The 8 Most Important New Timepieces At Geneva Watch Days

Introductions ran the gamut from gem-set bling watches to minimalist statement makers.

By Victoria Gomelsky 06/09/2022

Geneva Watch Days began in the winter of 2020 as an ambitious yet uncertain effort to bring the Swiss watch industry together during the anxiety-riddled early months of the pandemic. Two years later, the decentralized gathering has blossomed into a bona fide event on the luxury watch calendar, with around 40 brands taking the last few days of August to exhibit their newest models at hotels, boutiques and manufactures around the city.

At this year’s showing, a few themes emerged, from the new favored case material (“Gold is back,” Edouard Meylan, CEO at H. Moser & Cie., tells Robb Report) to a growing embrace of minimal, modern styles that suggest the reign of vintage-inspired design may be nearing its natural conclusion.

Below, we highlight a few of our favourite timepieces from the slew of collections unveiled in Geneva.

Bulgari

Octo Finissimo Skeleton 8 Days

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Skeleton 8 Days

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Skeleton 8 Days Bulgari

In 2014, when Bulgari introduced the hand-wound Octo Finissimo Tourbillon, a 5-millimetre-thick titanium watch with a round bezel and octagonal case, its success was not a foregone conclusion. Today, less than a decade since that auspicious introduction, the Octo Finissimo series, overseen by designer Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, has earned raves for its design and technical mastery as well as several world records for thinness. The latest entrant in the collection, the Octo Finissimo Skeleton 8 Days, comes in a sleek 40mm satin-polished 18k rose gold case that houses a new hand-wound manufacture movement, the extra-fine calibre BVL 199 SK. With its 8-day power reserve and precious packaging, the timepiece upholds the Finissimo tradition of combining watchmaking prowess with streamlined design. Molto bene! $55,000; Bulgari.com

Octo Finissimo Sejima Edition

Bulgari Octo Finissimo "Sejima" Edition

Bulgari Octo Finissimo “Sejima” Edition Bulgari

The starkness and simplicity of the Octo Finissimo Sejima Edition designed for Bulgari by Japanese architect Kazuyo Sejima are sure to thrill lovers of minimalist style. The Pritzker Prize-winning architect had a sapphire crystal dial polished to within an inch of its life, achieving a mirror effect that plays with notions of transparency. Available in a 360-piece limited edition, the model features both figurative and literal Sejima signatures: The architect’s metalized dot pattern graces the dial, while her name appears in distinctive lettering on the transparent caseback of the 40mm polished steel case. $20,900; Bulgari.com

Serpenti Seduttori Tourbillon

Bulgari Serpenti Seduttori Tourbillon

Bulgari Serpenti Seduttori Tourbillon Bulgari

Black-tie glamour meets high horology in the new Serpenti Seduttori Tourbillon. Both the watch’s 34 mm tear-drop-shaped white gold case and dial are entirely covered in white diamonds, in sharp contrast to the bezel, which is set with 7 carats of black spinels. Inside, a dainty mechanical tourbillon movement proves this beauty has brains. The study in contrast suggests “a bold determination to combine the mad rush of time with the immortal nature of precious stones,” as Bulgari’s marketing materials so beautifully describe it. $271,640;Bulgari.com

De Bethune

DB25 Perpetual Calendar

De Bethune DB25sQP

De Bethune DB25sQP De Bethune

In the 11 years since De Bethune introduced the DB25 Perpetual Calendar, the piece has been housed inside a robust 44 mm case. Now, the model is available in a 40mm titanium case, reflecting an industry-wide downsizing trend. Equipped with calibre DB2324V2, an improved version of the latest calibre DB2324, technically adapted to fit within the smaller case, the QP dazzles with its classic, perfectly proportioned bi-colour silver and blue dial. With its guilloché pattern, spherical moonphase set beneath 12 o’clock and star-studded sky in blued titanium, inlaid with rose gold stars, the model proves good things do, indeed, come in small(er) packages. $212,910; Debethune.ch

