Qlekta editor's choice: Ten jaw-droppingly complicated watches from the most famous watch brands the whole world will be chasing after.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Quadriptyque
When Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced the Reverso Triptych model with three faces fifteen years ago, it looked like a real miracle. However, the watch manufacturer outdid itself yet again in 2021 with a watch celebrating the 90th anniversary of the iconic Reverso.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 Quadriptyque combines a tourbillon, minute repeater, perpetual calendar and astronomical display in a watch with four dials! It boasts a total of eleven complications if all the calendar functions are counted as a single complication.
In the Triptyque, the rotating case and cradle were connected using the power reserve indication module's lever with a special tooth. The Quadriptyque doesn't have a power reserve indication and the four dials are directly connected. The special box for storing the Quadriptyque can be counted as a separate miracle.
It's equipped with a built-in mechanism drawer comprised of 300 parts which is able to correct all the calendar indications and set the exact time. Limited to a mere ten pieces, it's no wonder these miracle watches were snapped up long before the debut, despite being priced at EUR 1 350 000.
Patek Philippe "Advanced Reaearch" Fortissimo Ref. 5750P
This watch is worth a mention if only for the fact that the advanced research line has gone down in the history of haute horlogerie. Moreover, it's a minute repeater from the great Patek Philippe, and they always have a high resale value when listed on the pre-owned luxury watch market.
Its innovative fortissimo “ff” system for sound amplification and propagation is as important and revolutionary a step in the development of wristwatch repeaters as the calendar striking mechanism with three gongs was when presented by the watchmakers at Patek Philippe in 1989.
Before then, wristwatches had only used two gongs at best. In the minute repeater's fortissimo module crowned with four patents, sound is routed to an oscillating wafer using a sound lever and transmitted outside through four tiny invisible openings at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock in the outer ring around the case.
This means the choice of case material barely has any impact on sound quality and propagation anymore. Don't forget that in traditional watches, the best harmonic quality and acoustic richness is achieved by minute repeaters in steel cases or polished titanium, while gold and the relatively viscous metal platinum are the worst — well, not anymore.
By the way, the 40 mm case isn't the only part of the watch that's made of platinum, the hammers and micro-rotor in the self-winding Caliber R 27 PS manufacture movement are too. The model will be limited to fifteen pieces at CHF 590,000 a pop.
Vacheron Constantin Collection Excellence Platine Split-Seconds Chronograph Ultra-Thin 5400T/000P-B637
Each new chronograph in the Traditionnelle Collection's Excellence Platine series is an important event in its own right. The legendary watchmaker has dedicated this collection exclusively to its most devoted and avid fans. The 5400T/000P-B637 is a split-seconds chronograph which allows you to track the length of two events at the same time.
Encased inside the watch is another debut — the latest caliber 3500 manufacture movement with a balance frequency of 3 Hz and two days of power reserve. It showcases a range of highly interesting constructive and technical innovations.
Only fifteen die-hard collectors will be in with a chance to get their hands on one of the new pieces priced at USD 300,000. That's the price you have to pay for 950-grade platinum (case, bezel and dial) and priceless refined craftsmanship.
F.P. Journe x Francis Ford Coppola FFC Blue Only Watch
This is a unique watch in every sense of the word. It's a one-of-a-kind piece that tells the time like no other watch on the planet. An automaton sculpted in the shape of a closed fist indicates the hours by changing the position of its fingers once every hour to represent the numbers from one to twelve. Will anyone ever be able to copy this? Probably not.
That means this watch will only become more unique over time. Another mind-blowing feature is how François-Paul Journe found a way to make his ingenious automaton work based on his ordinary automatic Caliber 1300, which had originally just been intended to drive hour and minute hands.
Moreover, he's managed to fit this movement inside a 42 mm case which is a mere 10.7 mm in height. It's made of Tantalum — a metal which is hardly ever used in the watchmaking industry. It's no wonder the FFC Blue's estimate of CHF 300,000 - 400,000 was raised all the way up to CHF 4,500,000 at the Christie’s Only Watch -2019.
Patek Philippe Calatrava “Clous de Paris” Ref. 6119
This is another iconic model which sometimes simply doesn't get released. Why Calatrava of all watches and not the sensational Patek Philippe In-line Perpetual Calendar Ref. 5236P-001? Because the Calatrava line was, is and always will be the quintessential masterpiece by this great Genevan watchmaker. The design of the Ref. 6119 is inspired by its celebrated predecessor, the first Calatrava Ref. 96.
The case measuring 39 mm in diameter is engraved with the classic Clous de Paris guilloché bezel in three ledges. The Calatrava Ref. 6119 is equipped with the latest hand-wound manufacture 30-255 PS movement which beats at a frequency of 4 Hz with two mainspring barrels, an increased power reserve of 65 hours and average losses and gains of just -3/+2 seconds per day.
There are currently two versions of the model available: Ref. 6119G-001 in white gold and Ref. 6119R-001 in rose gold. No limit has been set but the waitlist for the vintage watch with a historically significant background is already backed up for years to come. The price is set at CHF 25,000.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona Meteorite
Every watch with a meteorite dial is unique. After all, no two piece of rock used to produce the textured pattern have the same structure. It's safe to say Rolex started the trend for the out-of-this-world pattern.
Back in 1999, an Oyster Day-Date model was introduced in 1999 with a dial made of pieces of the Gibeon meteorite, the remnants of which can still be found in Namibia. Rolex has since released meteorite watches from time to time which are in huge demand among collectors.
