Basel World 2019 Day 1

Breitling Navitimer Ref. 806 Re-edition

As nostalgia grows ever stronger thanks to the steady march of progress and modernisation, Breitling has launched a watch that isn’t just inspired by a vintage model, but almost an exact copy of it. Based on a 1959 Navitimer, the Ref. 806 Re-Edition gets all the original details right, from the number of beads on the bezel and the plexiglas crystal to the dial design and closed case back. The only modern concessions are an improved water resistance of 30m, Super-LumiNova for lume instead of radium and a new manual winding movement (calibre B09) created specially for this watch.

 

Hublot Big Bang Scuderia Ferrari 90th Anniversary

Hublot has effortlessly captured the spirit of the Formula One races (macho, technical and loud) in a trio of Big Bang watches made to commemorate the Scuderia Ferrari team’s 90th anniversary. The three models have cases crafted from platinum, 3D carbon and sapphire crystal respectively to represent the team’s past, present and future, but all bear the same ceramic carbon bezel — the same material used in racing car brake discs. The Unico movement gives the watches a flyback chronograph with 72 hours of power reserve. Limited to 90 pieces each.

(Related: SIHH 2019: Stunning pieces from A. Lange & Sohne, Cartier, Panerai, Vacheron Constantin, and Parmigiani)

Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin

It may surprise some of you to learn that this is in fact Chopard’s first flying tourbillon, but the inaugural model proves that good things are worth waiting for. It’s wonderfully slim at 7.2mm in height, made from ethically mined 18k rose gold and features a solid gold dial that’s been blackened through galvanisation and hand-engraved with a honeycomb motif. The 4Hz L.U.C 96.24-L calibre is just 3.3mm thick and uses a 22k gold micro-rotor.

 

Tudor Black Bay P01

Prototype designs don’t often see the light of day but Tudor has gone ahead and revived one that had been set aside for half a century. Originally conceived as a tactical diver’s watch for the U.S. Navy and codenamed “Commando”, the prototype had features atypical of the Black Bay watches we’re familiar with, most noticeably the screw-down crown at 4 o’clock and a bi-directional bezel that can be locked in place via a mechanical locking system in the lugs — and these have been carried over to the Black Bay P01. The Calibre MT5612 is COSC-certified.

 

Urwerk UR-T8 Colibri

Like Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso, the Urwerk UR-T8 “Transformer” watch has a case that can be flipped to hide the watch face. But unlike the Reverso, Urwerk’s ideas for how to decorate the watch cover are far less conventional. This year the independent watchmaker has teamed up with knife maker Emmanuel Esposito, whose mosaic inlay technique is a signature in his bewitching folding knives. Black mother-of-pearl was chosen for the UR-T8, and its contrast with the sculpted titanium case works surprisingly well. Each watch comes with a matching knife.

(Related: More luxury watch highlights from day 2 of Baselworld 2019)