Audemars Piguet and Swatch unveil the Royal Pop, a groundbreaking watch collection that combines joyful boldness and positive provocation with fine watchmaking. This collection, titled Royal Pop, draws inspiration from Pop Art, an artistic movement  that transforms everyday pop culture imagery into vibrant, colorful and energetic works of art. Audemars Piguet and Swatch have decided to blend some of their hallmark features into a disruptive pocket watch available in eight models and designed to be worn in a multitude of different ways.

This partnership is more than a tribute, it is a disruptive collaboration between two icons of Swiss watchmaking.
The Royal Pop watches draw inspiration from Audemars Piguet’s legendary Royal Oak collection, launched in 1972, as well as the Swatch POP watches of the 1980s.

This collection will change the way we wear watches. The watches in the AP × Swatch collaboration break free from the wrist, featuring a high-quality calfskin lanyard with contrasting stitching, allowing you to wear the watch in unexpected, playful, and  dynamic ways. The choice is yours: around your neck, on your wrist, in your pocket, attached to a handbag, and more. There are no limits, with three lanyard lengths to choose from and a small removable stand that lets you turn it into a desk watch.

The collection of eight Swiss-made Bioceramic models is powered by Swatch’s signature, innovative SISTEM51 movement, now offered in a new hand-wound version with 15 active patents. SISTEM51 is a true industrial feat, as it is the only Swiss-made  mechanical movement in the world whose assembly is 100 % automated.

Among its features are over 90 hours of power reserve, the anti-magnetic Nivachron™ balance spring, and laserbased precision adjustment performed directly at the factory. It’s worth noting that the Nivachron™ balance spring was developed in  collaboration with Audemars Piguet and is therefore found in several of their models.

And that’s not all. This magnificent movement is partially visible thanks to the transparent caseback of the eight watches in the Royal Pop Collection, each with its own unique color scheme. In addition to the colors, customers will be spoiled for choice  with two different versions:

• a Lépine-style pocket watch, with the winding crown positioned at 12 o’clock. Time reading is simplified to two hands (hours and minutes). This version is available in six different models.
• a Savonnette-style pocket watch with the winding crown at 3 o’clock. This version, available in two models, features a dial with a small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock.

But why exactly eight models for Audemars Piguet × Swatch? It’s a nod to the eight sides of the case and the eight screws on the Royal Oak’s signature bezel. And since nothing is left to chance, the Royal Pop has 8 additional patents for the case  construction, as the original Royal Oak’s case is complex, combining the rounded octagon, the circle, and the barrel shape. All these features are found in the Royal Pop.

One of these patents is the design of the barrel drum (the watch’s power reserve), which is not merely decorative, but also indicates the watch’s power reserve. When the barrel chambers are gray, they reveal the coils of the mainspring. This means the  watch needs to be wound.

Conversely, when the color is gold, the mainspring is no longer visible through the barrel chambers. It is fully compressed, indicating that the watch is fully wound and running at full power.

The “Petite Tapisserie” dial pattern has also been one of the Royal Oak collection’s defining aesthetic features since 1972. All eight Royal Pop models thus feature this instantly recognizable Royal Oak design. For its part, the Royal Oak’s octagonal bezel is a signature in its own right, with its eight hexagonal screws, which are among the most disruptive elements of the Royal Oak. As for the Royal Oak’s bezel, while it is octagonal, it goes far beyond a simple eight‑sided shape. Accenting this octagonal bezel,  the eight hexagonal screws are perhaps the most groundbreaking element of the 1972 Royal Oak. The Royal Pop draws inspiration from this and, in the white model named HUIT BLANC, boldly features them in eight different hues. For all eight models, the eight screws on the eight-sided bezel and the caseback are welded to the case.

Among the Royal Pop’s other technical features, the vertical satin finish on the bezel and case back echoes the original decorative elements of the Royal Oak. In keeping with this identity, a “Tapisserie” effect has been applied to the dial. The movement’s  caseback is printed using digital printing. The crown, case, and lanyard attachment are made of Bioceramic. The hour and minute hands and hour markers are coated with Grade A Super-LumiNova® for optimal nighttime readability.

The entire collection features two sapphire crystals on the front and back of the case. The caseback is also pad-printed with the Royal Pop logo. Both the top and bottom crystals, which are sapphire crystals for enhanced scratch resistance, feature an anti-reflective coating. The unique composition of Bioceramic— two-thirds ceramic powder and one-third biosourced material derived from castor oil—gives it a strength and smoothness that must be experienced to be believed. The Audemars Piguet × Swatch collab logos can be found on the dial and the crown.

The watch head is attached by clipping the back onto the clip, which can be removed as desired. During this process, a clicking sound also becomes an acoustic signature of this collection.

Audemars Piguet × Swatch is available exclusively as of 16 May, 2026 at selected Swatch stores. Find your nearest point of sale using our store locator on swatch.com. As with other Swatch collaborations, only one watch per person, per day, and per  selected store may be purchased.

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One blends heritage with precision. The other redesigns tomorrow for fun. Yet, the two are tied together by friendship. Foundation was laid in 2021 in Baltic’s headquarters. French Watchmakers were invited to discover the brand’s new office and share a moment together. Théo Auffret and Guillaume Laidet met on that occasion, making it the start of their friendship and what would become SpaceOne. Five years later, that bond gave life to a watch, the Seconde Majeure.

DESTRUCTURED DISPLAY
The Seconde Majeure takes a kinematic approach to time reading. Time is decentralized, traditional hands make way for sapphire discs, all in favor of an exclusive complication module.

