Decked in diamonds, cased in solid gold, set in carved sapphire or anointed with dual-faced dials so you wear it two ways, our selection of the best watches of 2023 spotlights the exceptional savoir-faire and towering ambitions of some of the most sought after luxury timepiece makers right now. Created in limited runs, these rare pieces are for those who want to keep time, in style.
Featuring 20 complications, the Patek Philippe 6300GR Grandmaster Chime is arguably the brand’s most complex creation. Fitted with three gongs and fiving chiming modes – including one for the chosen hour and another for a pre-selected date – the watch which was first produced in 2016 is now available, for the first time, in a white and rose gold combination. The two-sided case design – the time dial features standard Arabic markers with two sub-dials at 12 and 6 o’clock, and the calendar side showcases a four sub-dial layout with the year marker in the middle – swivels on a patented mechanism so that the wearer can showcase either dials.
Assembled by hand, Van Cleef & Arpels’ latest creation combines the rarefied worlds of high jewellery and exceptional watches. Inspired by the atelier’s belt-shaped gold bracelet from the 1930s (it was named Ludo, after Louis Arpels’ nickname), the secret watch features a buckle – festooned in pink sapphires or diamonds – that threads through a brick patterned mesh-link bracelet. A gentle squeeze springs open the flaps to tell the time.
When it comes to working with exceptional gemstones, few come close to Chopard’s exquisite taste. Big, bright and boldly coloured stones are beautifully offset with the most dazzling of diamonds, creating timeless pieces that celebrate the maison’s generations-old traditions. This artistic language is matched only by its commitment to sustainability, focusing on ethically sourced precious metals and stones. Made from Fairmined-Certified ethical 18k white gold and set with 25.87.cts of pear-shaped diamonds and 2.43-cts of brilliant-cut diamonds in a delicate floral pattern, Chopard’s newest dazzler features 21.65.cts of octagonal emeralds.
Designed to spotlight the atelier’s exceptional savoir-faire, Hublot’s completely transparent Big Bang Square Unico Sapphire sets a new standard for openwork watches. Multiple (and miniscule) layers of precisely engineered sapphire make up the square case, giving it a water resistance of 50m. Created in a limited run of 250 pieces, this timepiece is powered by HUB1280, a unique movement that was developed in-house and promises a 72-hour power reserve. It also features automatic winding, and a chronograph complication based on a column wheel flyback. Fitted with one-click clasps, its rubber strap can be easily interchanged for another Hublot strap.
Available – and by that we mean, possibly, at the end of a very long waiting list – in 950 platinum, Oystersteel, yellow and rose gold, Rolex’s latest iteration of this classic timepiece features an updated, sleeker case. Its dramatic colour combination not only make the ‘Daytona’ (an homage to the to the famous American racetrack) pop, its high-tech ceramic Cerachrom bezel insert and moulded tachymetric scale celebrate the brand’s expertise in combining high-craft with the latest technological advancements.
Aimed the atelier's discerning watch collectors, each year, Cartier reveals new additions to its Privé line. This year, in a nod to the original model conceived by Louis Cartier in 1917, it turns its attention to one of its most enduring designs, presenting a 5-strong new range, Tank Normale. While four models feature classic solid dials, it's the one with the skeletonised dial that steals the show. The dial features 24 hours (instead of the usual 12) and to signal the change from day to night, the bridges gently darken at the bottom. The skeletal version of the Tank Normale comes in three variations: a yellow-gold case, a platinum case and a platinum edition encrusted with 42-brilliant cut diamonds, of which only 20 pieces were made.
Every Audemars Piguet creation is one-of-a-kind but this, a solid 18-karat yellow gold Royal Oak, is a cut above the rest. Featuring all the hallmarks of the makers iconic sporty design, its dial is cut from actual turquoise stones, meaning no two watches are the same: The stone for each dial is individually cut, machined and polished to accommodate the material's natural composition and structure. At 32mm, it is perfectly sized for all.
