Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Leopard__Nicolas Cage__CHRONEXT

Advent calendars are all about building up anticipation throughout the festive season, whether it be through the gift of chocolate, or a collection of fine spirits. Watch marketplace Chronext’s carefully-curated assortment of 24 luxury timepieces – sealed within towering, 1.9m-tall wooden box gussied up with glossy black piano lacquer – is something else altogether. And not just because its price tag is a hefty €2.3 million (S$3.6 million).

That’s close to double what they charged last year, a comparatively modest S$1.9 million with luxury watches like the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked and Patek Philippe Nautilus 3712. So naturally, there’s an implicit promise that 2021’s selection of watches will be bigger and better than what was up for grabs the year before.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Black Panther_LE250_CHRONEXT

Like regular advent calendars, you can expect an item to mark the passage of time leading up to Christmas Eve – in this case, luxury timepieces from brands like Patek Phillipe, Audemars Piguet, A. Lange & Sohne included.

(Related: The Code 11:59 by Audemars Piguet collection continues its steady evolution)

They’ve teased three watches on their website so far. The first is Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak Concept “Black Panther” Flying Tourbillion – the inaugural timepiece from the Swiss watchmarker’s collaboration with Marvel Entertainment. The limited-edition timepiece courted a fair share of controversy over design sensibilities, despite sporting an intricate recreation of the superhero that calls for 30 hours at the workbench to engrave and paint. 

The other two chronographs include the gloriously over-the-top Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Leopard, complete with its unmistakable leopard-print dial and bracelet and diamond setting (most notably spotted on mercurial actor Nicolas Cage’s wrist); as well as a rose gold A. Lange & Sohne Zeitwerk.

These, and a host of other timepieces that will be revealed on Chronext’s socials as the month progresses, will be hidden behind illuminated doors scattered randomly across the impressively large wooden calendar, that’s quite a looker in its own right thanks to the combination of a refined, glossy sheen and a clockwork embellishment. 

(Related: #WatchYaGot: Why I bought the Cloche de Cartier)

This advent calendar probably isn’t your regular stocking stuffer. But it sure is exciting, especially if you’ve got a couple of million to spare for festive surprises.

For more on Chronext’s 2021 Advent Calendar.