 862 – Concord Saratoga Splendour Fitted Box

Concord delivered the set in a grandiose fitted wooden box fitted with automatic winders for all four watches. According to Concord, the Exor’s winder had a battery life of seven years, presumably the Splendeur is about the same, as even though there are four times as many watches, the box is also larger.

Image – Phillips

The box is in surprisingly good condition, evidently built to last – not true of all boxes then and now – free of cracked and flaking PU-leather. While the box has an estimate of HK$10,000 – 20,000 (US$1,300 – 2,600) on its own, Phillips will offer it as a complementary gift if a single buyer wins all four.

Lot 897 – Patek Philippe Ref. 5500P Pagoda

A less vivacious matching set comprises all four metals of the neo-vintage Patek Philippe Pagoda, including the elusive platinum model.

Patek Philippe commemorated its 1997 move from La function in downtown Geneva to the Plan-les-Ouates with seven limited edition watches inspired by the vintage “Eiffel Tower” cases ref. 2441 and 2295 made from the late forties to mid fifties.

Image – Phillips

At the time, Plan-les-Ouates was mid-transition from empty fields to the industrial park we know today. Patek Philippe was one of the first watchmakers in Plan-les-Ouates, but many others followed, most notably Rolex in 2005.

Image – Phillips

Patek Philippe claimed to have destroyed the tooling used to stamp the cases after producing 2000 of the men’s Gondolo ref. 5500, and 750 of the ladies’s 4900.

While 2000 watches is hardly limited, especially for Patek Philippe during the 1990s, production by case metal was highly asymmetric. The yellow gold ref. 5500J was the most common (1100 pieces) followed by rose gold ref. 5500R (500) and white gold ref. 5500G with salmon dial (250). Only 150 exist in platinum, making the ref. 5500P rarer than say, a ref. 5004P.

Image – Phillips

A COSC timing certificate accompanies each Pagoda, in addition to a small silver medal engraved with a depiction of the factory.

Image – Phillips

The platinum ref. 5500P carries the highest estimate of the bunch, HK$120,000 – 200,000 (US$15,400 – 25,600).

Lot 881  – Glashütte Original x Meissen Mingdragon Blue Ref. 49-08-08-06-06

The catalog includes a matching set of three Glashütte Original watches with hand pained porcelain dials – fruit of a collaboration between Glashütte Original and the Meissen porcelain factory, both in Saxony. Hard-paste porcelain is a type of ceramic originally developed in China during the 7th century, which then spread across east Asia.

Image – Phillips

All three Mingdragon watches are the first of their respective limited editions. This white gold example with blue Mingdragon is one of 50, with an estimate of HK$70,000 – 120,000 (US$9,000 – 15,400).

Lot 880  – Glashütte Original x Meissen Mingdragon Green Ref. 49-08-09-21-06

For a time, porcelain was a rare and luxurious material in Europe, until in the early 1700s when Johann Friedrich Böttger reverse engineered the process. Böttger estbalished continental Europe’s first porcelain factory in Meissen. Soon after, the Meissen factory adopted the iconic crossed-swords trademark to differeiate itself as more porcelain manufactures sprung up across Europe.

Image – Phillips

The cal. GUB 49 powers all three Mingdragons – one of Glashütte Original’s more upscale movements of the time. It is handsomely decorated, highlights including the exposed winding wheels and black polished whip-lash regulator.

Image – Phillips

The green Min dragon is number one of 90 pieces, and beautifully complemented by a yellow gold case. The estimate is a quite tempting HK$70,000 – 120,000 (US$9,000 – 15,400).

Lot 879  – Glashütte Original x Meissen Mingdragon Purple Ref. 49-08-07-13-06

One of Meissen’s most iconic designs in the “Ming-Dragon”, which was developed in the early 20th century. The world was less connected then, so it is understandable, it somewhat amusing, that German porcelain works didn’t know Chinese dragons are supposed to have five claws.

