There is an ongoing debate among watch enthusiasts as to which complication (any function on a watch that goes beyond telling the time).) is the most useful. Is it the GMT for travelers? Or the chronograph for timing specific events? Maybe it’s the “count-up” diving ring; Although some don’t consider it a real complication, it is the most practical additional function of a watch. This debate will likely continue long after we’re gone, buried between our submarines and Seikos.
However, certain men’s watch brands are constantly innovating and offering new interpretations of these classic complications, sometimes even combining them in unique ways. These innovations result in some of the most exciting and attractive timepieces on the market.
Here are four of the watches men are talking about right now…
#1. Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Geographic
Part of La Grande Maison’s diving-inspired Polaris collection, this watch features a second time zone that uses a system that combines elements of both GMT and world time. It also includes a day/night indicator, a power reserve indicator and an internal rotating dive bezel, all packed into a slim casing just 11.54 millimeters thick.
While the Geographic system itself is not new, its integration into a Polaris case is. Let’s take a closer look at how it works: Instead of a fourth GMT hand from the center, there is a small 24-hour indicator between 8 and 9 o’clock that doubles as a day/night indicator. At the bottom of the dial an indicator points to a rotating disk with 24 city names on it. The wearer can set the alternate time zone using the crown, which adjusts or aligns the 24-hour indicator with one of the city names to display the correct time. While this arrangement doesn’t display all the city names at once like a traditional world timer, it does provide a cleaner dial layout.
The watch features an “ocean gray” lacquered dial, achieved through 35 layers of lacquer, which also houses a power reserve indicator for the automatic caliber 939. The signature inner rotating bezel of the Polaris collection is adjustable via a secondary crown at 10 o’clock. clock. Small orange accents highlight important timing information, and the watch comes with two interchangeable straps (a black textured rubber and a blue-gray canvas) making it versatile for both formal and informal occasions.
The Geographic is part of a renewed Polaris collection, which now includes a new Date version and a Perpetual Calendar with the same striking ocean gray dial. Priced at $16,100, the Polaris Geographic is a luxury watch that sits between the Rolex GMT-Master II and the Cosmograph Daytona in cost. It is complex, well made and features an in-house movement assembled at the JLC factory in the Vallée de Joux, making it a timepiece that will stand out in any collection.
#2. Absinthe by Massena LAB and Raúl Pagès
If you’ve been collecting watches for a while, you’ve probably heard of them William Massena. He is, among other things, a well-known collector, former director of an auction house and former moderator of the Timezone forum. Now he runs his own brand, Massena LAB, where he collaborates with other well-known men’s and women’s watch brands to create great timepieces. His latest creation, called ‘Absinthe’, is an evolution of a recent piece made in collaboration with an independent watchmaker Raul Pages.
This $9,000 watch is inspired by the unique Patek Philippe ref. 2458, originally made for a renowned collector JB Champion, Jr. It features a 38.5mm stainless steel case and a beautifully finished hand-wound movement, caliber M690, designed by Massena and Pagès. The watch features a striking green ombré dial with a vertically brushed finish, inspired by the ‘Green Fairy’, and is signed ‘Observatory Precision’. As an added bonus, those who wish can send their watch to the HSNY Chronometer Certification Program for testing for an additional fee.
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#3. H. Moser Streamliner Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton Alpine Limited Edition Pink Livery
H. Moser’s latest creation, which we will now call the ‘Pink Livery’, is a special edition in honor of the 2024 Miami Grand Prix. It is carried out in the colors of Alpine F1 and its partner BWT. This is the second limited edition in this series. For those familiar with Moser, the pink colorway will look familiar, aside from the new color scheme. It features a 42.3mm stainless steel pillowcase with a water resistance of 120 meters.
Inside, it is powered by the fully skeletonized, automatic HMC 811 movement, which includes a one-minute flying tourbillon and an internal cylindrical hairspring. The main plate and bridges have an anthracite-colored coating, which contrasts with a skeletonized, gold-colored oscillating weight. The standout feature of this $100,000 watch is the translucent, bright pink dial at 12 o’clock, paired with a matching rubber strap. Limited to just 20 pieces, this is definitely the funkiest racing watch we’ve seen in a long time.
#4. Byrne Gyro dial Meca 36 mm
View restoration expert John Byrne launched his own watch brand for men in 2021, inspired by a show at the Paris Opéra. Its Gyro Dial watches have unique dials with four rotating cube indexes that rotate 90 degrees at midnight, noon or when you touch the crown. This feature makes it look like four different watches in one. Its latest model, the Gyro Dial Meca 36mm, has a slimmer case, a smaller size and a new hand-wound movement. It also features a beautiful dial with the brand’s signature rotating cubes.
The $28,000 watch comes in a hand-finished, tonneau-shaped case in grade 5 titanium with a diameter of 36mm, with the crown at 12 o’clock, inspired by vintage pocket watches. The rhodium-plated ‘Meteorized Blue’ dial has rotating cube indexes, and the exposed main plate allows you to see more of the watch’s mechanics. Unique and beautifully crafted, the Gyro Dial Meca 36mm is an impressive achievement for a brand that has only been around for three years.
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Featured image: Essential Hommes
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