The image above—of this splendid piece of art—marks the starting point of the journey that became this article. A tumultuous one, to say the least, as I found myself haunted by it—as if it insisted, no, demanded—to be brought to life. And so here I am, on an evening meant for rest, frantically tapping away at my keyboard, heeding its call.

The Piaget Essentia collection is mesmerising to behold; its beauty transcends the traditional aesthetic standards and golden ratios of horology, embracing instead sinuous, almost topographical contours. Truthfully, these pieces are more art than watch. This is no accident. Piaget exists at the crossroads of haute joaillerie and watchmaking, merging two breeds of elite maîtres artisans: joailliers and horlogers. Think of it as S.H.I.E.L.D. assembling the Avengers—different powers brought together, each complementing and amplifying the other.

If the Essentia is a fusion of crafts, it is through its materials that this fusion becomes visible. The collection is built around a consistent architecture: a rose gold bracelet integrated into the case, with a diamond pavé framing the dial. Its variations feature ornamental stone dials—including turquoise, malachite, tiger’s eye, and black opal—each selected for its distinct visual identity. Their presence also traces a subtle chronology: turquoise, among the earliest stones worn by ancient civilizations; malachite, associated with imperial ornament and power; tiger’s eye, long regarded as a protective talisman; and black opal, a more recent fascination, prized for its shifting, almost electric play of colour.

At Watches and Wonders 2025, Piaget presented the collection not as a standalone novelty, but as part of a broader heritage narrative—alongside the reinterpreted “Rainbow Aura” and the “Swinging Sautoir” and “Hidden Treasures” collections. In this context, the line reads as a contemporary extension of Piaget’s 1960s experimentation with ornamental stone dials—a modern revival of its most expressive period.

Some pieces, in my eyes, belong to the realm of Fabergé Eggs: inaccessible to most, but for all to admire throughout time. The Essentia collection, in all its variations, feels destined for that space.

Like those eggs, these watches transcend their function. You do not wear an Essentia primarily to tell time; time becomes almost an afterthought, a secondary courtesy offered by an object whose primary purpose is beauty.

The value of such objects lies not in their utility, but in their existence. The Parthenon still stands, even for those who will never visit Athens. The Fabergé Eggs remain in museums, admired by all who encounter them.

Some will object, of course. They will speak of price, of accessibility, of a world with more pressing concerns than luxury watches. They will be right—and they will also miss the point.

The point is creating for the sake of unleashing one’s creativity—to make the most beautiful thing possible, in pursuit of excellence; creating because we can, creating to be remembered, so that our creations may outlast us. It is, perhaps, the most human and noble thing one can do—something we have been doing since the earliest cave paintings, which still endure tens of thousands of years later.

Perhaps that is why the image lingered—why it refused to be forgotten—because it was never just a watch, but a reminder of what we are capable of, when we choose to create.

*All images used above are sourced externally and remain the property of their respective copyright holders.

Inass AKISRA

Behind Every Great Lap Time, There’s an Even Greater Chronograph.

If you read all our previous articles in the In Play series, you’d have surely deduced that brand involvement/marketing strategy (placement, alignment) is mostly, if not integrally, psychological warfare.

We’ve covered tennis, golf, and equestrian sports, with each exploring how watches operate within their worlds. And came to conclude that they don’t mean the same thing across disciplines. In tennis, they represent ascendancy. In golf, tradition. In saddlesports, the social code. But something’s been left unsaid. Or maybe just delayed. And a hunch tells me you share my feeling, too dear reader? Hopefully, or else I’ll seem like a delusional fool.

Since we talked about horses, let’s pivot towards something more passionate, less coded, and that still involves horsepower: the FIA Formula One World Championship—or, more commonly known, Formula 1.

Whereas in the previously mentioned sports, everyone has to keep it mindful and demure to a certain extent, F1 plays by a totally different logic.

Because really, why would you want to be subtle while sharing the grid with 20 V6 turbo hybrid engines that blast at the same volume as jet engines? (130 decibels. I’ve checked. I’m just as shocked as you are). Watches can be as loud and flashy as they want—nothing they do will ever out-boom the cars.

The rules here are so different that the watch brand dominating every other sport doesn’t even run this track. Cough cough, Rolex. It never quite felt at home in F1, even after holding the title of official timekeeper for 13 years. Because it forgot the golden rule:

In F1, the grid doesn’t care about subtlety, and neither do the watches that survive on it. Seeing that the winning watch brand isn’t the most historic—it’s the one that looks like it was built in a wind tunnel or made to withstand 6Gs.

Richard Mille is the perfect specimen that backs up this theory.

Not only are they one of the flashiest watch brands there is, but they landed a collaboration with 2 very notable teams, McLaren (2017) and Scuderia Ferrari (2021).

Their collabs with McLaren and Ferrari aren’t just branded crossovers—they feel like extensions of each team. The 4 McLaren pieces (RM 11-03, RM 50-03, RM 40-01, and RM 65-01 McLaren W1) reflect exactly what the team is known for: pushing limits through materials, keeping things ultra-light, and building with performance in mind. On the Ferrari side, the RM UP-01, RM 43-01 and the new RM 72-01 “Charles Leclerc” are a nod to pure racing heritage—sleek, technical, and unmistakably tied to the brand’s visual and mechanical DNA. It’s design that actually makes sense in the world it’s meant for. And the best part is that these watches aren’t sitting behind glass. They’re actively seen out and about in the grid, on the drivers wrists. All 4 of them. Ultimately fulfilling the finality behind these partnerships, which is gaining visibility.

If there’s one brand that’s earned its stripes on the F1 circuit, it’s TAG Heuer.

As they famously served as the sport’s official timekeeper from 1992 until 2003. But their ties to the sport go way back—like 1971 back—when they became the first watchmaker to sponsor a Formula 1 team (Scuderia Ferrari, no less). Back then, they were still just Heuer, and the partnership was more on the actually operational side than being a simple branding move. They supplied trackside timing systems (translation: timing their engine speed/performances)and dashboard chronographs to Ferrari; all of this meant so much to Jack Heuer that he offered their services free of charge. It was a bet on prestige, not profit—and a clever one at that because it paid off. During that era, Ferrari won multiple titles with Niki Lauda behind the wheel, and Heuer became part of that golden narrative.