Image – Phillips

The trio all come with their original boxes and paperwork, including loupes to inspect the hand painted dials. The watches in perfect condition, though the “leather” has started to break down.

Image – Phillips

The final and most limited Mingdragon is purple, cased in platinum, and number one of 40. The estimate is HK$70,000 – 120,000 (US$9,000 – 15,400).

Preview and auction

The sale and preview exhibition will take place at Phillips Hong Kong in the West Kowloon Cultural District.

Preview
Open daily November 15-23, 2025, from 10:00 am-7:00 pm

Auction
November 21 – 2:00 pm (Session I lots 801 – 901)
November 22 – 2:00 pm (Session II lots 902 – 1014)
November 23 – 2:00 pm (Session III lots 1015 – 1123)

(All times are local to Hong Kong, GMT+8.)

G/F WKCDA Tower
Cultural District
8 Austin Road West
Kowloon, Hong Kong

For the full catalogue, visit Phillips.com.

This was brought to you in partnership with Phillips.

TAG Heuer flexes its research and development muscles again with the performance-oriented Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph Air 1.

Using the iconic square chronograph as a base, the brand’s engineers took inspiration from its Formula 1 partnership to explore new manufacturing techniques for this 30-piece limited edition that boasts an ultra-light, hollowed-out 18k gold case fabricated with laser additive manufacturing.

Initial thoughts

The original Monaco from Heuer remains one of the more enduring chronograph designs, with the storied past and distinctive square form. It is refreshing to see TAG Heuer using it as a base for newer, technologically-oriented pieces.

This new limited edition takes the already-supercharged crystallised titanium split-seconds released earlier this year and reimagines the square case. The result is a honeycomb-patterned case that is surprisingly lightweight for the size and material.

The complex and layered construction of the Air 1, here in an exploded view.

The team at TAG Heuer employed a new additive manufacturing technique with the goal of a sturdy yet remarkably light chronograph. Keeping in mind that gold is a dense (thus heavy) metal, making a watch that qualifies as “lightweight” is usually incompatible with including the precious alloy. Here the engineers came up with a way to reduce the volume of gold used, while keeping the components’ sturdiness intact.

The timepiece itself can be a little much in terms of styling, with the very complex case straying away from the classic Monaco format. The textures and tones match well, but the overly layered case its from what could have been a sleeker, more aerodynamic construction. Clearly TAG Heuer is very fond of their motorsport connection, since the overall look and even the name refer to Formula 1.

It is a shame that the new TH-Carbon hairspring was not used in this model, since it would have complemented the overall performance-oriented theme of the Monaco Air 1. As we see TAG Heuer experimenting with exciting new materials, the question remains which techniques will find their way into regular production pieces.

While the metal additive manufacturing method is not cheap and was not used to a great extent in the Monaco Air 1, it is interesting to see what the brand will do in the future. Perhaps the brand will include SLM-crafted pieces inside movements too, since the technique is useful for producing complex and functional shapes.

Selective Laser Melting (SLM)

The fancy-sounding process is one of the more modern manufacturing techniques, falling under the larger umbrella of additive manufacturing (much like 3D-printing). Compared to traditional processes, from rudimentary engine-turning to modern multi-axis CNC machining, additive manufacturing builds a component layer by layer from a base material, instead of removing material out of a block or blank. 

In particular, SLM, also known as laser sintering, is a technique through which a fine metal powder bed is selectively melted by a high-powered laser, then cooled and then heated again in specific patterns, layer by layer, until a complex component is produced. Building something from ground up is sometimes easier for specific meshes and geometries, since traditional machining is constrained by tolerances and the tools’ axis and degrees of freedom. 

How does this relate to the new Monaco Air 1? The complicated case details and lattices are crafted through this avangarde technique, while the base titanium case looks to be manufactured through more basic CNC machining. 

The 5N gold accents are built with a mesh-like structure, reminding of optimised pieces found inside racing cars. Similar titanium meshed accents are found on the lug sides, adding to the intricate ridges of the case.

