

It’s hard to imagine now, but about 15 years ago, the hottest Cartier watch was a 50mm high-concept by the name of the Astroregulateur. It was cased in a futuristic alloy of niobium and titanium, cost a quarter of a million pounds and looked like a prop from a science-fiction series.


A far cry from the familiar faces of the Tank and Santos, you might rightly think. But from the early 2000s, Cartier had set its sights on being taken seriously as a watchmaker. And the prevailing wisdom at the time was that this meant embracing cutting-edge technology. Hence for almost a decade, Cartier invested heavily in futuristic alloys, devilishly complicated functions and completely new shapes. It even pioneered a series of concept watches with vacuum-sealed cases and carbon components, intended to eliminate friction from mechanical movements altogether.

It’s hard to imagine now, but about 15 years ago, the hottest Cartier watch was a 50mm high-concept by the name of the Astroregulateur. It was cased in a futuristic alloy of niobium and titanium, cost a quarter of a million pounds and looked like a prop from a science-fiction series.

A far cry from the familiar faces of the Tank and Santos, you might rightly think. But from the early 2000s, Cartier had set its sights on being taken seriously as a watchmaker. And the prevailing wisdom at the time was that this meant embracing cutting-edge technology. Hence for almost a decade, Cartier invested heavily in futuristic alloys, devilishly complicated functions and completely new shapes. It even pioneered a series of concept watches with vacuum-sealed cases and carbon components, intended to eliminate friction from mechanical movements altogether.




How the “king of jewellers” returned to the classic timepieces that it does best – and changed the watch industry in the process. Read more in The Journal

What Makes Cartier The Watch Of The Moment?



We all recognise the body language of a red-carpet stance. Shoulders back, head up, body at a slight angle to the camera, feet planted in an open position. But a few years ago, something changed. Leading men started arranging themselves with a hand tucked into a pocket just so, or with one arm braced across their torso in an almost military gesture. It was all about bringing visibility to the wrist – and more importantly, what was on it. Sleeves were pinched and shirts tucked to make sure the watch got its moment in the limelight – we’ve even seen a return to the classic “footballer” pose, arms crossed in front of the crotch, a move that guarantees good watch spotting. You might have seen Will Ferrell sending the whole thing up with his fist raised firmly in the air, Timex (or later, Omega) front and centre.



The Hollywood stylist shares her advice for anyone trying to incorporate a well-chosen watch into their personal style. Read more in The Journal

Celebrity Stylist Ilaria Urbinati On How To Wear A Watch Like An A-Lister



There exists a year in most of our lives that demarcates our pre-wedding summers and our post-wedding summers. Before this fated year, you were allowed to choose your own holidays, tailoring those precious, carefree weeks to your liking. After this, however, “the weddings” begin. At first, they trickle in but before you know it, social media is awash with engagements and your summer plans become entirely dictated by the romantic whims of your nearest, dearest and occasionally a distant cousin. Of course, it’s not all bad. Celebrating love is a joyous thing and presents many sartorial opportunities.


For many guys, the decisions begin and end with a suit. For the more meticulous and horologically inclined among us, the more important dilemma is what to wear on the wrist. Your steel diver may a faithful daily driver be, but something a little more delicate and elevated can go a long way on special occasions. Not only will the right dress watch tie a formal look together, but it also represents the more sentimental aspects of watch collecting. For each event that you wear it, it gains more significance, capturing the timeless memories that make a watch such a beautiful lifelong investment. In that spirit, below are five of the best dress watches to wear at weddings this year.

There exists a year in most of our lives that demarcates our pre-wedding summers and our post-wedding summers. Before this fated year, you were allowed to choose your own holidays, tailoring those precious, carefree weeks to your liking. After this, however, “the weddings” begin. At first, they trickle in but before you know it, social media is awash with engagements and your summer plans become entirely dictated by the romantic whims of your nearest, dearest and occasionally a distant cousin. Of course, it’s not all bad. Celebrating love is a joyous thing and presents many sartorial opportunities.

For many guys, the decisions begin and end with a suit. For the more meticulous and horologically inclined among us, the more important dilemma is what to wear on the wrist. Your steel diver may a faithful daily driver be, but something a little more delicate and elevated can go a long way on special occasions. Not only will the right dress watch tie a formal look together, but it also represents the more sentimental aspects of watch collecting. For each event that you wear it, it gains more significance, capturing the timeless memories that make a watch such a beautiful lifelong investment. In that spirit, below are five of the best dress watches to wear at weddings this year.