This sponsorship also gave rise to a few timepieces. The Heuer Carrera 1158 CHN, an 18-karat gold chronograph, was gifted to Ferrari drivers like Niki Lauda and Clay Regazzoni—a highly coveted collector’s item today. Another standout was the Heuer Monza Chronograph featuring a distinctive cushion-shaped case (which kinda reminded me of the Ralph Lauren Western Cushion) introduced in 1976 to commemorate Lauda’s first world title with Ferrari. Named after the emblematic Italian circuit. These watches surpass their intended purpose of just being worn and are real markers of the legacy of this joint venture.

In 1985, after TAG (Techniques d’Avant Garde) Group acquired Heuer, the newly formed TAG Heuer kicked off what would become a legendary 30-year collaboration with McLaren (1985-2015). This partnership spanned the Senna-Prost rivalry, Mika Häkkinen’s championship era, and Lewis Hamilton’s first title in 2008. Their logo was on the suits, the helmets, the tools—not just the cars.

Over the years, they co-developed a number of co-branded timepieces that celebrated McLaren’s racing spirit and technological DNA. Notable models included the TAG Heuer Formula 1 McLaren Special Editions, designed with McLaren’s signature colors and branding; the TAG Heuer Carrera MP4-12C Chronograph, inspired by the McLaren supercar of the same name, featuring carbon fiber dials and tachymeter scales; the Kirium Ti5 McLaren Edition, a limited edition model with a lightweight titanium case; and the SLR Chronograph, developed in homage to the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren supercar, fusing automotive design cues with horological craftsmanship.

The partnership even involved technical R&D (Research & Development) between the two brands, evolving into something far beyond simple marketing—true co-creation.

In 1986, TAG Heuer launched the now-iconic Formula 1 collection—bold, accessible, and full of color—targeted towards younger fans but still rooted in the speed and adrenaline of the sport. Nearly four decades later, in 2024, TAG Heuer partnered with lifestyle brand Kith to reissue this collection, reviving ten models from that exact 1986 lineup. The revival gave new collectors (and longtime fans) a fresh reason to revisit their love of F1-style timekeeping. 

After ending their three-decade partnership with McLaren in 2015, TAG Heuer didn’t exit the track—they switched lanes. In 2016, they became the official partner and timekeeper of what is now the Oracle Red Bull Racing Formula 1 Team. This partnership marked a shift in energy: Red Bull was younger, edgier, and fiercely competitive. TAG Heuer even branded the team’s power units as “TAG Heuer” engines for several seasons—a bold move that amplified visibility and deepened integration. 

And let’s be real, watch brands do looove some wristshots. Because that’s where the halo effect kicks in: the driver wins, and the watch wins with them.

The collaboration extended beyond branding into product design, with multiple Red Bull Racing special edition watches that reflect the team’s personality and high-performance ethos. Among them, the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph x Red Bull Racing Special Edition (CAZ101AL.FT8052) features a blue sunray dial and red-yellow accents, while its sibling, the CAZ101AK.BA0842 pairs a steel case with a tachymeter bezel. The Formula 1 Automatic Chronograph x Oracle Red Bull Racing (CBZ2080.FT8091) with a titanium case and forged carbon bezel. And for the tech-forward crowd, there’s the Connected Calibre E4 Red Bull Racing Edition(SBR8A80.EB0365), a smartwatch. Which may not thrill mechanical purists (Walid included) but it absolutely fits Red Bull’s data-driven, tech-obsessed DNA. 

But most of all, let me tell you about one person who was important in TAG’s history with F1: Ayrton Senna. THE ICON. He was chosen to be ambassador because he was the human embodiment of how TAG Heuer wanted to seem: precise, relentless, technical, and wired for greatness. The brand has honored that legacy ever since, through Senna Special Editions that still show up in the Formula 1 and Carrera lines, with the signature “S” logo, bold bezels, and colors that nod to his helmet and Brazilian heritage. I like to believe that it’s not just a nostalgic nod but an act of continuity, of still keeping him on the wrist of the sport ever since.

At Watches & Wonders 2025, TAG Heuer didn’t just show up—they leaned all the way into their racing DNA. First up was the Formula 1 Solargraph: a throwback to the brand’s colorful ’80s era, inspired by the same 1986 collection that informed the look of the Kith collab. Even though this release resembles the revival pieces, it’s fundamentally different—it’s forward-facing and now equipped with solar-powered tech, making it far more functional for daily wear. Then came the Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph F1: a white ceramic watch with a translucent red dial that raised quite a few eyebrows. Both models are loud in every way (right and wrong), proving TAG’s still got it.

Today in 2025, post 22 years of absence, we’re pleased to see that they reclaimed their previous,rightful, title with a fresh 10-year deal under the LVMH umbrella from their predecessor (or usurper some might argue; but we’ll leave that discretion up to you) Rolex.

Aside from these two titans—TAG Heuer and Richard Mille—the rest of the F1 grid isn’t watchless . IWC Schaffhausen backs Mercedes-AMG Petronas, Girard-Perregaux partners with Aston Martin, Tudor joins Visa Cash App Racing Bulls (formerly AlphaTauri), and H. Moser & Cie. supports Alpine. But these collaborations mostly trickle through the same golden rule filter: big, bold, aggressive-looking, crammed-dialed watches, dressed in their teams’ liveries. 

In fine, every sport represents a different medium for watches: F1 is a colosseum, just as tennis is a stage, golf is a clubhouse key, and saddlesports are a monogrammed VIP invite. To be part of the action in the Colosseum arena, a watch can’t just show up—it has to be spec’d up, engineered for adrenaline, and dressed with the right gear or ethos to survive the pace. Only then does it earn its shot under the floodlights, in a moment of global spotlight.

Let’s be real for a second. When I say equestrian sports and haute horlogerie, what’s the first thing that crosses your mind? If your answer was rich people, apart from YOU LITERALLY READING MY MIND, you’re not wrong at all; because it’s the exact public both of these worlds cater to.

