Table of contents for Caliber 2022 in Da Man

WORLDWIDE Quite a few watchmaking brands announced the appointment of high-profile figures as new brand ambassadors. Cartier announced Jisoo from BLACKPINK as its global ambassador. Furthermore, Indian actress and producer Deepika Padukone was also announced as Cartier’s ambassador. The star of HBO’s acclaimed international smash hit “Euphoria,” Jacob Elordi, has joined Swiss luxury watch brand TAG Heuer’s family of ambassadors, while Longines welcomed South Korean actress and singer Suzy as its new Ambassador of Elegance. Moving on to Breitling, the brand has recruited basketball superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo joined the brand and soccer’s fastest-rising star Erling Haaland to join other standouts of sport to complete Breitling’s new “all-star squad.” Finally, Jaeger-LeCoultre was delighted to name Anya Taylor-Joy as a new Ambassador for the Maison. “The encounter with Anya was meant to…

TECHNICAL AESTHETICS Tudor Black Bay Pro There’s something distinctive about Tudor’s Black Bay Pro. This timepiece is an entirely new model with a dual time zone feature, a technical complication that establishes local time without losing sight of another time zone. It also introduces many new and unique aesthetic details, starting with its winding crown which has been entirely redesigned for maximum grip. A new bracelet clasp, with a Tudor “T-fit” rapid size-adjustment system—which allows the wearer to carry out fine, instant adjustments of up to 8mm on the clasp—completes the list of new innovations included in this model. CASE SIZE: 439MM CASE MATERIAL: STEEL DIAL: BLACK DOMED DIAL STRAP: RIVETED STEEL BRACELET OR HYBRID RUBBER AND FABRIC STRAP MOVEMENT: MANUFACTURE CALIBRE MT5652 POWER RESERVE: 70 HOURS WATER RESISTANCE: 200M…

A Mission to Remember Swatch BioCeramic MoonSwatch Swatch pays homage to one of the most iconic watches in the Swiss watch industry. In particular, the brand collaborated with Omega to create an innovative take on the iconic Speedmaster Moonwatch by launching a collection of eleven Swatch models in rarely seen colors named after planetary bodies, from the giant star at the center of the solar system to the dwarf planet at its periphery. Intriguingly, the key Moonwatch design features are all also there. From the asymmetrical case and the famous tachymeter scale with a dot over ninety to the distinctive Speedmaster subdials are all present on the watch. CASE SIZE: 42MM CASE MATERIAL: BIOCERAMIC DIAL: COLORFUL DIALS BASED ON MISSION STRAP: VELCRO STRAP MOVEMENT: QUARTZ POWER RESERVE: - WATER RESISTANCE:…

BUBBLE 47 SKULL X-RAY The Bubble Skull X-Ray pays tribute to one of the first watches in the collection which had a stylized skull on the dial. This new iteration once again features a highly stylized yet realistic looking skull placed front and center. As hinted by the name of the watch, the design of the skull is reminiscent of X-ray images with a semi-transparent effect. Being totally luminescent, the skull part glows green in the dark. This spooky work of art comes in a 47mm stainless steel case that has been treated with black PVD. Further enhancing the eerie look of the watch is the way the huge domed sapphire crystal distorts the appearance of the dial. As a final nod to the Bubble Skull X-Ray’s macabre team, the…

There’s a very good reason why Carole Forestier-Kasapi is often referred to as the “queen of complications.” Among professionals in the watch industry, she is widely recognized for being a certified genius when it comes to mechanical movements and complications. This was particularly evident during tenure at Cartier, where she spearheaded the maison’s in-house movement development. In 2020, Forestier-Kasapi joined TAG Heuer as the brand’s Movements Director. Unsurprisingly, there has been quite a few exciting developments in TAG Heuer’s movement portfolio since then, as demonstrated by last year’s TAG Heuer Only Watch Monaco. As for this year, amid the continuation of the Aquaracer’s design revival and the launch of disruptive new materials such as lab-grown diamonds for the TAG Heuer Carrera Plasma, a range of exciting new advances in movement…