This types of dials mainly grace Cosmograph Daytona chronographs. In 2021, fans of the extraterrestrial were treated to three of these models in one go, which came in various different precious metals for their 40 mm case and with different bracelets.
The Ref. 116508 comes in yellow gold with a matching yellow-gold bezel and Oyster bracelet, priced at USD 41,000, while the Ref. 116505 encased in the exclusive pink-gold Everose alloy with a matching bezel and Oyster bracelet is priced at USD 43,700.
But the version which was met with the most excitement was the Ref. 116519LN in a white-gold case with a patented Rolex monobloc Cerachrom bezel, priced at USD 34,050, which is alternatively paired with an Oysterflex rubber strap. That isn't so expensive relative to the average market price and considering the major growth expected in future resale value.
Konstantin Chaykin's Martian Tourbillon
When it comes to the gifted Russian watchmaker Konstantin Chaykin, there's no telling where his imagination will take him next. However, it's reasonable to assume his new work will have some connection with his trademark indication.
The third= signature watch Chaykin introduced in 2021 was for those intent on conquering the Red Planet. Not in the figurative sense — literally conquer Mars. The Martian Darian calendar is a 24-month cycle with each month consisting of 28 or 27 days (sols) with six leap years in each Martian decade.
Taking his trademark Joker indication as the basis, Chaykin has given the "eye" subdials hands to tell the Martian hours and minutes, combining the day-night indication in the left eye. The Joker's smile has the dates of the first and second Martian weeks on the upper row of teeth with dates of the third and fourth weeks on the lower row.
The nose is where the current two-week period indicated. The hand-wound Caliber K.22-0 is equipped with Chaykin's propriety balance wheel with two spokes and a miniature regulating cam. Moreover, it beats at a Martian frequency of 19,800 vph according to Martian time, which is equivalent to 19,270 vph here on Earth.
The tourbillon has a built-in constant force escapement which completes a rotation every 61.65 seconds – the length of one Martian minute. The watchmaker used patented stainless Bulat steel to create the 40 mm case. The Martian Tourbillon given an estimate of CHF 40,000 - 60,000 realized CHF 290,000 at the Christie’s Only Watch auction. The buyer presumably has an eye to the future.
A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar
This was a long but eagerly awaited release from the Saxon brand. Strange as it may seem, A. Lange & Söhne's Lange 1 watch family hasn't included a perpetual calendar before. There have been other more complicated combined calendar and tourbillon models, albeit priced at USD 300,000.
And now the collector's dream has finally come true. You could say two dreams have come true at one because two versions of the A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar were introduced together: one regular limited edition in pink gold (USD 104,500) and one in white gold (USD 116,000).
Both of them retail for half of what the combined models cost! The novelty has preserved the delightfully low-key design, especially considering the tourbillon has been placed on the caseback side. The only unorthodox element is on the dial, where the hour and minute hands have been shifted from the left to the right unlike the layout on canonical Lange 1 models.
The self-winding caliber L021.3 is essentially a completely new movement rather than a simplified version of the previous one. The perpetual calendar module now barely has any influence on how the movement runs. Reducing this dependency increases accuracy and makes timekeeping more reliable, while all the perpetual calendar indications now switch instantly and on the dot at midnight.
The case measures 41.9 mm in diameter and is exceptionally thick at 12.1 mm for a model by A. Lange & Söhne. But as they say, we need more of good watches. The Ref. 345.056 limited to 150 pieces has predictably sold out, but A. Lange & Söhne boutiques will only stock new perpetual calendars at the beginning of 2022.
Andersen Genève Quotidiana
This is a watch which won't be valued for being outstandingly complicated but for its aesthetic qualities like masterpieces of the fine and applied arts. It exhibits stunningly exquisite work by masters of guilloché. The pattern has been calculated down to a micron like the famous Moorish mosaic patterns in the Royal Alcázar of Seville.
The hues of red- and white-gold in the 40 mm case, dial and hands meld very organically with the disk indications in various different shades of blue. The movement is no less harmoniously decorated, which can be viewed through the transparent sapphire caseback.
The model presented at the Christie’s Only Watch charity auction given an estimate of CHF 60,000 – 70,000 went under the hammer for CHF 100,000. And that's despite the fact that the Quotidiana didn't have a pre-determined addressee, which is usually the case.
Urwerk UR-112 Aggregat
New watches with fundamentally new and very impressive ways of telling the time can provide an impetus for the creation of a whole new set of instruments which have never been seen before. Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei form a duo which never ceases to amaze with their infinite creative potential.
First, they invented a satellite-cube hour display, where the metal cubes responsible for indicating the hour not only rotate around the central carousel carrying the three satellites but also rotate upon their own axes. Then they developed linear displays for the hours and minutes in the UR-CC1 King model.
And now they've unveiled a watch with triangular prism satellites, where the hours and minutes are indicated by prisms rotating around their axes displayed horizontally through windows where typical models with traditional dials would normally be marked 7 o'clock and 5 o'clock. On top of all that, the hour indication mechanism functions as a jumping hour.
The series was already sold out before the release date at the end of October. By that time, all 25 models had been snapped up for USD 270,000. Interestingly, the rectangular streamlined case with rounded edges has a hunter-style caseback which pops open a like the hood of a car, beneath which the power reserve and seconds displays are hidden.