The 18 Coolest New Watches That Dropped in November
Our favorite watchmakers gave us some horological humdingers this month. Many newcomers were presented during the undeniably glamorous and increasingly important Dubai Watch Week, which saw more than 90 brands come together and exhibit at Burj Park. To give you a taste, the folks at Ulysse Nardin and Urwerk unveiled a co-branded marvel aptly named Ur-Freak, De Bethune debuted a perpetual calendar and a double-sided GMT, and Chopard revealed its most complicated timepiece yet.
Outside of the event in the UAE, Blancpain returned to high horology with a $2 million chiming watch. Omega launched the fourth generation of its Seamaster Planet Ocean collection at a gala party in Miami. Jaeger-LeCoultre dropped not one but four new references, including two limited-edition Master Ultra Thins. Breitling revealed a gold collection for the holiday season. Roger Dubuis created a one-off and a limited edition in honor of its Swiss founder. And, to top it off, Vacheron Constantin unveiled a new series of Les Cabinotiers watches that pays homage to astronomy and the odysseys of ancient times.
Below are the best watch releases of the month.
Hublot Big Bang Unico Winter and Big Bang Ahmed Seddiqi
Hublot dropped two very cool Big Bang Unicos this month. The 42 mm winter editions pay homage to the chilliest season, with icy white and glacier blue tones. “From the ice of Zermatt to the energy of Aspen, from powder mornings to fire-lit nights, they capture the spirit of winter in a bold, festive style,” Hublot CEO Julien Tornare says. One showcases a transparent sapphire case, while the other features a titanium case and a white ceramic bezel. Both share the same striking openworked dials. The coolest part—sorry, we’ll stop now—is that the in-house self-winding movement (HUB1280 Unico flyback chronograph) is now equipped with a snowflake-shaped oscillating weight that is visible through the caseback. The sapphire edition costs $80,500, while the titanium version retails for $26,300.
Hublot, like many of the top brands at Dubai Watch Week, also unveiled limited editions in honor of Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, the family-owned luxuryLuxuryA lifestyle defined by exceptional quality, craftsmanship, exclusivity, and sophistication, encompassing the finest products, services, and experiences that represent the highest standards of refinement and excellence.Go to Luxury Glossary watch retailer that founded the event in 2015. The folks at Hublot took it one step further, though, dropping two commemorative timepieces celebrating the 75th anniversary of Ahmed Seddiqi and the 20th anniversary of the Big Bang. Both feature dials with Arabic numerals and self-winding movements with solid-gold oscillating weights engraved with a special Seddiqi logo. The first is crafted in full black ceramic, limited to 10 pieces, and priced at $28,600, while the second is made of titanium, limited to 25 examples, and retails for $25,200.
Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean
Omega made a splash in Miami this month, revealing the fourth generation of its Seamaster Planet Ocean collection. The seven new models take design cues from the original that debuted in 2005, but feature a new case design, an updated movement, and new strap options. Some also showcase a brighter shade of orange on the ceramic bezel. Perhaps more importantly, the helium valve of previous iterations has been removed and a flatter crystal added to create a thinner case. (It now measures 13.79 mm thick instead of the previous 16.1 mm.) “The new Planet Ocean is still a diving watch but it’s also an elegant watch,” Omega CEO Raynald Aeschlimann told Robb Report. The new references start at $8,600.
De Bethune DB25 Perpetual Sky and DB Kind of Two Jumping GMT
It was a De Bethune kind of month, with the Swiss watchmaker releasing not one but two timepieces. The first, known as the DB Kind of Two Jumping GMT ($235,000), displays two time zones across two distinct faces. (The contemporary dial shows the hours around a balance wheel at 6 o’clock and the minutes around the periphery, while the classic guilloché dial features the second time zone.)
The second is a new 40 mm version of the DB25 Perpetual Sky ($145,000), with this iteration of the perpetual calendar featuring a titanium case and the signature starry dial with day, date, and month indications plus the brand’s patented spherical moon phase.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin and Rendez-Vous
Jaeger-LeCoultre decided to give two of its models a makeover in November, releasing new versions of the Master Ultra Thin and Rendez-Vous watches. Starting with the limited-edition Master Ultra Thin Moon (pictured top) and Master Ultra Thin Date: Both are limited to 800 pieces and feature a fresh, grained dial in a copper hue. Plus, each are equipped with the Calibre 925 and 899, respectively.