However, aside from their elitist-leaning tendencies, the worlds of horses and watches share similar values like precision, tradition, ritual, and excellence. Which are the real reasons why their orbits so often converge.

Before we get into the luxury branding and watch tie-ins, let me briefly walk you through the different disciplines, arenas, and landmark events of the equine sphere.

There are five main disciplines you’ll come across on the international circuit. 

Show jumping is fast-paced and high-stakes, with riders navigating timed courses of fences and obstacles. It’s the most widely televised. 

Dressage, often called “horse ballet”, is all about technical precision and grace, performed in a rectangular arena with choreographed movements. 

Eventing combines dressage, cross-country, and show jumping into one three-phase competition that tests both control and endurance. 

Polo brings speed and aggression into the mix, with two teams on horseback swinging mallets at a small ball across a massive grass field. It’s long associated with aristocratic circles. 

And finally, horse racing is the most commercially visible, involving flat-out sprints on turf or dirt tracks, especially dominant in the UK, France, the US, and the Gulf.

Now that we’ve mapped out the main disciplines, let’s talk hallmark events: the grand slams, royal enclosures, and champagne-fueled weekends that put equestrian sports on the global calendar (and on your Instagram feed if you’re on the posher side). 

Think of these as the Met Gala, Cannes, and Fashion Week all rolled into one

Royal Ascot (UK)
Racing meets royalty meets runway. This is the British monarchy’s annual flex , where flat racing shares the spotlight with hat drama, social prestige, and unapologetically old-money aesthetics (think the Prince and Princess of Wales and the late Queen Elizabeth II as she had an acute interest in horses). Watches here? Present (often vintage) but it’s an “iykyk” situation.

Longines Global Champions Tour
An elite show jumping series hopping from Paris to Doha, Miami Beach to Monaco and Rabat too last year. It’s urban, it’s polished, and it’s dripping in luxury. Longines doesn’t just sponsor it—they co-curate the vibe. If there’s a “F1 of show jumping,” this is it.

Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping
Think tennis Grand Slam, but with horses clearing 1.60m fences at breakneck speed. This triple crown spans Aachen (Germany), Geneva( Switzerland),  and Spruce Meadows (Canada). Rolex uses it to fuse sport, spectacle, and precision—exactly what their timepieces promise.

FEI World Equestrian Games
Held every four years, this is basically the Olympics for horses. Eight disciplines. One city (different each edition, or scattered across multiple locations). Hundreds of athletes. Thousands of grooms, vets, owners, and fans. From vaulting to dressage, it’s a celebration of equestrian mastery on an international stage

Prix de Diane Longines (France)
Held in the dreamy town of Chantilly, this isn’t just a horse race—it’s a high-society garden party where elegance takes the reins. Longines is the official title sponsor, giving the event its full name: Prix de Diane Longines. Beyond sponsoring the race, the brand curates the day’s identity around grace, femininity, and heritage. One of the highlights? The annual “Mademoiselle Diane par Longines” award, a fashion prize given to the most elegantly dressed woman, turning the grandstand into a catwalk of haute millinery and timeless silhouettes. It’s not just about the finish line—it’s about style, storytelling, and serious soft power.

Dubai World Cup (UAE)
One of the richest races on Earth (we’re talking $12 million+ purses), and a clear flex of Gulf wealth and ambition. Held at the jaw-dropping Meydan Racecourse, this is where haute horlogerie meets hawks, horsepower, and hospitality suites the size of small kingdoms.

Now that we’ve set the tone, let’s zoom in on the role watches actually play in all this pageantry. You’ve probably clocked some familiar names already—Rolex, Longines—their presence not just visible but interwoven into the fabric of equestrian sport. And if you’ve been tuning into Walid’s podcast (obviously), reading polo should’ve triggered a reflex: the Reverso. Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Art Deco icon, originally engineered in the 1930s to withstand the brutal swings of polo matches in British India. So it tracks that the Reverso still carries real cultural weight in polo circles—even if JLC’s modern role in equestrian sport is more symbolic than strategic.

Let’s analyse further. Even in equestrian sport, Rolex remains king, with its name crowning the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping—arguably the discipline’s most prestigious challenge. It’s a textbook case of legacy positioning, where the brand dominates by embedding itself in spaces where tradition holds weight. This strategy is built on alignment: anchoring Rolex to a world that values consistency, history, and quiet authority. In this context, visibility comes from proximity to prestige—and over time, that familiarity cultivates trust and deep-rooted appreciation.

Longines takes a similarly deliberate approach—just at its own frequency. Its long-standing investment in the Global Champions Tour and the Prix de Diane; as long as its partnership with the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) as its official timekeeper and watch brand has cemented its role as a fixture across both equestrian and elite cultural circuits. But beyond strategy, there’s something intrinsic at play: Longines, in its essence, aligns more naturally with the world of equestrian sports. Its design language—graceful, elegant, often understated—mirrors the aesthetics of the sport itself.

If Rolex is a muscular mustang, all power and presence, then Longines is a refined Akhal-Teke—sleek, precise, and built for poise. That’s why its presence here doesn’t feel opportunistic; it feels organic, almost inevitable. Longines may not dominate every conversation like Rolex, but it speaks fluently in the rooms that matter—and that’s exactly how you play and win the long game, or in this case, the market-Royal Ascot.

Now that we’ve broken down the major players, let’s name names. In this market, the holy trinity remains Rolex, Longines, and Jaeger-LeCoultre—each with its own rhythm and relationship to equestrian sport. 

The dynamics play out as such: Rolex and Longines move with legacy. While Jaeger-LeCoultre stays mostly symbolic, with the Reverso forever linked to polo.

Beyond the established trinity, other brands orbit this space in their own way. Cartier and Hublot, though stylistically opposite, are playing the same game—using polo sponsorships like the Queen’s Cup and the Polo Gold Cup Gstaad to position themselves in the luxury spotlight, not through deep sporting ties, but as calculated exercises in brand visibility and cultural alignment.

Then there’s Hermès—less a sponsor, more a native. With equestrian roots dating back to 1837, it doesn’t just host the Saut Hermès in Paris; it embeds those values into timepieces like the Arceau, designed in 1978 and inspired by stirrup shapes. As for them, equestrian style isn’t brand play—it’s DNA. 

