Stuck for Christmas inspiration? Keep up-to-date with our weekly Christmas list, showcasing all timepieces naughty and nice. T minus 24 days people.
It’s the 1st December which means cue all holiday content. We might’ve been playing ‘Deck the Halls’ since Halloween was over but it’s volume on full from here on out. There are two types of person when it comes to Christmas, those that plan in advance with gifts wrapped and ribboned by November, or those who are frantically scrambling together pages of a 3 month-old newsletter as wrapping paper. That shoe definitely fits.
To raise the hype for the holiday season, we’ve put together a weekly wish list of all things naughty and nice. The criteria? £ or £££££, subtle or daring. It’s up to you, or Santa that is. A selection amongst the TNH team, discover the favorite models on our wish list this Christmas from Bulgari to Patek Philippe. Please, Santa.
NICE: Omega Trésor Co-Axial Master Chronometer Small Seconds 40mm
What I love about this no gender timepiece is its clean design, the warm burgundy color of the lacquered dial that pairs elegantly with the rose Sedna™ gold of the case. The domed dial with slender applied indexes, fine and readable hands, a small-seconds sub dial at 6 make the design pure and balanced. The very precise manual-winding winding movement, visible through a sapphire case back allows thin and slender lines of the 40mm case, a choice for simplicity and refinement, completed by a matching burgundy leather strap. I really like this elegant twist of a timeless classic. A must-have that will certainly not go unnoticed on the wrist of a man or a woman.
Price: $16,900.00
NAUGHTY: Bulgari Divas’ Dream Peacock
The Divas’ Dream watches are a dazzling blend of colored gemstones, and decorative arts – marquetry, miniature painting, and champlevé. The colors’ extravaganza is highlighted by the choice of a symbolic and beautiful nature’s diva-like figure: the peacock. Made in a limited production, the three models, present a natural peacock feather marquetry dial for the first, set with 24 natural hand-cut feather elements with a central circle depicting the “eye” of the peacock feather. The second features a hand-painted peacock motif set against a mother-of-pearl backdrop, with goldsmithing technique called champlevé. The third model is a 10-piece limited edition Tourbillon Lumière, with a skeletonized dial decorated with natural peacock feather marquetry and snow-set diamonds. All three Divas’ Dream Peacock are powered by mechanical movements.
Price: On request
NICE: Panthère de Cartier Watch
As a die-hard member of the Navy, that is, Rihanna’s fan base to be precise, I’d clocked the gold watch she was sporting on her wrist many moons ago and held it in the highest regard ever since. If it was worn by Rih, it was good enough for me. The model? A Panthère de Cartier watch. In 1914, to illustrate the invitation for a jewellery exhibition, Louis Cartier commissioned the painting Lady with a Panther from French illustrator, George Barbier. Following this, motifs of the rapid animal occurred throughout the century from jewellery to tobacco accessories, the first model was eventually launched in 1983. A hybrid between jewellery and watches, the Pantère became the hautest watch to own throughout the ‘80s, particularly within the art scene. So much so that the beloved model was discontinued in 2004 and for the next thirteen years became a mean feat to get your hands on. Now she’s back, I’m dying to get my hands on her in the 18k yellow gold and steel case, 27 mm x 37 mm, thickness: 6 mm, crown set with a synthetic blue spinel, silvered dial, blued-steel sword-shaped hands, bracelet in 18K yellow gold and steel, water-resistant to 3 bar (around 30 metres).
Price: $8,800
NAUGHTY: Hublot Big Bang Unico Yellow Sapphire
Hublot is never one to do things silently, and the Big Bang Unico Sapphire is sure enough of that. For this year’s naughty list, I may as well go out with a ‘Big Bang.’ Pushing the boundaries of conventional design, the Hublot Big Bang collection does exactly what it says on the tin with a polished transparent yellow sapphire crystal, complete with a skeleton resin dial.In 2013, the Big Bang crossed another milestone with the introduction of the UNICO chronograph movement. At 42mm, the model embodies the boldness of Hublot’s philosophy, with a modular in-house caliber, the first 100% Hublot movement offers a new fave with automatic chronograph. Motivated by the brand’s manifesto: the art of fusion, the combination of strength and artistic value set this watch apart from the crowd as one for the Naughty list this Christmas. Particularly given the pierce tag.
Price: $80,000
NICE: Furlan Marri Mr. Gray
Furlan Marri is the great surprise of the year for us. Launched on Kickstarter last March, and funded in just 35 seconds, the Furlan Marri adventure is that of a UFO landing in the watchmaking galaxy. And which is no doubt settling there sustainably, unlike many ephemeral projects born from crowdfunding. Powered by the young designer Andrea Furlan and by the collector Hamad al Marri, the brand is interesting because it is paradoxical: it navigates in a fairly ordinary way on the inexhaustible vintage trend while jostling some codes, as it manages to interest lovers of beautiful watchmaking despite a quartz movement. The design is perfectly accomplished, a nod to watches from the 1950s and their reissues, often offered at stratospheric prices by big-name brands. As for the mechanical quartz movement, and regardless of the interest of this hybrid technology, it remains quite far from the usual requirements of true watchmaking enthusiasts.
Be that as it may, Furlan Marri has achieved a stroke of genius by putting all the ingredients of a success story into its watches. And the young brand confirms two things: 1. the design continues to be, without offending some, the primary motivation for buying a watch. 2. fast-selling limited editions are a powerful marketing lever. As proof, the now sold out first editions are offered at 2 to 4 times their original price on online sales platforms.
Price: $500.00
NAUGHTY: Patek Philippe Nautilus
Without a doubt, 2021 will be remembered as the year of all excesses for the Patek Philippe Nautilus. As soon as the manufacturer had announced the halt of production of its iconic Ref. 5711/1A-010 (with blue dial) which excited all speculators, it launched in last April a new version with an “olive green” dial, Ref. 5711/1A-014 (a shade never seen before on Nautilus), to, apparently, close the chapter of the 5711 beautifully. And what was to happen, happened: as soon as it landed on the market, the new reference came off at exorbitant prices. If you are not a global star or a privileged customer of the brand, it is totally illusory to hope to acquire this model by the ordinary way of the Patek Philippe network. The Ref. 5711/1A-014 is now sold almost exclusively on the second market. Offered at more than $400,000 USD… by professionals!
Price: $34,893 (but you won’t get it for that price!)