One interesting fact about 2022—still in terms of watches and watchmaking, of course—is that there is a significant number of brands celebrating milestone anniversaries, either of their founding (Longines, for one, is celebrating its 190th anniversary) or the debut of important collections (Breitling’s legendary Navitimer turns 70 this year). And a bit closer to home, Cortina Watch—The Curator of Time—celebrates its golden jubilee. “There is only one milestone that matters,” says Jeremy Lim, CEO of Cortina Watch and COO of Cortina Holdings, “which was when my father opened his first store.” Anthony Lim famously set up Cortina Watch’s very first boutique at Colombo Court, back in 1972. It happened, basically, at the height of what can only be described as the most disruptive period for the global watch industry—the Quartz…

While flipping through the pages of this very magazine—or browsing through the watch sections in the regular editions of DA MAN—you’ve undoubtedly encountered the term “complication.” Or perhaps you’ve read about certain features of a watch that are either hard to pronounce (a “tourbillon” perhaps?) or doesn’t immediately make sense (yes, an “annual calendar” is quite different from a regular calendar). Or perhaps you’re already well-versed in the vernacular, or even the mechanical principles, around haute horlogerie Either way, going through the fundamentals of watch complications can always be a worthwhile way to spend your time. We’ve often presented round-ups and deep dives into specific complications in DA MAN Caliber, but this time, we invite you to discover—or rediscover—the features, contraptions and mechanisms that are the reason why some mechanical…

Sculptures of Light Bvlgari Lvcea Intarsio Bvlgari unveiled its latest Lvcea Intarsio at this year’s LVMH Watch Week in two new shades: pink mother-of-pearl and blue aventurine. The Roman jeweler has impressively ensured maximum chromatic effect and infused the collection with an additional jewelry touch. With three-dimensional architectures crafted in materials that capture and enhance the light, each dial is assembled using marquetry in a pattern called Intarsio, furthering a classic métiers d’art technique applied to mother-of-pearl. The best part is that this complex and refined handcrafted construction exquisitely captures all the variations in light through the diamond hour markers dotting the rims of these sophisticated dials. CASE SIZE: 28MM AND 33MM CASE MATERIAL: STEEL DIAL: AVENTURINE OR PINK MOTHER-OF-PEARL STRAP: BLUE OR RED ALLIGATOR LEATHER MOVEMENT: QUARTZ, CALIBRE B77,…

Visual Sensation Coussin de Cartier The Coussin de Cartier watch is a square hemmed with diamonds set in a spiral. Based on its savoir-faire in fine jewelry, the maison introduces a triangular setting that allows the diamonds to be directly integrated into the case without using the traditional grain setting. Design-wise, everything seems to lie in the padded shape of the case, featuring stones of different diameters that accentuate the movement, with strong and graphic gold edges that, at the same time, emphasize its allure. To top it all off, the metal disappears to reveal the stone’s beauty and intensify its luminosity. CASE SIZE: 27.13MM X 27.66MM CASE MATERIAL: 18K WHITE GOLD 750/1000 DIAL: SUNRAY SILVER STRAP: BLUE CALFSKIN MOVEMENT: QUARTZ WATER RESISTANCE: 30M MOST PRECIOUS Piaget Limelight Gala Precious…

As its name implies, the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Chronograph 0 Oxygen comes with a movement that is sealed and devoid of oxygen. Essentially, the zero-oxygen feature on this Geosphere was created to improve the watch’s mountaineering performance by eliminating fogging—which can occur during abrupt and drastic temperature changes at altitude—while at the same time preventing oxidization and also to guarantee the watch’s performance and precision over time, even in some of the harshest mountain environments. Like in all 1858 Geosphere models, both the Northern and Southern hemispheres are represented in this watch with two three-dimensional globes. Also included is a day-and-night indication so that the wearer can see what time it is across the Earth at a simple glance. Fitted with Montblanc’s blue glacier pattern dial, the watch is driven…

