Perfect for this festive season are 9 luxury watches that are made to stop traffic

From Behrens x Konstantin Chaykin’s grinning dial to Van Cleef and Arpels’ plump raspberries, from the cosmic elegance of Vacheron Constantin’s astronomical complication to the martial grace of Louis Vuitton’s automata, these nine luxury watches push the limits of imagination and craftsmanship.

They are not just timekeeping instruments, but collectible creations that tell stories of artistry, philosophy, and joy. While haute horlogerie can mean many things, these timepieces are made to light up both wrist and season with true brilliance that endures beyond the festivities.

Jacob & Co. Astronomia Solar Dragon

Within this 36-piece creation’s 44mm rose gold case, a hand-crafted dragon coils around the movement with fiery magnificence. Realising the mythical beast’s scales, claws, and form took over three weeks of painstaking engraving, polishing, and painting.

Beneath the double-curved sapphire crystal, a 288-facet Jacob-cut yellow gemstone sparkles at the dial centre, orbited by a magnesium earth globe and one-minute flying tourbillon.

The blued titanium sky-chart completes the celestial tableau, against which time is told via the manual-wind Calibre JCAM42 offering 48 hours of power reserve.

Hublot MP-17 Meca-10 Arsham Splash Titanium Sapphire

A fluid, futuristic sculpture in constant motion, this master stroke by contemporary American artist Daniel Arsham marks his first wristwatch design for Hublot. Reinterpreting his recurring “erosion” and water-droplet motifs, it features an organic splash-shaped dial opening and glowing Arsham-green accents.

Within the 42 mm titanium case topped with a frosted, laser-engraved sapphire bezel is the smaller Meca-10 manual-winding movement, which delivers a powerful 10-day reserve.

Limited to 99 pieces, it blends the brand’s Art of Fusion philosophy with the designer’s vision of “collapsing time”.

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Knights of the Round Table: The Enchanter Merlin

In Roger Dubuis’ latest transformation of Arthurian legend into mechanical art, this shimmering 28-piece edition evokes sorcerer Merlin’s crystal palace built for his love, the Lady of the Lake.

The house’s iconic 12 gold knights, each hand-sculpted over three days, stand guard over a dial made of hexagonal Murano-style glass, gold, white enamel, and diamonds in a new invisibility setting, accented with a ruthenium crystal layer.

Beating within the 45mm pink gold case is the in-house RD821 automatic calibre bearing the Poinçon de Genève.

Urwerk UR-101 T-Rex

Horology comes roaring with this limited-edition creation of 100 pieces, reimagining the brand’s icon, the Millennium Falcon, with prehistoric vibes. Its 41mm bronze case and lugs are engraved with a 3D guilloche scale pattern, reminiscent of dinosaur armour, that oxidises naturally over time.

Beneath the hide lies the automatic UR-1.01V calibre, powering Urwerk’s signature wandering hours displayed across two satellite discs on a snailed 180-degree carousel.

Both primal and futuristic, the T-Rex captures Urwerk’s genius for transforming time into tactile emotion and mechanical artistry. 

Louis Vuitton Tambour Bushido Automata

On this 46.8mm pink gold watch, a Japanese-inspired horological theatre unfolds over 16 seconds, on demand: the samurai mask expression changes while a supernatural creature on the helmet stirs to reveal jumping hours, and a katana glides to indicate the minutes on a retrograde display.

Powered by the patented LV 525 calibre and five on-demand automaton sequences, the scene celebrates the ancient Bushido code of loyalty and honour.

Aside from the rigorous engraving and enamel craftsmanship, a deep-red sun over Mount Fuji also indicates the 100-hour power reserve.

Behrens x Konstantin Chaykin Ace of Hearts Pink Sapphire

Reimagining Chaykin’s famous “Joker” motif with a smiling face inspired by a ceramic sculpture from the Eastern Han dynasty, this watch fuses East and West in a see-through trapezoidal sapphire case measuring 42mm by 37mm.

The dial motif’s eyes display hours and minutes, and a heart-tipped seconds hand moves like a grinding wheel over the mouth. At the same time, an indicator on the forehead notes the 46-hour power reserve — all powered by Behrens’ proprietary manual-winding BM07 calibre.

This 20-piece limited edition also features a crown and a rubber strap in candy-pink shades.

Ulysse Nardin Blast Sparkling Rainbow

Across this high jewellery white gold creation’s 45mm white gold case, 211 invisibly set, multi-cut sapphires are arranged in a continuous gradient of rainbow colours, weighing 13.33 carats in total.

Beneath lies the UN-172 automatic flying tourbillon movement with a visible platinum micro-rotor at 12 o’clock, as well as a silicon escapement and hairspring. Limited to just eight pieces, this 45mm skeletonised beauty offers a 72-hour power reserve.

It comes fitted with an integrated white rubber strap with a white gold deployant buckle, also adorned with sapphires.

Vacheron Constantin Metiers d’Art Tribute to the Quest of Time

This exclusive 20-piece 270th anniversary complication is a feat of miniaturisation. Housed in a 43mm white gold case, this double-faced marvel features a gilded and sculpted titanium astronaut whose raised arms indicate retrograde hours and minutes.

At the same time, the reverse reveals a celestial map of Geneva’s 1755 sky. By the figure’s feet is a double-retrograde power reserve, and above its head is a precision moon phase and moon age indicator.

Powered by the hand-wound Calibre 3670, a 512-component movement, it blends exquisite enamel and engraving with mechanical ingenuity.

Van Cleef & Arpels Perlee Extraordinaire Fruits Enchantes Framboise

Exuding the charm of a miniature Eden, this 38mm rose and white gold watch depicts juicy raspberries as three-dimensional enamel sculptures, employing the maison’s own faconne enamel technique, perfected over 16 months of research.

Delicate hand-painted foliage shimmer under relief enamel, imparting the berry volume and translucence, while the house’s emblematic fairies with diamond-set wings flutter against textured gold that channels a woodland scene.

A diamond-set beaded bezel, a red alligator strap, and a ladybug-engraved caseback complete this bejewelled model, which is powered by a Swiss quartz movement.