H. Moser & Cie.

Streamliner Tourbillon Vantablack

H. Moser & Cie Streamliner Tourbillon Vantablack Gold

H. Moser & Cie Streamliner Tourbillon Vantablack Gold H. Moser & Cie

In a striking sign that gold is the new steel, H. Moser & Cie. used Geneva Watch Days as the occasion to debut its popular Streamliner timepiece in a warm 5N red gold 40mm case. “We had a wave of integrated steel bracelets in the past,” CEO Edouard Meylan tells Robb Report. “People want more value.” Of course, the precious metal isn’t the only material worth noting on the watch, which features a dial layered in Vantablack, a type of super-black coating invented by the nanotechnology industry for use in aeronautics. Moser first made use of the material on its 2018 Endeavour Perpetual Moon and applies it to the new automatic tourbillon to great effect. “It’s about the tourbillon flying and having this void around it, the Vantablack,” says Meylan. “There’s this mystic aspect behind the material. You cannot grasp it in a picture. The camera is not capable of finding the right depth because it cannot focus on anything. You have to hold in your hands.” 109,000 Swiss francs (about $167,700); H-moser.com

MB&F

Legacy Machine Split Escapement EVO in Icy Cool and Beverly Hills Editions

MB&F LM Split Escapement EVO Icy Cool and Beverly Hills Edition

MB&F LM Split Escapement EVO Icy Cool and Beverly Hills Edition MB&F

The new LM Split Escapement EVO marries two essential MB&F creations in one complicated yet sporty timepiece. The story of the split escapement begins in 2015, when the Northern Irish master watchmaker Stephen McDonnell conceived of a novel way to feature a large balance wheel on the front of an MB&F perpetual calendar while moving the remaining parts of the escapement — the anchor and escape wheel — to the opposite side of the movement (hence, the split moniker). His invention got its proper due in 2017 when the brand introduced the LM Split Escapement in its own right. Three years later, MB&F debuted the EVO case featuring 80 metres of water resistance, a screw-down crown, an integrated rubber strap, a bezel-free design and a movement suspended in a monobloc shock-absorbing “FlexRing” system. Now both the movement and case innovations are combined in the Icy Cool edition, which comes in a 44mm grade 5 titanium case with a pale blue base plate and slate grey dial. A second Beverly Hills edition destined for MB&F’s new retail concept, MB&F Labs, opening on Rodeo Drive this fall in collaboration with Westime, features the retailer’s corporate colours of blue and black. Catch it if you can. approx. $117,450; MBandF.com

Ulysse Nardin

Blast Rainbow

Ulysse Nardin Blast Rainbow

Ulysse Nardin Blast Rainbow Ulysse Nardin

When Ulysse Nardin introduced the radical-looking Freak watch in 2001, not only did the brand pave the way for a contemporary reinterpretation of watch design, but it also ushered in an era of mechanical sophistication thanks to its pioneering use of silicium, a material that has since revolutionized mechanical watchmaking by eliminating the need for lubricants like oil. In an homage to the material, and its array of colours comes the Blast Rainbow in a limited edition of 50 pieces. Housed in a 45mm black ceramic and black DLC titanium case, the UN-172 manufacture automatic skeleton movement incorporates a flying tourbillon. But the real party is on the bezel, where 3.65 carats of baguette-cut rubies and multicoloured sapphires create a dazzling rainbow effect. approx. $131,700; Ulysse-nardin.com

Lady Diver Rainbow

Ulysse Nardin Lady Diver Rainbow

Ulysse Nardin Lady Diver Rainbow Ulysse Nardin

Two new rainbow-hued iterations of the 2019 Lady Diver, one in white and the other in black (each available in a limited edition of 300 timepieces), transform this utilitarian sports watch, water resistant to 300metres, into a crossover piece appropriate for evening wear. With 40 gems (including ruby, aquamarine, topaz, tsavorite and sapphire) decorating the watch’s concave unidirectional bezel and 11 diamonds adorning the indexes, you’re bound to catch the light, even down in the deep. approx. $19,960; Ulysse-nardin.com

ADVERTISE WITH US

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Stay Connected

You may also like.

