Understanding the guiding principles behind watchmaking’s most celebrated models and how they are shaping up for the future
CYNTHIA TABET
Piaget’s global product marketing director
At the Basel Watch Fair in 1969, Piaget unveiled designs so unusual they seemed plucked from a dream: a riot of colour, charisma and hypnotic shapes conceived purely to make a statement. At a time when ticking treasures adorned the wrist like a jewel, the brand transformed into a pioneer of form and freedom.
Among those avant-garde manifestations, the trapeze shape emerged as particularly iconic. Under the creative direction of Jean-Claude Gueit — the visionary behind many of Piaget’s radical jewels and the father of Emmanuel Gueit, creator of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore — this distinctive silhouette appeared across a multitude of watches and jewellery pieces, from sculptural cuffs to back-draping sautoir necklaces. His iconoclastic spirit cemented the trapeze as a hallmark of the maison’s enduring aesthetic.
Today, the Sixtie collection picks up where that legacy left off. Presented in four new references, each features interlaced trapeze-shaped links that curve gently at the sides, their geometry softened into wearable sculpture. Finely chiselled gadroons encircle the bezel, while the satin-finished dial glows with golden hour markers and Roman numerals.
“We’re really leaning into the story of ‘sixty seconds in each minute, sixty minutes in an hour’, because it means Piaget is accompanying you every moment of the day. What we really wanted, after celebrating our 150th anniversary last year, was to revisit our roots and the stylistic identity of the house, which is the clever use of ornamental stones and vivid colours. We also wanted a different shape, one that’s neither round nor square, that can easily be worn by a lot of women,” says Tabet.
See also: Tempus ex machina
From the kaleidoscopic energy of the Sixtie, Piaget channels a bolder confidence with the Polo 79 in a new guise: white gold. While its signature gadroons — the fluid interplay of polished and brushed surfaces — and the integrated bracelet remain unchanged from the revived yellow-gold edition previously, the new material imparts a different persona.
Tabet elaborates: “This update has been requested by many collectors for a very long time. It took a while to introduce these changes because we’re not the kind to do many iterations, especially of our most iconic successes. There’s a reason we don’t overhaul them lightly. It’s important to consider the market, but also stay true to the elements or details that work for us. When people come to Piaget, they know they’re looking at something unmistakably ours.”
LAURENT LECAMP
Montblanc’s global managing director for watch, writing instrument and accessories division
Montblanc’s connection to nature runs deeper than its namesake peak. Since its beginnings, the brand has looked to the landscapes around it — glaciers, forests, skies and summits — not only for imagery but principles of design and craftsmanship. This abiding dialogue with the natural world lends the maison’s snow-capped creations distinctiveness, grounding them in silhouettes and textures that feel both intentional and elemental.
That affinity with the earth comes into sharper focus in the 1858 Geosphere Annual Calendar Limited Edition, which combines an annual calendar complication with a worldtimer — a first in the Minerva movement portfolio. The collection, named after the year the Minerva manufacture was founded, pays tribute to the brand’s celebrated watches of the 1920s and 1930s, when it debuted some of the first manually wound monopusher chronograph wristwatches, trusted by both military personnel and mountain rescue teams.
“I think you cannot develop any success if it’s not based on DNA. Otherwise, it won’t be a true success, but a trend. There is a huge difference between the two. Brand DNA is needed to develop something that will last for many years. We never do anything by chance. It’s the first time we’ve unveiled a complication other than a tourbillon or chronograph,” says Lecamp.
The maison’s authority also stems from its respect for heritage, building on something authentic rather than chasing fleeting passions. Every aspect is considered. “At the top of the dial, a red arrow indicates the current month, a detail inspired by a pilot’s watch created by Minerva in the 1920s. Notably, the month of July is replaced with the word Minerva, a nod to the year 1887 when its name was officially trademarked. We put a lot of thought into everything we do.”
