We’re not even done with the first half of 2021 but we’ve seen so many new watches, many of them introduced during the Watches and Wonders trade show in April. So we decided to take a look at what’s new out there and pick out the most eye-catching ones. Treat this as a guide for your next watch hunt or, you know, just to get you up to speed with what’s happening in the timepiece universe, aesthetics-wise.
1 Zenith Chronomaster Sport El Primero in rose gold
This year, Zenith has reintroduced the Chronomaster Sport both in stainless steel and in rose gold—a move which can be worded as “this is a ‘stepping-out’ year for Zenith.” Aside from the Chronomaster, Zenith has doubled down with its revival watch and more versions of its Defy line.
Zenith has long been overshadowed by more popular Swiss brands, notwithstanding the fact that it has been making equally capable and beautiful watches. It should be noted that not too long ago, Rolex was even using Zenith movements for its Daytona model.
With the new releases, especially the Chronomaster, Zenith looks ready to step in and take some share of the spotlight alongside its other Swiss peers.
Material: Rose Gold and Ceramic
Size: 41mm
Movement: El Primero movement with 60 hours power reserve.
Water Resistance: 100m
SRP: CHF 19,900
2 Tudor Black Bay Chronograph
No one expected this watch to come out this year. This watch was an absolute surprise and an absolute stunner. Generally, the new Black Bay Chronograph was favorably received by watch experts and watch lovers.
Many people do not know that this watch shares the same movement with some Breitling watches. This is actually a great thing as Breitling produces great movements.
Material: Stainless Steel
Size: 41mm
Movement: MT5813 (COSC) with 70 hours power reserve
Water Resistance: 200m
SRP: P259,000
3 Jaeger-LeCoultre Green Reverso Tribute
This is a candidate for the best looking “green” watch for 2021. As we previously noted, we’ve seen that almost all major watch brands released their own “green” watch this year. Jaeger-LeCoultre has managed to marry classic with contemporary with this piece. The green hue selected by JLC for this model looks perfect.
Material: Stainless Steel
Size (L x W): 45.6mmx27.4mm
Movement: Manual-winding with 45 hours power reserve
Water Resistance: 30m
SRP: $8,750
4 Omega Speedmaster
Already stunning prior to 2021, Omega wanted to up its ante and went on ahead with updating the Speedmaster early this year. The new Speedmaster features a new movement, a new bracelet, and the availability of the model in sapphire crystal. It also offers the permanent option of material, which means one can have it either in Omega’s Sedna Gold or the Canopus Gold.
The Omega Speedmaster’s claim to fame is the fact that it was the first watch to be on the moon, worn by Buzz Aldrin when he went out of the Apollo 11.
(Steel Bracelet and Hesalite Crystal Configuration)
Material: Stainless Steel
Size: 42mm
Movement: Calibre Omega 3861 Manual Wind with 50 hours power reserve
Water Resistance: 50m
SRP: CHF 5,800
5 Panerai PAM1111 Luminor Chrono Goldtech Blu Notte
Featuring Panerai’s Goldtech alloy, the Blu Notte (or Blue Night) Panerai is an imposing 44mm watch. The beauty of this watch lies in the fact that it is brash and bold like a true Panerai yet it also exudes “refined and classy.”
Material: Goldtech (Panerai’s rose gold alloy)
Size: 44mm
Movement: P.9200 with 42 hours power reserve
Water Resistance: 50m
SRP: $26,700
6 Tissot PRX Powermatic 80
This watch is packed with a lot of features which are commonly seen in watches priced at least twice as this. There is already a lot of noise about this Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 even if it has not yet been officially released. The watch design is reminiscent of popular unibody watches such as the Patek Philippe Nautilus, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, and the Vacheron Constantin Overseas. Expect this to be a hit for Tissot.
Material: 316L Stainless Steel
Size: 40mm
Movement: Automatic, with up to 80hrs power reserve
Water Resistance: 100m
SRP: SGD $950 or +/- P35,000 (available by Q3 2021)
7 IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “AMG”
It has been over a decade since the last notable watch came out of a partnership between IWC and Mercedes Benz AMG. This new Pilot’s Watch is a beauty. More than the looks, the watch has been crafted from racing-inspired materials such as the Grade 5 titanium case and the carbon fiber dial.
Material: Grade 5 Titanium
Size: 43mm
Movement: IWC Calibre 69385 Automatic, with 46hrs power reserve
Water Resistance: 60m
SRP: $9,100
[For more watches, visit https://watchmanila.com/ or follow the author at @watch_mnl on Instagram. For more on Sieg Suarez, click here.]
Photos from brands' official website