A dress watch can go a long way to tie a formal look together. Here are our picks of the best timepieces to invest in for wedding season. Read more in The Journal

 5 Of The Best Dress Watches For Wedding Season



Without question, a good watch is for all seasons. Heck, a good watch is for life. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t situations, and occasions, when one watch is more suitable than another. We don’t wear hiking boots to weddings, and we only bring out the bucket hat when we’re sure it’s going to be that kind of night. Your average summer is a real buffet of dress codes, from beach-chic to Shakespeare in the park. We’re not saying they all have a specific watch to match, but that a little seasonal forethought can keep your watch on point wherever you end up. Here are five types of summer watch to bolster your choices.



From waterproof styles to playful pastel shades, the essential timepieces for the hot months. Read more in The Journal

Why You Need A Summer Watch



A watchmaking trade fair might sound a bit staid – and, in truth, they did used to be. But these days Watches and Wonders, held each spring in Geneva, is a multi-million-franc festival of world-class craftsmanship fused with the enviable budgets of the largest luxury groups. So, you get priceless Formula 1 cars on display, Roger Federer and Ryan Gosling dropping by, along with a well-staffed security team. And amid all the glitz, the biggest names in watchmaking reveal their latest creations, from precious dress timepieces to simple dive watches and everything in between. We’ve picked out our favourite upcoming styles from this year’s showcase, below.



The latest trends and timepieces from the likes of Cartier, Piaget and IWC Schaffhausen, as revealed at the Geneva trade show. Read more in The Journal

The 8 Must-See New Timepieces From Watches And Wonders 2025



It’s the word “brown” that’s the problem. No wonder we have so many other words for this corner of the colour chart: chestnut, tan, sepia and maroon are all working hard. And that’s before we reach for the more evocative, opulent options such as mahogany, walnut, chocolate and coffee. We know the colour looks good – it’s a staple on everything from shoes to coats – we just have trouble with the b-word. So, let’s get straight past that and acknowledge that on a watch, the aforementioned colour can look absolutely wonderful. It pairs well with warm rose-gold cases, but also brings sophistication to a stainless-steel model. Here are five watches with brown dials that you need to know.

Five Reasons To Consider A Brown Watch



Mr Andrea Zagato is finding it a challenge to design some watches. “You know, I thought designing a watch would be much quicker,” he laughs. “But it’s really not. Watch design is harder than people think. There’s just such a lot of complexity to it.”

What Makes Me Tick: Car Designer Mr Andrea Zagato



The rich and famous have a long history of giving fine watches as romantic gifts. Timepieces have immortalised love affairs between Hollywood icons such as Mr Richard Burton and Dame Elizabeth Taylor, as well as royalty and the reigning first couple of rap. Jewellery tends to be the go-to romantic gift, but there’s a good argument that watches can carry even more meaning for your significant other. Few things are as personal as the choice of a watch; to get it right unaided is a real sign you know someone extremely well. The practical function of a watch dictates that you form more of a personal connection with one, too. And then there’s the potential for it to carry an engraved message, hidden from view (which as we’ll see, can also get you into trouble).

A Romantic History Of Watches



Watchmakers have always taken pride in creating timekeepers for every possible environment. After decades of experimentation and research, they successfully produced water-resistant dive watches in the 1940s and 1950s, which before long were competent enough to survive a trip to the very deepest point in the ocean.

Meet Fortis, The Watch Brand Determined To Keep Time On Mars



The perpetual calendar is one of watchmaking’s true grails. Mechanically capable of knowing the correct number of days in every month, and taking leap years – such as 2024 – into account, they are typically billed as able to run without adjustment to the year 2100 (when, once every 400 years, we skip a leap year, to keep things in balance). Being able to produce one of these complex beasts is a mark of pedigree and prestige for any watch brand, and they have always ranked among the most desirable complications for collectors.

Six Perpetual Calendar Watches For Every Style And Taste



Mr Kirk Hammett is a collector. “I’m a habitual collector, bro!” he says emphatically. “My friend called me the other day and said, ‘Why do you collect plastic bags?’ And I thought, ‘I’ve been completely rumbled here’ – because I do. I have OCD and collect anything. I’m at that age when I can look back on my life and see patterns when I go hard on buying certain things – guitars, vehicles, watches, horror memorabilia, comics…”


Hammett is, of course, also the lead guitarist of Metallica and considered one of the best heavy metal guitarists in the world. He joined the band in 1983, barely into his twenties, and never looked back. Having grown up “with very little”, when he found himself with some disposable income, he went large on the shopping.

