Spring has finally sprung, and with the turn of the season we have another round up of all the latest watches in our weekly series, Watches of the Week. This week was dominated by news of Rolex unveiling its latest version of the venerable Submariner which we covered here, but that doesn't mean that the other watchmakers were lackadaisical, with new releases from Audemars Piguet, Richard Mille and Zenith, along with Rolex's other 2020 novelties. Enjoy!
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph Limited Edition
Audemars Piguet knows how to drop a new release. On one hand it can create an extravagant event that draws the eyes and ears of the world's collective watch community, and on the other it can do it in a far more subtle manner. The latter approach was chosen for its latest piece, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph Limited Edition. Encased in white gold and measuring 38mm across and 11mm in thickness, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph Limited Edition is an absolute delight. I love the smaller dimensions and I love the look of the white gold case. Audemars Piguet went one step further with the reference 26317BC.OO.1256BC.01 by adding a light icy blue Grande Tapisserie dial offset by a dark chapter ring and dark sub-dial chapter rings. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph Limited Edition will be available in a limited run of only 100 pieces and will be priced at $59,000USD.
Richard Mille RM 11-05 Flyback Chronograph GMT
Richard Mille has once again turned to the use of the Cermet material with the RM 11-05 Automatic Flyback Chronograph GMT. Cermet is a material made from ceramic and sintered metal with the aim of combining the benefits of ceramic with that of metal, which in the case of this particular model is titanium. So what you get is a watch that is super lightweight and very scratch resistant. The ploy of the RM 11-05 Automatic Flyback Chronograph GMT is that it looks quite playful, with light blues and oranges complimenting the light grey of the Cermet case. But don't let the light-natured look of the RM 11-05 Automatic Flyback Chronograph GMT lead you to think that it's anything but a genuine bona fide hardcore Richard Mille, with this model being made in a limited run of 140 pieces each priced at $215,000USD. That's Richard Mille for you.
Zenith DEFY 21 and DEFY Classic Black & White
New from Zenith are re-editions of two of their most contemporary watches, the DEFY 21 and the DEFY Classic. First off is the DEFY 21. Now available in a matte black ceramic case with a contrasting white ceramic bezel, the DEFY 21 continues the collection's theme of highly modern, highly openworked look but now with a monochromatic colour palette that is effortlessly cool. The DEFY Classic continues with this black and white trend with the same case and bezel material. Both pieces are captivating, but my money would definitely go to the DEFY 21. The DEFY 21 is priced at $13,600USD while the DEFY Classic will be priced at $8,200USD.
Rolex 2020 Additions
I covered Rolex's Submariner releases last week which you can see here, but I thought it would be a good idea to look at some of its other releases, including the new Oyster Perpetual and the yellow gold Sky-Dweller on an Oysterflex bracelet. First off is the Oyster Perpetual. Now available in a variety of new sizes and colours, the OP. My pick would be the 41 with a black or champagne dial without question. And then we have the Sky-Dweller that sits on an Oysterflex bracelet. It isn't by any means a groundbreaking release, but it does add a sporty touch to an otherwise very serious bit of kit. All pricing can be seen on the Rolex website in the currency respective to the region you are in.
Grand Seiko T0 Constant Force Concept Tourbillon
Grand Seiko has a penchant for creating some of the world's most beautiful, most conceptually brilliant timepieces. Simplistic in their approach yet incredibly detailed, Grand Seiko is one of the best watchmakers outside of Switzerland. Proving its worth, Grand Seiko has just dropped an almighty t-bomb in the form of a brand new manufacture movement, the T0 Constant Force Concept Tourbillon. This is the brand's first tourbillon and its first constant-force calibre. Without delving into the specifics of the calibre too much, the T0 features dual mainspring barrels and a double tourbillon cage with a 50 hour power reserve and a maximum of +/- 0.5 seconds deviation per day. It's made up of 340 components and measures 36mm in diameter and 8.22mm in thickness. Suffice it to say that the T0 is a very pretty movement with plenty of superfluous details throughout. I expect to see Grand Seiko incorporating the T0 into production within the next 18 months or so. Exciting!