The biggest watch show of the year is without a doubt Watches & Wonders, but over the past couple of years, new shows have popped up left and right with great success, one being Geneva Watch Days. This year’s Geneva Watch Days is now underway in Geneva. Quite a few prominent brands have introduced spectacular new releases at the show. Here, we’ve lined up the best new timepieces from Geneva Watch Days 2022.
1. Tudor Pelagos 39
Tudor surprised us with a smaller, 39-mm version of their professional diving watch, the Pelagos. This model has a unique Tudor signature, but does not take its design cues from the brand’s past. Up until now, Tudor only offered the Pelagos in 42 mm, both in black and blue and a black left-handed version known as the Pelagos LHD. The new Pelagos 39 offers the same looks with a few minor differences. For starters, the new watch is made of Grade 2 titanium, a very lightweight material that is easy to wear. The 39-mm case is 11.8 mm thick, has a 47 mm lug-to-lug, and is water-resistant to 200 m (656 ft). While the depth rating falls short of the 42-mm version’s 500 m (1,640 ft) of water resistance, it is still more than enough for most of us (after all, the watch probably won’t see the depths of the ocean). Inside the case, you’ll find Tudor’s caliber MT5400 with a 70-hour power reserve, the same movement that powers the Black Bay 925. Some more significant differences compared to its larger brother are the removal of the date window, a redesigned rehaut, and the missing helium escape valve. What remains, however, is a very recognizable Tudor look with snowflake hands and square indices, features that many people describe as “true Tudor.” This new release means that Tudor is now offering the Pelagos in the same size as the hugely popular Black Bay Fifty-Eight and Black Bay Pro. Thus, it’s very likely that this new 39-mm Pelagos will be a success. Tudor offers the watch on a titanium bracelet for $4,400, and it comes with an extra rubber strap if you want to change things up. This is yet another potential hit for Tudor and one that we love! Chrono24 edit0r Donato even thought about if the Tudor Pelagos series can beat the Rolex Submariner.
2. Oris Divers Sixty-Five 12 Hour Calibre 400
The brand we’d like to start off with is Oris. Earlier this year, the popular manufacturer from Hölstein, Switzerland gave us a string of great releases during Watches & Wonders. We have slowly been seeing Oris introduce their proprietary Calibre 400 into more of their timepieces. Up until now, the main focus was introducing it to the Aquis lineup, alongside a few Divers Sixty-Five limited editions. The Oris Divers Sixty-Five 12 Hour Calibre 400 is the first non-limited release that is powered by this brand’s outstanding movement. The watch is a standard 40-mm model that comes with a black dial and bezel, but Oris opted not to use the regular diving bezel. Instead, Oris has introduced a 12-hour, second time zone bezel – a great twist for travelers. The Calibre 400 offers a whopping 120-hour power reserve, accuracy to chronometer-certified standards, anti-magnetism, and a 10-year recommended service interval and warranty period. Add in the brilliant retro-inspired looks, and Oris has a new winner. The watch will be available for 3,100 CHF (approx. $3,200) on a black leather strap and 3,300 CHF (approx. $3,400) on a stainless-steel bracelet. The latter will definitely be a hit.
3. DOXA Army
A second great release from Geneva Watch Days comes courtesy of DOXA. The brand is predominantly known for the retro-inspired versions of their famous Sub 300, which was initially introduced in 1967. But did you know the brand also produced watches for the Swiss Army? Late last year, DOXA, in collaboration with Watches of Switzerland, released a ceramic DOXA Army in a limited run of 100 pieces. These watches celebrated the small number of DOXA Army models created back in 1968. The 100 limited edition timepieces sold out in an instant, but now DOXA has added a series of five different non-limited models – actually, it’s two different models in several variations. The first is an all-stainless-steel version with a black bezel, spectacular crème and black dial, and orange hands. It will be available with a stainless-steel beads of rice bracelet or a black rubber strap. The second model comes with a stainless-steel case and bronze bezel featuring a dark green ceramic bezel inlay. Together with the crème and black dial and orange hands, the resulting watch is spectacular. For this version, you can opt for a stainless-steel bracelet, black rubber strap, or green rubber strap. The watches all measure 42.5 mm × 44.5 mm, which makes them very wearable. DOXA may just have a new hit on their hands with these Army models. The watches are $2,090 for the black version on a bracelet and $2,050 on a black rubber strap. The steel and bronze version is $2,290 on a bracelet and $2,250 on either the black or green rubber strap.
