MOST of the watches launched at Baselworld 2018 have now become available so now is the perfect time to select a new one. Chrono Hunter is pleased to advise you of our favourite watches for 2018/19
Rolex GMT Master II Oyster Everose Gold
It may have been Rolex’s GMT Master II with the Pepsi bezel that caused the biggest buzz at Baselworld, but the Oyster Everose Gold version is the one that excites us most. The black dial and the coffee and black bezel contrast exquisitely with the rose gold. It may be Rolex’s most handsome GMT Master yet. Rolex lists this watch at £26,950.
Tudor Black Bay GMT
Tudor’s 2018 collection has been tremendously well received and for good reason. Our pick is the Black Bay GMT. This is the manufacturer’s dive watch GMT combination and features a Pepsi bezel like that of the Rolex GMT Master II that is proving so popular. Choose from a brown leather, steel or fabric band. Tudor lists this watch at £2,790.
Blancpain Equation Du Temps Marchante
The Equation Du Temps Marchante comes with one of the most intriguing complications. It gives the time of the solar day as well as the standard 24-hour day. This may serve little other purpose than to demonstrate the watch’s exquisite engineering, but that is good enough for us. The platinum case, white face with three dials and an exposed equation of time mechanism at six o’clock combine to present a timepiece as beautiful as it is sophisticated. It comes in a limited edition of 188. People who have been able to find them have been paying up to £150,000.
Panerai Luminor Due Three Days Automatic Acciaio 38mm
Panerai Luminors are undeniable stylish, and until now, undeniably massive. This Acciaio has a 38mm radius face, small by most standards, minuscule by Panerai’s. The distinctive crown guard remains and the Acciaio has a seconds dial at nine o’clock and date at three. It comes with an austere black face with white markings or in a funkier version with white face and blue markings. Panerai lists this watch at £5,100.
Omega Seamaster 1948 Small Seconds
This beautifully simple and elegant watch pays tribute to the first version of the Omega Seamaster which was launched in 1948. The white face with silver markings and seconds dial at six o’clock is presented on a brown leather strap. Limited to 1,948 pieces, and not available until October, the Omega lists this watch at £4,950.
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Patek Philippe Aquanaut Self-Winding
This is perhaps the most casual Patek Philippe we have ever seen. The black face with white and orange markings comes with two rubber straps, black and orange. It is the classic Aquanaut shape with a seconds dial at six o’clock and a date window at three o’clock. Patek Philippe lists this watch at £33,510.
Patek Philippe Ellipse in Rose Gold
Much more formal than the Aquanaut, the Ellipse features an ebony black sunburst dial and not much more. Other than the words “Patek Phillipe” and “Geneve”, just gold hour and minute hands and single batons for each hour adorn the face. Patek Philippe lists this watch £23,620
Breguet Classique Extra Flat
The newest version of Breguet’s Classique Extra Flat has a pearl-coloured intricately engraved guilloche dial, roman numerals and the trademark blue hands – hour and minute only, this is not to be warn on occasions where seconds are to be worried about. As the name suggests, it is almost impossibly thin. Breguet lists this watch at £14,100.
Bulova Oceanographer Devil Diver
This is the epitome of a dive watch. The hands are chunky and readable rectangles on a hefty 44mm dial. The white markings contrast nicely with the dark grey dial and the bezel is clear with a red marking the first quarter hour and black for the remainder. The Devil Diver name comes from the depth to which the watch is certified – a diabolical 666feet. Bulova lists this watch at £600.
Zenith Defy Classic
There are two versions of the Defy Classic 2018, one with exposed works and one with a
blue dial. Both have brushed titanium cases and simple hour batons. We think the blue-dialled version, which also has a date window at three o’clock, looks perfect with the blue alligator skin strap. Zenith lists this watch at £4,400.