Hours are read at 12 o’clock and minutes at 6 o’clock, guided by an arrow ending crosshair. The forward-looking typography stamped on the discs brings contrast to the otherwise classic assembly. A large seconds hand glides above, bringing motion to the seemingly still composition and giving its name to the watch: Seconde Majeure.

VERTICALITY: TYING FORM TO FUNCTION
Offering an ingenious architecture, the Seconde Majeure is designed around its complication. The jumping-hour module – developed by Théo Auffret – relies on three visible components.

A Central Control Wheel lies beneath the minute disc. It makes a full rotation in 60 minutes. When it completes a full rotation, it engages with the Star Wheel. The later has 12 teeth, corresponding to the 12 hours displayed on the disc attached above. The Jumper Spring, visible to the left, keeps pressure on the Star Wheel, maintaining it centered. It is also responsible for the “jump” of the hour disc. Pressure builds when the Star Wheel begins its rotation.

The hour jumps when the spring settles back between the next teeth. The dial ties the face together. Cut from a single piece of maillechort, it is both decorative and essential. The
plate supports the module and allows the watch to function.

EXCLUSIVE FINISHING
The watch is available with two different dial finishes: Vertical brushed or “Charbonné”
This signature technique is performed by expert watchmakers in Théo Auffret’s atelier. Done exclusively by hand, it requires up to three hours of work, giving each watch a truly unique character.

A TIMELESS CASE
Housing a SpaceOne module in a Baltic case would have been too easy. We aimed at something new, something none of us would have made without the other. The result is an entirely new design. Inspired by independent watchmaking, the Seconde Majeure is fitted with a 38.5mm case.

The Mid-case, lugs, and case back are brushed with contrast provided by a polished concave bezel. This shape and finish are mirrored on the lugs. Arched and low-hanging, the lugs help the watch to sit naturally on the wrist. The feeling is complemented by a strap crafted by Delugs. Made from beige Alcantara® and featuring curved spring bars, it hugs both the wrist and the case.

LIMITED IN TIME
The Seconde Majeure will be available for pre-order for from May 12th to May 17th. Each watch is individually numbered on the case back. Production will be limited by the number of orders placed during these six days.

THE PROTAGONISTS ETIENNE MALEC
Watch enthusiast and collector who has an eye for photography and product design.
He understands and respects history but has no desire to live in the past.

JAS REWKIEWICZ
Creative director and cultural shapeshifter, Jas is the custodian of Baltic’s identity. His art direction translates vintage subtlety into modern design.

THÉO AUFFRET
Brilliant watchmaker and constructor, Théo is a master of mechanical engineering.

GUILLAUME LAIDET
Serial watch entrepreneur, Guillaume is a catalyst for disruptive concepts. He anticipates the watchmaking of tomorrow and provides a structural framework for an audacious approach to reading time.

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Only the second vintage Patek Philippe wristwatch to top USD 10 million at auction

GENEVA, 9 MAY 2026 – Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo achieved a landmark result at The Geneva Watch Auction: XXIII today as the extraordinarily rare Patek Philippe Ref. 2523 “South America” world-time wristwatch sold for CHF 7,961,000 / USD 10,247,000 / HKD 80,223,000 – a world-record price for the reference.

The watch is only the second vintage Patek Philippe wristwatch ever to sell at auction in excess of USD 10 million, surpassed only by the stainless steel Patek Philippe Ref. 1518 sold by Phillips last November.

Today’s sale was achieved amid strong global participation and intense competition in a packed salesroom, online, and on the phones, before bidding narrowed to an extended battle between telephone bidders and a room bidder, with the star lot ultimately selling to the room.

The result further confirms the continued strength and resilience of the top end of the international watch market despite the current global geopolitical situation.

Regarded by many collectors as one of the ultimate trophy watches, the 18k yellow-gold, two-crown Ref. 2523 features an exceptional polychrome cloisonné enamel dial depicting a map of South America. One of only two examples known, the watch had only ever appeared at public auction once before, in 1988.

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With its assertive style, Haute Horlogerie finishes and exceptional movement, the Laureato Chronograph 42 mm embodies the quintessential casual chic watch according to Girard-Perregaux. This model enables the Manufacture to offer a nuanced play  on contrasts between past and present, sportiness and refinement, horological excellence and everyday comfort.

LAUREATO CHRONOGRAPH 42 MM HIGHLIGHTS

An unexpected two-tone chronograph.

A harmonious choice of materials subtly revealing its perfection upon closer inspection.

The Manufacture GP03300 chronograph calibre combines precision-timekeeping excellence with exceptional watchmaking finishes.

An initial 50-piece production run.

A tribute to the decade in which it was born, this new interpretation of the Laureato subtly revisits the theme of the two-tone watch that was all the rage in the 1970s.

The tonneau-shaped case crafted from 904L steel contrasts with the warm hues of rose gold accenting the octagonal bezel, the crown and the pushers positioned on the case middle.

The link bracelet is replaced by a rubber strap adorned with a Clou de Paris hobnail pattern, hugging the curves of the wrist with a supple, perfectly ergonomic feel.

MANUFACTURE CHRONOGRAPH MOVEMENT

While the Laureato stands out at first glance for its bold aesthetic, it is also distinguished by the exceptional Calibre GP03300. This reliable, high-performance movement features exquisite horological finishes (circular graining, Côtes de Genève, bevelling, mirror polishing, satin brushing, engraving, sunburst finishing, snailing), visible through the sapphire crystal caseback, testifying to the high level of expertise and savoir-faire developed by Girard-Perregaux since 1791.

THE LAUREATO: A QUESTION OF STYLE

More than just a watch, the Laureato is a legend in its own right. Launched in 1975, this timepiece with its bold design is one of the purest expressions of Girard-Perregaux’s multiple skills.

