It’s far from slim pickings out there if you're looking for a sleek, high-class timepiece. Here are our picks from the newest models on the market
The world of watches can sometimes feel suffocatingly full of big, chunky timepieces, huge weights on the wrist that come replete with talk of chronographs, minute repeaters, tourbillons and skeletonised dials. Yet in recent years, more dainty watches have found a place in the spotlight. And rightfully so. Many of them offer a fine mechanical movement and come with the kind of functionality and decoration that demonstrates big isn’t always better.
These may not be watches that go to the moon or are suitable for a deep sea dive, but the five watches we’ve chosen for this article offer an elegant take on watchmaking anno 2022.
Chanel Mademoiselle J12 La Pausa
Photo: Chanel
Chanel is all about perfection. And also all about perfecting black and white. The monochromatic colours go together like salt and pepper, night and day and yin and yang in the Chanel fashion lingo. Yet while the famous fashion house may not toy with a rainbow palette, Chanel is anything but boring.
Coco Chanel herself made an “appearance” during the Watches & Wonders fair earlier this year, when her house launched the fascinating Mademoiselle J12 La Pausa. Offering a dial with Coco Chanel acting as the hands of the watch (think your childhood Mickey Mouse watch), the Mademoiselle J12 La Pausa is a playful and creative launch that pays tribute to not only the legendary founder but also to the colours that have defined Chanel through the decades.
The diamond set Mademoiselle J12 La Pausa in black ceramic is a limited production, with only 55 pieces made. It offers a diameter of 38mm and is fitted with an automatic movement. The ceramic material used for the watch case is velvety on the wrist, and the perfect fit for that black and white Chanel outfit.
Rolex Oyster DateJust 31
Photo: Rolex
Full of fresh energy and ready to capture attention on the wrist, the floral motif Oyster Perpetual Datejust 31 from Rolex is a shining example of refined dial-making expertise from the crowned manufacturer. With diamond-set dials combined of three different finishes – sunray, matt and grained – the watch's textural effects are further enhanced by 24 diamonds of varying sizes, which illuminate each flower's centre, an ode to long summer nights and everlasting happiness.
The new Oyster Perpetual Datejust 31 is offered in three versions: a white Rolesor model – combining oystersteel and white gold – with an azzurro blue, floral motif dial, a fluted bezel and an oyster bracelet; an 18ct yellow gold version with an olive green, floral motif dial, a bezel set with 46 brilliant-cut diamonds and a president bracelet; and an everose rolesor version – combining oystersteel and everose gold – with a silver, floral motif dial, a bezel set with 46 brilliant-cut diamonds and a jubilee bracelet.
Baume & Mercier Riviera Coastline
Photo: Baume & Mercier
One of the most surprisingly creative watches I saw at Watches & Wonders 2022 was the 33mm Riviera with a stunning sun satin-finished gradient Mediterranean ocean blue lacquered dial. However, the dial itself was not the only aspect to grab my attention. Instead, it was the 96 diamonds that are shaped like the French coastline between Monaco, Nice, Cannes and St Tropez known, of course, as the Riviera.
The Baume & Mercier Riviera is a modern interpretation of an original model from 1973. Celebrating the integrated bracelet look that rose to fame during the 1970s, the Riviera made a splash with its updated designs in 2021. However, this creative take on the model is even more impressive.
Fitted with an automatic movement and ingenious fast-change strap system, this new stunner is the watch to wear to the Casino in Monaco, the clubs in Cannes, marine activities in Nice and during hour-long lunches at Le Club 55 in St Tropez.
Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Heures Florales
Photo: Van Cleef & Arpels
The Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Heures Florales is what great horology should be all about: mind-blowing, micro-mechanical creativity.
It may not look much like a timepiece, but it is, in its ballerina-like, poetic and delicate way, inspired by flora and fauna and the Linnaeus’ Flower Clock. It's a piece of spectacular jewellery on your wrist. And yes, it does tell the time as well.
Time is shown on the enamel flowers, which unfurl randomly once an hour. For example, 10 flowers reveal a diamond-set centre at 10 O'clock, whereas the retrograde minutes appear on a scale on the side of the dial. In other words, time is told by counting the number of opened flowers – the kind of poetic horology that it's impossible not to admire.
Omega Constellation
Photo: Omega
The Omega Constellation was recently launched on the wrist of Catwoman, aka Zoë Kravitz. Kravitz looks stunning wearing the purple dial 28mm timepiece. She also recently revealed her newly-minted ambassadorship with the famed Swiss watch brand in a series of brilliant pictures by legendary photographer Mario Sorrenti.
"I love the adventurous spirit of Omega," Kravitz says. "That willingness to take risks and try something new, without sacrificing the brand's integrity, it's rare, and I'm happy and proud to be part of the family."
The vibrant dial colour looks excellent on Kravitz's wrist and represents a new collection of coloured dials on the legendary Constellation, with the quartz-powered watch and its pink, green, blue or purple dial the perfect choice for sunny summer days, not just stalking the streets of Gotham.