How Off-the-Rack Suits Got Sophisticated Enough to Win Over Bespoke Guys

Ready-to-wear tailoring has never been better, and it offers even the most particular dressers a fast, easy platform for experimenting with their look.

By Aleks Cvetkovic 18/02/2025

The world moves fast—and for once, tailoring is moving a little bit faster.

Guys around the globe are rediscovering their love of suits, but many have determined that they can’t stomach the monthslong wait for bespoke. The good news? Ready-to-wear tailoring has never been better.

That’s in part because bespoke makers are beefing up their off-the-rack offerings. Anderson & Sheppard’s shop-in-store at N.Y.C.’s Bergdorf Goodman—the first outpost beyond its London flagship— opened in December with, among other things, a sharp wool-and-cashmere jacket in a delightful shade of teal. Huntsman’s recent fall-winter collection, billed as its most comprehensive assortment yet, offered everything from tuxedos to shooting breeches. Even Leonard Logsdail, Hollywood’s highly esteemed bespoke purveyor, is experimenting with hem-and-go models.

But non-custom tailors are upping the ante, too. Some of the best ready-to-wear suits on the market come from such brands, whose wholly distinctive points of view provide a welcome departure from the rigidity of many bespoke tailors’ house styles. The preponderance and diversity of such high-quality, easy-to-access threads has recast off-the-rack suits as the ultimate way to experiment with your look, not just a way for some to get dressed on the cheap. What’s more, it reflects the new reality that even people who suit up regularly might want to show up looking different on Thursday night than they did on Tuesday morning.

“Life nowadays is much more fluid,” says Chris Modoo, a London-based stylist who once worked as a tailor on Savile Row. “Things happen, invitations appear. You might get an invite for a black-tie party in the South of France for next Saturday.” Ready-to-wear is the obvious solution when you’re in a last-minute menswear quandary, but “it also means you can try new things.”

One maker worth a test-drive is Husbands Paris, founded by Nicolas Gabard, who sees his role as an “archivist of the past.” His look, inspired by stylish men such as Yves Saint Laurent, David Hemmings, and Gary Cooper, is unabashedly striking—think long, fully canvased jackets, broad lapels, structured shoulders, and wide-leg, high-waisted trousers. These wares are made in small workshops in Italy and Portugal, where craftspeople infuse them with high-end details such as hand-sewn buttonholes and silk bar tacks, a form of stitching that reinforces seams and pockets.

Thom Sweeney L.A. store Brett Wood

They’re the kind of touches any menswear enthusiast can appreciate—even if they’re the trees to Gabard’s style forest. Clothes like this are designed as a form of wearable self-assurance, enhancing what Gabard calls a “classically masculine” silhouette: broad shoulders, slim waist, narrow hips.

“Of course, tailoring has to fit well, but it also has to bring something else,” he says. “More and more [Husbands] customers want to be confident, powerful, and sexy in their outfit.”

When you want to look more suave than soigné, turn to the indie Milanese brand Massimo Alba, which is known for its chic casualwear but made its name with easygoing tailoring. “A great suit is not just about the way it fits but about the way it makes you feel,” says the eponymous label’s founder of his relaxed approach. “For me, the essence lies in balance, between structure and softness, elegance and ease. In my opinion, a suit should adapt to the wearer, not the other way around.”

Alba’s creations are cut from plush materials such as corduroy and flannel, featuring natural shoulders and only the lightest of canvasing in the chest, which results in a less-formal look. Which is not to say they aren’t workhorses: Daniel Craig wore one of Alba’s Sloop suits to dodge bullets in 2021’s James Bond film No Time to Die. “I always focus on fabrics that move with the body, details that whisper rather than shout, and cuts that allow for freedom,” Alba adds.