The seamless blend of angular lines and polished curves strikes a rare balance that endows the watch with its timeless character.

As a Manufacture renowned for both design and movements, Girard-Perregaux has truly come into its own with this luxurious, sportychic steel watch with its integrated bracelet.

It is distinguished by its tonneau-shaped case along with its circular satin-finished octagonal bezel set on a polished ring which – like the Three Bridges – has become a defining feature of the Maison’s style vocabulary.

An object in which design meets Haute Horlogerie, the Laureato Chronograph 42 mm is aimed at devotees of understated luxury.

The sporty, contemporary Laureato is above all a Girard-Perregaux. The warm hues of the brown dial bearing a Clou de Paris motif complement the rose gold, reflecting the uncompromising attention paid to both the finest details, as well as to respect for  the Manufacture’s watchmaking traditions and expertise.

An object in which design meets Haute Horlogerie, built for optimal everyday comfort with its 42 mm case just 12.16 mm thick ensuring a perfect fit and secured by the integrated rubber strap, the Laureato Chronograph 42 mm is aimed at devotees of understated luxury.

This sleek, geometric and functional aesthetic embodies a distinctive vision of watchmaking and celebrates the perfect alchemy between form and function, a language cherished by Girard-Perregaux since its founding in 1791.

Recognisable at a glance, the Laureato combines precision, design, comfort and sophistication.

A time-measuring instrument crafted in the grand Swiss watchmaking tradition, the Laureato is also a perennially elegant design object. Epitomising accuracy in terms of aesthetics, chronometry and craftsmanship, it encapsulates the full range of expertise of an integrated Manufacture, bringing together under one roof all the skills involved in developing and producing exceptional timepieces.

Each generation fine-tunes the proportions, hones the lines and strengthens the coherence of the Laureato.

Without ever straying from its identity, the Laureato has evolved in step with the times, reinterpreted across the decades with remarkable consistency. Each generation fine-tunes its proportions, hones its lines and strengthens its coherence in an ongoing dialogue between heritage and modernity.

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SPORT AS A PLACE OF CONNECTION
Sport has long provided Audemars Piguet with a way to engage beyond watchmaking. Within this universe, padel stands out as a discipline defined by exchange, proximity and collective momentum, where interaction plays a central role.

Over recent years, this sport has brought together a diverse and growing community, establishing itself across various cultural contexts. Originating in Mexico and rooted in Latin American culture before gaining wide popularity in Spain, it now sits at the intersection of culture and lifestyle, attracting players from different generations, backgrounds and creative fields, including music, fashion and the arts. Its global expansion has positioned it as a genuine connector: a shared ground where different worlds converge through practice and collective experience.

Many of Audemars Piguet’s clients already engage with padel in their daily lives. Played in pairs and built on continuous interaction, the sport creates informal moments where connection is forged through timing, coordination and shared intent. As the point unfolds, the game increasingly relies on synchronisation and the ability to read subtle variations in rhythm. This level of attention and balance mirrors the precision required in Haute Horlogerie, where accuracy and the interplay of elements work together to create a coherent whole.

By supporting this discipline, the Manufacture meets its community in settings where time is shared and exchange unfolds with ease.

“Sport has always been a part of Audemars Piguet’s story. With padel, we are continuing that journey while opening a new chapter guided by the values that matter to us – inclusion, teamwork and talent. The sport brings people together across generations and genders, creating a fun shared space for our community.”

Ilaria Resta
Chief Executive Officer, Audemars Piguet

PADEL AS A GLOBAL PLATFORM
Padel’s international development has contributed to the emergence of new structures that bring together players, audiences and communities across regions. At the forefront of this evolution, Premier Padel has become the leading professional tour worldwide, setting new standards for the sport’s global growth, elite competition and international reach.

Founded in partnership with the International Padel Federation, the Qatar Airways Premier Padel Tour brings together the world’s leading male and female players in major venues around the world. As Official Timekeeper, Audemars Piguet will accompany this circuit throughout the season. This includes dedicated court clocks and select branded elements integrated into each tournament environment. The Manufacture will also be present at key moments of the Tour, both on site and via international broadcasts, creating opportunities for audiences to encounter the sport and its culture.

“Premier Padel has established itself as the global reference for professional padel, bringing together the world’s best players and leading international brands on one unified tour. Our partnership with Audemars Piguet reinforces the momentum behind the sport’s continued global growth and reflects our shared commitment to excellence, innovation and long-term development.”

David Sugden
Chief Executive Officer, Premier Padel

A SHARED MINDSET OF COMMITMENT AND CURIOSITY
To reinforce its engagement with padel, Audemars Piguet is partnering with Agustín Tapia, the sport’s top ranked player and a leading figure of his generation. Born in Catamarca, Argentina, Agustín has shaped the evolution of the game with a style marked by precision, creativity and exceptional technique, earning recognition both on and off the court.

In a discipline where play rests on synchronisation and constant adjustment, Tapia’s approach reflects a balance of instinct and rigour, paired with a refined sense of timing. His ability to adapt the rhythm of a point, anticipate trajectories and maintain composure under pressure demonstrates a level of control that parallels the Manufacture’s high standards. His creativity makes him unpredictable to his opponents, notably his capacity to invent shots that defy conventional logic. Beyond results, Tapia is valued for his humility, professionalism and leadership – qualities that have made him a reference for younger athletes and reinforced his influence in the sport’s fast-growing landscape.