Mr Kirk Hammett is a collector. “I’m a habitual collector, bro!” he says emphatically. “My friend called me the other day and said, ‘Why do you collect plastic bags?’ And I thought, ‘I’ve been completely rumbled here’ – because I do. I have OCD and collect anything. I’m at that age when I can look back on my life and see patterns when I go hard on buying certain things – guitars, vehicles, watches, horror memorabilia, comics…”

Hammett is, of course, also the lead guitarist of Metallica and considered one of the best heavy metal guitarists in the world. He joined the band in 1983, barely into his twenties, and never looked back. Having grown up “with very little”, when he found himself with some disposable income, he went large on the shopping.


What Makes Me Tick: Metallica’s Mr Kirk Hammett



Are there really such things as “trends” in watches? On the one hand, it’s difficult to imagine the competing watch companies putting aside their differences to meet up in a secret lodge every few years and decide, “Yes! 2020 will be all about… _green dials_!” before hurrying back to Switzerland to work on selling us just that idea. On the other hand, trends do emerge from somewhere. The truth is that some years there just _are_ a lot of green dials. Or watches made from titanium. Or men’s watches so small your mum would have coveted them while your dad wouldn’t have been seen dead leaving the house wearing one.

Are there really such things as “trends” in watches? On the one hand, it’s difficult to imagine the competing watch companies putting aside their differences to meet up in a secret lodge every few years and decide, “Yes! 2020 will be all about… green dials!” before hurrying back to Switzerland to work on selling us just that idea. On the other hand, trends do emerge from somewhere. The truth is that some years there just are a lot of green dials. Or watches made from titanium. Or men’s watches so small your mum would have coveted them while your dad wouldn’t have been seen dead leaving the house wearing one.


Watch Experts Tell Us What To Expect In 2024



Never mind billboard ads or Hollywood-worthy promotional videos – watch brands need only get their latest timepiece on the right wrist to guarantee global publicity. Sometimes that takes the form of the official brand ambassador, or their somewhat vaguer cousin, the “friend of the brand”. But it’s even better when it happens outside of any planned deal.

The Biggest Celebrity Watch Spots Of 2023



The Italian artist Mr Fidia Falaschetti says it’s probably the best deal that he’s ever made. A US collector didn’t want to pay in cash for Falaschetti’s latest work. Instead, he wanted, somewhat unconventionally in the art world, to do a trade: one new painting for one Rolex Daytona, straight from his wrist. Did Falaschetti hesitate?


“Oh my god,” he laughs, still not quite believing it. “I think the painting was priced at around US$14,000, and, two years later, I think it was worth around $22,000. By then the Daytona was at about $35,000. That was a very good deal. It’s one of those collectible pieces, an asset like a work of art, but one I get to bring with me everywhere. I wouldn’t ever get rid of it. But it’s good to know I could cash it out in an emergency. Or if I saw a piece of art I like…”

The Italian artist Mr Fidia Falaschetti says it’s probably the best deal that he’s ever made. A US collector didn’t want to pay in cash for Falaschetti’s latest work. Instead, he wanted, somewhat unconventionally in the art world, to do a trade: one new painting for one Rolex Daytona, straight from his wrist. Did Falaschetti hesitate?

“Oh my god,” he laughs, still not quite believing it. “I think the painting was priced at around US$14,000, and, two years later, I think it was worth around $22,000. By then the Daytona was at about $35,000. That was a very good deal. It’s one of those collectible pieces, an asset like a work of art, but one I get to bring with me everywhere. I wouldn’t ever get rid of it. But it’s good to know I could cash it out in an emergency. Or if I saw a piece of art I like…”


What Makes Me Tick: Artist Mr Fidia Falaschetti



Brescia, Italy, June 2023: Chopard calls shotgun for a 36th consecutive year, driving yet another 1,000 miles on the Mille Miglia – aka the “most beautiful race in the world”. Or the “world’s unique travelling museum”, as Mr Enzo Ferrari put it.

Ticking Over Nicely: Motoring’s Eternal Obsession With The Chronograph Watch

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