Our favorites from this year’s Watches & Wonders 2022
After a tumultuous last few years, there isn’t much better than the watch industry hosting in-person events. It’s a breath of fresh air to see faces, old and new, in the watch industry and community. Independent brands had yet another strong showing – bringing their creativity and craftsmanship to the forefront of horology. As we do every year, we want to cast a spotlight on some of our favorites.
Angelus Chronodate
Coming with a modern interpretation of the brand’s legendary Chronodato, the first chronograph with integrated annual calendar, the Angelus Chronodate does not disappoint. With a new in-house movement, Caliber A-500, it’s a thoroughly modern aesthetic all the way from the pushers to the dial. While the finishing on Angelus timepieces always exceeds what collectors might expect at their price point, it’s the Chronodate’s case that stands out most to us. It’s often strange when an ultra-modern dial or movement architecture is coupled with an otherwise traditional case. Something simply doesn’t mesh with the vibe of a given watch on a whole. With the Chronodate, this isn’t an issue. Six main components bring the case middle and lugs into a single line, creating an ultra-modern looking case that fits the cohesive aesthetic across the case, movement, dial, pushers, and case.
Armin Strom Orbit
Through consistency, Armin Storm has built quite a strong design language. From their popular Gravity Equal Force and Tribute 1 collections, the brand is dedicated to openworked movements, off-center dials, and often unusual complications. This year’s Orbit is yet another with a reinterpretation of the ubiquitous date function. The novelty isn’t that the date is simply moved to the bezel. It’s more that this timepiece allows for a higher level of interactivity – collectors can activate and deactivate the date function via the monopusher.
Parmigiani Fleurier GMT Rattrapante
Welcome back Parmigiani Fleurier! The brand has released some impressive timepieces like their interpretation of sports watches in the Tonda PF. Collectors are also expressing more and more interest in their earliest timepieces like the Pantographe and Toric models. At Watches & Wonders, we saw another new hit – the Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante. First off, this is not a chronograph as one might (rightly) assume by the rattrapante. Instead, the GMT rattrapante uses the flyback function to allow its owner to turn the GMT function on and off. This follows the same vein as Armin Strom, this GMT Rattrapante is focused on the intersection of functionality and interactivity. Activated via monopusher, it’s a spectacularly interesting timepiece with high-level finish at a versatile 40mm case size.
Cyrus Geneve Klepcys DICE Lime
Originally released last year, the Klepcys DICE is bringing a summer-y and light-hearted vibe to one of Cyrus Geneve’s most popular timepieces. The DICI strikes a balance between all things collectors love about the brand – it’s modern with a new complication. Spearheaded by Jean-François Mojon, the DICE allows its owner to measure two completely independent events. Unlike a rattrapante that requires both events to have the same start time, the DICE can be used to time two drivers whizzing around a track on unrelated intervals. After all, this timepiece is the official watch of Haas F1 Team and the novel complication had motor racing in mind at its earliest phase of development. Whether a fan of Guenther Steiner and Haas F1 or in pursuit of unusual complications, the Klepcys DICE Lime delivers.
H. Moser & Cie. Cylindrical Tourbillon
Frankly, the latest release from Moser needs more than a brief blurb. We will cover it more in upcoming content. There were few watches talked about more than this one during Watches & Wonders and for good reason. The pioneer case isn’t new, nor is it the first time the brand has executed a timepiece with cylindrical tourbillon. What’s extremely exceptional here is the skeletonized architecture of the movement, and it is beautiful. Often focused on a minimalist aesthetic, as shown through the brand’s brandless fumé dials, this is a side of Moser that was difficult to imagine prior to the release of this watch. There’s something in it that fits so well with the overall ethos of Moser – the brand is traditional and modern, minimalist and extravagant, satirical and serious.
Arnold & Son Ultrathin Tourbillon
A cosmic green dial ultra thin§ tourbillon in platinum case? Yes, please. That was our reaction when we first saw the latest Ultrathin Tourbillon from Arnold & Son. For years, the brand has been creating highly complicated timepieces and collectors have caught onto their craftsmanship. Especially the Luna Magna and commemorative Pheonix/Dragon Ultrathin Tourbillon, both have rightfully become hits for their great price to value ratio. This year’s Ultrathin Tourbillon meets the growing expectations of the brand – it’s highly finished, highly complicated, and executed with a cohesive design language. There’s simply something that appeals to the purists in a platinum tourbillon watch – it’s the most precious of materials coupled with the most “pure” high complication in watchmaking.
We’re keen to hear what else stuck out to you from Watches & Wonders. Drop a comment on our Instagram post here.