The relationship with Agustín Tapia extends Audemars Piguet’s longstanding dialogue with sport. Throughout its history, the Manufacture has been drawn to individuals who shape their craft with commitment and a sense of purpose. This outlook has guided collaborations across sport and culture – from long standing partnerships with athletes such as Serena Williams, Aryna Sabalenka, Antoine Dupont, Simone Biles and Shai Gilgeous Alexander to earlier encounters with figures including LeBron James and Michael Schumacher. Each partnership has contributed to a broader dialogue grounded in openness and a shared passion, reinforcing sport as a space where collective energy and human talent converge with the values upheld by the Manufacture.

“It’s an honour to join Audemars Piguet, a manufacturer defined by precision, excellence and the constant pursuit of perfection – values that reflect exactly what I bring to the court every time I compete. This partnership represents a shared understanding of time, performance and the elite level, driven by the same standard of excellence.”

Agustín Tapia
World No.1 Padel Player

EXTENDING THE PADEL EXPERIENCE
Alongside the Qatar Airway Premier Padel Tour, Audemars Piguet will also explore formats that bring people together around the sport. Uniting professional players and amateur participants, a Pro am tournament will offer a setting for natural encounters between clients, friends of the brand and the wider AP family.

Complementing these initiatives, the Swiss manufacturer will develop a network of club partnerships in locations where padel is part of local lifestyles. Creating additional opportunities to experience the sport through proximity and shared time, planned destinations include Europe, the Middle East, the Americas and Asia. These partnerships further reflect Audemars Piguet’s wish to meet its community where padel naturally thrives, while opening spaces for new audiences to discover the world of Haute Horlogerie.

The post AUDEMARS PIGUET ENTERS THE WORLD OF PADEL THROUGH NEW PARTNERSHIPS WITH PREMIER PADEL AND AGUSTÍN TAPIA appeared first on Arab Watch Guide.

The groundbreaking haute horlogerie watch with a function selector that can switch between automatic and manual winding modes returns, driving the limits of technical performance and human creativity across new frontiers

Geneva, 6 April 2026 – Vanguart, the ultra-luxe independent watchmaker and creator of some of the most disruptive, inventive watches ever seen in haute horlogerie, returns to its wildly inventive Vanguart Orb at Geneva Watch Week 2026. For the first time, the explosive design will be injected with flashes of coloured ceramic, creating a pair of crossover watches that are at once works of mechanical art and suitable for daily wear.
The Vanguart Orb Pink Ceramic Titanium and Vanguart Orb Blue Ceramic Rose Gold are defined by a unique cocktail of materials, technologies, textures and colourways. In this way, they create a playful paradox. On the one hand, the soft, relaxed colours in the pink and blue ceramics give both watches a versatility and an ease; on the other, the Orb’s theatrical, joyfully unorthodox architecture remains, dazzling with its mechanical ambition and complexity.

THE COLOUR OF TIME: BRILLIANT CERAMIC OPENS THE ORB UP TO A NEW GENERATION
The Vanguart Orb rocked watchmaking two years ago when it became the world’s first flying tourbillon watch with a function selector that could pivot between manual and automatic modes at the whim of its owner. This provocative function brought fresh intrigue to haute horlogerie, one that explored eternal philosophical questions: how is time shaped? Can it be controlled?

The Orb was an instant hit in watch collecting circles. It shot Vanguart into the limelight and secured its reputation as one of the pioneers of contemporary ultra-luxe watchmaking. Since launch, the watch has been spotted on the wrists of a number of global superstars from the worlds of sport and entertainment, all of whom have chosen to wear Vanguart.

Now, the Orb Pink Ceramic Titanium and Orb Blue Ceramic Rose Gold elevate the design’s challenging form further still. In either shade, the watch becomes a more versatile everyday watch – “a daily-wear flying tourbillon”. With these additions of coloured ceramic, Vanguart has opened a new chapter for the Orb flying tourbillon, giving it deeper resonance intended to captivate the next generation of aficionados and collectors of esoteric watch art.
THE BACK STORY: AVANT-GARDE DESIGN AND MECHANICS IN A BEAUTIFUL, ERGONOMIC WATCH
The original Orb flying tourbillon of 2024 was conceived and developed over a period of three years as a high-concept, high-complication watch with an ingenious winding selector that put the wearer in control of how it generated power. It had an elegance to it, too: the overall form was a lesson in massing and proportionality, balance and symmetry.

The conceit was that it was also highly ergonomic, sculpted to the wrist. So while its thrilling movement architecture created a visual vortex, drawing the wearer through multiple physical layers into its dancing flying tourbillon, the 41mm case was a mere 10.5mm thick, a measurement that defied its complexity.

Its wearability was further enhanced by its fluid, beautifully engineered curved case back, which followed the topography of the wrist. The effect was a seminal watch that had mesmerising depth and presence, and yet wore with the day-to-day practicality of an off-the-shelf sports watch.

Two years on from the release of the Vanguart Orb, the Orb Pink Ceramic Titanium and Orb Blue Ceramic Rose Gold invite a new audience, one with an appetite for an exclusive wristwatch that fuses extreme watchmaking mechanics with everyday style and sophistication.

THE NEW CHALLENGE: INTEGRATING CERAMIC INTO THE ORB
In 2025, Vanguart fulfilled a special commission to create a series of unique pieces for a high-profile private client to incorporate ceramic into the Orb. As well as presenting a tantalising research and development opportunity to interpret watchmaking’s ceramic trend through Vanguart’s unique creative and technical lens, the project posed a number of engineering challenges. Namely, how to integrate coloured ceramic into the Orb’s fluid form without compromising the design’s distinctive character, the watch’s performance (including water resistance to 30 metres) or Vanguart’s hugely exacting quality and finishing standards.

