SECONDS OUT

AS THE WATCH INDUSTRY NAVIGATES AN UNFAMILIAR BUT BUOYANT POST-LOCKDOWN LANDSCAPE, MATERIALS AND SUSTAINABILITY HAVE PROVED LUCRATIVE TALKING POINTS. HERE WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE MOST INTRIGUING RECENT RELEASES

Words: Martin Williams

BALL

Ball’s Engineer Skindiver II Heritage offers the brand’s 1960s-inspired dive watch a covert, matte black makeover with a Titanium Carbide coating on its 42mm stainless steel case and bracelet. Paired with a black dial and a sapphire crystal-topped unidirectional bezel, the only opportunity for colour comes from Ball’s signature, self-powered micro gas tubes. Hands and hour markers are rendered in a candycoloured assortment, while green tubes are inlaid into the bezel illuminating its minute scale. Limited to 390 pieces, the watch is water resistant to 200 metres. £1,750, ballwatch.com

SCHOFIELD

The Bronze Beater B4 is Schofield founder Giles Ellis’ love letter to Japan, and a watch more densely packed with Japanese touches you are unlikely to find, well, anywhere really. On the reverse is a caseback etched with a traditional Japanese Durama-san doll, the Japanese symbol for luck emblazoned on its chest, while the design also includes the gingko and cherry blossom motif used on a Tokyo drain cover. The dial is made of Indigo-dyed Japanese Boro patchwork cloth, while the strap is made from Japanese Mudcloth. And the automatic movement inside the heavily patinated 44mm bronze case? That, at least, is Swiss. £3,280, schofieldwatchcompany.com

BREMONT

With its manufacturing facility, The Wing, newly opened in Henley-on-Thames, Bremont now has the means to produce more of its own watchmaking components in the UK than ever before and its latest watch, the 43mm MB Savanna, uses the first titanium cases it has milled itself. The MB, of course, stands for long-time partner and ejector seat maker Martin Baker, a partnership which reveals itself through a knurled caseband and pull cord counterweight on the seconds hand. Even the sandy coating on the titanium is colour-matched to its parachutes, used to survive in arid terrain. £4,595, bremont.com

BELL & ROSS

Breitling’s loss is Bell & Ross’ gain as the former pivoted away from Top Gun-style aviation leaving its longterm partner, Patrouille de France, free to sign with the latter. To celebrate its new relationship with the French national fast jet display team, Bell & Ross has created the BR 03-94 Patrouille de France, a square 42mm black ceramic chronograph with bidirectional bezel. The dial takes on the blue, white and red of the French tricolour, while the Patrouille logo sits at the six o’clock. As well as creating a 500-piece limited edition automatic chronograph Bell & Ross is also making a 100-piece quartzpowered version. £5,400, bellross.com

Bremont now has the means to produce more of its own watchmaking components in the UK than ever before

ORIS

Oris has long led on ocean sustainability. The brand recently announced that it is climate neutral, and the dial of this Aquis Date Upcycle dive watch is made from recycled PET plastic. POA, oris.ch

RICHARD MILLE

The three-watch RM 07-01 Coloured Ceramics capsule collection actually errs on the side of tradition: the metal sections of the dial feature hand-applied guilloche decoration. POA, richardmille.com

TUDOR

Tudor’s masterstroke was restoring silver’s place in watchmaking. The Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight 925, a precious metal watch at a price lower than bronze and only slightly more expensive than steel, proved irresistible. £3,230, tudorwatch.com

A. LANGE & SÖHNE

Lange’s Langematik Perpetual, now cased in 18ct pink and white gold with deep blue dials as 50-piece limited editions, brings clever touches of refinement from the German manufacturer. It pairs the perpetual calendar complication, which will keep track of the date until 2100 if you (or your grandchildren) keep it wound, with Lange’s oversized date window, giving it a look that is distinct from other QPs whilst also offering a zero-reset mechanism and a main corrector for advancing the calendar, making short work of setting the date. £81,400, alange-soehne.com

Drive

HYPERCARS, HOT HATCHES & SUPER SUV s

The sci-fi-looking V12 Speedster by Aston Martin is a living show car, championing racing history and aeronautical design. (p.100)