With the Rendez-Vous, a total of 64 elements have been modified (including significant technical upgrades). The new 34 mm Rendez-Vous Night & Day is offered in all steel, steel with a diamond-set bezel, and 18-karat pink gold with a diamond-set bezel, while the new 34 mm Rendez-Vous Moon is offered in steel or 18-karat pink gold with a diamond-set bezel. Prices for all are available upon request.
Chopard L.U.C. Grand Strike
Chopard’s newest release is sure to strike a chord with collectors. The new L.U.C Grand Strike is the most complicated chiming watch from the Swiss maison, featuring, for the first time, a grand sonnerie, plus a petite sonnerie, a minute repeater with proprietary sapphire crystal gongs, and a tourbillon. All that is packed into a 43 mm 18-karat ethical gold case, with a dial-less display allowing the wearer to fully appreciate many of the 686 components in the in-house, hand-wound movement (calibre L.U.C 08.03-L). The newcomer, unsurprisingly, took 11,000 hours of research and development to come to fruition and carries both COSC and Poinçon de Genève certifications. It’s not a limited edition, but only approximately three pieces will be made per year. Price upon request.
Breitling Gold Capsule Collection
Breitling is helping horophiles shine bright this holiday season, releasing a gold capsule collection comprising three Navitimers and three Premiers. All six references are crafted in 18-karat red gold and showcase dial colors and movements that have never before been combined.
The pick of the bunch is the Premier B21 Chronograph Tourbillon 42. The limited edition, which is available only in the U.S. and Canada, features a striking new blue gradient dial with a central chronograph seconds hand and a 60-minute counter at 6 o’clock and a mesmerizing tourbillon at 12 o’clock. Developed with movement specialist La Joux Perret, the B21 caliber unites the complexity of a tourbillon with the precision of a chronograph. “The Premier B21 Chronograph Tourbillon 42 is the ultimate expression of Breitling’s design expertise and technical mastery,” says Thierry Prissert, president of Breitling USA. The North American exclusive is limited to 75 and retails for $75,000.
TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph x Senna and Monaco
TAG Heuer tipped a hat—or helmet, perhaps—to Formula 1 in November, dropping four new racing-inspired chronographs. Two are contemporary takes on the original Monaco that debuted in 1969. Both showcase square-shaped titanium cases and skeletonized movements, but that is largely where the similarities end. The first, known as the Air 1 (price upon request), features a sleek, sculpted case created using a new “Selective Laser Melting” technique, while the second ($11,600) features lume elements on the dial that evoke the neon lights at the night races of F1.
The other two are part of the watchmaker’s long-running Senna series that honors famous F1 driver Ayrton Senna. The titanium 44 mm ($5,850) and the steel 43 mm ($2,700) both showcase the same bright-green and yellow hues that graced the Brazilian’s helmet, plus other Senna-inspired touches.
Louis Vuitton Escale
Louis Vuitton showed off some incredible ornamental stonework this month, unveiling two limited-edition Escale watches with decorative minerals for dials. One puts turquoise front and center; the other, malachite. The 40 mm platinum case also showcases a monolithic ring crafted from the same mineral that appears on the face, adding an unexpected pop of color to the profile. The lugs, bezel, caseback, and crown are all platinum, while the new Saffiano leather strap is Arroyo gray on the turquoise model and Rainforest green on the malachite reference. Both time-only newcomers are equipped with a self-winding mechanical movement (Caliber LFT023) with a power reserve of 50 hours. Each one is limited to 30 pieces. The malachite design is priced at $64,500, while the turquoise piece is not yet listed on the website.
Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers La Quête
Vacheron Constantin went all out for its 270th anniversary, unveiling a new series comprising 13 unique (or “Les Cabinotiers”) and highly complex timepieces. Aptly titled La Quête, or “the quest” in English, the line reflects the Swiss watchmaker’s ongoing pursuit of excellence. Inspired by astronomy and ancient odysseys, each piece is a feat of haute horlogerie that combines technical innovations and grand complications with decorative arts, such as engraving, enameling, gem-setting, and miniature sculpture. One standout is the Cosmica Duo—Grand Complication, a double-sided, reversible watch with 24 complications, including a minute repeater, a tourbillon, and impressive astronomical functions. One dial spotlights the stars above, while the other highlights a dazzling new movement (Calibre 2756-B1) with 1,003 components. Prices available upon request.