While it can deliver profound colour and depth, ceramic is a complex material. It’s notoriously brittle and inflexible, and so a special formula was required to deliver the dynamics the new Orb watches demanded. Through a year-long research and development process, the company’s engineers delivered a highly resistant ceramic that could be sculpted into sweeping curves that follow the Orb’s unique geometry, and polished by hand to give it a deep brilliance.
Bespoke tooling had to be developed for the work, too, to ensure every component in the watch would be produced and finished to Vanguart’s exacting standards. Quality that goes beyond what is visible is one of the brand’s founding pillars.

In the Orb Pink Ceramic Titanium and Orb Blue Ceramic Rose Gold, this ceramic features in the case flanks and in the pusher inserted into the crown. The ceramic delivers tactility as well as the hardness, colour intensity and scratch- and fade-resistance that have made it such a desirable watchmaking material. Vanguart’s blue and pink ceramics will not scratch or fade, even when exposed to the elements for extended periods.
THE ORB: TIME COMES UNDER CONTROL
The basic form and architecture of the new Orb Pink Ceramic Titanium and Orb Blue Ceramic Rose Gold are carried over from the 2024 launch editions. Both have 41mm round cases measuring 10.5mm thick, with top and bottom components in either micro-blasted and satin-finished titanium or micro-blasted and satin-finished 18-carat rose gold. Both iterations of the case also feature hand-polished angles that create much of the form’s depth.
The story of innovation continues inside the case. The curved réhaut and the Orb’s similarly concave signature oscillating mass are colour- and surface-matched to the watch’s polished ceramic elements using a bespoke treatment inspired by the automotive industry and applied with high-precision micro-painting. This process was performed by a specialist in colour optimisation and required months of trials due to the complexity of applying it to functional, three-dimensional shapes. By adopting this approach, Vanguart was able to deliver a ceramic-like visual effect without adversely influencing the watch’s technical performance.
These two visually prominent components sit either side of an hour track in either titanium or rose gold. Together, they cascade into the watch and into its spectacular 3hz (21,600vph) flying tourbillon movement. In both models, the mainplate, bridges and tourbillon cage are cast in Grade 5 titanium, with micro-blasted, satin-finished, block-polished and hand-beveled surfaces.
The movement’s barrel sits in the prominent 12 o’clock position and hosts the watch’s signature function. Its surface is micro-blasted and laser-engraved with the company name. An inner ring is then colour-matched with a pink or blue PVD coating and interspersed with three apertures that turn black to indicate the watch’s mode: M for manual-winding, A for automatic winding, and H for time-setting. These modes are selected through the pusher set into the crown.

As before, these functions either activate or deactivate the watch’s oscillating mass. When the watch’s function selector is set to manual, the mass remains fixed in place. Switched into automatic mode, it’s released and spins freely, the animation dramatised by the ricochet of light from the brilliant-cut diamond set into it.

In total, each watch has 395 components. Despite its complexity and the energy required to fuel the watch’s mesmerising flying tourbillon, the movement has a 60-hour power reserve.

THE FINISHING: GOING DOWN A LEVEL TO LEVEL UP

Together, the Orb Pink Ceramic Titanium and Orb Blue Ceramic Rose Gold are an exercise in exquisite artisanal hand-finishing, pushing hand-craftsmanship to its limit.

One major update is the three-dimensional hand-polished bevelling applied to the sand-blasted central bridge. The hour track has been enhanced too, and now features a highly technical blend of micro-blasted and mirror-polished surfaces, creating an elegant pattern that carries an echo of the Art Deco movement.

The lumed hour markers – triangular on the blue model and trapezoid on the pink edition – sit in sharp contrast to this track, delivering on the Orb’s promise of usability by making it immediately legible. This is backed up by satin-polished, lumed and partially skeletonised hour and minute hands that, despite the visual complexity of what lies beneath them, still stand proud, ensuring legibility.
Both editions also elevate Vanguart’s extreme finishing approach further still. The pink edition features a sand-blasted mainplate that is first PVD-treated in a deeper pink hue, and then re-angled again by hand to reveal the polished titanium beneath. In the blue edition, the barrel bridge and tourbillon cage are coated with gold PVD, giving them a gilded allure. This next-level finishing highlights Vanguart’s devotion to haute horlogerie.

THE STRAPS: SWITCH ON DEMAND IN CONFIDENCE
Whether in its overall form or in the tiniest dial detail, the Orb Pink Ceramic Titanium and Orb Blue Ceramic Rose Gold deliver exceptional quality, beauty and ergonomics, ensuring unparalleled wearability.
The same principle applies to the Orb’s straps and strap quick-release system. Developed by Vanguart, the system is activated by an easily accessed but safely concealed pusher on the case back. This way, the strap can be changed at the owner’s discretion, while simultaneously guaranteeing security.

The watches are supplied with a rubber strap colour-matched to the ceramic, while owners will be able to personalise their watches with a suite of additional coloured straps.
THE LIMITED NUMBERS: RETAINING VANGUART’S EXCLUSIVE MAXIM WITH SPECIAL PARTNERS
Reflecting the extreme complexity in the case, movement and material mix found in the new Orb Pink Ceramic Titanium and Orb Blue Ceramic Rose Gold, both models will be limited to just 25 individually numbered pieces with extremely limited distribution.

