We love smaller pieces of wristwear but let’s be honest – a micro-mechanical symphony deserves a big stage on which to perform. Drake loves his two big hi-tech Richard Milles just as much as he does his dainty Rolex bling. But that resides next to the über-complexity of a Jacob&Co Astronomia Casino. Similarly, Mo Salah’s impressive collection includes a none-too-shy Roger Dubuis with a 45mm case and highly intricate skeletonised dial movement, hand crafted in Geneva. Salah also impressed us with a Royal Oak Concept and a Hublot Big Bang in clear Sapphire. And even the eloquent collection of Ed Sheeran has a 44mm Hublot in rose gold as one of the first pieces of his now burgeoning stash of horology.
Watch expert and industry stalwart Kristian Haagen believes that some watches are meant to have a certain volume. "A Panerai should not be less than 44mm and a Linde Werdelin looks like it does because of its original structure dictated by diver functionality. These are only two examples of great watches that can and should not be ignored even if the trend dictates a downsizing.”
The brands are tapping into what looks like noughties-cool, but for different reasons. When you look at Richard Mille, Hublot, and Greubel Forsey today, the emphasis is on hand-finished craftsmanship and a visible miniature gear-driven world. Haagen agrees: “Consider the new Breitling Superocean, it is offered in many sizes: 36, 42, 44 and 46mm. In other words, there is one for everyone. A safe bet from Breitling, but why not be inclusive instead of exclusive? Vintage models are reintroduced in a small size whereas the Breitling Superocean inspired by a 1970 model is available in 46mm."
With the bigger sizes of 2022 also comes newfound knowledge. When celebs are name-dropping complications rather than the carat total of their bussed-out Hublot, the ladder down the wristwatch rabbit hole is a slippery one.
Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes Architecture
As if spelling out the raison d’être for large case sizes, Greubel Forsey is hypnotising micro architecture masquerading as timekeeping. We all know that a small-cased watch is a comfortable presence, but here’s a musical analogy. Would you rather see the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra playing a club in Brixton, or at the 02? The titanium case comes on a rubber strap, and the braggadocio aspect is created by marvels inside the curved crystal, not the glimmer of gems. The lightweight titanium will invariably make the case feel light, enhanced by its curved, ergonomic shape decimating the size.
The unobstructed view of the hand-finished, beguiling horological architecture within is akin to viewing a futurist cityscape from above. Let’s simply proclaim this an investment in the future of watchmaking. It’s no small watch by any stretch, but a 47mm caseback and a 45.5mm bezel combined with curvature, will make it sit sleeker on your wrist than you’d think.
Time is told by the curved, open-worked softly polished steel hands, but this is about the essence of Haute Horlogerie. The prima ballerina is the 24-second tourbillon at 6. Here suspended from a curved and polished bridge, seemingly floating within a world where a single component takes more hours to finish than a dozen mid-price watches. This Greubel Forsey runs the risk of transforming your view on watchmaking in 2022 – not a bad risk to run.
Hublot Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Cathedral Minute Repeater
Hublots are loud, brash pieces of wristwear that we have to psyche ourselves up to wear. This time the tables are turned, with one of Hublot’s most complex movements set within a suave, white 43mm ceramic case. This exemplifies our take on the newest Big Bang, where an eight-word name sets the tone but is quietly spoken. You can buy plenty of gem-set old-school big bling for the $295K price tag, making us respect Hublot’s understated move. This is about experiencing a highly complicated movement within a sober suit. One that does not need the glimmer of sapphires to hold our attention. Derived from the ancient pocket-watch art of chiming the time through mechanical hammers with the science of resonance, this is understated brilliance that speaks volumes.
That Breitling makes big watches is no secret, with 46mm classics like the Navitimer. The Superocean series has been a more sober vision of Swiss cool, but this all changed last week. The Superocean ball has been smashed out of the stadium for a colourful home run of retro-cool. The 44mm Superocean comes with a vibrant '60s dial centre in summer turquoise, paddle-sized minute hand, and bold chunky details. In this tri-colour version, we have found an epic summer watch from Breitling, and it feels entirely natural in this size. Get the comfortably soft rubber-strap version, and you’ll have a 300m depth rated diver that is go-anywhere cool. Match it up with that fave summer polo and you’re self-winding-set for the holidays.
Just one look at the dial and you might think us mad. A rose gold perpetual calendar diver’s watch? Well, the new Blancpain is deservedly 43mm with its wealth of information. Many a watch enthusiast has a hankering for a perpetual calendar, the top tier of complications. Why not enjoy Haute Horology in your sports watch rather than a scarcely used slim dress number? This luxury conundrum is solved eloquently by Blancpain, with hand-finished details on a beautiful deep blue degraded dial. The angular case itself is brushed rose gold and reads like a beautiful marriage of beauty and brawn.
Zenith is known for their strong vintage-infused El Primero series and surprised us last year with its new Defy Extreme series. This is proof positive that Zenith has its fingers on the pulse, and is yet another tool with a complex heart worthy of a large suit (of armour). The carbon fibre and titanium case looks battle-ready on its tank-track-like rubber strap but is more than big boy attitude. The El Primero 21 calibre within has two escapements, the separate obe powering the chronograph function with a dizzying 1/100th second high-frequency beat. A colourful open-worked dial with touches of green, blue and red completes an image of a complex F1 powertrain powering a bullet-proof tank.