TAG Heuer is proud of its partnership with Formula 1 and boasts similarities between their new case and the aerodynamic yet strong shapes of F1 car parts. In particular the honeycomb theme is reminiscent of the intricate suspensions on such cars. 

While the textures of the case look quite good — especially with this colour scheme, yet also feels a little too much. The DLC-coated square bezel has asymmetric cutouts which don’t contrast too well with the otherwise symmetric dial. 

The black crown looks slightly undersized, with the two chronograph pushers and gold rattrapante button being noticeably larger than the crown. 

The dial framed by the 41 mm car is generously open-worked, with two distinctive black bridges holding the chronograph hours and minutes registers. A very discreet constant seconds at 6 o’clock helps the piece keep some of the original bi-register look of the Monaco.

The watch weights only 85 g, one gram lighter than the crystallised titanium version released earlier this year. This is quite a feat, giving the complex and layered construction of the case. The hollowed segments built by SLM have certainly something to do with the lightness of the piece. 

A performant engine

Inside the elaborate case can be found caliber TH81-00, TAG Heuer’s top-grade split-seconds chronograph. The movement is derived from the Vaucher cal. 6710 and a structurally-similar caliber is used by Richard Mille.

The caliber includes all the amenities of modern performance chronographs: column wheel operation, a vertical clutch and almost as a bonus a high running frequency of 5 Hz. This allows the mechanism to time elapsed periods to the 1/10th of the second — fitting given its F1 thematic. 

The core structure of cal. TH81-00 is sturdy and reliable, with a free-sprung balance kept secure by a full balance bridge. All in all, this movement holds its candle well against established performance chronograph calibers, like the Rolex 413x models and Omega’s 9900 series. 

The split-second implement is visible on the top of the movement under the automatic winding works. There is a second column wheel controlling the split function, stopping one chronograph second hand while the other ticks on. The rattrapante system looks well-built and straightforward, but lacks the refinement of those found in traditional haute horlogerie movements from the likes of Patek Philippe or Lage.

Another interesting point to make here is that TH81-00 features a fair share of hand-applied finishing. The chequered pattern on the uppermost bridge is scraped by hand and there is sharp bevelled polishing around the balance cut-out. This is more hand-finishing that it’s usually found in these technical-looking pieces. 

Key facts and price

TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph Air 1
Ref. CBW218B.FT8124

Diameter: 41 mm
Height: 15.2 mm
Material: Grade 5 titanium and 2N gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: TH81-00
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph and split-seconds
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 36,000 beats per hour (5 Hz)
Power reserve: 65 hours (55 hours with chronograph on)

Strap: Calf leather with embossed  textile pattern and folding clasp

Limited edition: Yes, limited to 30 pieces
Availability: December 2025
Price: CHF150,000

For more, visit Tagheuer.com.

Daniel Roth continues its thoughtful return with the Tourbillon Platinum, a contemporary take on the brand’s signature double-ellipse design. While the design remains faithful to the original, the latest version elevates every element, from the crisp pinstripe guilloche to the slightly thinner case.

The first platinum model in the brand’s recent history, the watch features the same purpose-built DR001 movement we’ve seen previously, which encapsulates the blend of traditional craft and contemporary styling that defines the brand.

Initial thoughts

The rebirth of Daniel Roth under the aegis of La Fabrique du Temps (LFT) is something that I’ve followed with interest. With a team led by Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini, contemporaries and friends of Mr Roth, LFT has pulled off the rare feat of a remake that, at least in a tangible sense, exceeds the original.

While the romance of a founder-led operation is impossible to fully replicate, it’s difficult to point to any single aspect of the Tourbillon Platinum that isn’t substantively improved compared to the original C187 of 1988. This speaks to the vast resources of LFT, which was able to design a form movement from the ground up to fit the brand’s supremely elegant double-ellipse case.