Since the debut of its first timepiece, the Black Hole Tourbillon in 2021, Vanguart’s success has been driven by a close-knit and deeply valued network of suppliers and partners who share its vision of exclusive haute horlogerie. To honour its role in shaping the Vanguart story and fostering meaningful connections between its founders and discerning collectors of avant-garde haute horology, US retailer Material Good will serve as the exclusive global outlet for the Orb Pink Ceramic Titanium. In recognition of this unique partnership and the close dialogue that informed the watch’s development – each of the 25 pieces will feature a specially engraved “MG” monogram on the case back.

The Orb Blue Ceramic Rose Gold, which carries a higher retail price due to its increased precious metal content, will also be available through Material Good; through Seddiqi, Vanguart’s exclusive partner in the Middle East; and directly from Vanguart in all other markets.

THE VOICES: THE STORY TOLD BY THOSE CLOSEST TO IT
Mehmet Koruturk, Vanguart President, said: “The Vanguart Orb Pink Ceramic Titanium and Vanguart Orb Blue Ceramic Rose Gold reflect how we think about watchmaking today. Our clients expect pieces that move with them – across different moments, different environments, different lives. Ceramic allowed us to bring that versatility to the Orb while preserving what makes it unique.”

Axel Leuenberger, Vanguart Chief Executive Officer, said: “The Vanguart Orb is a symbol of our intent: to enrich tradition through new forms of expression, embodied in design, mechanics and craftsmanship that redefine what a watch can be. The Vanguart Orb Pink Ceramic Titanium and Vanguart Orb Blue Ceramic Rose Gold belong to a future we are already building. They are pieces that feel visionary, yet are made to be worn and lived with every day.”
Thierry Fischer, Vanguart Creative Director, said: “Creating the Vanguart Orb Pink Ceramic Titanium and Vanguart Orb Blue Ceramic Rose Gold was a remarkable journey. Colour is deeply subjective, and even more so when shaped through ceramic, with its depth and intensity. We set out to create pieces that feel both warm and precise, technical yet tactile. It required a true dialogue between creative vision and engineering discipline.
It marks the beginning of a new chapter – one that allows us to connect with more people, while staying true to what defines us.”
THE FINAL WORD: EVOLVING THE CODES OF FINE WATCHMAKING FOR AN EXCLUSIVE CLIENTELE
With the release of the Vanguart Orb two years ago, Vanguart created a new template for a round watch with a classical complication that evolved and elevated the codes of fine watchmaking. With its fluent, seamless form and exquisitely finished mechanical movement, the Orb was a visceral reimagining of traditions passed down through generations of elite watchmakers. It took a heritage story and made it science fiction. Now, with the addition of coloured ceramic, the watch becomes a true lifestyle object, ready to carry Vanguart into the next chapter of its remarkable story.

The Vanguart Orb Pink Ceramic Titanium and Vanguart Orb Blue Ceramic Rose Gold will be on display during Geneva Watch Week 2026, April 12-17. By appointment only.

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In the spirit of independent watchmaking, DANIEL ROTH introduces a new expression of its Extra Plat collection that further elevates the exclusivity of the piece, while remaining understated in appearance. Crafted in platinum, a metal long associated with rarity and traditional savoir-faire, this latest addition brings a quiet yet unmistakable presence to the wrist that can be appreciated by connoisseurs. Beyond its brilliant surface, the watch is defined by the architecture and finishing of its Calibre DR002, where technical discipline and aesthetic restraint converge in perfect balance.

ARCHITECTURE IN MOTION

Maintaining Mr. Roth’s watchmaking philosophy, the Calibre DR002 is designed with an emphasis on proportional clarity
and equilibrium, where each component is meticulously positioned with intent. Extra Plat watches embody a unique philosophy in their own right, given the constraints of their thinness. Master Watchmakers Enrico Barbasini and Michel Navas asked themselves, “How far and no further” when designing the DR002. The finishes, requiring more than 70 individual operations, are executed by hand and are refined to a point of excellence.

In developing the movement, Barbasini and Navas aimed to strike a balance between chronometric precision and power reserve. To do so, the
frequency was increased by adopting a 4 Hz balance wheel. This required a different approach to ensure the higher frequency could be sustained without compromising energy efficiency or the calibre’s overall stability. The balance wheel itself was refined with a variable-inertia geometry with counterweights, all while preserving the movement’s slim structure.

ELEGANCE IN THE DETAILS

Meticulous bevelling is visible through the open caseback. Among the most demanding details are the internal angles, rendered in a rounded bercé form, an intricate execution that requires at least twice the time of a conventional bevel, underscoring the depth of hand-finishing involved.

This traditional watchmaking decoration is used to polish a radius or edge, rather than a flat, angled bevel, and is found throughout the edges of bridges to create a rounded, brilliant profile. The angled surfaces are meticulously shaped and refined by hand in-house using a cabron tool, a technique that delivers a level of precision and uniformity unachievable through automated processes.

TIME FORMED IN PLATINUM

The double-ellipse-shaped platinum case gives a sense of subtlety and exclusivity.

Platinum is significantly denser than gold, making it more difficult to work with, placing increased strain on tools and requiring precise, low-speed artistry, often taking up to three times  as long to craft.
The base of the dial is in solid gold, accompanied by a gold minute disc finished with a filet sauté border and black typography indicating the time and the DANIEL ROTH name. Pinstripe guilloché adorns the dial and is executed entirely by hand using a rose engine, with each line individually carved. This process requires precise control over both depth and spacing to ensure uniformity across the surface.
Downward-shaped lugs enhance wrist comfort, complement the case shape, and serve as a base for the light-tan leather strap, creating a refined contrast.

The Extra Plat Platinum stands as a disciplined expression of DANIEL ROTH watchmaking codes, where refinement is achieved in accordance with the Brand’s guiding principle: “La Montre Objet d’Art.”
By uniting traditional hand-finishing with a rigorously engineered calibre, this watch reinforces a steadfast commitment to enduring savoir-faire and technical integrity, defined by exacting detail and quiet distinction.

