Timepiece novelties of the year look to form and function to draw all eyes

Timepiece novelties of the year look to both form and function to draw all eyes. Photo: Tag Heuer

The watch industry aims to make 2022 its best year yet, with borders reopening and normal life resuming. Along this line of thought, brands are not holding back – unveiling some of the most impressive timepieces to draw all eyes.

Aesthetic is, of course, a major consideration, but as with luxury watches, there is much more to looks. Function matters too, and not just the one to do with telling time.

Complications – any function above and beyond the hours, minutes, and seconds that a watch offers its wearer – can work to set a design apart from its peers.

Here’s a look at some of the noteworthy watch releases of the year so far.

Ultimate sportiness

After a highly successful first year, Tag Heuer is partnering with Porsche again. This latest limited edition model is said to embody innovation, prestige and striking luxury. The case has been given the highest-quality black treatment possible – diamond-like carbon, while the dial has a texture inspired by the metallic bodywork of cars with a slightly glittery effect.

Read more: Tag Heuer raises the bar on luxury wearables with latest smartwatches

An experiential design

Panerai updates the minimalist Luminor perpetual calendar. While the overall design and layout of the timepiece remain unchanged, there are several design elements unique to the latest iteration. What’s more interesting however, is that buyers will be invited to a journey to the seat of the brand’s heritage, the city of Florence and the surrounding Tuscan countryside. They will also receive an exclusive NFT created for the occasion.

Pretty sleek

The Royal Oak is very much a recognisable Audemars Piguet design. In celebration of the watch’s 50th anniversary, the watchmaker is releasing new models throughout the year. Take for example, this beautiful design, which is powered by a selfwinding ultra-thin flying tourbillon movement. It measures just 3.4mm thick and comes adorned with a novel combination of traditional and contemporary hand-crafted decorations.

Way of the samurai

Richard Mille pays tribute to Japanese culture with a watch that sports a miniature, stylised samurai armour. According to the brand, it took nearly four years of design work. The embellishment is created from 3N yellow gold that has been entirely hand engraved and painted. The watch also has an extremely compact calibre – specifically constructed to fit within the creative vision.

Read more: Menswear makes a bright and bold statement with pop-culture collaborations

Modern aesthetic

Tudor has expanded on its iconic Black Bay series for the year. Presented in a 39mm stainless steel case, this all-new design features a fixed bezel. The reference time is indicated by an angular yellow “snowflake” hand. Local time is indicated by another, shorter hand set by a jumping hour, which can be moved either backwards or forwards.