The final part of the Qlekta.com experts' pick of contenders for the best-in-show Aiguille d'Or prize.

CALENDAR AND ASTRONOMY WATCHES

This category has an obvious favorite, a beautiful watch in all senses: Laurent Ferrier's Classic Moon Silver (Ref. LCF039.R5.G3N). Of course, we described the birth of this watch a couple of months ago. You may recall that it's an annual calendar which needs to be adjusted once a year on March 1.

The watch has a moon phase display for both hemispheres in one aperture. The main attraction is of course its manually wound LF126.02 movement: a significantly updated version of the previous LF126.01 with over 30 more components, a balance frequency of 21,600 vph (3 Hz), and an 80-hour power reserve. The price is set at CHF 86,480.

There are another couple of models in this category which certainly won't get cheaper even if they don't become significantly more expensive on the pre-owned watch market: the IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Eternal Calendar and the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Hijri Perpetual Calendar.

We'd also recommend keeping a close eye on the relatively new independent Russian watchmaker Anton Suhanov and his Chronotope in a 42-mm steel case with an original day of the week and calendar date display. The main innovation here is the stepped spiral "snail eccentric" at 6 o'clock.

It allows the curtain with the inscription "TODAY" to move along a scale and indicate the unabbreviated name of the day of the week. At midnight on the dot every Sunday, the "TODAY" curtain sweeps back to Monday.

So that makes it a retrograde indication, but unlike others, the launch of the calendar mechanism doesn't put any strain on the movement whatsoever, and doesn't impact timekeeping accuracy. There's a pusher on the side of the case at 6 o'clock adorned with a ruby cap for quickly switching the day of the week display.

This signature indication was inspired by the literary theory concept of the chronotope, hence the model's name, which combines the ancient Greek words χρόνος (chronos) for time and τόπος (topos) for place. The indication is conceived as a combination of time and space.

The design innovation of Suhanov’s signature hands must be acknowledged, which he dubs "tweezer hands". You have to agree that the ruby tip of the hands really does look like it's held by a pair of tweezers.

The short end of the second hand has a miniature ruby magnifying glass, which will help you appreciate the quality of the sandblasted dial.

The signature central power reserve indicator on the caseback is another of this movement's attractions, which was developed to meet all the requirements for the Geneva Seal (Poinçon de Genève). The model retailing for CHF 30,780 went on sale in April. Availability is limited to 33 pieces. 

MECHANICAL EXCEPTION

There are a fair amount of worthy watches in this extremely interesting category. This category features another model by Bernhard Lederer (his Central Impulse Chronometer) and six original models by the major watchmakers Hermès, Piaget, Bulgari, Ulysse Nardin, Hublot, and Bovet 1822.

But the watch that struck the strongest chord with us was the MB&F HM11 Architect (Ref. 11.TL.BL-C.). Its complicated 92-part 42-mm titanium case measuring 23 mm in height is like a cross between a clover and a flying saucer.

The four see-through outer rooms contain the hours and minutes, power reserve indicator, winding crown, and... A mechanical thermometer graduated from -20 °C to 60 °C. But attention is definitely drawn to the massive flying tourbillon at the heart of the house.

The colossal hand-wound movement with a 100-hour power reserve powering this futuristic masterpiece of micro-mechanic architecture comprises 364 components. 

Maximilian Büsser himself considers the HM11 Architect to be "the culmination of 18 years of watchmaking R&D at MB&F." And that probably says it all. The model has been released as a 25-piece limited edition, priced at CHF 214,000 a pop.

CHRONOGRAPH WATCHES

You could say that the Chronograph Monopoussoir Sylvain Pinaud х Massena LAB is the most worthy contender for chronograph of the year — if only for the fact that the limited edition of just ten pieces were created almost entirely by hand in Sylvain Pinaud's workshop.

This is basically a monopusher chronograph in a 42-mm titanium case with a 45-minute counter, column wheel, and horizontal clutch. Moreover, the chronograph wasn't added as a separate module, it's integrated into the movement.

The hand-wound movement runs at a frequency of 18,000 vph and has a 45-hour power reserve. Besides, Pinaud has taken a painstakingly strict approach to the finishing, which anyone can see is high-quality because the movement is skeletonized.