4. Bulgari Octo Finissimo Skeleton 8 Days
Bulgari gave us a string of new models at this year’s Geneva Watch Days. The most exciting are without a doubt the Bulgari Octo Finissimo models. There are six in total, but we’ll focus on the four gold models, because gold seems to be hip and happening in 2022. Let’s start off with the spectacular Octo Finissimo Skeleton 8 Days. This marks the next in the record-breaking series of the world’s thinnest watch. After having broken records for the thinnest tourbillon, minute repeater, automatic watch, automatic tourbillon, chronograph, tourbillon chronograph, perpetual calendar, and thinnest mechanical watch (the last record being recently broken by Richard Mille), Bulgari set their sights on creating a really thin Octo Finissimo with a power reserve complication. While it’s not record-breaking this time, it’s still very impressive. Once again, Bulgari pulled out all the stops and made a skeletonized version of their iconic watch that is only 5.95 mm thick. The power train that makes it possible is the in-house caliber BVL199SK, which is only 2.5 mm thick. The ultra-thin caliber runs for an impressive 192 hours, or 8 days, when fully wound. The movement is housed in the instantly-recognizable and beautifully sculpted rose gold 40-mm Octo Finissimo case. It truly is a stunning timepiece that can be yours for $38,500.
To top it off, the brand also released stunning rose and yellow gold versions of their 40-mm automatic Octo Finissimo. Bulgari had previously only released a rose gold version of the model with a rose gold dial, which gave the watch a beautiful monochromatic look. This time around, the brand chose to go for a new rose gold version with a brown dial that will be part of the permanent collection and priced at $45,000. The yellow gold version with the same brown dial will be a US limited release of 50 pieces in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first Bulgari boutique in the United States. Lastly, the brand added a new rose gold version of their 43-mm Chronograph GMT that also comes with a brown lacquered dial and chocolate brown leather strap. This final watch will be available for $36,500. Each of these new releases shows the strength of the Octo Finissimo design and the watchmaking brilliance of Bulgari.
5. H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Tourbillon Vantablack
We’re staying with the gold theme when it comes to the brilliant new H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Tourbillon Vantablack. The Streamliner has become a successful collection for H. Moser & Cie, and we have seen a variety of different models released over the last few years. The latest addition to the lineup is the ultra-exclusive red gold version of the brand’s modern luxury sports watch with a brilliantly designed and integrated bracelet – but it doesn’t stop there. The watch features a Vantablack dial, aka the blackest of all blacks. Moser has used “the world’s darkest material” for previous models to much critical acclaim, but seeing it in combination with the red gold case and bracelet is simply stunning – but wait, there is even more! At the 6 o’clock position, you can see the tourbillon in all its glory. This is a one-minute tourbillon, which is part of the brand’s brilliant HMC804 caliber. Seeing the movement in action is absolutely breathtaking, especially considering the black surroundings. If you want to call one of these stunning timepieces your own, be prepared to pay a whopping $126,000. But remember, what you get in return will make you the absolute king of the castle.
6. MB&F LM Split Escapement EVO
Let’s move on to another high-end brand that continuously surprises us with their incredible releases: This year is no exception for MB&F with the stunning LM Split Escapement EVO. The brand quietly released the first LM Split Escapement EVO as a limited edition for the UAE’s 50th anniversary last year. Now, the watch has been introduced globally in a new, spectacular color scheme. The timepiece is now available with an icy cool light blue dial and gray subdials. The EVO name is a link to the EVO series’ special case construction. It comes with 80 m (262 ft) of water resistance, a screw-down crown, an integrated rubber strap, Super-LumiNova on the display, and a bezel-free design. Inside the case, the movement is suspended and protected by a shock-absorbing “FlexRing” system, a very special construction that is a sight to see. On top of that, MB&F chose to turn the movement 30 degrees, which gives the watch a completely new aesthetic that is nothing short of spectacular. If you want one of these seriously impressive timepieces, expect to pay $80,000. Again, what you get in return is a true piece of art for the wrist.
7. Urwerk UR-100V UltraViolet
The final watch on our list is the nothing-short-of-spectacular Urwerk UR-100V UltraViolet. If you are familiar with Urwerk, you know the brand creates high-end timepieces that look futuristic and use spectacular technical solutions to display the time. The UR-100V is an existing collection featuring watches with the brand’s signature satellite hours complication. For the new UltraViolet, the brand decided to mix up the colors quite drastically, resulting in a purple version of their iconic timepiece on a white rubber strap. Are you ready for the purple revolution? We have been seeing purple watches introduced left and right, but this might just be the most spectacular one yet. The watch’s titanium case is sanded and shot-blasted before receiving a violet DLC-coating. The caliber 12.02 with its three-satellite time display is also executed in violet. Small hints of a lighter hue can found in the lime green hour indices. This Urwerk UR-100V UltraViolet looks simply spectacular. It will have a run of 25 pieces and be priced at 55,000 CHF (approx. $56,800), excluding VAT.
There you have it, a list of the most spectacular releases from Geneva Watch Days 2022. As you can see, there are plenty of impressive novelties. We will keep you posted on all the latest developments at Geneva Watch Days as they happen!