Encasing the intricate dials and movements are round 42 mm cases, measuring 13.3 mm thick and crowned with fixed fluted bezels that add a touch of refinement. The first edition, limited to 100 pieces, pairs a stainless steel case with a fluted bezel crafted in 18-carat white gold — a subtle interplay of tones. The second, even more exclusive at just 30 pieces, is rendered entirely in Montblanc’s distinctive 18-carat ‘Lime Gold’, a unique alloy with a warm, greenish hue that shifts under the light.
Looking ahead, Lecamp remains pragmatic yet optimistic. “We’re always planning and working ahead in terms of production, typically about two to three years into the future,” he adds. “People often ask what we’ll be doing in the next decade, but that’s far too distant. No one can truly predict what will happen by then. What I can promise, however, is that no matter what, you can trust us to deliver surprises along the way.”
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CARLOS ROSILLO
Bell & Ross CEO and co-founder
Twenty years ago, Bell & Ross unveiled the BR-01, a watch conceived to transpose the instruments of an aeroplane cockpit dashboard onto the wrist. Its seminal circle in a square architecture, distinguished by four visible screws and an assertive 46mm case, heralded a new epoch for the brand.
Envisioned as a veritable tool rather than a mere accessory, the BR-01 was meticulously crafted to satisfy the exacting demands of pilots for clarity and utility, all while encapsulating the robust and timeless aesthetic of flight instruments.
In 2006, Bell & Ross introduced the BR-03, a more svelte iteration of the runaway success, featuring a 42mm case. This adaptation aimed to broaden the appeal of the iconic design without sacrificing its quintessential elements. Last year, the measurements were further reduced to 41mm, following market demand.
Over the past two decades, the brand, co-founded by Bruno Belamich and Carlos Rosillo, has kept the ball rolling by constantly maintaining the collections in flux. Dressed in all-black, the BR-03 Phantom was a class act in the art of stealth, while the BR 03-92 Heritage reinterpreted vintage codes and the patina of aged watches.
There is also the fan-favourite Flight Instruments collection, which explores the technical controls and indicators of a plane’s cockpit, from the playful BR-01 Red Radar, featuring the sweeping effect of a light beam on an actual radar screen, to BR-03 Horizon, evoking the dial of gyroscopes used for handling flights with zero visibility.
The design eventually expanded its scope to include land and underwater adventures, with examples such as the BR-03 94 AeroGT and BR-03 92 Diver, proving Bell & Ross’ capacity and potential in non-airborne realms.
Rosillo summarises its evolution succinctly: “There are three ways to develop: one is through sophistication of the movement — the technical aspect, one is through design, and lastly, the mix of materials and sizes. We’ve developed over 200 references based on the BR-03 by playing with these factors.”
This year, completing the BR-03 range is a trio of skeletonised timepieces, each sporting distinct styles through the use of different materials, finishes and technology. The Black Ceramic version focuses on transparency through a smoked sapphire crystal, the sculptural Grey Steel captures and reflects light like a jewel and the Lum Ceramic’s strong visual narrative is told through neon green Super-LumiNova.
Housing the BR-CAL.328 calibre, a newly developed automatic movement with 54 hours of power reserve, these latest models boast reworked bridges that emphasise an X-shaped design, creating a prominent visual and structural feature.
Rosillo reiterates the guiding principles of Bell & Ross, which include “no superfluous details, a recognisable shape and simple design”. In an oversaturated market, he says the brand is staying consistent with its winning formula and remaining steadfast on its journey to innovate.
MATTHIEU HAVERLAN
Ulysse Nardin managing director
Ulysse Nardin, a name now synonymous with marine chronometry, did not initially chart its course in the open seas of horology. Instead, its journey began with mastering highly accurate pocket watches, earning a formidable reputation long before its maritime exploits. Following a series of distinguished accolades, the brand set its sights on a new horizon: forging advanced timekeeping instruments for the world’s leading navies.
“In the mid-19th century, we constructed our very first marine chronometer with the objective of making something more accurate than what already existed,” reveals managing director Matthieu Haverlan. “We managed to stay in the lead for over a century because we kept bringing in new innovations.”