Roger Dubuis Hommage La Placide and Sukoon Al-Layl
Roger Dubuis first introduced the Hommage collection in 1996 to honor the watchmakers who influenced him. The latest two additions to the line are a tribute to Dubuis himself, though. The first, the Hommage La Placide, pays homage to his calm nature. (La Placide, French for “the calm,” was actually his childhood nickname.) It features a 38 mm pink-gold case, a “Léman Blue” dial inspired by the calm waters of Lake Geneva, and a new biretrograde perpetual calendar (RD1472 caliber) that combines two famous Dubuis movements.
The second, the Hommage Sukoon Al-Layl, evokes the serenity of a nighttime desert as another nod to his calm demeanor. (The name actually translates to “the serenity of night.”) This piece showcases a 38 mm platinum case, a layered dial that combines guilloché, lacquer, and mother of pearl, and the same RD1472 caliber. The La Placide is limited to 28 examples and priced at $132,500, while the Sukoon Al-Layl is a one-off boutique exclusive.
Gérald Genta Gentissima Oursin
Gérald Genta has taken the Gentissima Oursin into new, extraterrestrial territory. The sea urchin-inspired timepiece—designed by Genta in 1994, then released in three variations in 2024—has been reimagined with a bold new meteorite dial. The house unveiled not one but two pieces decked out in the asteroid-derived material. One has blue meteorite on the face; the other, green. Both come fitted with rubber straps in complementary hues. They also feature 41 mm titanium cases, making them larger than the six 36.5 mm references in the lineup. Both are priced at 25,000 Swiss Francs (or about $30,900) and will be made at Louis Vuitton’s esteemed La Fabrique du Temps watch manufacture. (LVMH, the owner of Louis Vuitton, acquired Gérald Genta indirectly when it purchased Bulgari in 2011.)
Ulysse Nardin × Urwerk Ur-Freak
Ulysse Nardin and Urwerk created what could be your—or should we say “ur?”—dream watch this month. The aptly named Ur-Freak doesn’t just showcase the design DNA of the two Swiss watchmakers; it also marries their respective mechanical mastery by incorporating Urwerk’s signature satellite system for indicating the time with Ulysse Nardin’s incredible in-house silicon tech. The 44 mm titanium timepiece also features an entirely new mechanical movement co-developed by the brands. The Caliber UN-241 is notably equipped with a silicon oscillator that operates at a frequency of 3Hz and offers an utterly freakish 90 hours of power reserve. Limited to 100 pieces, the Ur-Freak retails for $122,200.
Blancpain Grande Double Sonnerie
Blancpain celebrated 190 years in style, unveiling its most complex watch to date. Eight years in the making, the Grande Double Sonnerie signals the maison’s return to the upper echelons of high horology. The grand complication combines grande and petite sonnerie, a minute repeater, a flying tourbillon, and a retrograde perpetual calendar in one rather wearable 47 mm gold case. It also features the world’s first dual-melody four-tone system that allows it to play either a Westminster chime or a bespoke sequence composed by Eric Singer of Kiss. Available in white or pink gold, the newcomer is priced at 1.7 million Swiss francs (or about $2 million). Production will be limited to two pieces each year.
H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Perpetual Moon Concept Meteorite
H. Moser & Cie.’s new Streamliner is out of this world. Unveiled during Dubai Watch Week, the newcomer pairs a sleek steel case and integrated bracelet with a gorgeous gold-hued meteorite dial. Crafted specifically from the Gibeon meteorite, the face undergoes a meticulous treatment that accentuates the natural Widmanstätten pattern, according to the brand. It is further enhanced with Moser’s signature fumé effect. Inside lies a self-winding version of the perpetual moon phase caliber that H. Moser previously introduced as a hand-wound movement. The automatic HMC 270 caliber has a three-day power reserve and a moonphase accuracy of one day per 1027 years. The watch will cost you 35,000 Swiss francs (or about $43,300).
This article originally appeared in Robb Report US.