These aren’t Big 3 contenders—they’re adjacent forces. Unlike Rolex, Longines, or Jaeger-LeCoultre, which build long-term legitimacy through deep integration with the sport’s governing bodies, timekeeping infrastructure, or heritage design, brands like Cartier, Hublot, and Hermès approach equestrian sport as a vitrine—a curated stage for image-building, selective visibility, and cultural storytelling. 

It’s hard not to see how equestrian sport doubles as both stage and strategy—where some brands are embedded in legacy positioning and literally “timing the sport,” while others treat it as narrative real estate. Both approaches are sharp. And honestly, as someone studying sports marketing, it hits different to recognize these moves in real time and decode the strategy behind them.

Turns out, the real link between horology and equestrian sports is how both sell—indirectly, aspirationally, and through the room itself. The watches aren’t on athletes; they’re on spectators. It’s not about sponsorship logos—it’s about signaling who belongs, who watches, and who wears what. A peer-coded ad dressed as tradition.

*We do not own the rights to any of these photos. please note that all images and copyrights belong to their original owners. no copyright infringement intended.*

In the following piece, let’s take a moment to discover one of the most existentially fabulous releases at Watches & Wonders Geneva 2025: the Hermès Cut collection, reimagined with the Le Temps Suspendu complication — now in a larger diameter (39mm instead of 36mm), rendered in rose gold, and enhanced with bold new dial tone.

Now yes, there were plenty of shiny, head-turning releases this year, but this one stands out for a totally different reason. It’s not just about looks — it’s a concept piece wrapped in elegance. Because, and here’s the twist: it doesn’t just tell time — it lets you turn it off. (And pretend to be Flash for a while)

What Even Is “Le Temps Suspendu” ?

Let’s break it down. “Le Temps Suspendu” literally means “Suspended Time,” and that’s not just poetic marketing fluff. 

With the press of a button, the hands on this watch jump to a fixed position — like they’re frozen — and just stay there.

The kicker? The movement inside keeps running the whole time.
So when you press the button again, the hands snap back to the real time, right where it should be. 

To animate that fascinating machination Hermès had to use the  H912 Movement — a self-winding caliber developed by Vaucher (which Hermès partly owns). To that, Hermès adds its own proprietary Le Temps Suspendu module — the magic trick that freezes the hands without stopping the heart of the watch. So while time appears to stop, the mechanism quietly ticks on in the background, keeping track for when you’re ready to rejoin the timeline.

And here’s a perfect quirky trait woven right into the dial: the petites secondes subdial? It runs counterclockwise on a 24-second rotation. It defies time by running in reverse — just because it can. A small but sharp reminder of the watch’s playful, thought-provoking nature.

Because Hermès believes that sometimes, the most meaningful moments are the ones we don’t measure. The suspended time complication is whimsical, useless in the best way, and entirely poetic — which is exactly why it’s so unique.

Do you want to tune out during a long dinner, get lost in a sunset, or just forget you’ve got a meeting in 20 minutes? Press the pusher. Time, suspended.

(Editor’s Note: Think Doctor Strange’s Eye of Agamotto — but make haute horlogerie)

Variants, Versatility, and Design Language

Meanwhile, the watch’s versatility is cultivated through a range of versions, including two silver-toned dial models — one with a diamond-encrusted bezel — and a one-shot sunburst red dial variant already stirring up collector buzz. 

Adding to its modularity, a system of interchangeable bracelets that features 2 options: a white rubber strap, and a rose-gold bracelet to match the case.

Through all the constituting elements of this timepiece (Design, Concept, Complication, Material…) Hermès embodied its most quintessential “Hermès” definition traits. Elegant. Poetic. Quietly disruptive. Timelessness (quite literally here). It’s a reminder to live in the moment — and choose when time matters. And the fact that Hermès could take something so poetic and abstract — and make it tangible through engineering? PURE MASTERY

My take ?

That said, we’d love to have seen one more size variation: a 36mm diameter — the same size as the original 2024 Cut collection. Why? Simple: choice. 

While more women are embracing bolder, oversized cases, many still prefer traditional proportions or simply have smaller wrists. At 36mm, the Cut would hit that modern sweet spot — contemporary, elegant, and universally wearable — especially for fashion-first buyers and enthusiasts alike.

Spec Rundown: Hermès Cut Le Temps Suspendu

Caliber: Self-winding Manufacture Hermès H1912; 45-hour power reserve
Functions: 360° retrograde hour and minute hands; 24-second running indicator; pusher-operated start-stop function for suspending time

Dial: Sunburst red-tinted or silver-toned opaline
Case: 39mm; rose gold; 100m water-resistance
Strap: Interchangeable rose gold bracelet with butterfly clasp; additional white-coloured rubber strap

Hello friends and welcome to our Watches and Wonders 2025 series. A LOT of articles will be published, and each one of them is as important as the other. Short reads with incredible value and deep analysis.

So okay, let’s talk about one of the MANY new releases of this year’s edition of Watches & Wonders Geneva (or as we called it in this week’s editorial meeting: “Horology’s Fashion Week”). A fun one: The Tudor Blackbay 58 with a burgundy dial and bezel. 

But wait a minute, remember when I told you guys in the Longines’ article that burgundy is in style this year? well I visibly was on the wavelength as the design team at Tudor. And yes, I’m taking full bragging rights for that one.

Although don’t be fooled, this tone-on-tone colour choice isn’t ENTIRELY NEW; if you dive deep enough into Tudor’s archive, you’ll know that it’s a remake of a 1990s Submariner prototype (ref. 79190) that never made its way to the hands of consumers (and which pictures aren’t readily available on the internet).

Aside from the shiny new look, the watch also got an upgrade under the hood. It’s powered by the in-house self-winding Caliber MT5400-U, which has achieved METAS Master Chronometer certification. This certification ensures a precision rating of 0/+5 seconds per day, along with a resistance to magnetic fields up to 15,000 gauss, and a 65-hour power reserve. 

The 39mm stainless steel case still hits that sweet spot for vintage-inspired proportions, and this time, it comes with options — a five-link bracelet, a classic three-link, or a comfy rubber strap; all with a T-fit clasp—Tudor’s favourite. More on bracelets in Walid’s article. 

