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Watches and Wonders: sporting style
Watches and Wonders

Watches and Wonders: sporting style

Sunday, 11 April 2021
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Marie de Pimodan-Bugnon
Freelance journalist

“One must be absolutely modern.”

Arthur Rimbaud

It takes passion, a healthy dose of curiosity and a sense of wonderment to convey the innumerable facets of watchmaking…

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6 min read

Beneath the sea, up in the air, scaling snow-capped peaks or simply for a day around town, the sport watch lends itself to just about every situation. From stylish to rugged, here is our selection of 13 models spotted at Watches and Wonders Geneva.

Baume & Mercier Riviera

Launched in 1973, the Riviera returns for a fifth generation, reviving a Seventies spirit and the creativity that goes with it. The strong lines of its steel case in three sizes – 36, 42 and 43mm – immediately catch the eye, as does the distinctive twelve-sided bezel finished with four visible screws. Relaxed and infinitely stylish, the new Riviera comes on a metal bracelet that can be swapped out for a rubber strap.

Riviera © Baume & Mercier
Riviera © Baume & Mercier
Carl F. Bucherer Heritage Bicompax Annual

Carl F. Bucherer takes inspiration from a mid-century design for the third iteration of the Heritage Bicompax Annual. This limited edition of 888 pieces is distinguished by its classic 41mm case in steel and introduces a sporty reverse panda dial. Chronograph functions and annual calendar indications are powered by an automatic movement.

Heritage Bicompax Annual © Carl F. Bucherer
Heritage Bicompax Annual © Carl F. Bucherer
Cartier Pasha Chronograph

After last year’s much-feted return, the Pasha welcomes that most sporting of complications: the chronograph. Fitted with the in-house 1904-CH MC automatic movement, seen through the sapphire back, its design channels the very first Pasha chronographs that were introduced as from 1985: a 41mm case in gold or steel, a rotating graduated bezel and, preserving the volume of the original design, two pushers topped with a sapphire cabochon. Wear it on a steel bracelet or leather strap, the choice is yours.

Pasha Chronograph © Cartier
Pasha Chronograph © Cartier
Hermès H08

Tense lines meet softened edges, geometric shapes merge into an object that is both delicate and robust: Hermès makes its incursion into sport watches with the launch of the H08. A graphene composite ensures the elegant cushion-shaped case is strong as well as light on the wrist. A bezel in black ceramic surrounds the black-gold treated dial that shows hours, minutes, centre seconds and date. Keeping time is the H1837, Hermès’ own mechanical automatic movement.

H08 © Hermès
H08 © Hermès
H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Mega Cool Centre Seconds

Even without a logo on the dial, a H. Moser watch is recognisable at a hundred paces. The latest addition to the Pioneer collection, the Mega Cool Centre Seconds sports a blue-green Blue Lagoon fumé dial which the brand has paired with a sculpted 42.8mm case in steel that is water-resistant to 120 metres. This dynamic composition is powered by the in-house HMC 200 automatic movement that runs on a comfortable three-day power reserve.

Pioneer Mega Cool Centre Seconds © H. Moser & Cie
Pioneer Mega Cool Centre Seconds © H. Moser & Cie
IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL

No matter what knocks or shocks it might take, the movement of the Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL will never miss a beat. Its secret lies in the SPRIN-g PROTECT system, built around a cantilever spring that cushions the calibre inside the case. Protected by this innovative system, the movement can survive accelerations of up to 30,000 g. The 44mm case is in Ceratanium®, an exclusive alloy that combines the light weight and robustness of titanium with the hardness and scratch-resistance of ceramic. Annual production will be limited to ten pieces per year.

Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL © IWC
Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL © IWC
Nomos Tangente neomatik 41 Update

A new midnight blue dial distinguishes this Tengente neomatik 41 Update, a minimalist beauty cased in steel for a put-together but still laidback look. Ever functional, it gives a new twist to its radial date display, which can be easily adjusted forwards and backwards, with a splash of vivid green Super-LumiNova™. Housed inside the slim 41mm case is Nomos’s DUW 6101 automatic calibre.

Tangente neomatik 41 Update © Nomos
Tangente neomatik 41 Update © Nomos
Oris Diver Sixty-Five Cotton Candy

Shades of sky blue, wild green and lipstick pink brighten the dials of the Divers Sixty Five Cotton Candy. Framed by a 38mm bronze case, such a cheery palette brings a welcome wave of optimism. However fun these watches may be on the outside, performance hasn’t been overlooked with a depth rating of 100 metres and the Oris 733 automatic calibre counting hours, minutes and date.

Diver Sixty-Five Cotton Candy © Oris
Diver Sixty-Five Cotton Candy © Oris
Panerai Submersible eLAB-ID™

It has the functionalities and design of a watch cut out for underwater exploration with its 300-metre water-resistance. Most of all, however, the Submersible eLAB-ID™ is an example of sustainable watchmaking. The EcoTitanium™ of its 44mm case is over 80% recycled content; the escapement is 100% recycled silicon, the Super-LumiNova™ on the dial and hands is also recycled, and the strap is made from recycled fabric. In all, 98.6% of the total weight of this 30-piece limited edition comes from recycled materials.

Submersible eLAB-ID™ © Panerai
Submersible eLAB-ID™ © Panerai
Rebellion Predator 2.0 3h

When a watch arrives with an impressive 48mm case cut from titanium surrounding a three-dimensional dial boasting oversized luminescent numerals, you can bet your bottom dollar it’s designed to get noticed. Inspired by high-performance motor-racing mechanics, the Predator 2.0 3h jumps out with bold swathes of electric blue on the dial and on the vulcanized rubber strap. The engine is an automatic movement that delivers 48 hours of power reserve.

Predator 2.0 3h © Rebellion
Predator 2.0 3h © Rebellion
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer II

Rolex debuted the Oyster Perpetual Explorer II in 1971 as a watch for mountaineers scaling the highest peaks and explorers venturing into uncharted polar regions. This year’s evolution, water-resistant to 100 metres, comes with a redesigned 42mm case and a redesigned bracelet in Oystersteel but still retains many of the original features, including the orange 24-hour hand and the 24-hour graduation on the domed bezel. Dependability and performance are assured by the Superlative Chronometer standard Calibre 3285 movement, which makes its first appearance on this model.

Oyster Perpetual Explorer II © Rolex
Oyster Perpetual Explorer II © Rolex
TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300

Functional and robust, the Aquaracer has been given a successful refresh. The spirit of the 1983 model is intact in an updated design, starting with the choice of ceramic for the twelve-sided unidirectional rotating bezel. Water-resistance has also been upgraded to 300 metres. The movement inside the 43mm steel case is the automatic Calibre 5 powering indications of hours, minutes, seconds and date.

Aquaracer Professional 300 © TAG Heuer
Aquaracer Professional 300 © TAG Heuer
Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight 18K

Tudor’s ever-popular dive watch gets not one but two “firsts” this year, starting with the choice of solid 18k yellow gold for the 39mm case. A matte satin-brushed finish beautifully complements the olive green of the dial and bezel. Also new is the sapphire display back that lets the eye wander across the mechanisms of the in-house MT5400 movement.

Black Bay Fifty-Eight 18K © Tudor
Black Bay Fifty-Eight 18K © Tudor
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