SWITZERLAND The charismatic CEO of Audemars Piguet, François-Henry Bennahmias, will depart the company at the end of 2023. The news was revealed in an interview with Jasmine Audemars that was published in Le Temps. Since joining Audemars Piguet almost 30 years ago, François-Henry Bennahmias has served as the company’s CEO for the last 10 years. He will leave the business in great form, with the company recording revenues of roughly 1.6 billion Swiss francs and a production run of about 45,000 watches for 2021. According to the interview published in Le Temps, François-Henry Bennahmias told the Audemars Piguet Board of his intention to retire following the 50th anniversary of the Royal Oak in 2022, and the transition process has been discussed since then. Long story short, the timeline has been…

AESTHETICALLY PLEASING Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monobalancier Black Ceramic Roger Dubuis’ determination to master ground-breaking technical developments with advanced hyper materials is showcased in the radiant black ceramic Excalibur Monobalancier. Designed with clean-cut lines and a fluted bezel, the maison’s signature star is also reshaped to “levitate” freely above the barrel. Beneath its dial, the timepiece is powered by the automatic RD 720SQ calibre, which boasts an impressive 72 hours of power reserve. It is further fitted with a patented Quick Release System on its strap that guarantees ultimate versatility. CASE SIZE: 42MM CASE MATERIAL: CERAMIC DIAL: SKELETON STRAP: EMBOSSED BLACK CALF-LEATHER MOVEMENT: RD 720SQ POWER RESERVE: 72 HOURS WATER RESISTANCE: 100M Aesthetic Prowess Cartier Masse Mystérieuse The Cartier Masse Mystérieuse brings together two of the maison’s watchmaking signatures: The mysterious…

ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL GMT-MASTER II Rolex’s GMT-Master has a unique and instantly recognizable design with its bidirectional rotatable bezel and 24-hour graduated insert, which has been made available in various dual-color combinations—the lower half symbolizing daytime and the upper signaling night-time—as well as in single-color versions. Then, in 1982, the Swiss brand unveiled the GMT-Master II, with a movement that allowed the hour hand to be set independently of the other hands, allowing it to display the time in two time zones simultaneously. As the GMT-Master II continued to evolve while offering better technical performance, this year, Rolex unveiled an unexpected version. This particular iteration of the design comes with the crown and crown guard positioned on the left side of the watch case, while at the same time the…

PATEK PHILIPPE REF. 5326G-001 Earlier this year, Patek Philippe expanded its range of complicated watches by combining, for the first time ever, an annual calendar—which requires only one manual correction per year—with the Travel Time dual time-zone display system in the Ref. 5326G-001. Launched at this year’s Watches & Wonders Geneva, this model comes with a new Calatrava-type case adorned with a guilloched Clous de Paris (hobnail pattern) decoration that has become emblematic of the Patek Philippe style. And, as the name of the watch implies, the technical originality of this new annual calendar is that it always indicates the exact date for local time. What’s more, the manufacture’s engineers also designed a new self-winding movement to provide this unique functionality in which the Travel Time mechanism controls the annual…

Breitling fans have had a great year. The new Superocean, for one, presents a contemporary take on the brand’s early divers’ watches that strikes an elegant balance between legacy and novelty. Before that, the redesigned Navitimer became one of the most talked-about horological highlights when it came out. And driving the creative force behind these creations and more is Sylvain Berneron. Before becoming Breitling’s Creative Director, Berneron studied fine arts in middle school and industrial design in university, before starting a career in the transportation industry with stints at BMW and Ducati. Eventually, his passion for watches prevailed, and he transitioned to watch design. When Georges Kern took over the reins of leadership at Breitling in 2017, he asked Berneron to join his team. At Breitling, Berneron built up the…