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This marks the first time that Chalamet has taken a partnership role in a company. The connection between UJ and Chalamet began organically and grew through a natural alignment of values. Chalamet, who has gained attention for his interest in independent watchmaking, first approached UJ as a collector.

“When we first met, we were struck by Timothée’s curiosity and interest in independent watchmaking,” said Alex Rosenfield, UJ CEO. “He is a deeply passionate creative person who cares about craft and excellence. That’s the reason people respond to him, and it aligns closely with how we approach what we do. UJ’s philosophy is expressed through the quality of the work, the preservation of traditional techniques, and a focus on doing things properly at every stage. It was this way of thinking that first resonated with Timothée and that will define the partnership. We want to work together to advance our mission of bringing a contemporary perspective to the world of independent watchmaking while remaining grounded in what has always defined it. There is a certain magic in wearing a handmade watch that carries the spirit of its maker and the genius of the artisans who work on it. Timothée felt this magic when he first tried on a UJ watch and we want more people to experience that. We are happy to welcome Timothée to the UJ family.”

UJ is one of the oldest and most storied names in watchmaking. Founded in Copenhagen by the Jürgensen family, UJ served as watchmaker to the Danish Royal Court and clockmaker to the Danish Navy. Known for its distinctive combination of Danish design and Swiss engineering, the company entered a new generation in June 2025, returning once again to family ownership.

Under the stewardship of the Rosenfield family, the maison is focused on celebrating the best of independent handmade watchmaking with a mission of holding the company within the family and growing it slowly and thoughtfully for the next 250 plus years. Urban Jürgensen is defined by innovative engineering, a devotion to traditional processes, and a commitment to doing things to the highest standard which it achieves by working with leading watchmakers, including industry legend Kari Voutilainen, who designed the first three watches of this chapter. Over the past year, the company has earned industry recognition, including receiving three GPHG nominations and winning the Men’s Watch Prize at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.

Timothée Chalamet said, “A couple of years ago, a film director I admire deeply piqued my interest in artisanal watchmaking — not the flashy kind, but the kind that demands years of discipline, patience, and ultimately, mastery. I started to see it as a sibling to filmmaking — a precise expression, just on a different scale. One lives on an IMAX screen, the other within 48 by 40 by 10 millimeters, but both have the ability to hold entire worlds within them. When Andy and Alex Rosenfield introduced me to Urban Jürgensen, what drew me in was how clearly the focus was on the watches themselves — on craft, on process, on getting it right. It also felt like something different than the typical arrangement — more of a creative collaboration than a traditional endorsement. I’m excited to be involved and to continue exploring this world alongside them.”

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This evolution is accompanied by a significant increase in mechanical intricacy. The striking system has been expanded from two to four hammers and four gongs, while a newly developed function introduces an additional level of interaction. Through a dedicated selector, the wearer may choose between the conventional indication of time or activate the 12:59 sequence – the longest possible strike of the mechanism.

Beyond its technical advancements, the watch is defined by a singular design language, marked by purity of form and balanced proportions. While remaining fully openworked and three-dimensional, the composition is expressed with greater restraint, favouring softer lines and a more fluid architecture. The resonance clutch has been reoriented to animate upward, bringing the oscillating interaction to the forefront, while the twin balance wheels remain visually anchored on the dial side.
The display is centred, reinforcing a strong sense of equilibrium, as the overall composition focuses on essential elements alone: the resonance system, the four hammers and gongs, and the visible flying governor regulating the cadence of the strike. Conceived as a lasting expression of the complication, the design achieves a rare balance between mechanical intensity and visual harmony, while remaining unmistakably rooted in Armin Strom’s signature transparency.

Calibre ARR25: Setting new standards.
At the heart of the timepiece lies the entirely new manual-winding manufacture Calibre ARR25, developed, engineered and produced in-house. Built around Armin Strom’s patented resonance clutch, the movement synchronises two independent regulating systems – each with its own barrel, gear train, escapement and balance wheel – operating in harmonic resonance.
This dual architecture significantly increases mechanical complexity, requiring the precise coordination of twice the number of components found in a conventional striking movement.

The minute repeater mechanism itself has been developed to match this level of sophistication. Equipped with four hammers and four gongs within a remarkably thin construction, the movement delivers a full Westminster chiming sequence. A flying governor, visible on the dial side beneath the hammers, regulates the cadence of the strike, ensuring acoustic consistency and offering a dynamic visual indication.

A further innovation lies in the integration of the 12:59 function, allowing the wearer to select between two distinct striking modes. In standard operation, the watch chimes the time indicated by the hands. Alternatively, it delivers the longest possible sequence – 12 hours, three quarters and fourteen minutes.

This transition is governed by a column wheel system, ensuring precision and reliability. The selected function is indicated via a discreet aperture (white / red), and activation is performed through a slider at 9 o’clock, which both winds and releases the striking mechanism.
Finishing, Tone by Tone.

Beyond its mechanical sophistication, the watch reflects Armin Strom’s commitment to hand craftsmanship. Every component is meticulously finished by hand, with a complete 360-degree decoration by a dedicated in-house team.

On the dial side, the finishing reveals a balance between polished and matte surfaces. The hammers, gongs and resonance clutch spring are mirror-polished, contrasting with the frosted mainplate and bridges. Hand-bevelled edges, polished sinks, and refined textures enhance depth and definition.