However, that DARING shade of burgundy has sparked some debates amongst enthusiasts like: “it doesn’t look the same IRL”, “It hits better on-screen”.

We think this new addition to the lineup, while it may not seem like much on paper, is yet another confident move in Tudor’s sans-faute parcours since 2012. 

We love how the brand keeps things low-key yet meaningful through solid, thoughtful updates — and the mile-long waitlists to get this beauty will attest to that.

And let’s be real guys, it is pretty.

Walid has given it his seal of approval with the following statement : “I’m completely mesmerized by it and seriously considering it” and let me tell you, my friend KNOWS his stuff but you guys already knew that.

Spec Rundown: 

The Tudor Black Bay 58 Ref. M7939A1A0RU-0001

Movement: Self-winding METAS-certified Manufacture Calibre MT5400-U and a 65-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes; central seconds

Case: 39mm; stainless steel; water-resistant to 200m
Dial: Burgundy

Strap: Five-link or three-link “rivet-style” stainless steel bracelet with polished and satin finishes or rubber strap; all configured with a “T-fit” clasp.

Hello my dear dear readers! lnass here, your very own Horology Tinkerbell. Before starting off this article, I want to thank every single one of you for your many positive returns, heartwarming support and for expressing your love for what I write, I’m very humbled and honored by it all and I love you right back <33 !!!!!

If you are a bit perceptive you may have noticed that us here at Time-Telling Magazine have entered our military watches era. So to stay in theme with Mr. Walid; I’m here to report to you (sprinkle some fairy dust) about one of the watch brands that’s most interlinked with the aviation field: Longines.

So to Gen-Z-fy it, Longines was the it girl of aviation in the 20s and 30s of the 20th century. And with whispers of something brewing in the air, added to what I previously said, what better time to delve into it all than now.

We heard through the grapevine that Longines is planning on doing a COMEBACK; as we all saw with Henry Cavill as their Égérie (chef’s kiss, right?). But I doubt that he is the sole ace in their card deck.

Longines has built quite the “vanilla” or “boring” reputation, essentially something to yawn at rep to the normal observer. But to someone with a finer taste and acumen in horology? they can see that they are “the sophisticated, understated, financially-stable uncle of watch brands”. Known for punching slightly above their weight i.e. offering a great value for money; customers are more than satisfied with their watches, “plan to pass it down to their children” kinda satisfied (All according to my fellow Redditers; and let me tell you Reddit is where it’s AT if you want the real Vox Populi as in the real DEETS).

Still it is overshadowed in the spectrum of watch brands owned by Swatch Group. Some might say that that shadow belongs to its bigger sister company Omega. Other watch purists will say that it’s not worth the luxury title, or even a glance; Because their movements are ETA-provided.

However, ETA is ALSO owned by the Swatch Group like Longines, and both entities have said that the Swiss manufacturer makes custom, modified versions of their generic movements specially for Longines. But does that count as in-house?

NB: For those of you who don’t know, ETA is a Swiss watch movements manufacturer founded in 1793. It specializes in the production of watch movements and has long been considered one of the leaders in the sector. 

As we previously alluded to it, we can’t bring up Longines without evoking their history with aviation.

Longines has played a Titan-esque role in its history, providing precision timepieces for Valiant pilots in the 1920s and 1930s, thus being a trusted companion throughout their Herculean journeys. 

It was the official timekeeper for the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) and measured the flight times of record-breaking aviators, including Charles Lindbergh’s legendary 1927 solo transatlantic flight (in his plane “Spirit of St. Louis”), Walter Mittelholzer, Antonio Locatelli,Francesco de Pinedo, Charles Kingsford Smith all relied on Longines chronometers for their groundbreaking journeys. 

Women aviators were no exception—like Amelia Earhart, Elinor Smith, Ruth Nichols, and Amy Johnson who set world records with Longines on their wrists (In the name of all girls, we love to see other girlies being trailblazers and SLAYING. And Longines being there in those moments is as ICONIC as it is emotional). 

And we’re not done, the brand’s reputation extended to polar exploration, with Richard E. Byrd using Longines instruments during his historic South Pole flight in 1929. They also pushed innovation forward with the Weems Second-Setting Watch in 1929, designed to synchronize time with radio signals, and the Lindbergh Hour-Angle Watch in 1931, which helped pilots calculate longitude mid-flight. By 1938, Longines introduced the Siderograph, a timepiece that displayed sidereal time, eliminating conversion delays in navigation— THEY WERE ON A GENERATIONAL RUN FR

As aviation technology evolved, Longines’ pilot watches remained iconic, inspiring modern reissues like the 1987 Hour Angle Watch anniversary edition and, more recently, the 2020 Longines Spirit collection. These contemporary models blend heritage with innovation, featuring high-legibility dials, robust automatic movements with silicon hairsprings, and COSC-certified chronometer accuracy. With various size and material options, the Spirit  collection (*wink* *wink* Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis) pays tribute to Longines’ aeronautical legacy, offering precision, durability, and elegance to modern adventurers.

Nowadays our *cough* my *cough* beloved brand knows more popularity and appreciation in Asia and Europe because the clientèle there tends to gravitate more towards dressy, design-oriented watches, as we have witnessed the company’s outgrowing efforts to appeal to its female clientele: Dolce Vita, …

That enthusiasm didn’t make it across the Atlantic to America, or at least not anymore with its post-war era. As bigger-instantly-recognisable-brands dominate 77% of the market. Or simply because it’s not an Apple Watch…

You surely get it by now, as I’ve nailed this down through this article, our dear friends at Longines are more lowkey therefore not US-friendly. 

Now let’s get a bit analytical. A brand chooses its “Égérie” -which is French for the person who’s gonna be the face of the brand- according to a particular criteria line-up –Similar Values, Reach/Relatability, and Marketability. 

They basically handpick this celebrity from many others because they feel like their ethos or public persona matches the brand’s own image; or to reach a certain community that the brand failed to access before, through them; or because that individual has the “Midas touch” effect (Yes exactly like the myth minus the curse! you’ll get the ref if you’re a greek mythology fan like me) where everything that they “touch” or here represent and advertise turns to gold and sales skyrocket.