This bespoke development cycle differs from what Mr Roth had to deal with when he became the first independent watchmaker to produce a tourbillon wristwatch in series. By starting over from scratch, LFT was able to produce a thinner calibre and, in turn, a more elegant case profile.

The same can be said for the dial, which is painstakingly hand engraved the traditional way using a straight-line engine. But while the dials of the original Daniel Roth tourbillons revealed the human touch quite clearly, the guilloche work on the Tourbillon Platinum is remarkably uniform and precise.

This kind of ethereal perfection comes at a cost, and the retail price of CHF185,000 is priced in line with current trends, competitive with offerings from Laurent Ferrier, for example. Laurent Ferrier is a useful benchmark, since it’s another brand that relies on LFT for movements.

A hand-made dial

The off-centre dial of the Tourbillon Platinum is a good place to start to get a feel for the new watch, since other than the case material it’s the main thing that differentiates the Tourbillon Platinum from the yellow gold Tourbillon Souscription and Tourbillon Rose Gold that preceded it.

The dial configuration of Daniel Roth’s tourbillons has always been something special, borrowing the symmetric top-to-bottom arrangement Mr Roth designed while leading Breguet. But the brilliance of this configuration, which was entirely novel at the time, wasn’t utilised to its full extent until he designed the double-ellipse case that would become his brand’s signature.

The bill of materials is beyond reproach, with solid 18k white gold for the dial plate, and traditional sterling silver for the the chapter rings, including the quirky ‘mustache’ that gives the watch so much of its charm.

The anthracite-coated white gold dial plate is hand engraved line by line on an antique straight-line engine that has been lovingly restored for exactly this purpose; it’s one of a few similar machines installed in LFT’s in-house engine turning workshop. This traditional process results in tight, even pinstripes that gleam in the light, a characteristic that cannot be replicated with mere stamping.

Likewise, the sterling silver chapter rings are engraved with fluted edges, a pattern known as filet sauté. The application of this treatment to the serpentine form of the mustache required engineering a custom headstock for the engine itself; an expensive undertaking since this apparatus is probably not usable by the other brands that LFT supplies.

While the machines used to create these patterns are old, the production process has clearly benefitted from the passage of time. Guillochage is arguably more of a science and less of an art than it once was, and while the new dials are just as hand made as the originals, they exude a degree of perfection that sets them apart.

There are certainly those collectors who will bemoan this clinical precision, it’s hard to make the argument that they should have been made any differently.

The purpose-built double-ellipse movement

While the dial of the Tourbillon Platinum is impressive, it’s the DR001 calibre inside that reveals the depth of thought that went into this reboot. To understand this calibre, it’s worth a quick look back at the brand’s original tourbillon from 1988.

The late 1980s was a very different time, and the age of the tourbillon wristwatch was just about to dawn. While Omega and Patek Philippe had made a handful of wristwatch-sized tourbillon movements decades prior, and even put a few in cases, these were experimental designs intended for observatory competition, not Bond Street jewellers like Asprey that would help Mr Roth establish himself.

During his tenure at helm of Breguet, Mr Roth had worked with Lemania to develop a tourbillon movement that would bring the brand’s emblematic complication to a Breguet wristwatch for the first time. It was thanks to this connection that Mr Roth was able to the source tourbillon ebauches that he used to launch his brand in 1988.

The original Daniel Roth Tourbillon featured a three-armed seconds hand that was curved downward to reach the same level as the seconds scale.

Retrofitting the Lemania tourbillon ebauche entailed some compromises. For one thing, it was thicker than it should have been, a factor that led to the downward-sloping seconds hands mounted to the tourbillon carriage.

In contrast, the DR001 was designed for no other watch than the Daniel Roth Tourbillon, a fact that can be plainly seen in the thinner dimensions and maximum usage of the double-ellipse architecture. No longer down-sloping, the three-armed seconds hand is now flat, and lines up perfectly with the three-tiered mustache-style seconds register.

