Geneva Watch Days 2023: 7 New Watches That Have Our Attention

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Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for Geneva Watch Days 2023 – Running in its fourth consecutive year at the very cradle of luxury watchmaking (August 29th to September 2nd). It’s the busiest week for watch journalists across the globe as titan horlogerie miasons present their finest new novelties. This year, the key theme to look out for is retro revival combined with material innovation – reviving those lost timekeeping relics of the past but with a serious contemporary spin. Also, you may notice an extra sprinkle of stardust (diamonds) with this year’s novelties – an absolute celestial extravaganza!

For those witnessing the magic of Geneva Watch Days for the first time, here’s a quick brief about this international watch fair – amidst the pandemic, as in-person launch exhibitions weren’t suitable, the watch industry switched to digital realms. Bvlgari, Breitling, De Bethune, Gerald Genta, Girard-Perregaux, and few other names united to announce Geneva Watch Days, which later transitioned into a ‘phy-digital’ format, followed by officially opening its doors to the world last year.

We’ve kept a close eye on what’s new, hot, and sparkling, at the Geneva Watch Days 2023, witnessing a flurry of new watch releases. Here are the top seven watches that have us completely smitten.

Bulgari Octo Finissimo collection “CarbonGold” Perpetual Calendar

Bulgari furthers the Octo Finissimo mission with a new CarbonGold Perpetual Calendar, launching alongside an Automatic variant. As a first for the Octo since 1993, it arrives in a tougher-than-Earth Carbon case complemented by a Rose Gold crown with matching accents on its dial. Overall, it’s a splendid mix of material experimentation and apex Italian complications. The case measures 44 mm and is ultra-thin in typical Finissimo fashion. The sub-dial for date is located at twelve o’clock, days at eight o’clock, and months at four o’clock. Under the hood resides Bulgari’s BVL 305 movement which promises a power reserve of 60 hours, which is also the world’s thinnest perpetual calendar movement (introduced in 2021) measuring a mere 2.75 mm in thickness. This is strapped on in a carbon-made bracelet with a DLC-coated steel folding clasp.

Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Chronograph 8Tech

Fresh out of the oven by Girard-Perreguax for Geneva Watch Days 2023 is the Absolute Chronograph 8Tech. This carbon-crafted chronograph is the latest offering from GP’s ‘special project’ line – the Laureato Absolute. Slating in with a 44 mm case, the case is forged out of a carbon-titanium composite material, GP calls this manufacturing technique ‘8Tech’. Embracing Monochromatic hues, the dial boasts a grey gradient with white indexes and hands. Inside rests the automatic Girard-Perregaux GP03300-1058 equipped with a chronograph and date window, boasting a 46-hour power reserve. This is strapped on in black rubber fabric and grey stitching.

Moser & Cie. Endeavour Tourbillon Concept Vantablack

Since 2018, Vantablack has been H. Moser & Cie’s preferred weapon of choice in the industry’s material innovation race. For GWD 2023, expanding their Endeavour collection and Concept line, we witness the Tourbillon Concept Vantablack. Known to be a material composed of carbon nanostructures, Vantablack absorbs 99.965% of light – creating a visual black hole on your wrist. This time, however, the Vantablack dial is graced by a tourbillon – putting its mechanical elegance on display too. Measuring 40 mm, it’s cased out of 5N red gold with a matching crown which features Moser’s signature ‘M’. Inside, we see the HMC 200 which winds automatically with a 72-hour power reserve. 

Urwerk UR-100V Stardust

Urwerk’s inspirations for their ‘100’ collection have always been astronomical in nature, and it’s no surprise that their new GWD 23 special looks like a literal UFO. Couple this with a sprinkle of diamonds, and you have a galaxy on your wrist – that’s exactly what the UR-100V Stardust is about. The 41 mm case is forged out of stainless steel while the caseback is titanium and sapphire. Bedazzled by 400 diamonds totalling 1.90 carats, it uses a unique ‘snow-setting’ dexterity technique where the edges are left unfinished and raw. The inner rail which indicates minutes is further studded with 36 diamonds and 24 more on its crown. This is powered by a self-wound UR 12.02 movement which beats at 28,800vph promising a 48-hour power reserve. This timekeeper is strapped by blue fabric and a stainless-steel buckle, 11 more diamonds here.

Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon 38 Mintnight

Limited to 18, Arnold & Son presents the sparkling Perpetual Moon 38 Mintnight, which features a sea of glimmer complimented by a ruthenium moon-full. Telling stories of the night sky and the ocean below, it boasts an 18-karat white gold case. Tallying the sparkle on its bezel, lugs, indexes, and crown, this timekeeper is bedazzled by 80 brilliant-cut diamonds furthered by 22 more on its buckle. The dial embraces shades of teal, turquoise, and mint green, taking after the appearance of ocean waves. We also see a mother-of-pearl layer with hand-painted stars. Inside this 38 mm case, is a manual-wound movement which beats at 21,600 vph offering a power reserve of 90 hours. 

Frederique Constant Classic Power Reserve Big Date Manufacture

Frederique Constant has always embraced classic elegance in their watchcraft – couple this with consistent innovation and complication experimentation, and you have a dress watch designed for timeless elegance and mechanical poetry. The case at hand is the Classic Power Reserve Big Date Manufacture, which as the name suggests, boasts a big date, 50-hour power reserve, and bonus – a moonphase. Limited to 350 pieces, this FC boasts a 40 mm rose-gold case with matching indexes and an FC 735 movement inside.

Jacob & Co. The World Is Yours Dual Time Zone

The Jacob & Co. The World Is Yours Dual Time Zone watch pays homage to heritage and wanderlust. Inspired by a vintage dual time zone Wakmann timepiece gifted to Jacob Arabo by his father, this limited 999-piece edition debuted at Geneva Watch Days 2023. Maps of Americas and Afro-Eurasia, intricately detailed in 18-karat rose gold, grace the dial’s East and West with the ocean expressed in cobalt blue lacquer. The caseback showcases the opposite face of the globe, depicting Europe, Africa and the Indian subcontinent. Sub-dials at 12 and 6 o’clock house dual time zones with unique hour and minute hands, while a four-armed wonder windrose compass centres the dial. Driven by a self-winding JCAA11 calibre movement at 28,880 vph, it boasts a 42-hour power reserve. A blue leather strap with an 18-karat rose gold buckle completes the journey.