Mr. Henry Cavill may be a global moviestar—thanks to roles like Clark Kent i.e. Superman, Gerald of Rivia in The Witcher, Sherlock Holmes in Enola Holmes—yet he prefers to lead a more understated, lowkey lifestyle; and partakes in nerdy relatable activities as well as refined pursuits He has mastered the tricky balance between rugged masculinity and refined attitude, he embodies being a timeless classic yet a man of his time (as he’s present in Gen Z’s collective consciousness, if you don’t believe me go watch the countless tiktok edits about him). 

And THAT ladies and gentlemen is why Longines has chosen him; because they KNOW that he could rock a Longines HydroConquest just as seamlessly as a Flagship Heritage Moonphase (as seen in the released announcement pictures) .

Longines expect to attract more attention to their already commendable pieces through Henry Cavill. And on paper, it’s looking real good.

But Alas, not all similar “deal of the century” stories like these have happy outcomes, and Breitling knows about this all too well (shameless taylor swift reference) with the still-ongoing Brad Pitt endorsement deal since 2019. Perfect in theory but it did not GIVE AT ALL what it was supposed to give. Their sales didn’t see THAT much of an increase as expected. People have been questioning Brad’s commitment as he’s often seen wearing other brands’ watches on his wrist like Vacheron Constantin…etc. Proving that it was kinda a flop (More on Breitling in Walid’s article)

As a sign of good faith, and actual moves being made by Longines to solidify our claim of their design oriented redirection and their upcoming comeback. We’ll be mentioning some recent pieces or re-releases that are worth a double take.

Since Burgundy dials seem to be in style lately, the brand gave us 2 pieces following that theme: A burgundy gradient dial iteration of the Legend Diver in 36mm.

Another gem would be the Conquest Heritage ‘Year of the Snake’ Edition watch, celebrating of the current Chinese Lunar Year in a limited edition of 2,025 pieces also with a rich red gradient dial with gilt elements; its caseback is engraved with a snake motif designed by Chinese artist Wu Jian’an. Giving Chinese Major Mob Boss Vibes.

Like the Legend Diver, Longines also made a twist on the classic Ultra-Chron with the Ultra-Chron Carbon in a 43mm diameter case with a unidirectional rotating bezel. A mix of effortlessly cool and sleek kind of espionage look. I would totally see Lando Norris or any other young F1 driver wearing this.

More on Conquest Series Longines which has witnessed a line-up expansion, with models ranging from 34mm, 41mm to 42mm chronographs being introduced. These watches come in various dial colors, offering versatility for different tastes. Included in The Time’s the best watches to invest in this season. Less impressive, but greatly appreciated by their clientèle.

In fine, Longines “Girlbossed”,in this case literally soared, way too close to the sun with their record-setting pilots in the 1920s and 1930s. And now with their ever-present excellent craftsmanship (pun intended) and expertise; and adding Henry Cavill onboard, the horizon for their future ventures is looking promising. We, Time-Telling’s editorial team, are excited just as much as you, our dear readers, to see where they are going with this? What’s their next move? Will they be able to rise from their unfair “vanilla” acquired status, and be the next hot topic in the world of horology? fingers crossed.

*whisper* Although as much as I stand by the fact that they deserve more recognition, I, Inass wish that I could “gatekeep” them a little longer

Inass Akisra

Today we’re going on a trip through Horology’s Great Memory Museum, as part of The Beginner’s Compass Series; so, have your cameras on hand, and don’t forget your pens and notebooks to jot down the interesting facts and names you’re about to discover. I, your ever loyal editor, will have the pleasure of being your guide and a fellow visitor simultaneously.

As someone who not long ago got into the world of watches, I figured that the four pillars of this industry are the following: Engineering Prowess, Aesthetic Innovation, Market Influence, and Cultural Impact.

This tour will be different from the ones you’d expect to be part of. Let me tell you why. 

In the halls of this esteemed building, there are the greats whose names and achievements constantly and boomingly reverberate followed by a string of praise. And rightfully so. But that golden circle of founding fathers and pioneers that shaped the watch world isn’t as small as you think, some just get way more time under the sun of glory than others.

So on our visit’s program, we’ll be treading along the less visited corridors and exhibitions of this institution, the ones who honor and recount the legacy of figures that redefined the industry in many ways; as much as the mainstream ones. 

As we already know, watches do more than just mark the passage of time—they capture human ambition, artistry, and the deep desire to leave something behind that outlives us. The five figures we’re about to talk about didn’t just craft watches; they crafted legacies. Their work wasn’t about gears and complications—it was about vision, risk, and reimagining what it means to measure time itself. 

So buckle up, you’re in for a ride.

We’ll kick off our tour by visiting the design pavilion first.

And present to you none other than: Jorg Hysek, who’s not exactly known to play it safe. 

Born in 1953 in East Berlin, he started at Rolex before founding Hysek Design in 1984, working with brands like Cartier, Ebel, and Seiko. His magnum opus? The Vacheron Constantin 222 (1977)—a sleek, modern steel sports watch that became the blueprint for today’s Overseas collection. But Hysek had something many designers couldn’t quite tap into, and it was his RANGE. Most prefer to stick to a distinctive “design language” and an identity, he, like the disruptor that he is, did NOT subscribe to that school of thinking; and his creations from the Breguet Marine to the Abyss and the Kilada attest exactly to that. Yet when I looked at them side by side, I definitely could tell that they were fruits of the same spirit. That’s where his unique genius lies. Making him a pioneering icon that should get waaay more attention in the public eye (Could I make it any clearer that I’m a Jorg Hysek STAN?)

Jorg Hysek is—and I say this loud and proud—just as much a titan as Gérald Genta, as he reshaped watch design with his bold, futuristic aesthetics that challenged tradition in the same way Genta’s Royal Oak and Nautilus redefined luxury sports watches (which you read plenty about in Mr. Walid’s article).

Now ladies and gents we’ll be stepping into the storytelling pavilion, a place where watches are history lessons and cultural symbols.