The thinner calibre results in a thinner watch at just 9.2 mm, which makes the Tourbillon Platinum sleeker and more elegant than the brand’s original tourbillon. The double-ellipse shape, which is relief-engraved on the much-improved crown, takes on an even more appealing character thanks to this slimmer form.

It was also developed with contemporary expectations for finishing in mind, and features all the hallmarks of high-end independent watchmaking. The bridge forms are elegant in their simplicity, and show off vertical striping that echoes the pinstripe guilloche on the dial.

Black-polished steel is used liberally, from the comma-shaped bridge for the third wheel and blade-style click spring on the back, to the rounded bridge for the tourbillon on the front. And the finishing extends beyond what can be seen from the outside; in its disassembled state, the DR001 reveals numerous hidden surfaces treated with pelage and expertly beveled spokes of the train wheels.

Key facts and price

Daniel Roth Tourbillon Platinum

Diameter: 38.6 mm by 35.5 mm
Height: 9.2 mm
Material: Platinum
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: DR001
Features: Hours, minutes, seconds, and a one-minute tourbillon
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Winding: Manual winding
Power reserve: 80 hours

Strap: Calfskin strap with pin buckle

Limited edition: No
Availability:At Daniel Roth retailers
Price: CHF185,000 excluding taxes

For more, visit Daniel-roth.ch.

Stone dials have become an increasingly visible trend in recent years; once rare, they are now widespread. Yet most rely on a handful of familiar minerals such as malachite, lapis lazuli, and tiger’s eye, leaving little room for novelty. Biver has taken a different approach with the Automatique, offering a far broader and more exotic palette of materials that includes mahogany obsidian, quartzite, and lavender jade—alongside traditional enamel dials crafted by Geneva’s leading specialists.

While the new dials take centre stage, the Automatique itself is largely unchanged, and still features one of the most technically interesting movements in the genre of high-end time-only watches.

Initial thoughts

Mineral stone dials seem to be everywhere these days. Once the domain of brands like Piaget, stone dials have outgrown their niche and become common enough that a cottage industry of suppliers has emerged to supply them at nearly all price points; even Timex offers malachite dials.

But most brands are using the same handful of stone types like malachite, tiger’s eye, lapis lazuli, and other semi-precious, but actually quite common, minerals. This is where Biver goes its own way, offering a diverse and unusual selection of stone and enamel dials, along with a few ‘ordinary’ dials for more conservative collectors.

In total, 11 new references join the collection, and each has the option for a precious metal bracelet that matches the case material.

As a watch, the Automatique itself is unchanged from past editions, and features the brand’s proprietary micro-rotor automatic with zero-reset central seconds. The choice of automatic winding is not an affectation; precious metal aside, the Automatique is a watch that can be worn every day, with a robust 39 mm case that’s water resistant to 80 m.

Prices vary depending on the choice of dial, case material, and the addition of diamond or sapphire baguettes, from CHF80,000 up to about CHF125,000. Though ‘just’ a time-only watch, it is expensively made from top to bottom; even the movement bridges are made of solid gold, which adds more to the cost of production than one might assume.

Brilliant stones

Having initially launched the Automatique with unusual obsidian and pietersite dials, the brand expands the line-up with equally novel, and arguably even more striking materials like quartzite, lavender jade, and mahogany obsidian.

The latter is among the most appealing. The mahogany obsidian dial is framed with a tone-correct 18k rose gold case and applied chapter ring. The material itself is aptly named, with a swirling, organic pattern that could easily pass for knurled wood. It also calls to mind the Damascus steel dials used by the F.P. Journe Chronomètre Holland & Holland, but with a smoother, glossy texture.

The pink lavender dials are also quite striking, with or without optional baguette diamonds, and may prove to be among the most popular choices given it will likely stand out well on social media. I can understand why, as the colour is rich and unusual, with purple being a fairly uncommon colour for watch dials.

The brightness of the pink lavender highlights the circular chamfer that rings the dial. This machined groove is a small detail, but it has a big effect on the look, visually shrinking the dial and preventing it from looking too plain. The other stone dials have this embellishment as well, but it’s less obvious on the darker stones.

