If you’re into watches and spend time on social media, you probably know Mr Justin Hast. No slouch with a camera and by his own admission absolutely watch-obsessed, in 2020, he decided there had to be a way to take the best of Instagram – the personal stories, the photography (not necessarily the very best, but always authentic) and, most of all, the shared sense of belonging – and turn it into something you could spend a little more time with. And so The Watch Annual was born: a yearly almanac of watch photography and appreciation, with contributors from around the world. As Hast puts it, “The concept was to edit the year of watch launches into a community-focused book, which would not only act as an almanac but also do good – supporting a different cause every year.”

He continues, “The truth is, I am super excited about bringing friends old and new under one roof. The idea that there are so many creators in the watch world whose work simply goes up on social media and then disappears into the abyss didn’t feel right. The book really was a way to take images from the online watch community – press, collectors and photographers – and allow them to live on in print. Without the contributors the book simply wouldn’t exist – so a huge thanks to them all!”

At MR PORTER, we liked what we saw. The Watch Annual had a raw, simple appeal (Hast’s mantra of “for the community, by the community” rather sums it up) and when 2021 came around, we started talking about working together. And – inevitably, given the success of the first Annual – taking things to the next level.

We are very pleased to say we’ve done exactly that: what you see here is the 2021 Watch Annual MR PORTER Edition, a limited-run publication available exclusively on MR PORTER that builds on 2020’s foundation and adds a few extra-special touches. Firstly, you’ll note the move to a hard-bound cover, styled in our signature monochrome. You’ll also notice that the 2021 Annual is considerably bigger than last year’s – thanks to Hast’s tireless efforts to bring on more than twice as many contributors; some 82 watch collectors, writers, photographers and experts from every corner of the planet. And our favourite detail of all: each of the MR PORTER Edition copies comes with a limited-edition print of our watch of the year, the Hermès Timepieces H08, drawn by none other than Ms Julie Kraulis.

Kraulis’ rise to prominence over the past two years has been stratospheric. Her inimitable hand-drawn pencil renderings of watches are snapped up by collectors and brands alike, with recent drawings fetching five-figure results at auction. Such has been the response to her art that Kraulis’ waiting list for commissions is now longer than most hype watches, so it is with particular pride that we announce this collaboration.

Each Annual will arrive with a signed, numbered print of Kraulis’ H08 sketch – but that’s not all. We are also proud to offer the original artwork, a 26x40in sketch of the H08, rendered in the artist’s typical style. Blending photorealism with whimsical, textural patterns, Kraulis’ art riffs on some of the most famous branding in the world and offers incredibly detailed depictions of watchmaking craft. So it is with the H08, as Hermès’ trademark interlocking “H” motif is brought from the movement into the watch itself.

This sketch, in graphite on art paper is live now on MR PORTER and comes with Kraulis’ own certificate of authenticity plus, in a lovely touch, the worn-down stubs of every pencil used in its creation; each drawing takes weeks to complete and accounts for more than a dozen pencils. Their inclusion with the finished artwork is a touching reminder of the skill and dedication that has gone into it.

The 2021 Watch Annual MR PORTER Edition is limited to just 250 copies, and a percentage of each sale will be donated to the MR PORTER Health In Mind Fund, our mental health initiative that donates to causes dedicated to helping men lead happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives.