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. 

We’re somehow halfway through February already, and though the new year is flying by, there are still plenty of reasons to stop, take a moment, and enjoy what’s going on in the world of watches. Let’s take a look.

New watches

Parmigiani Fleurier introduced a new version of its Tonda PF Micro-Rotor with a new Agave Blue dial, in two different case materials: Stainless Steel and Rose Gold. The hand-guilloché dial pattern is rendered in an interesting dial shade that can skew green, blue, or grey, depending on the light. Both versions are in a 40mm case with a bracelet that matches its case material, and they’re both powered by the brand’s in-house automatic PF703 micro-rotor movement. 

URWERK released a truly intergalactic timepiece with the UR-100V Lightspeed Ceramic. The white ceramic case interspersed with silver fiberglass fabric and carbon inserts is pretty much the closest thing to typical in this release, while the movement and expression of time are the real stars of the show. Powered by the automatic in-house UR12.02 movement, the indicators show the minutes (like usual), satellite hours (kinda funky, very cool), and the time required for a sunbeam to reach eight of the planets in the solar system (🤯🤯🤯). Like everything URWERK does, it’s out of this world.

Superb celebrity sightings

Celebrities and their watches were everywhere at Super Bowl LX (aka 60, for those who eschew Roman numerals). 

Halftime show star Bad Bunny sported a new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak with a vibrant malachite dial that echoed the green of the field and the sugarcane grass used in the halftime performance.

Charlie Puth, who sang the US National Anthem prior to the game’s start, wore a Cartier Santos-Dumont in yellow gold.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was seen wearing a Rolex Datejust 41 in Oystersteel and yellow gold, and former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady wore an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” in ceramic.

Rap legend Jay-Z was spotted wearing a Patek Philippe Grand Complications Celestial in platinum, tennis legend Roger Federer wore a Rolex Land-Dweller in Oystersteel and white gold, and acting legend Jon Hamm was seen in a Breitling Chronomat B01 42.

Watch happenings

Hublot welcomed BTS’s Jung Kook as a Global Brand Ambassador and celebrated the partnership with the Hublot Big Bang Original Unico. The watch is a continued reinvention and evolution of the Hublot Big Bang line, and the partnership reflects the constant evolution and reinvention of musicians and performers like Jung Kook.  

Tiffany celebrated its watchmaking history and its latest timepieces with a series of events in their Landmark space inside the flagship boutique in NYC. Press and clients were invited to explore the private space, which showcases Tiffany’s history with timekeeping, jewelry, artistic objects, stained glass, and many other items. Guests were also treated to a demonstration of the enameling techniques used on the Croisillon Paillonne' Enamel watch, which is inspired by Jean Schlumberger’s Croisillon bangle bracelets for the brand in the early 1960s.

The COSC, or Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres, an independent authority that certifies chronometer movements within specific standards, has released a new standard in Swiss chronometry with the COSC Excellence Chronometer. The COSC has been using the ISO 3159 standard for many years, which measures seven criteria, including the well-known timekeeping accuracy of -4/+6 seconds per day. The new Excellence Chronometer certification introduces stricter criteria, including but not limited to “a daily rate tolerance of 6 seconds instead of 10, magnetic resistance up to 200 Gauss, and verification of the stated power reserve. In addition, watches will be tested under conditions that closely simulate real-life wear,” according to the COSC. 

After adding another 11 brands to its roster, including Audemars Piguet, Watches & Wonders announced it is expanding its reach even further with additional activations of its In The City program throughout Geneva during the weeklong watch fair. One of the additional events will be an exclusive partnership with the Montreux Jazz Festival, which will showcase jazz ensembles and emerging artists at a 600 square meter venue on the Quai Général-Guisan each evening. There will also be a Watchmaking Village in the Pont de la Machine building, with professional opportunities and introductory watchmaking workshops.