From Bulgari to Hublot, we bring you the best watches unveiled at the second digital edition of the LVMH Watch Week
The LVMH Watch Week marks the first major global watch fair of the year. Held in January, the week-long fair offers an absolute fiesta of new releases from Bvlgari, Zenith, Hublot, and TAG Heuer. We bring you our top favourites from each of the four brands.
Bvlgari Octo Roma Emerald Grande Sonnerie
For 2022, Bvlgari has set the central theme of “Time as a Jewel” for all their novelties. The Octo Roma Emerald Grande Sonnerie is one such timepiece that symbolises Bulgari’s dedication to excellence and preciousness. With this timepiece, Bulgari has managed to harmoniously bring together the marvel of sound and precious gemstones into a modern watch.
The Octo Roma Emerald Grande Sonnerie represents the brand’s position as the Master of the Estetica della Meccanica. Its four-gong mechanism that allows the wearer to experience the wonder of the mechanical BVL703 calibre through the emotion of sound is an achievement that Bulgari has enjoyed before. But what hits different this year is the presence of shimmering baguette-cut emeralds and diamonds sitting on the dial and case of the watch.
What makes it tick: With the 2022 Octo Roma Emerald Grande Sonnerie, the brand symbolises its emerging path into the world of fusing Haute Horlogerie and Haute Joaillerie with their signature classical Roman style and design bravado.
TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200
For 2022, the bold and stylish Aquaracer Professional series gets a revamp with the launch of the new Aquaracer Professional 200 in two new case sizes of 40 mm and 30 mm. The collection stays true to its sporty-chic aesthetic, and lives up to its expectation of being an all-terrain luxury tool watch.
The stainless-steel cases are equipped with a unidirectional bezel with 12 facets, water resistance to 200 meters, and features either an automatic or quartz movement. The dial options available for the Aquaracer Professional 200 are varied. The automatic models are set with fumé (smoky) gradient dials in black, blue, or mother-of-pearl variations. The quartz models come in black or silver dials for the 40mm editions and white mother-of-pearl with diamonds for the 30mm. The former offers date windows with a more detailed minute track. Each of the new models is available in stainless steel bracelets.
What makes it tick: Simple aesthetics, innovative technology, and an agreeable price point make the Aquaracer Professional 200 series an instant hit among budding watch collectors.
Zenith DEFY 21 Chroma
Among the three Zenith DEFY timepieces released this year, the DEFY 21 Chroma was one of the most exciting and unique pieces. Reimagining the rainbow-themed timepiece by adding colours instead of precious gems throughout the watch, the DEFY 21 Chroma’s inventive aesthetic is commendable.
The watch comes in a white all-over matte finish ceramic case that acts as a canvas for the different rainbow colours present in the watch. The watch showcases the brand’s innovative take on rainbow-themed watches, from the colourful indexes to the yellow rubber grip on the crown and the coloured components (bridges) of the EL Primero 21 automatic movement.
What makes it tick: The Zenith DEFY 21 Chroma offers a breath of fresh air for rainbow-themed timepieces.
Hublot Big Bang Integral ‘Time Only’
With the new Big Bang Integral ‘Time Only’ timepiece, Hublot takes the iconic design of the Big Bang Integral and offers it in a comfortable 40mm case diameter for the first time. It comes as great news for people with smaller wrists who want to try them out (the earlier version was available in a 42mm diameter). The collection comes in three case materials: yellow gold, titanium, and ‘All Black’ceramic, and offers ‘Time Only’ functions like hours, minutes, seconds, and dates. The new trio of watches also marks the return of the integrated bracelet with its iconic three-link bracelets that echoes the robust and vibrant architecture of the 40mm case.
While the yellow gold and titanium edition joins the collection permanently, the ‘All Black’ ceramic version is limited to just 250 pieces.
What makes it tick: Three pieces, three hands, three materials. and 40mm diameter – a first for the Big Bang Integral. Need we say more?
