The most interesting novelties right now from an investor's point of view: editor's pick at Qlekta.com.

 

 

F.P.  Journe Classique FFC

 

This is a highly anticipated model that collectors all over the world have spent two long years looking forward to! You may remember its prototype created in 2021 for the Only Watch auction, sold for a sum of over USD 4.5 million.

 

And now François-Paul Journe has finally launched a serially produced version of his masterpiece of micro-mechanics. The "FFC" acronym in the model's name stands for "Francis Ford Coppola". The original version also had the word "Blue" in its name as a reference to the fact that this watch was based on one of Journe's simplest yet most popular Chronomètre Bleu models.

 

The story of the model's creation begins with a visit to the great film director's home in 2012. Journe's host shared his idea to create a watch that uses figures on its dial instead of conventional watch hands to tell the time.

 

 

 

Journe rose to the challenge and created a steel automaton nine years later in the shape of a human hand in the center of the dial. An arrow made of blued steel points the minutes by crawling clockwise along the minute scale.

 

 The hand changes the position of its fingers once every hour according to a system similar to referee hand signals in basketball games. In this case, the numbers one to four are counted on the fingers as usual, and five is shown by including the thumb with an open hand.

 

But they needed to come up with a unique system to tell the time after that. Numbers from six to nine are shown using the same first four fingers but with the thumb sticking out. Ten is represented by a closed fist, eleven is a closed fist with the pinky finger sticking out, and twelve is a fist with the pinky finger and thumb sticking out, i.e. the "shaka" hand gesture.

 

F.P.  Journe Classique FFC
F.P. Journe Classique FFC
F.P.  Journe Classique FFC
F.P. Journe Classique FFC

The automaton runs on a movement that was developed based on the automatic manufacture 1300. Its case size has stayed the same: 42 mm in diameter and 10.7 mm in height, but now it’s in platinum.

 

Journe himself hasn't set a price, nor has he elaborated on how many of these marvelous watches will be available. But this is where the benchmark of the estimated auction price for the Classic FFC in 2021 comes in handy: CHF 300,000 – 400,000.

 

Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Display Travel Time 

 

People are already queuing up for Patek Philippe's latest 24-Hour Display, although no limit has been set and there won't be one. The masters at the manufacture drew inspiration from the Chronometro Gondolo pocket watch made circa 1907 for the Brazilian retailer Gondolo & Labouriau.

Its 24-hour display is certainly the first thing that catches your eye. It hasn't been seen on wristwatches by Patek Philippe before, unless we count the small subdials on complicated models that distinguish between night and day. Secondly, Ref. 5224R has an unusually large case measuring 42 mm in diameter.

 

Yet its case height is still just 9.85 mm thanks to the new automatic micro-rotor movement: caliber 31-260 PS FUH 24H. It has a 48-hour power reserve, which is conceptually sound for a model with a central 24-hour display.

 

Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Display Travel Time Ref. 5224R-001
Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Display Travel Time Ref. 5224R-001
Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Display Travel Time Ref. 5224R-001
Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Display Travel Time Ref. 5224R-001

The combination of a rich navy dial with a rose-gold case looks surprisingly fresh. You can join the waitlist for the watch at Patek Philippe boutiques or authorized retailers if there isn't a Patek boutique in your country. The novelty is priced at USD 57,370.

 

Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 

 

Rolex Cosmograph Daytona was already the world's most sought-after modern chronograph and one of the most advanced on the market. The model has been transformed for its 60th anniversary. Firstly, it looks larger at 40 mm in diameter.

 

Secondly, it's thinner: its case measures just 11.9 mm in height, thinner than the last Daytona. The dial has been visually "widened" thanks to more refined subdial rings. Markings have also gotten thinner.

 

The new release runs on a new automatic cal. 4131 movement at a balance frequency of 28,800 vph with a three-day power reserve. This movement is an evolution of the previous cal. 4130. Interestingly, the number of components hasn't gotten smaller, which means it's gotten more reliable.

 

Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 126500 N
Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 126500 N
Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 126506
Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 126506

They've also equipped the watch with the new Chronergy escapement, but it still has the same metal Parachrome hairspring. You don't have to be a fortune teller to predict that the steel version of the new Daytona Ref. 126500 can expect massive success for many years to come, like the previous Ref. 116500 version.

 

The novelty on an Oyster bracelet (or rubber Oysterflex strap) has a very attractive price tag of USD 15,100. The anniversary platinum Daytona Ref. 126506 priced at CHF 74,200 is expected to be just as big a success with collectors. After all, it now has a transparent sapphire caseback for the first time in this model's history!

 

The rotor for automatic winding is solid gold, and the movement's bridges and mainplate are rather beautifully finished according to new in-house quality standards at Rolex. Collectors are well aware that Rolex could discontinue the anniversary platinum model at the drop of a hat without providing any further explanation.

It could be announced before the end of the year or even a couple of months after W&W 2023. Long story short, it's better to be on the safe side and buy one right now. We think the Rolex Emoji Puzzle is another unconventional model by Rolex with a great potential at future auctions.

 

It was launched in the Day-Date 36 mm line referenced 128239-0056. Instead of the days of the week, this watch uses a calendar system with words: "Happy", "Eternity", "Gratitude", "Peace", "Faith", "Love" and "Hope".