And freedom is precisely what this newfound inventory of great ready-to-wear tailoring provides. Modoo advises some clients to look to bespoke tailors for investment-level garments, such as morning suits, tuxedos, or the dark, serious stuff you might need for a funeral or odd courtroom appearance. “You know you’re going to wear these for 10 or 15 years,” he says. Let the new class of distinctive ready-to-wear step in when you want to try something that just wouldn’t make sense as a bespoke order. “Your pink-velvet blazer for the Christmas party? How well does that need to fit?”

London bespoke tailor Caroline Andrew is one of many who admits ready-to-wear has its place. Courtesy of Caroline Andrew

Fortunately, with so many options available, the fit is easier to dial in. You can expect most high-end operations to make a long list of changes, from ensuring that the seat of the trousers drapes appropriately to cutting working buttonholes on the jacket. For a peerless experience, you can always reach for garments from one of the many talented bespoke tailors offering ready-to-wear. At Thom Sweeney, such clothes are “all influenced by our bespoke cut,” says Thom Whiddett, who cofounded the brand with Luke Sweeney in 2007. “You try on [our ready-to-wear] jacket, and you immediately get a sense of the proportions and shapes that we put into a bespoke garment.”

That alluring sense of near-instant gratification is the point. For some, nothing will ever replace the distinguished feeling of slipping into a bench-made suit—and plenty are willing to wait for it.

“You have to mentally buy into the process and enjoy it,” says Caroline Andrew, a London bespoke specialist. “The journey is just as important as the finished product.” But ready-to-wear sets the time-strapped tailoring enthusiast down a different path: discovering new facets of your personal style at a record pace.

Buy the Magazine

Subscribe today

Stay Connected

Tom Brady Wears a Jacob & Co. Watch Decked in Yellow Sapphires to the Super Bowl

The $740,000 Caviar Tourbillon was an opulent choice for the former NFL star.

By 17/02/2025

Tom Brady was on the field tonight at the 59th annual Super Bowl game, and while the retired NFL hero—a seven-time Super Bowl winner (the most of any footballer in history)—wasn’t playing, he came dressed to impress with a $116,400 Jacob & Co. watch on his wrist.

Brady, who is a notable watch collector, recently sold off several of his timepieces at a Sotheby’s auction called “The GOAT Collection: Watches and Treasures from Tom Brady” this past December. Those timepieces ran the gamut from a Rolex Daytona Ref. 6241 to a unique Audemars Piguet Royal Oak with his name spelled out in diamonds across the salmon-colored tapisserie dial. His Rolex Daytona sold for over $1.5 million, and, in total, his auction raked in around $7 million. So, he’s well-equipped for a new watch purchase.

Whether or not he owns the six-figure sapphire stunner or it was a paid spot, the watch certainly stood out against his conservative but immaculately fit gray suit. “Tom Brady is the epitome of excellence, both on and off the field,” said Benjamin Arabov, CEO of Jacob & Co, in a press release sent out by the company shortly after Brady’s appearance. “We’re thrilled to see him wearing two of our most prestigious timepieces on the biggest stage in sports. The Billionaire Mini Ashoka and Caviar Tourbillon embody the precision, luxury, and innovation that define Jacob & Co. We’re honored to have him represent the artistry and craftsmanship behind every piece we create.”

Like much of Brady’s wrist candy, his 44 by 15.8 mm Caviar Tourbillon is not easy to come by. It is limited to just 18 pieces. It features hours, minutes, and a one-minute flying tourbillon in the JCAA43 movement with 216 components and 72 hours of power reserve. The movement itself is set with 338 brilliant-cut diamonds, while a total of 337 yellow sapphires adorn the case and dial. The clasp is decorated with another 18 baguette-cut yellow sapphires, and the crown comes with 14 baguette-cut yellow sapphires and one rose-cut yellow sapphire. As far as gem setting goes, this is one extraordinary piece, but it certainly seemed like a surprising choice for Brady, who was otherwise dressed like he just stepped out of a boardroom or a Ralph Lauren catalog.

