This week was massive! And that's putting it lightly. The week that just passed was full of some insane new watches from some of the biggest names in the game. The name on everyone's lips was Patek Philippe who dropped some incredible new watches, including the newest Nautilus.
But Patek wasn't alone, as Audemars Piguet, Richard Mille, Girard-Perregaux and even Zenith outdid themselves, releasing a plethora of new and exciting watches. Last week was definitely one for the history books. Happy reading!
Patek Philippe Unveils 8 New Watches
Patek Philippe did what Patek Philippe does best, by dropping some of the biggest names and the most complicated watches in the world all in one go. The spotlight shone bright on the new white gold 5811, the replacement to the new discontinued 5711. But the Nautilus collection also welcomed in an all-rose gold 5712/1R, the Nautilus Joaillerie 7118/1300R, as well as welcoming back the stainless steel 5990/1A.
But the party didn't end there, no. Patek Philippe also dropped its first Destro chronograph in the form of the 5373P Perpetual Calendar Split-Seconds Monopusher Chronograph, a green 5204G, a stainless-steel with salmon "carbon" motif dial 5935A and a highly polarising yet ultimately very cool Aquanaut Luce "Rainbow" Chronograph reference 768/300R which features a mother-of-pearl globe stylised dial, as well as rainbow sapphire and diamonds. Must have been a busy few months down at Patek headquarters!
Verdict: An amazing assortment of new watches, with my heart lying with the 5990/1A and that incredible 5373P.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Rainbow Editions
Audemars Piguet released two new model sets of the Royal Oak in 37mm and 41mm. Both sets are comprised of ten white gold models, each entirely paved with a different baguette-cut gemstone colour, making up the colours of the rainbow.
Both model sets feature over 800 gemstones on each watch. These are the following models: Amethyst, Blue Sapphire, Blue Topaz, Emerald, Orange Spessartites, Pink Tourmaline, Ruby, Tanzanite, Tsavorites and Yellow Chrysoberyls.
Verdict: Bright, bold and absolutely mesmerising.
Richard Mille Goes Intergalactic
Richard Mille has a penchant for creating visually striking timepieces that defy convention. The latest and greatest from Richard Mille come in the form of the new RM 07-01 Intergalactic models. There are four new models in this range, each with a combination of Carbon TPT and rose gold, highlighted by spectacular gem setting. These new models also feature Richard Mille's in-house automatic calibre CRMA2.
Verdict: A showy venture of modern watchmaking, eclectic gem setting and the use of novel materials.
Girard-Perregaux Laureato 38mm Copper
Girard-Perregaux has gone out on a limb and shaved a few millimeters off of its acclaimed Laureato in this latest iteration of the model. The Laureato Copper has a 38mm stainless steel case coupled with a gorgeous copper Clous de Paris hobnail-stylised dial.
The main point of difference here with the Clous de Paris dial over Audemars Piguet's Grande Tapisserie dial is that Girard-Perregaux's version has deeper crevices and sharper edges, giving the dial a more defined look that looks spectacular under different lighting environments. Love this piece.
Brand: Girard-Perregaux Model: Laureato 38mm Copper Reference: 81005-11-3154-1CM Case: 38mm Case Material: Stainless Steel Water Resistance: 100m Calibre: GP03300-2034 Price: CHF14,200 Verdict: A brilliant play on colours and textures. Love the downsized case dimensions, too.
Panerai Luminor Quaranta Razer PAM01353
New from Panerai is the Quaranta Razer PAM01353. Made in a limited run of only 500 pieces, the Panerai Luminor Quaranta Razer PAM01353 is a watch that merges the worlds of high-end watchmaking and global e-sports.
The Panerai Luminor Quaranta Razer PAM01353 features a design and colour palette that reflects the gaming brand's signature style, along with the tell-tale cues of your traditional Panerai, with a sandwich dial and that iconic case and crown-guard architecture. The Panerai Luminor Quaranta Razer PAM01353 is encased in the maison's proprietary eSteel™ that has been coated with DLC.
Brand: Panerai
Model: Luminor Quaranta Razer PAM01353
Reference: PAM01353
Case: 40mm
Case Material: eSteel™ DLC coated
Water Resistance: 100m
Calibre: P.900
Price: AUD12,500
Verdict: A very appealing colour combination that looks absolutely fantastic.
Zenith DEFY Extreme Felipe Pantone
Zenith has collaborated once again with the optical artist Felipe Pantone in the new DEFY Extreme Felipe Pantone. Based on Pantone's 'Planned Iridescence' series, the DEFY Extreme Felipe Pantone is complete with bold colours, metallic elements and geometric shapes that all combine to create one hell of an optical illusion.
The DEFY Extreme Felipe Pantone is made entirely from mirror-polished stainless steel, while the bezel and chronograph pusher protectors are made from translucent blue yttrium aluminosilicate. The Zenith DEFY Extreme Felipe Pantone is a dramatic bit of kit that is a wonderful play of abstract aesthetics and some very serious high-complication watchmaking.
Brand: Zenith
Model: DEFY Extreme Felipe Pantone
Reference: 03.9100.9004/49.I210
Case: 45mm
Case Material: Stainless Steel & Yttrium Aluminosilicate
Water Resistance: 2000m
Calibre: El Primero 9004
Price: CHF29,900
Verdict: Extreme in nature and extreme in execution. Just brilliant.