The blue quartzite models are equally impressive, especially with the optional baguette diamond or sapphire hour markers.

Rounding out the set is an uncommon stone called Oeil de Fer. Geology is not my first language, but this mineral is essentially the same thing as tiger iron, like that found on the Rolex GMT-Master II ref. 126715CHNR. Comprised of tiger’s eye, red jasper, and hematite, stones like this are typically sourced from Western Australia in one of the planet’s most ancient rock formations, formed roughly three billion years ago.

Against the backdrop of exotic stones, one could easily miss the other dial options being introduced, but that would be a mistake. The vibrant blue Clous de Paris dial, in particular, is an appealing addition to the range for collectors who aren’t moved by stone and enamel.

The Clous de Paris dial debuts alongside a more sober two-tone option that features concentric rings in contrasting vertically brushed and matte textures. Of all the new models being released, this is the reference that feels most similar to earlier editions of the Automatique.

Top quality enamel

Not all enamel dials are created equal; this was a key takeaway from a recent visit to Les Emailleurs de la Cité (EC), which is the source of the striking grey and ‘Bordeaux’ red enamel dials for the Automatique. EC is an artisan enamellist in Geneva’s old town, recently established by Rexhep Rexhepi of Akrivia and Florent Olivier Martin. With four experienced enamellists on staff, production is naturally limited, and Biver’s dials made by the same hands that make the dials for the Chronomètre Contemporain.

This is not the first time Biver has tapped EC for enamel dials; that would be the piece unique sold for charity last year. The colours, however, are new, as is the use of lume plots on the dial and thin strips of lume on the faceted dauphine hands.

The lume plots have a surprising impact on the character of the watch, bringing a toolish feel to an overtly luxurious product. It’s a pleasing juxtaposition that is strongly coherent with the instrument-like zero reset functionality of the movement.

An ambitious calibre

While highly finished time-only watches remain the flavour of the day, and the Automatique certainly fits that description, most independent watchmakers rely on simple time-tested manually wound platforms. The JCB-003 movement that powers the Automatique, on the other hand, provides a degree of technical interest that makes it worth a look regardless of the dial choice.

Setting the specs aside for a moment, the movement is constructed almost entirely from 18k white gold, with high palladium content so it won’t discolour with time. The larger bridges are hand-engraved with a traditional straight-line engine, a tedious and costly endeavour. As extravagant as this touch is, the guilloche finish is one of the few things I’d change about the movement; I think a simpler texture would look better given the limited surface area of the bridges.

Functionally, the movement is unique, with a grande sonnerie-style winding click, which is unheard of in an automatic movement. The movement also offers a zero reset functionality, which means the seconds hand snaps back to zero when the crown is pulled, making it easy to synchronise the watch to a reference clock.

This feature is uncommon among centre-seconds movements; the other watches with this feature are similarly costly, including (arguably) the A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange Jumping Seconds and the Rexhep Rexhepi Chronomètre Antimagnétique “Only Watch”.

Key facts and price

Biver Automatique

Diameter: 39 mm
Height: 10 mm
Material: Platinum, 18k rose gold, or 18k yellow gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 80 m

Movement: JCB-003-C
Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 25,200 beats per hour (3.5 Hz)
Power reserve: 65 hours

Strap: Leather with 18k gold buckle, or five-row Biver bracelet available at additional cost

Limited edition: No, but limited quantities
Availability: Direct from Biver or at authorised retailers
Price:

Two-Tone: CHF80,000
Clous de Paris: CHF85,000
Mahogany obsidian or oeil de fer: CHF89,000
Quartzite or lavender jade: CHF95,000
Lavender jade with diamonds: CHF105,000
Quartzite with diamonds: CHF110,000
Quartzite with sapphires: CHF125,000
Enamel: Upon request

All prices exclude taxes

For more, visit jcbiver.com.