If you have anywhere from a few tens of thousands to a few hundred thousand euros to spend on a watch, ask yourself whether you will still enjoy wearing the watch in ten years’ time, or whether it will still be relevant enough to pass on as an heirloom to the next generation, rather than how much it will be worth by then.

Serpenti as you have never seen it before

MB&F redefines the concept of luxury in watchmaking by focusing on technical innovation to create timepieces with an unmistakable design and personality. For the brand’s founder, Maximilian Büsser, luxury is not merely about the value of the materials used – while this aspect is certainly important, it is not the defining factor – but rather about creativity and originality. MB&F has resumed its collaboration with Bvlgari, giving the famous Serpenti a surprising Büsser twist. There are three editions: black PVD-coated stainless steel, titanium (both priced at CHF 132,000 plus VAT), and rose gold (CHF 152,000). Each edition is limited to 33 pieces. This is not the first time that Bvlgari and MB&F have collaborated – the two brands launched the exuberant LM FlyingT Allegra timepiece four years ago. However, their partnership remains unusual: the two brands have different areas of expertise and DNA and strongly individualised perspectives. Bvlgari has passed the 140-year mark, and the famous Serpenti, one of the most iconic symbols of Italian luxury, is 77 years old. By contrast, MB&F has only been around for two decades – and yet, what an incredible journey! Each of their models is a new example of technical inventiveness, pushing the boundaries of watchmaking mechanics and design. The reinterpretation of the Serpenti is no exception. The Bvlgari x MB&F Serpenti features a manually wound movement, which is visible thanks to the extensive use of sapphire crystal in the case. It displays the hours, minutes and power reserve (45 hours). The model has been completely redesigned – the MB&F version is no longer a jewellery watch, but rather a technical jewel housed in a stunningly designed case measuring 53 x 39 x 18mm.

Mr and Mrs Bovet

Bovet 1822 is one of the most interesting haute horlogerie brands, boasting a number of spectacular collections. The company is run by Pascal Raffy – one of the most visionary entrepreneurs in the luxury watch industry, who inherited his passion for watches (especially pocket watches) from his grandfather. More than two decades have passed since he took over Bovet 1822, during which time the brand has distinguished itself through its patents, complicated movements, attention to detail, and active promotion of its legacy. This has all been made possible thanks to Raffy’s vision and his ability to consolidate and develop the brand, while preserving its spirit and identity. One of Bovet’s strengths lies in promoting decorative techniques, and the two pieces that we are focusing on are a perfect example of this. The Miss Audrey Bris de Verre captivates all comers with its spectacular dial, engraved with hundreds of tiny triangles that create a hypnotic effect reminiscent of the immaculate sparkle of snowflakes. However, I wouldn’t describe it as a winter watch.

The purity it exudes, enhanced by the 103 diamonds, is not ‘frozen’, but passionate, thanks to the red of the four sapphires on the dial. This timepiece has a 36mm steel case that houses an automatic movement. Thanks to Bovet’s patented convertible system, the Miss Audrey Bris de Verre can be worn as a wristwatch or a pendant, or it can even be used as a table clock. The Virtuoso XI is its masculine counterpart. This watch is available in four versions depending on the type of gold used – rose gold or white gold – and the type of engraving: the simpler, geometric Pierre du Château pattern or the more elaborate, floral Fleurisanne, both of which have diamonds on the bezel. With its 44mm case, the Virtuoso XI is a tourbillon watch that truly makes an impression thanks to the striking kinetic architecture of its fully skeletonised movement.

A secret from another century

With five current collections – each setting a new standard in watchmaking – Girard-Perregaux is one of the finest examples of the fusion of tradition and innovation, consistency and versatility. Let’s take just one of these collections – arguably the most spectacular and, for many, the very face of the brand: Bridges. This collection includes skeletonised models (Neo-Tourbillon with Three Bridges), timepieces combining a tourbillon with a minute repeater (Minute Repeater Tri-Axial Tourbillon), and watches with spectacular astronomical functions represented on the dial, such as a day/night indicator and the zodiac constellations (Cosmos). It also features stunning jewellery watches, such as the Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges Ruby Heart. An extremely rich and well-thought-out collection, Bridges is an authentic expression of the highest quality in watchmaking. Even the introduction of a new colour variation is enough to stir excitement among Girard-Perregaux fans, as demonstrated by the model that perfectly captures one of the subtle trends we’ve previously highlighted: the sweet, warm, almost mystical tones of honey, reflected in a sunburst-patterned enamel dial, a rose gold case, and a matching leather strap. This new edition of the La Esmeralda ‘A Secret’ Eternity model is a richly engraved timepiece that pays tribute to the original Esmeralda pocket watch that won a gold medal at the 1889 Universal Exhibition in Paris. Housed in a 43mm case, the watch features an in-house, self-winding movement with a 50-hour power reserve and components sourced from suppliers in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Its functions include a tourbillon, hours, minutes, and small seconds (displayed on the tourbillon), all brought together in a design that evokes not only the golden warmth of honey but also the glow of a lazy afternoon sun. This exceptionally elegant timepiece, dedicated to those who love horses and equestrian sports as much as they love watchmaking, is a limited edition of 18 pieces, priced at EUR 472,000 each.

Perfect symmetry

Since Serge Michel and Claude Greisler took over, the Armin Strom brand has undergone a really cool and consistent evolution. While master watchmaker Armin Strom’s timepieces used to impress with their impeccable skeletonisation, the brand that now proudly bears his name continues to explore the open-worked aesthetic of watchmaking in a profoundly innovative way that embraces a contemporary ethos. The company produces several hundred watches a year, with limited production enabling it to truly maintain its standards of haute horlogerie rather than merely claiming to do so. An excellent example of the brand’s technical and aesthetic prowess is the Dual Time GMT Resonance – Manufacture Edition Black, with its spectacular mirror design comprising two dials for hours and minutes, two day/night indicators and two crowns. In fact, it contains two mechanisms (each with a 42-hour power reserve) in a single calibre, the ARF22 – the eighteenth to be produced in-house by Armin Strom. This complicated architecture is all enclosed in a comfortable 39mm steel case. The Dual Time GMT Resonance relies on the monochrome dials, which are beautifully complemented by the brown crocodile leather strap. This new Armin Strom watch is manufactured in a limited edition of 50 pieces, with components finished and decorated by hand. It costs CHF 95,000.