SEA EXPLORER TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 1000 Superdiver As the name implies, the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 1000 Superdiver is born for the deep with the capability to go beyond depths of over 1,000 meters. Fitted in a 45mm case with a thickness of just 15.75mm, the watch sports a robust and bold look, while arguably continuing to be one of the slimmest in the deep dive watch category. Intriguingly, this is the very first watch from the brand utilizing the Calibre TH30-00 movement, which is produced by one of the most highly-regarded manufacturers in the world: Kenissi Manufacture SA. CASE SIZE: 45MM CASE MATERIAL: TITANIUM FINE-BRUSHED/POLISHED DIAL: BLACK SUNRAY BRUSHED STRAP: TITANIUM MOVEMENT: TH30-00 POWER RESERVE: 70 HOURS WATER RESISTANCE: 1000M Frozen in Time Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea Automatic…

CALM AND POISE Czapek Antarctique Rattrapante Ice Blue The Czapek Antarctique Rattrapante’s story began in 2021, which was followed by a unique piece for the Only Watch charity auction. This year, a third iteration of the watch has been introduced: the Czapek Antarctique Rattrapante Ice Blue. Naturally, the newest addition to this watch are subtle, icy blue touches. Most prominent of these are the minute track and the registers that are made of smoked blue sapphire. Also, as the name implies, the rattrapante or split-seconds function is a major part of the watch’s functionality. The split-seconds function is activated using the pusher at 10 o’clock, while the one at 2 o’clock in the crown guard operates the start-stop-reset functions. The Czapek Antarctique Rattrapante Ice Blue was released as a limited…

A HISTORICAL MOMENT Patek Philippe Ref. 5057R-001 To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Cortina Watch’s founding as well as five decades of partnership with Patek Philippe in Southeast and East Asia, a special limited-edition watch has been created to mark the occasion. Titled the Patek Philippe Ref. 5057G-010, this is essentially a new edition of the previous Ref. 5057R-001 created for Cortina Watch back in 1997 to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Limited to 100 pieces, the new white gold Ref. 5057G-010 features the same triple-row guillochéd “Clous de Paris” hobnail bezel as its predecessor, as well as a charcoal gray sunburst dial with a black-gradient rim. CASE SIZE: 36.15MM CASE MATERIAL: 18K WHITE GOLD DIAL: CHARCOAL GRAY SUNBURST DIAL STRAP: ALLIGATOR WITH WHITE GOLD FOLDING CLASP MOVEMENT: CAL. 240 PS…

SPECIFICATIONS CASE MATERIAL PLATINUM 950 AND GRAND SEIKO’S BRILLIANT HARD TITANIUM MOVEMENT 9ST1 POWER RESERVE 72 HOURS CASE 40 MM STRAP CROCODILE LEATHER STRAP WATER RESISTANCE 100 M GRAND SEIKO KODO CONSTANT-FORCE TOURBILLON This year, the storied Japanese brand released its very first mechanical complication watch named the Grand Seiko Kodo Constant-force Tourbillon. Kodo, which is the Japanese word for heartbeat, combines a tourbillon and a constant-force mechanism as one unit on a single axis—the first time this has been accomplished in the history of watchmaking. The inner tourbillon carriage rotates smoothly as the balance steadily vibrates at 8-beats per second and the outer constant-force carriage follows its rotation at exact one-second intervals. The sounds of the escapement and of the once-per-second impulse of the constant-force mechanism also harmonize with…

