We’re not even two weeks into the new year, and we already have our first watch fair of 2023. LVMH Watch Week kicks it all off with hot new watches from the luxury conglomerate’s major horological brands: Zenith, Bulgari, Hublot, and TAG Heuer.
The fourth annual LVMH Watch Week takes over Singapore from January 10-12 for a focused look at the latest offerings from this quartet of Maisons. Standalone fairs like LVMH Watch Week have been growing in popularity in recent years, as it allows brands and brand groups to capture more dedicated media attention and to exercise more creative freedom and cost control than they would at the mega-fair Watches & Wonders in Geneva starting in March.
Last year, we saw a buffet of watches hit the market. TAG Heuer released outdoorsy new Aquaracers with automatic and quartz movements, as well as new Autavia watches with flyback chronographs and versions with GMT functions. Zenith debuted a positively funky Defy Revival A3642 and the high-beat Defy Skyline featuring an integrated bracelet. Now that we’ve set the stage, let’s take a look at a handful of hits emerging from Singapore this week.
1. TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph 60th Anniversary
We’ve got not one, but two favorites coming from the house of TAG Heuer this week. The first is a panda-dialed revival of the classic TAG Heuer Carrera 2447SN. The new limited edition of 600 pieces captures much of the spirit of the 1960s Carrera, but with some modern updates for a modern audience. The main change is the increased case size from 36 to 39 mm. The sharp lug lines and the striking black on silver dial arrangement have remained, but now wearers get to view the Caliber Heuer 02 through the display caseback. The caseback also features the individual number of each watch, and our bet is that it won’t be long before all 600 are snatched up.
2. TAG Heuer Monza Flyback Chronometer
Even though TAG Heuer expanded their Connected line with three sporty smartwatches, the most athletic release in the lineup is the Monza Flyback Chronometer. The futuristic 42-mm case features swirling layers of carbon fiber in that signature Monza cushion shape. The dial, or rather what’s left of it, shows off pops of red and blue in an asymmetrical fashion. While most design teams would choose a single twist to accent a watch, the TAG Heuer team decided to make everything an accent with more twists than a Formula One track. It’s not just a display piece though, as the new Monza is equipped with an impressive COSC-certified flyback chronograph movement with a column wheel, vertical clutch, and 80 hours of power.
3. Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Yellow Neon SAXEM
This watch speaks for itself, so we’ll keep our words to a minimum. If eye-catching is what you’re after, then look no further than the Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Yellow Neon SAXEM, a big watch with a big name and equally big price tag. The star feature here is the translucent (and neon!) case made from SAXEM, a chemical-cousin to sapphire. While other watches might offer a sapphire caseback, here you can view the micro-rotor-powered tourbillon movement from all angles. When you sit this watch next to the brand’s other releases this week, namely a pair of Big Bangs fully set with rainbow gems, it’s safe to assume Hublot is feeling themselves in 2023.
4. Zenith Defy Skyline Skeleton
The Defy line of watches is steadily becoming Zenith’s favorite child. This year already, we’re seeing a suite of new Defy pieces in various sizes and styles. One of our favorites is the Zenith Defy Skyline Skeleton. The watch features the brand’s legendary El Primero movement but in a simplified, time-only format. The key technical feature is the subdial, which seems standard at first glance, but a closer look reveals it’s a 1/10th of a second counter.
5. Zenith Defy Extreme Glacier
As you can see, there’s quite a bit going on with the new Zenith Defy Extreme Glacier. The 45-mm titanium case houses two movements: one for standard timekeeping and one ultra-high frequency that can measure elapsed time to 1/100th of a second. The “Glacier” blue elements that you’ll find throughout the watch are expertly carved pieces of stone. Since each stone has its own natural qualities, no two watches in this 50-piece collection will look exactly the same.
BONUS: Bulgari Serpenti Tubogas Infinity
Not every watch released this week is built for sport. In my next life, when I’m reincarnated as a socialite dripping in diamonds and swaddled in furs, I will fawn over the new Bulgari collection of jewelry watches. We’ll hold off on any in-depth analysis of these watches, but for now, let’s just say that the new gem-set Bulgari Serpenti Tubogas Infinity is a star piece that will make you feel like a starlet, in this life or the next.
