Five of Zach’s favourites from WatchTime NY 2022
Zach BlassThere is a lot of ground to cover, so I will try to be brief. Last week I attended WatchTime NY 2022, a horological candy shop for those who love all things watches. The participating brands brought some of their latest and greatest watches to get hands-on with, and there were too many I loved to list in detail below. So I have narrowed it down to five of my favourites I wanted to highlight for a variety of different reasons.
Norqain Wild ONE TCS New York City Marathon Limited Edition
If you didn’t know already, I was born and raised in NYC and still live in NYC. So, to have a limited edition Norqain Wild ONE with a map of New York City on the dial is a really neat twist for me. The never rest mentality of the brand, and their partnerships with various charitable organisations and athletic brand ambassadors, makes their newly cemented partnership with the New York City Marathon a natural evolution. The watch utilises a versatile black and white aesthetic, distinguishing itself from the standard production collection with its NYC Map dial that highlights the racecourse of the marathon. For a full review of the Wild ONE you can click here.
| Brand | Norqain |
| Model | Wild ONE TCS New York City Marathon Limited Edition |
| Case Dimensions | 42mm x 12.3mm x 49.4mm |
| Case Materials | NORTEQ carbon composite, rubber, and titanium |
| Water Resistance | 200m (screw-down crown) |
| Crystal(s) | Double AR-coated sapphire crystals |
| Dial | Black dial with light grey outline of the racecourse through a black and gray map of New York City |
| Straps | Rubber with case-matching pin/buckle closure |
| Movement | Automatic Manufacture Chronometer Calibre NN20/1 |
| Functions | Hours, Minutes, Seconds |
| Power Reserve | 70 hours |
| Availability | Now, limited edition of 262 pcs. |
| Price | $5,490 USD |
Breguet Classique 7337
Breguet is one of those brands that doesn’t always get its due from modern watch buyers, requiring a certain level of appreciation for horology to fully understand the quality of their offerings. While many brands have succumbed to the integrated steel sports watch trend, Breguet, while they do have sports watches, has never lost focus on their more elegant offerings. The soberness of the brand at times, largely due to their adherence of tradition and living up to their namesake, does not have the shock and awe draw brands sometimes need. But, the recently released Classique 7337 is one of the watches within their catalogue that has me jonesing to get a Breguet watch into my collection. With a beautifully constructed chapter ring, blued Breguet hands, a truly guilloched dial, and a handsomely finished movement there is a lot to like for those who appreciate classic and timeless designs. Sure, the 3337 in its 36mm case is more my jam. At 39mm though, it is a solid compromise between vintage and modern sensibilities. And, with the injection of Breguet Blue into the calendar apertures, this design has a hint of modern playfulness I definitely welcome. You can read a more thorough review of the Breguet Classique 7337 right here.
| Brand | Breguet |
| Model | Classique 7337 |
| Case Dimensions | 39mm x 9.95mm |
| Case Material | 18K rose gold |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire crystals |
| Dial | White – in gold, hand-engraved on a rose engine |
| Straps | Midnight blue alligator leather strap for the white gold version, mysterious brown alligator leather for the rose gold model |
| Movement | Automatic manufacture calibre 502.3 QSE1 |
| Power Reserve | 45 hours (hours, minutes, seconds, day, date, moonphase) |
| Availability | Available now |
| Price | $43,000 USD, $62,700 AUD |
Armin Strom Orbit Manufacture Edition
If I am being totally honest, the aesthetic of the watch does not really speak to me. What fascinates me about the Armin Strom Orbit Manufacture Edition, and why it likely received its GPHG nomination for this year’s ceremonies in the Men’s Complication category, is its novel means of conveying the calendar date. Rather than a typical date disc, or a pointed hand that circulates the dial each day, the date complication here is controlled by the pusher at 10′. The pusher engages its column-wheel driven date complication. A column wheel is more commonly found in chronograph watches, but here it serves to engage or disengage the date complication. What does this mean? Well, think about it like a central chronograph seconds hand. By depressing the pusher, you either send the red arrow tipped hand to the current date or return the hand to the 12′ position. This effectively makes the date an “on demand” complication. I think this mechanism is only just the beginning, and I would love to see Armin Strom, or another brand, use this concept to control an aperture rather than a hand. Just imagine being able to retract or release a shutter for a date aperture – giving your watch the clean aesthetic of a no-date dial, while also being able to have the date when you want to see it. Food for thought.
| Brand | Armin Strom |
| Model | Orbit Manufacture Edition |
| Case Dimensions | 43.4mm x 12.6mm x 48.96mm |
| Case Material | Stainless Steel, fixed black ceramic bezel |
| Water Resistance | 50m |
| Dial | Off-center black sub-dial with secondary sub-dial |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Strap | Stainless Steel bracelet with a double folding clasp |
| Movement | Armin Strom micro-rotor automatic manufacture calibre ASS20 |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, column-wheel toggled date (on/off) |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | CHF 29,500 |
MB&F LM Sequential EVO
It is no secret how cool I think this watch is, and its movement will never cease to amaze me. A chronograph is already complicated enough, but a watch that has two independent chronographs within it takes things to a whole new level. Two separate chronographs can be controlled by their own dedicated set of pushers on the left and right side of the case, and at 9′ a “twinverter” pusher allows you to engage both separate chronograph mechanisms at the same time – inverting the current status of each chronograph upon activation. Handsomely decorated with the finest traditional decorations, this is also an incredibly modern looking watch that is super comfortable on the wrist as well. A lot to like and a lot to dig into, so you can read a full review of the MB&F LM Sequential EVO here.
| Brand | MB&F |
| Model | LM Sequential EVO |
| Case Material | Zirconium |
| Case Dimensions | 44mm x 18.2mm |
| Water-Resistance | 80m (screw-down crown) |
| Dials | Orange or black PVD dial plates |
| Strap | Black or white rubber |
| Movement | Manually wound LM Sequential EVO calibre |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Complications | Hours, minutes, power reserve, two column-wheel chronographs |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | CHF 160,000/ EUR 160,000 / $180,000 USD (all excl. applicable taxes) |
A. Lange & Söhne ZEITWERK Date
A. Lange & Söhne makes some of the most stunning watches in the world, largely held in the same esteem by watch connoisseurs as Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet. But Lange stands out in own right thanks to their distinct German sensibilities and aesthetic, a signature of some of their watches being information conveyed by large discs inspired by the Five-Minute Clock in the Dresden Semper Opera House designed by Johann Christian Friedrich Gutkaes and his collaborator Ferdinand Adolph Lange in 1841. This gorgeously decorated, distinct, and highly legible means of expressing the time is not only very attractive visually, but the technical know how to make it all work is equally fascinating. While the ZEITWERK Date pictured on my wrist above has a rather large dimension, and I would probably opt for the new second generation ZEITWERK that has a smaller 41.9mm case, I was surprised at how wrist-manageable the 44.2mm was on my wrist. In another life, where I got into hedge funds instead of journalism, this or another ZEITWERK would definitely be in my collection.
| Brand | A. Lange & Söhne |
| Model | ZEITWERK Date ref. 148.038 |
| Case Dimensions | 44.2mm x 12.3mm |
| Case Material | 18K White Gold |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| Dial | Light Grey |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Strap | Dark brown alligator leather with 18K White Gold buckle |
| Movement | In-house manually wound L043.8 |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Functions | Digital hours, digital minutes, seconds, constant-force escapement, power-reserve indicator, date |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | Price Upon Request |