Not many weeks have passed since the biggest watch happening Watches & Wonders 2024 took place in Switzerland (if you don’t know what I am talking about, read more here), and yet, here we are again, with more watch news. That’s because there are a lot of new things to talk again about but bear with us, as it gets interesting…
Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch Bi-color
After recently adding a white dial option to their very popular collection, this week Omega introduced two new bi-colour/two-tone models. They stand in a sweet spot between classic stainless steel and all-gold models. Using the brand’s Moonshine and Sedna gold (same as in the all-gold models), these are basically the Moonwatch we already know: a case diameter of 42mm which houses a manual-winding movement with a power reserve of 50 hours, and a micro-adjustment mechanism on the “Nixon” bracelet which allows you to extend it by an additional 2.5mm. And that comes in handy, especially on summer days. We definitely need to have hands-on these two. For more info, visit Omega’s website.
IWC’s Fully Luminous Ceramic Prototype Watch
This is the watch we didn’t know we needed… The Swiss watchmaker, continuing its journey to develop and utilise the use of ceramic, announced its Ceralume luminous ceramic technology and, along with it, used their IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 as a first prototype. So if you thought that having a fully luminous dial was a flex, now you have not only an all-lume ceramic case but the bracelet too. Sadly, this watch is not yet on the market. However, as per the brand’s statement, the patent-pending Ceralume technology will form the foundation of future developments and releases. Okay, we will wait patiently then.
TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300
It’s just a couple of years since Tag Heuer gave their popular model range a facelift and now the brand comes with another refresh, this time with a smaller case size, upgraded movements which more than double the power reserve of 80 hours, and most importantly a new sunray dial which now replicates the surface of rippling water. Water resistance holds at, unsurprisingly considering its name, 300 meters. The dive models with a date window are offered in green, black, and blue, while the GMTs are offered in blue and green. For more info, check TAG Heuer.
Oris Hölstein Edition 2024
To celebrate the registration of the company on June 1, 1904, the Swiss watchmaker in the past five years has introduced on this day special limited Hölstein Edition watches for dedicated fans, which are designed to be unique offerings from the rest of the brand’s portfolio. This June, Oris brings a black-out option for the 40mm Divers Sixty-Five model. Of course, it’s not the most creative concept, considering the number of other all-black watches that exist throughout the industry but the new edition is actually the brand’s very first. It has produced just 250 pieces, with each watch featuring its unique number engraved upon its case back. While we are not the biggest fans of all-black watches, we like that everything on this timepiece is matte. More info at Oris’ website.
Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42mm Pink Gold
While most watch enthusiasts pray primarily for watch designs by Gérald Genta, there were other great designers at that time too, and this model, introduced in the mid-70s, is a great example. What a shame that it lives in the shadow of the “holy watch’s trio” of Nautilus, Royal Oak and Overseas, and newcomers such as Chopard Alpine Eagle and Czapek Antarctique. Honestly, the model Laureto deserves to be more in the spotlight. As a new addition to the brand’s most popular line, Girard-Perregaux introduced three new versions in rose gold with Sage Green and Ultramarine Blue dials. In the 42mm case, there beats a mechanism with a power reserve of 54 hours and the watch has 50m water resistance. Now, we at The Editors are just missing a little bit of a tan and the green version on our wrist when scrolling through the narrow streets of Palma. If you want to know more, look at Girard-Perregaux.
Becoming a watch nerd?
- Manual-winding movement – the manual (or mechanical) watch movement is the oldest movement, completely driven by the mainspring which is wound by hand.
- Ceralume – According to IWC, Ceralume is produced by homogeneously mixing ceramic powders with high-grade Super-LumiNova pigments — likely the same pigments that go into the paint that are then used to fill up the hands and markers on a dial. The brand claims, “In dark chamber tests, a fully luminous concept watch manufactured using the Ceralume technology has emitted a bright blueish light for more than 24 hours.”
- Ceramic watch – ‘Ceramic’ refers to any material that is solid, inorganic, and non-metallic. This relatively vague definition provides plenty of room for watchmakers to play with their ceramic formulas and improve their timepieces. Unlike coated metal watches, the colour of ceramic is a property of the material itself, making it more resistant to fading and wear.
- GMT – a watch that features an additional 24-hour hand – shows two time zones at once
- Date window – most mechanical watches with a date window have a date wheel that increments every 24 hours and runs from 1-31. That means that if the month has fewer than 31 days, you need to manually correct the date after.
- Sunray dial – or a sunburst dial is produced by using a brush, usually with metal filaments, to etch super fine lines that radiate from the dial’s centre. Often layers of enamel are then added to create depth.
- Gérald Genta – was a Swiss watchmaker and artist, who is known for his eponymous lines of timepieces. Throughout his career, he created some of the most iconic models in the watch world, which remain popular to this day. To name a few: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, IWC Ingenieur, Omega Constellation and Patek Philippe Nautilus.