Starting with—Nicholas Foulkes, a British historian and journalist, who has spent his career blending journalism and horological research as well as being the driver behind many collector trends. In 2024, he dropped Oyster Perpetual Submariner: The Watch That Unlocked the Deep, the first Rolex-certified book, proving that watches have deep stories worth telling. His work with The Financial Times and GQ makes sure timepieces aren’t just for collectors—they’re for anyone who loves a good story. And with his Nick Foulkes & Sons YouTube channel, he’s bringing those stories to the next generation.

Then there’s Jack Forster, the ultimate watch-world translator. Formerly Editor-in-Chief at Hodinkee, now heading The 1916 Journal at The 1916 Company, Forster is the guy who makes watches make sense. If Foulkes gives us the grand, historical narratives, Forster gives us the why-you-should-care breakdowns, making horology approachable for collectors, enthusiasts, and casual fans alike.

Here’s where we get technical—the innovation pavilion, the gears, springs, and pure genius changed time forever.

John Arnold’s name might not be on every watch connoisseur’s lips, but it should be. 

Before his breakthroughs, sailors were basically gambling with their lives every time they set sail. The longitude problem was one of the biggest nightmares in navigation—figuring out your latitude (north-south position) was easy, but longitude (east-west position)? That was a guessing game that led to shipwrecks, lost cargo, and nations bleeding money. 

The British Government got so desperate they threw a £20,000 reward (basically $5 million today) at anyone who could fix it. Enter John Arnold, who got his bag and solved their problem by building marine chronometers—not only that,he made them practical, portable, and mass-producible (Girlboss behaviour if you ask me). 

His detent escapement revolutionized precision timekeeping, and his temperature-compensated balance wheels made sure clocks stayed accurate no matter how brutal the ocean got. While John Harrison might’ve paved the way, Arnold put precision in sailors’ pockets and made sure they’d never have to guess their way across the seas again. Basically, if you’ve ever used GPS, tip your hat to John Arnold—he helped lay the groundwork for precision navigation as we know it today.

And then, there’s Thomas Mudge, the OG of horological engineering. Back in the 1700s, he did what nobody else could—he invented the lever escapement, a mechanism so ahead of its time that it still powers almost every mechanical watch today. You should also thank him for THE perpetual calendar complication; yes, the same one that enables your watch to keep up with leap years without you lifting a finger. Earning him the title of one of the main architects of modern timekeeping.

Last but not by any means least, we hit the auction pavilion, to meet the ingenious salesmen of time.

Osvaldo Patrizzi saw the future before anyone else. In 1974, he co-founded Antiquorum, the first auction house dedicated exclusively to watches. He also pioneered detailed auction catalogs that later became essential collector’s guides. And evidently kickstarted the world of online watch auctions. Thanks to him, watch collecting transformed from a niche hobby into a multi-billion-dollar market.

Then we have Aurel Bacs, who started his career as a watch specialist at Sotheby’s in the mid-1990s, joined Christie’s in 2003, then co-founded the consultancy firm Bacs & Russo and partnered with Phillips auction in 2014.

He’s behind one of the most jaw-dropping watch sales ever, the Paul Newman Rolex Daytona, which sold for $17.8 million in 2017. But Bacs isn’t just an auctioneer—he’s a storyteller, hyping up every piece like it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event. If Patrizzi built the stage, Bacs turned watch auctions into must-watch global spectacles.

These great men *cough* divas *cough* shaped how we read, perceive, and conceptualise time now by being disruptors, risk takers and dreamers with a shared desire to leave something behind. 

Au revoir my dear visitors, see you next time! Don’t forget to check out our other amazing articles or tours if you will.

XoXo, Your fave editor (don’t tell Walid)

*We do not own the rights to any of these photos. please note that all images and copyrights belong to their original owners. no copyright infringement intended.*

Welcome to the first chapter of the Time-Telling Magazine’s “The Beginner’s Compass” series !

Since our mission is to make this digital magazine your go-to destination for anything Watches and Horology, we decided to introduce this new category of articles where we teach you EVERYTHING you need to know.

As the title suggests, we will put you on the right path. The path of becoming a real watch connoisseur.

This title is not only one of this particular series, but it is the name of the first volume of the printed Time-Telling Magazine. A book that will literally transform your views on watches and help you discover the intricate and complicated parts of the watch world (pun intended). And if you’re not planning to transform your life by acquiring that much knowledge and wisdom, you could just transform that bland looking coffee table of yours until a younger and more interesting soul comes by and gets mesmerized by the luxurious design of the book haha…

Okay let’s dive in.

The decision to learn something usually comes from a lack of knowledge or a spark of interest. But the first question that popped into my head was simple yet loaded: Why in god’s green earth would people care about watches? Seriously, what’s the deal? What’s the tea? Why are these tiny, technologically-outdated wrist machines worth the collective jaw drops, the obsessive posts, and the bank-draining price tags? At first, I didn’t get it. But now? Let’s just sayyy… they got me.

Here’s the thing about obsession: it’s the most human experience ever. Fundamentally, we are wired to obsess. It’s in our DNA, a defining trait of who we are. Whether it’s binging a Netflix series, losing ourselves in a niche fandom, or meticulously curating the perfect playlist, our capacity to dive headfirst into something is as natural as breathing. Watches tap into this in a way that’s almost poetic—they pull at something deep, almost primal, in us.

At their core, watches aren’t just about telling time; they’re about understanding it. Every detail, every movement, every tick of a hand is a tribute to craftsmanship. And not just any craftsmanship—the kind that demands time, patience, and reverence. Artisans pour hours, days, even years into creating these miniature marvels, breathing life into something so small yet so infinite. It’s not just a watch; it’s a chef-d’œuvre, a celebration of the very time it takes to bring it into existence.

But it’s not just about the craft. Watches embody excellence—the cutting edge of technology, the pinnacle of engineering, and the epitome of human ingenuity. They’re tiny masterpieces of precision and innovation, living proof of what we can achieve when we’re determined to create something extraordinary. They’re more than accessories; they’re monuments to excellence.

