The Roundup: “Groundbreaking Materials” Edition

Each week, EWC will be gathering horological industry news, cultural conversations and moments surrounding our favorite topic: timepieces. Happy Friday; here’s what’s on our watch. 

Things are heating up in the watch world with a slew of new models hitting the market. As the industry gears up for the Watches and Wonders (the New York Fashion Week of watches), things can get a bit quiet — the calm before the horological storm if you will. But this week, there was something in the air, and watchmakers filled the silence with some exciting new releases.

Material Play

Richard Mille introduced a new model, the RM74-02, decked out in the brand’s exclusive material: Gold Quartz TPT. The warm and neutral yet statement-making composite is achieved by stacking ultra-thin sheets of quartz fibers, layer upon layer, then heating to 120° at a pressure of 6 bars. Within this structure, delicate leaves of 22-karat 5N red gold are embedded and shine through the translucent quartz, creating the perfect frame for the open worked dial revealing the CRMT5 Caliber in-house automatic tourbillon movement.

Girard Perregaux flexed its ability to play with new materials in its sixth collaboration with Aston Martin. Here, for the first time, GP used automotive paint on the dial. This was no small feat. First, the brand had to consider the small real estate of a dial compared to the body of a car. It employed an intricate filtration method to eliminate any residual grains within the paint that could potentially mar the overall aesthetic. Next, the dial underwent a 14-step process involving 15 ultra-thin layers of paint each with two cooking cycles. The result really can’t be put into words — you must see this one in the metal.

Hublot made headlines, unveiling the world’s first multicolor ceramic watch. The brand is no stranger to material play from colored sapphire and vividly chromatic ceramic to inventing the world’s first scratch-resistant 18k gold alloy. Now, in typical Hublot fashion, we get Magic Ceramic. This patent-pending process is more than just layering pigments. Because each pigment must go through different temperatures during the baking and molding processes, the challenge lies in finding the perfect balance, and Hublot achieved it. 

The Official Timekeeper You Didn’t Know

Speaking of Hublot — did you know the brand is also the official timekeeper of the Cricket World Cup? The first ever watchmaker to work with the International Cricket Council, this year marks 10 years of Hublot’s involvement with the sport, which is the second most popular in the world after soccer. The event kicked off this week and runs through early March. 

Do You Know What BAFTA Stands For? 

The British Academy Film and Television Arts, (good thing they have an abbreviation) took place over the weekend, which means more celebs in watches on the red carpet. 

Hublot continued to have a strong presence this week on the wrist of British actor Will Poulter, known for his Emmy-Award nominated performance as Chef Luca on the popular television show “The Bear.” At the 78^th annual BAFTAs, he wore a Classic Fusion Original Black Magic 42mm. 

Zenith also made an appearance at the awards on the wrist of British actor Simon Pegg. Like Poulter, Pegg opted for an ultra-refined version of the brand’s quintessential sport watch: the Defy Skyline Chronograph. The black dial and bold stainless steel build perfectly complimented his all-black ensemble and silvered jewelry, including bracelets, rings, and the accessory of the moment: a brooch. 

Leave it to Jeff Goldblum to pick one of the most audacious models from Vacheron Constantin to complete his red carpet ensemble. The Égérie Creative Edition 37mm in white gold features an intricate dial design combining tapisserie, engraving, enameling, and gem-setting to mimic Burano lace.