This pursuit of precision led to waterproofing these instruments, inspiring Ulysse Nardin’s first dive watch in 1964, a precursor to the world’s first haute horology dive watch with a perpetual calendar. “But I think the common point of all those periods is the advancement of watchmaking, innovation, improving what already exists and exploring what has not been done before. It’s in the blood of Ulysse Nardin.”
This philosophy culminates in this year’s Diver [Air], the world’s lightest mechanical dive watch. “Five years ago, we had a goal to create the ultimate high horology sports watch. We identified three main challenges: lightness, robustness and a strong high horology element.”
“We set our target to 50g. And since we have a strong legitimacy in water-resistant instruments, we decided it must be a dive watch. And if we really wanted it to be super robust, it needs to have the same shock resistance as our regular divers. On top of that, we wanted something ultra-skeletonised.”
Bringing this audacious vision to life necessitated a complete re-engineering of the calibre, meticulously stripping away every superfluous gram of material. This also involved the adoption of titanium, a notoriously challenging material to machine, prone to igniting, yet vital for achieving the desired lightness. Despite these obstacles, the watch achieves a staggering 5,000g of shock resistance and effortlessly passes the 250m water-resistance test.
“We knew it wasn’t a project we could do on our own,” Haverlan admits, underscoring the brand’s collaborative spirit. They strategically partnered with cutting-edge start-ups to source the most advanced materials. “We connected with Thyssenkrupp in Germany and TiFast in Italy for the best titanium alloy, which comes from the medical industry. For the Carbonium, we get the leftovers from the production of Imoca boats — the fastest on the planet — to make the carbon component of the bezels and side plates.
“There is also Sigatec, which we co-founded, that produces upcycled silicon. Even here, we challenged them to reduce the weight, and they were able to shave off 0.05g from the silicon escapement.”
The result is a record-breaking timepiece that not only showcases Ulysse Nardin’s unparalleled savoir-faire but also stands as a potent symbol of its pioneering spirit. It is a clear indication that the brand continues to define the cutting edge of horological innovation.
Looking ahead, the future promises even more horological marvels. “Next year, we’ll be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Freak and 180th anniversary of the brand,” Haverlan adds, hinting at exciting new Freak models releasing this year that will blend technical mastery with exquisite métiers d’art. “The next 18 months will remain important for the Freak, and then from 2027 onwards, we’ll focus on the Marine.”
JULIEN TORNARE
Hublot CEO
To encounter Julien Tornare is to be immediately struck by his disarming geniality, yet beneath this affable exterior lies the formidable intellect of a man who has dedicated three decades to the rarefied world of horology. A third of that was spent imbuing life and new energy into Zenith, Tag Heuer and now Hublot, a brand he acknowledges as a whole different beast and one that requires a change of tactics to hold the reins.
“Hublot plays a very specific role in the watchmaking landscape. It doesn’t lean on heritage or try to make re-editions from the past. It’s always looking forward in terms of creativity and innovation, which, for me, are key to keeping and maintaining interest for mechanical watches among the younger generation. I’m definitely working in a different mode than I’m used to because it’s a big responsibility,” he says.
Audacious, offbeat and unflinchingly radical when it comes to innovation, Hublot’s primary asset is the ability to constantly bring newness to a highly saturated sector, whether that be creative marketing stunts — a recent campaign with Choupette, the late Karl Lagerfeld’s (and internet’s) beloved Birman cat with a big personality, underscored its message of living life
authentically and unapologetically — or doubling down on its high watchmaking efforts.
To commemorate the Big Bang’s 20th anniversary, new limited editions merge the original Big Bang design with modern Unico features while highlighting key innovations over the two decades.
Pinched lugs and a knurled bezel edge are combined with an engraved dial with a carbon fibre-inspired relief motif. Driven by the Unico automatic manufacture chronograph movement, the watch is secured by a structured rubber strap with a treaded lozenge pattern reminiscent of early designs and fastened to the case with the latest One Click strap-change mechanism.