Benjamin Arabov, son of Jacob & Co. founder Jacob Arabov, is now the CEO of the company. The 32-year-old recently took to Instagram to post that he was looking for a rebranding agency with experience in visual identity and packaging. As far as marketing goes, however, with Tom Brady, he’s golden.

Buy the Magazine

Subscribe today

Stay Connected

This Vintage Rolex Day-Date Has an Ultra-Rare and Coveted ‘Bark’ Design

The ultra-cool piece from Wind Vintage also comes in pristine condition with a desirable patina.

By Paige Reddinger 17/02/2025

Over the last four years there has been a resurgence in interest for 18-karat yellow gold watches. Much of that is due to fatigue over the long-running craze for steel tool watches, but it is also in part due to the rising value of gold (which shows no sign of slowing), rendering these once undesirable pieces increasingly worth collecting. Add to that the fact that, in some niche and stylish circles, unusual bracelet treatments, gem-setting, and interesting dials are becoming increasingly appealing and you have a new wave of watch collecting emerging. Steel sports watches are still the bread and butter for most dealers, but as pockets of interest in more unusual timekeepers, often from younger and fashion-forward collectors, continue to rise we’re seeing some really fun pieces pop up on the market. Case in point: This 1980s Rolex Day-Date in 18-karat yellow gold with a sapphire and diamond dial from Wind Vintage currently available exclusively on The Vault.

It wasn’t that long ago that dealers had a hard time unloading an all-gold gem-set piece. Eric Wind, the notable dealer and founder of Wind Vintage, says five years ago he would have sold this piece for around $23,000 to $28,000. The asking price today? $45,000. “It is very rare,” he tells Robb Report. “I think that was all clearly hand-done. Funnily enough, bark watches were not very desirable in the past. You know, even five to 10 years ago, they were very, very hard to sell. But, over the last three to five years, there’s been such an emergence and interest in jewellery and watches and work like that engraving and other kind of artistic forms that the watches took.” The style of engraving he is referring to on this watch can be seen on the bezel and middle links of the bracelet that is referred to as “bark” for its rough tree-like appearance.

“Bark” engraving on the bezel and bracelet of the Wind Vintage 1980s Rolex Day-Date
Courtesy of Wind Vintage

And while the bracelet is certainly a notable feature that will stand out in a sea of Submariners and Daytonas, the dial is also worth bragging about. Its diamond minutes track and sapphire hour markers are executed in what is known as a “string dial” because it looks like a string of pearls. “They’ve become very popular,” says Wind. “They were very expensive back in the 80s, just because of the cost of the stones, and there are just not many that exist on the planet.” Likewise, Wind says the canary yellow matte dial is not something he comes across often, having only seen a couple of others.

An up-close look at the patina and “bark” engraving on this 1980s Day-Date from Wind Vintage.
Courtesy of Wind Vintage

Part of what makes this watch so hard to find on the market is that pieces like this often didn’t survive past their ’80s heyday. “A lot of times these watches were so undesirable that dealers would replace the bezel inserts and put on fluted inserts, or smooth bezels or fluted bezels and melt down the bracelets or polish the center link so they looked like a standard Day-Date. Those dealers should have learned that what goes around, always comes around. Now with these interesting Rolex watches on the rise, they’ll become even harder to find.

A Wind Vintage 1980s Day-Date with “bark” engraving and a gem-set “string dial”
Courtesy of Wind Vintage

If you’re interested in the piece and want to speak to Wind about it IRL, he will be at Robb Report’s House of Robb event in San Francsico today during the NBA All-Star weekend.

Buy the Magazine

Subscribe today

Stay Connected

Soccer Star Kylian Mbappé Is Now an Investor in Watch Marketplace Wristcheck

Just like Jay-Z.
Published on February 7, 2025

By Abby Montanez 11/02/2025

Kylian Mbappé just went from brand ambassador to investor.

The celebrated French footballer, who currently plays for Real Madrid, has taken a stake in luxury watch trading platform Wristcheck, Hypebeast reported lat week.