There's a good reason why Pinaud's work has been recognized with the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France — a prize awarded to the finest craftsmen and women in France. The present timepiece costs CHF 130,000.

SPORTS WATCHES

There are 23 entries in this category with one and a half strong contenders, max. One of them is of course the sports model by MING: MING 37.09 Bluefin. The public has got a taste for work by the remarkable designer Ming Thein, and while there aren't enough of his watches to go around yet, that's going to increase prices for them on the pre-owned market significantly.

We should mention here that one of the reasons why Thein pivoted to watchmaking was the rapid price growth. In Thein's student days, a Rolex or Omega watch would have cost GBP 1,000, tops, while the most complicated watch by Patek Philippe would have cost no more than USD 5,000.

When the people around him put it all down to inflation, Thien would probably answer that he's worked as an auditor and knows there hasn't been 3,000 % inflation since then. The point we want to make is that Thein is only asking buyers to pay CHF 4,950 for his extremely stylish diver's watch, water-resistant up to 600 m!

So why aren't there enough MING watches to go around at those kinds of prices!? And the contender with half a chance in this category is Tudor's Pelagos FXD Chrono "Cycling Edition" (Ref. 25827KN).

After all, this is Tudor's first specialized chronograph engineered specifically for the TUDOR Pro Cycling Team, which runs on an automatic manufacture movement with a silicon escapement that has a 4 Hz balance frequency and a 70-hour power reserve.

This chronograph for cyclists has a very suitable 43-mm carbon-composite case for this category, and a more than suitable price tag of CHF 4,950. But you won't see Tudor make a huge amount of them. So this small investment will pay off in time. 

JEWELRY WATCHES

Our favorite in this category is a cuff watch: Bulgari's Phoenix High Jewelry Secret Watch. Describing this masterpiece is an utterly futile pursuit. The picture says it all. 

All we'll say is that the frame of the cuff is made of white gold and encrusted with the purest of precious stones, weighing a combined total of 161.62 carats. The finest masters at the maison spent over 3,000 hours toiling over it, and its retail price is CHF 2,774,000.

ARTISTIC CRAFTS

While we acknowledge the watch by Van Cleef & Arpels in this category — the Lady Arpels Jour Enchanté — we'll go into more detail on the Arceau Chorus Stellarum by Hermès. Well, it's simply a masterpiece of both traditional and modern applied arts.

It exhibits the work of top-class engravers, miniature painters, enamelers, and jewelers. The engineers gave it their all too, because this watch is an automaton: when you press the pusher on the side at 9 o'clock, the rider and his steed spring to life. 

And the automatic manufacture Hermès H1837 movement is wonderfully finished and embellished too! The watch was inspired by the pattern on the iconic Chorus Stellarum silk scarf created by designer Daiske Nomura.

Now is a good time to mention that Hermès doesn't just remind us of the myth of King Midas, who wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. That wish is a reality at Hermès.

Their scarves, bags, shoes, accessories, cosmetics, construction, home furnishings, and interior design all have a cult following. There's a good reason why Hermès is now the second-most valuable luxury brand after Louis Vuitton in global rankings (falling a little short of the LVMH group's flagship brand is nothing to be ashamed of).

Sooner or later, Hermès watches will be just as highly regarded as their scarves, bags, and accessories are today. Availability of the Arceau Chorus Stellarum will be limited to six pieces, each priced at CHF 147,000.

A final word of advice: Naoya Hida might be one to watch too — a well-known watchmaker among the small fan community who love fine Japanese watchmaking. Hida entered his model in this category for some reason, as if he knew who he'd be competing with.

What makes his Naoya Hida & Co NH TYPE 1D-3 model stand out is its recognisable case. And this also happens to be Hida's foray into using gold as a case material. Apart from that, the sides of the case have been painstakingly hand-decorated by another well-known artist in Japan, the metal engraver Keisuke Kano.

The dial made of German silver also happens to be hand-decorated with the finest friction-plating. Availability is limited to just three models, each costing CHF 49,500. A couple of decades from now, this wrist candy will sell like hot cakes in Japan.

Previosly (part I), (part II)

Credits provided by the manufacturers: 
www.anton-suhanov.com, www.mbandf.com, www.massenalab.com, www.ming.watch, www.bulgari.com, www.hermes-horloger.com, www.naoyahidawatch.com and www.gphg.org