SPECIFICATIONS CASE MATERIAL STAINLESS STEEL MOVEMENT LA FABRIQUE DU TEMPS LV 277 POWER RESERVE 50 HOURS CASE 41.5 MM STRAP ALLIGATOR LEATHER STRAP WATER RESISTANCE 100 M TAMBOUR TWENTY Released back in 2002, the very first Tambour watch—the Tambour Automatic GMT, to be exact—marked a defining chapter in Louis Vuitton’s journey into the world of haute horlogerie. The watch itself had a distinct aesthetic that made it instantly recognizable. And now that the Tambour turns twenty, Louis Vuitton and its watchmakers at La Fabrique du Temps created a most fitting anniversary model that reprises the unique design codes that made the very first Tambour such an icon: the Tambour Twenty. “Watch enthusiasts will recognize all the features that made the Tambour’s design so unique. While this limited edition is a…

Roger Dubuis has consistently elevated its art and technical mastery, while always striving for excellence and constantly challenging itself to go further. Determined to celebrate the physical return of Watches and Wonders Geneva with outstanding masterpieces, the brand launched the Knights of the Round Table Monotourbillon timepiece and the remarkable evolution of the Excalibur Monobalancier. What’s more, Roger Dubuis also introduced the third timepiece from its Urban Culture Tribe with the Excalibur Sorayama Monobalancier. This was the result of the collaboration with world-famous Japanese artist Hajime Sorayama. To learn more about the maison as a whole and its hyper horology I spoke to Roger Dubuis’ Managing Director of Southeast Asia and Oceania, Laurent Toinet. DAMAN: First and foremost, how would you introduce Roger Dubuis as a brand? And, furthermore, how…

Last year, Geneva Watch Days proved that nothing can replace the human side of the business, and the physical trade show was indeed necessary and useful, no matter the scale or setting. Of particular note, the fair also provided an inventive demonstration that the Swiss watchmaking industry—which is steeped in tradition and know-how and oftentimes appears conservative—was definitely capable of adapting and dealing with a crisis. This year, on the other hand, the not-so-new kid on the block intriguingly ups the ante through the third edition of Geneva Watch Days, which was held from August 29 until September 1, 2022. Going by the numbers, the event brought together 33 brands including, of course, the founding and benefactor brands that include Bvlgari, Breitling, De Bethune, H. Moser & Cie, Jacob &…

SPLENDID DECORATION Chopard IMPERIALE Flying Tourbillon The IMPERIALE collection created by Chopard back in 1994 welcomes its first-ever flying tourbillon movement, the L.U.C Calibre 96.24-C, which has been fitted on the IMPERIALE Flying Tourbillon timepiece. Appearance-wise, the watch is framed by an ethical 18K white gold case set with diamonds, while the aventurine dial is embroidered with a mother-of-pearl marquetry illustrating a lotus blossom. On top of that, this exclusive mechanism—which is entirely designed and crafted by Chopard—is one of the only ones on the market bearing both a Chronometer certification and the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark. CASE SIZE: 36MM CASE MATERIAL: 18K WHITE GOLD DIAL: AVENTURINE WITH MOTHER-OF-PEARL MARQUETRY AND DIAMONDS STRAP: ALLIGATOR LEATHER MOVEMENT: L.U.C CALIBRE 96.24-C POWER RESERVE: 65 HOURS WATER RESISTANCE: 50M Hypnotic Movement Chanel…

REFINED CRAFTSMANSHIP Patek Philippe Ref. 7130R-014 Ladies’ World Time The Ref. 7130R-014 Ladies’ World Time from Patek Philippe is exceptionally refined. For one, the center of the dial pays tribute to rare handcrafts with a finely hand-guilloched basket weave motif. Its olive-green shade is picked up on the city disk, where the white-printed names stand out in an extremely legible manner. Meanwhile, the local time in the time zone selected on the city disk at 12 o’clock is displayed by lozenge-shaped hands and gold applied arrow-type hour markers. The watch is completed with the 240 HU calibre, which simultaneously and permanently displays the time in all 24 time zones. CASE SIZE: 36MM CASE MATERIAL: ROSE GOLD DIAL: OLIVE GREEN, HAND-GUILLOCHED STRAP: CALFSKIN MOVEMENT: CALIBER 240 HU POWER RESERVE: 48…