Off the filed, the 26-year-old soccer star is a known timepiece collector and has served as an ambassador for Swiss marque Hublot since 2018. With this new partnership, the forward joins a growing group of influential backers, including Jay-Z. The rapper and business mogul took an equity stake in the Hong Kong-based company last summer as part of a recent funding round of $7.9 million.

“I’m thrilled to join Wristcheck as an investor through Coalition Capital,” Mbappé said in a press statement. “As a Hublot ambassador and someone passionate about watches and innovation, I see Wristcheck as a platform that truly understands the next generation of collectors. They’re reshaping the watch industry with a forward-thinking approach that blends technology, transparency, and creativity.” Mbappé did not immediately respond to Robb Report‘s request for comment on his new business endeavor.

Kylian Mbappé is an investor in online watch shop Wristcheck.
Tnani Badreddine/DeFodi Images via Getty Images

Launched in 2020 by renowned horophile and Instagram personality Austen Chu, Wristcheck offers a platform for collectors to buy and sell pre-owned watches that have been authenticated by Swiss-trained watchmakers. Since it was founded, the company has raised more than $21.6 million in funding from investors including the Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, Gobi Partners GBA, and K3 Ventures.

Mbappé, meanwhile, has achieved remarkable success in his soccer career. He won the 2018 FIFA World Cup with France, becoming the youngest player to score in a final since Pelé. At PSG, he has secured multiple Ligue 1 titles and domestic cups. Individually, Mbappé has earned the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award and regularly features in top European scoring charts. And in 2020, he was ranked the world’s highest-paid player, surpassing rivals Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Buy the Magazine

Subscribe today

Stay Connected

Sotheby’s Will Put on the Largest Auction of Breguet Watches in Decades This Fall

To celebrate the revered watchmaking house’s 250th anniversary, the sale includes rare collectibles belonging to living Breguet family members.

By Paige Reddinger 11/02/2025

Interest in Breguet has experienced a quiet resurgence among savvy collectors who appreciate the brand’s deep-rooted watchmaking heritage. This growing enthusiasm will soon take center stage with an upcoming auction that shines a significant spotlight on the storied Maison.

Founded in Paris 250 years ago, Abraham-Louis Breguet was one of the most influential watchmakers in history, best known for inventing the tourbillon and the automatic winding system—along with many other groundbreaking innovations. His legacy continues to inspire modern masters such as F.P. Journe and Philippe Dufour. You can see Breguet’s influence pointedly in pieces like F.P. Journe’s famous Chronomètre à Résonance timepiece, voted one of Robb Report‘s 50 Greatest Watches of All Time.

Now, Sotheby’s has announced “the largest sale of Breguet timepieces in three decades.” Though the auction won’t take place until November, the auction house is already working to build anticipation. In the meantime, it might be wise to brush up on the most coveted Breguet references.

Breguet 1827 Perpétuelle à Tact watch made for King George IV Breguet

What may pique collectors’ interest is the sale is being curated in conjunction with Breguet and Emmanuel Breguet, the vice president and head of patrimony, who happens to be a descendant of the original Monsieur Breguet. So far, the only timekeeper publicly associated (at least visually) with the auction is the 1827 Perpétuelle à Tact watch made for King George IV. Still, it hints at the historic level of pocket watches, wristwatches, and clocks that will be on offer. Abraham-Louis Breguet was a frequent supplier of high-end and state-of-the-art timepieces for royalty, including Marie Antoinette, Napoleon Bonaparte, and King George III.

Other highlights include an open-faced montre à tact (a watch that replicates the internal hour hand on the cover of the pocket watch via an arrow so that time could be read via touch) with a calendar and moonphase indications that was the inspiration for the Ref. 3330. A pendulette with alarm, perpetual calendar and repeater, and a two-color gold open-faced tourbillon watch is said to be a part of the sale, although no images were provided as of press time. More info on what will be in the sale will come this spring.

Buy the Magazine

Subscribe today

Stay Connected