And then there’s the beauty. It’s impossible to talk about watches without talking about their aesthetic. Donna Tartt said it best: “Beauty is terror. Whatever we call beautiful, we quiver before it.” That’s what watches are—terrifyingly beautiful. They’re beautiful because they hold time, and time itself is something we can never truly control. We fear time slipping away, running out, or wasting it. So, we create these intricate devices as a way to understand it, measure it, maybe even conquer it. But the truth is, while the hands of a watch quiver under the weight of time, so do we.

There’s a paradox here. Time is both our enemy and our ally. It haunts us, heals us, and shapes us. It builds us up and wears us down. We fear it, but we also celebrate it. Watches, in their quiet elegance, remind us of all these contradictions. They’re more than objects; they’re stories. To truly appreciate them, you have to look deeper, the way you’d gaze at a Renaissance painting. Look beyond the surface, au second degré, into the layers of meaning and intention.

I started this diary as a skeptic, wondering why anyone cared so much about watches. But now I see that they’re not just about tracking the hours—they’re about capturing something we can’t hold. They’re a way to mark our obsessions, honor our fears, and embrace the beauty of time, however fleeting it may be. The hype isn’t just real—it’s timeless. And honestly, I fell for it.

This was the first chapter. We hope to have caught your attention and interested you enough to read and enjoy our weekly series where, as mentioned before, we will make you a real connoisseur. We love you guys !

ORDER THE DANG BOOK ! xoxo

You have probably already seen it and guessed it (unless you live under a rock), tis’ the season of the panther. It’s LITERALLY everywhere this fall. From invading your fyp with its viral TikTok trends; to turning up uninvited at the doorstep of your home, or basically its digital modern-day equivalent for the seasoned Gen-Z: your very own Pinterest board. This gracefully elegant predator is totally having its main character moment (in the world social media and fashion runways or collections alike)

However one might ask: How does this feline madness reach the watch world; Or shall I say prowl its way into it? Simple really. Through none other than the greatly esteemed brand bearing its image: Cartier. In the form of the infamous Panthère de Cartier i.e., the Cartier Panther watch. 

The Panthère State of Mind/ POV: The Cartier Panthère.

Whether it’s in the subdued wealth themed “quiet luxury” edits or the more flashy, feline print, in your face “mob wife aesthetic” moodboards; the Cartier Panthère is sure to be collaged there making it a versatile staple. It just fits right in, in every context. Honoring the EXACT promise of “timeless elegance” given by Cartier to us, consumers and connoisseurs, to a T.

This watch is a true icon in the luxury market even when you look at it from a sales lens. Since its relaunch in 2017, it has been thriving, dominating the jewelry-watch hybrid niche and cementing itself as a symbol of quiet luxury. Retail prices start around $3,300 for entry-level stainless steel models and climb to over $28,500 for gold and diamond-adorned versions, showcasing its versatility across demographics. On the secondary market, Panthère watches retain strong value, trading at an average of just 17.8% below retail, and their demand has risen steadily, with market prices up nearly 10% over the past year. Exceptional pieces, like the Cartier Panthère Reference 315AF, have reached jaw-dropping auction results, including a record-breaking $355,000 at Sotheby’s.

Over the course of time, royal and political figures such as Grace Kelly, Jackie Kennedy, and Princess Diana elevated Cartier’s Panthère, solidifying its reputation as a symbol of class and distinction. Its frequent appearances on-screen or at red carpets on the wrists of celebrities (like Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Zendaya…etc) also add an aura of glamour to its legacy. And more recently, even your most-liked fashion influencers have embraced the Panthère and “have had it in their dream mood boards for ages”, making it a fav among younger audiences and keeping it relevant. 

It’s safe to say that the Panthère continues to embody elegance and modernity across generations; by being a watch that your grandma, you, and probably your future granddaughter can bond over and adore in equal measure.
With all of that said, this watch transcended and defied the confines of mere ephemeral trends and time, therefore truly setting itself as an ever-present mark of savoir-faire and tastefulness in our collective consciousness rather than just a finite object in space and time. Thus, reaching a tier few others have reached before it.

As my closing statement, I, your absolutely in-awe editor, would push it far beyond and assuredly say,The Cartier Panther is not just a watch, it’s a way of life.
Or, to stay true to my Gen Z roots: Cartier Panthère? Absolutely no skips, just luxury on repeat.

Inass Akisra.

*We do not own any of these photos. please note that all images and copyrights belong to their original owners. no copyright infringement intended.*

A starry night sky at hands reach.

To the fine and elegant ladies, or gentlemen with exquisite taste, today is your day. Today we’re talking Piaget, a brand so synonymous with iconic designs and real elegance. Piaget’s charm is unmatched and inescapable, to the point that it made me go a little back to an almost 3 year old watch, as an effort to combat Walid‘s gatekeeping pattern ha ha…

A starry night sky at hands reach. Sounds impossible, right? Well, not for Piaget. As they succeeded at entrapping a mesmerizing explosion of constellations in the dial of one of their most iconic watches that emulates the celestial sparkle of stars -The Limelight Gala Aventurine, just for your enjoyment.

And thus, Piaget breathed these cosmic beauties into existence for their 2020 and 2022 collections in a limited edition of only 300 exemplaries.

In this segment, we usually only showcase one watch. This time, though, we’ll recount the tale of two sisters – with similar defining features, yet totally different allures – because we simply couldn’t choose.

There’s the oldest of the two, the classy one, with the royal blue crocodile leather strap, sports a 26mm rhodium finish 18K white gold case, with 60 brilliant-cut diamonds, blue aventurine glass dial, and 59P quartz movement.; We’ll borrow the adjective from your Tiktok fyp and say that this watch is the epitome of demure. You’ll surely spot it in the wrist of a socialite during a charity gala, where one has to be demure but be wealthy enough to be invited in the first place. This watch will get the point across for sure but in a ‘iykyk’ way.

And the youngest of this duo, the edgy one, with an armour chainmail-like or more widely known as a Milanese Mesh white gold bracelet, has a thicker 32mm case and more sparkles with 62 brilliant-cut diamonds, and a Calibre 501P1; Two words come to mind when describing it: cool and assertive, qualities that you’d only find in a seasoned sophisticated business woman during a board meeting. Giving peak younger sibling energy.

Tell us what you think in the comments !