 

And instead of using numbers for the date, there are 31 emojis that were specially created. Only one artist holds all the secrets and mastery required to create the enamel jigsaw dial for all of these Rolex pieces. One dial = one full work day. That's why the annual production of this model will be limited by the number of days the master can put in, who hardly intends on doing this job forever.

 

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 'Emoji Puzzle'
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 'Emoji Puzzle'
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 'Emoji Puzzle'
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 'Emoji Puzzle'

A.  Lange & Söhne Odysseus Chronograph

 

Development of the cutting-edge Odysseus model by the Saxon watchmaker continues on a perfectly logical course with the creation of this chronograph. As always, the watchmakers at A. Lange & Söhne have approached the task with all their enthusiasm and creativity. It’s also the first self-winding chronograph movement in this watchmaker's history. The balance beats at a frequency of 4 Hz and it has a 50-hour power reserve.

 

Its main highlight is how the central chrono seconds hand behaves when you press the reset-to-zero pusher: it doesn't instantly jump back to its original position, but covers the entire distance traveled beforehand at a fairly rapid pace, completing the same number of revolutions as the number of minutes timed!

 

A.  Lange & Söhne Odysseus Chronograph Ref. 463.178
A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus Chronograph Ref. 463.178

But that's not all. The pushers on the side of the case normally used to adjust the large day and date windows in ordinary Odysseus watches now control the chronograph. Calendar readings can be adjusted with the winding crown pulled out to the second position.

 

The steel case of this sensational novelty measures 42.5 mm in diameter and 14.2 mm in height. Availability of the Odysseus Chronograph will be limited to a total of just 100 pieces, each priced at around USD 145,000.

 

Cartier Santos-Dumont Skeleton Micro-Rotor 

 

The optimistic outlook for this model's future is premised on the historical significance of its origins, the manufacturer's iconic design and the filigree art of its skeletonization. The novelty came into being thanks to Cartier's endeavor to build on last year's successful Santos-Dumont watches with lacquered cases.

Moreover, the manufacture has finally finished working on a new specially created movement for the Santos-Dumont collection. So, the automatic manufacture caliber 9629 MC is a brand-new movement.

 

It's worth taking a moment to appreciate the symmetry of the winding barrel and balance, now positioned opposite each other at 1 o'clock and 11 o'clock. The contours of the lacquered case are perfectly mirrored by bridges which are also coated in lacquer. 

 

And the foregrounded rotor mechanism for automatic winding at 7 o'clock is absolutely stunning, where the oscillating weight is shaped like Alberto Santos-Dumont's Demoiselle monoplane. Availability of the Ref. CRWHSA0031 model in yellow gold priced at EUR 37,500 will be limited to a series of 150 pieces. The steel and rose-gold editions won't be limited.

 

Cartier Santos-Dumont Skeleton Micro-Rotor Ref. CRWHSA0031
Cartier Santos-Dumont Skeleton Micro-Rotor Ref. CRWHSA0031
Cartier Santos-Dumont Skeleton Micro-Rotor Ref. CRWHSA0031
Cartier Santos-Dumont Skeleton Micro-Rotor Ref. CRWHSA0031

Panerai Radiomir California

 

It always seemed strange that the most sought-after "California dials" models by Panerai with sandwich-format dials combining Roman and Arabic numerals are released on a fairly rare basis. Perhaps that's precisely what makes them so desirable.

 

With this in mind, the new Radiomir California “Otto Giorni” PAM01349 (8-day power reserve movement) is the object of every loyal "Paneristi" fan's desire. The new watch is equipped with a good old manually wound manufacture P.5000 movement with two barrels and a balance frequency of 21,600 vph.

 

A matte khaki green dial, absolutely no-nonsense gold "railroad" minute track, cream-beige numerals with the same tone used to fill the blued-steel hands... And the cherry on top is its 45-mm burnished case made of trademark recycled Brunito eSteel, which has been used as the material for no less than 70 percent of Panerai cases this year.

 

Panerai Radiomir California PAM01349
Panerai Radiomir California PAM01349

And all of this beauty comes at a very democratic price of EUR 12,500. Availability won't be limited, but the Panerai Radiomir California PAM01349 will be available exclusively in Panerai's single-brand boutiques, which are few and far between.

 

Urwerk UR-102 Reloaded

 

Rumors about a fresh auction favorite have been going around for a long time: the small independent watchmaker Urwerk wants to re-issue its second UR-102 model. And now we know they were true. The original model inspired by the launch of Earth's first satellite by the Soviet Union in 1957 had a very subdued appearance.

 

Urwerk UR-102 Reloaded looks a lot more attractive. It's noticeably larger (41 mm compared to the previous 38 mm). The hour indication is no longer a lonely satellite floating "in orbit" on an empty unmarked scale.

 

Urwerk UR-102 Reloaded
Urwerk UR-102 Reloaded
Urwerk UR-102 Reloaded
Urwerk UR-102 Reloaded

It's now a clearly delineated contrasting oval which moves along a brightly marked sector, accompanied by the technological mottos from the brand's co-founders Martin Frei and Felix Baumgartner. The fact that this watch can only be purchased in a two-piece set is proof that it's been launched especially for collectors. Each of the 25 sets is priced at CHF 56,000 per pair.