The flying governor stands out as a focal point, combining hand-bevelled edges, circular graining, and a contrasting matte engraved surface.
Turning the watch over reveals traditional finishing techniques such as Geneva stripes, straight and circular graining, alongside contemporary textures, creating a composition rich in detail, depth, and visual contrast.

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AN INTERWOVEN HERITAGE OF TIME AND TRAVEL

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s rich watchmaking heritage extends to the realm of travel, marked by the creation of Dual Time and World Time wristwatches, as well as travel clocks in various forms. Marrying this technical expertise with aesthetic elegance, Jaeger-LeCoultre has created a legacy of nomadic timekeepers distinguished by unexpected, meticulously crafted designs – some enhanced with functions such as thermometers and barometers.

This story is inextricably linked to the iconic Memovox alarm calibre, introduced in 1950. Announced by an advertisement headlined “Memovox reminds, notifies, and wakes up”, the Memovox (derived from the Latin for ‘voice of memory’) was initially designed for wristwatches to help businessmen remember their appointments. Given its utility, it was natural that Jaeger-LeCoultre should adapt the Memovox complication for a series of desktop and travel clocks from the early 1950s onwards. In both watches and clocks, the Memovox Calibre translates into a distinctive dial, with a triangular pointer at the edge of a mobile central disc indicating the alarm time, and a distinctive Memovox sound reminiscent of a traditional school bell.

A NEW COLLABORATION WITH MARC NEWSON
Jaeger-LeCoultre and Australian-born industrial designer Marc Newson have collaborated since 2008, combining their expertise to reinterpret the Atmos – an object the designer describes as both “complex” and “magical.” This creative dialogue has given rise to successive calibres: 561 in 2008, 566 in 2010 and the first iteration of 568 in 2016. Renowned for his multidisciplinary practice, Marc Newson has long been fascinated by the Atmos, first encountered in his early teens. Guided by its timeless character, he introduces precise design interventions that respect and preserve the integrity of the object.
His approach explores unexpected uses of materials and challenges technical conventions. Rooted in a deep appreciation for analogue objects, his vision aligns with a commitment to longevity: creations designed to endure, both in function and in form.

FUNCTION AND FORM IN PERFECT HARMONY

A master in the marriage of function and form, Marc Newson brings a fresh eye to the technical and visual lineage of the Memovox, creating a contemporary object that is as aesthetically pleasing as it is practical and easy to use. In a symbiotic union of skills, Jaeger-LeCoultre harnessed its watchmaking expertise to bring the designer’s vision to life, developing several technical innovations to make it possible.

The clock is powered by a completely new, manually wound movement, Calibre 256, featuring the signature Memovox complication. Like all Jaeger-LeCoultre calibres, it was conceived, designed and produced entirely in-house. To eliminate concerns for travelers about rewinding the clock, Calibre 256 offers an exceptionally long power reserve of 12 days thanks to two large barrels dedicated to the timekeeping function. An additional third barrel is used exclusively for alarm mechanism.

Inspired by the traditional Memovox dials, the dial design plays on circles within circles, anchored by a distinctive power reserve indicator, shown in narrow apertures that form a broken circle around the large Arabic numerals. One day of power reserve corresponds to one hour on the dial, so that when the barrel is fully wound, all 12 indicators are orange. Starting from 12 o’clock and moving in an anti-clockwise direction, with each day that the power reserve reduces, the corresponding indicator turns blue.

The apparent simplicity of the display belies the technical feat behind it – a new mechanism developed and patented by Jaeger-LeCoultre comprising two intertwined helicoidal rings: a mobile ring in orange and a fixed ring in blue. Surrounding the mobile central disc of the dial, which carries the Memovox’s emblematic triangular alarm pointer, minutes are marked on a fixed ring. With a narrow bezel and striking orange-and-blue colour palette adding a contemporary note and enhancing legibility, the hands and the alarm triangle are coated in SuperLuminova® for maximum visibility in low light.

Forged from the ethereal strength of titanium, the Memovox Travel Clock, a perfect sphere of lightness and resilience, embraces a diameter of 69 mm and a slender profile of 18 mm. Continuing the theme of circles within circles and the complete absence of visual clutter, a folding stand is integrated into the caseback, for use on a desk or bedside table. Concealed beneath the bezel, a peripheral winding crown offers the tactile pleasure of manual winding, time-setting and alarm setting – the desired function chosen by an integrated selector button.

The orange-and-blue colour scheme is echoed on the case back, with a central indicator for the alarm power reserve (orange turning to blue as it runs down) and a blue band on the underside of the winder, bearing several engravings, including the year edition and the series number of the clock, for which production is limited to 100 pieces per year.

A CASED DISPLAY: A DESIGN THOUGHT THROUGH TO THE FINEST DETAIL

To complete the Memovox Travel Clock, Marc Newson collaborated with Schedoni, an historic, family-run leather workshop located in the heart of Modena and renowned for its work on classic Italian sports cars of the mid-20th century, as well as its signature leather-molding techniques. The clock is nestled within its own travel pouch, for its journey. This pouch, in turn, finds its place within a comprehensive travel pack, thoughtfully designed to also embrace three beloved wristwatches. Completing this ensemble, a curated kit of essential tools awaits: a discerning magnifying glass, a precise strap removal tool, and a screwdriver.

A dedicated display stand also accompanies the timekeeper, ideal for use when the clock is ‘at home’ on a desk or bedside table for an extended period. Each of these companions – the pouch, the travel pack, and the elegant display stand – is meticulously crafted by the Italian luxury Maison Schedoni. Made from the finest tan-coloured, natural open-pore cowhide leather, their surfaces graced with the artistry of contrasting beige hand-stitching, a testament to enduring quality and design.

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