Special Versions Of Watches That Cannot Be Bought In The Boutique

I remember that there were times when the problem was seriously discussed: do watch brands need to go to the Internet, acquire their own websites. This is not a joke: for example, the watch company Omega, one of the leading global brands, missed the chance in the 1990s to stake out a short and convincing omega.com and is now content with the provincial domain omegawatches.com, while omega.com belongs to a factory that makes water meters, and it's also good, as Nicholas Hayek, Sr., said, not a funeral service. Ten years ago, when discussing the possibility of online sales of luxury watches, almost all the participants in the discussion were skeptical about the idea. However, the incredible growth of Amazon, eBay and AliExpress is forcing online trading - whether the luxury watch brand wants it or struggles to do so.

Chronomaster El Primero Solar Blue x Mr. Porter, Zenith

mrporter.com

$ 7500

This watch is the fruit of a triple alliance, not often found in the watch industry. The Zenith brand has contributed its famous automatic chronograph high-frequency caliber El Primero (here in the base version - 4069) and the Protestant style steel case; British firm Bamford Watch Department, which specializes in personalizing Swiss watches, has added a blue gradient dial with unusual sub-second markings; mrporter.com has provided its marketplace for the collaborative chronograph. The series is limited to 25 pieces.

Excalibur Aventador S, Roger Dubuis

mrporter.com

$ 278

The reference men's shopping site received a selection of seven Roger Dubuis models in November, including the one-off Excalibur Aventador S co-created with the Lamborghini Squadra Corse. The architecture of the caliber refers to the engine design of the Lamborghini Aventador. As a bonus, the buyer is invited to visit the Roger Dubuis manufactory and test the Lamborghini at speed while driving through the Jura Mountains.

Navitimer Aviator 8 B01 Chronograph 43 Limited Edition, Breitling

mrporter.com

$ 7710

Breitling, led by Georges Kern, with a clear commitment to risk, personal responsibility and potential resale potential (anticipated in the future) of the brand relaunched last year, has put up a full 1,000 pieces of this limited edition on mrporter.com. The current situation should be considered spicy: 100% of the online retailer's shares belong to the Richemont group (they say that Mr. Porter cost the Richemont Group € 2.7 billion), and Georges Kern left this group with a scandal just a year ago, where he headed the watch division. … Business only, nothing personal.

Marine Torpilleur Farfetch Exclusive, Ulysse Nardin

farfetch.com

$ 6900

Ulysse Nardin has chosen farfetch.com as the leading online marketplace for its watches. The assortment is wide: from basic automatic models to tourbillons. Also, with the obvious purpose of stirring up public interest in the new site, several special models are proposed, in particular, a watch with a dark blue iridescent dial and an in-house automatic caliber UN-118. There were reports that luxury group Kering, owner of Ulysse Nardin, is interested in acquiring farfetch.com.

Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday 2 Ultraman, Omega

omegawatches.com

$ 7100

Speedy Tuesday, or Speedmaster Tuesday, is a series of weekly publications on the Omega Speedmaster from fratellowatches.com that has generated a lot of interest in the brand's collector community. In the wake of a heated debate over the existence of actual Ultraman watches, Speedmaster chronographs with orange seconds, this year the Speedmaster “Speedy Tuesday” 2 Ultraman collector's model was initiated, the second in the Speedy Tuesday series. According to Omega, all 2012 pieces of the limited edition were reserved in 1 hour 53 minutes and 17 seconds.

Kingsman x TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 mm Ceramic And Leather Smart Watch, TAG Heuer

mrporter.com

$ 3650

Mr. Porter, part of the Richemont Group, provides a marketplace for brands owned by rival luxury brands, including TAG Heuer from LVMH. Is this the result of the confusion inherent in the formation of network sales channels, or is it the harbingers of a wonderful new future? The history of the watch market development makes us give preference to the first option. In the meantime, let's seize the moment and choose a special model of TAG Heuer smartwatches, released in collaboration with mrporter.com, just like the watches worn by the heroes of the spy comedy action movie Kingsman: The Golden Ring.

Pilot's Watch Chronograph Ref. 377724, IWC Schaffhausen

iwc.com

$ 4950

In April of this year, IWC decided to activate sales in the USA on its own Internet resource, where, by the way, many luxury watch brands sell products on their websites. As a bait, a special model of an aviator's chronograph was used, made in the austere technical style of the military watches of the 1940-1950s brand. The watch could only be purchased from the United States from April to September of this year.

Bell & Ross x The Rake and Revolution Bellytanker Chronograph El Mirage and Dusty, Bell & Ross

shop.revolution.watch

$ 4500 (Dusty), $ 4990 (El Mirage)

Vintage style watches seem to be at their peak. If a relatively recent brand wants to reissue one of its “historic” models, it does so. Bell & Ross, founded in 1992, is the case. El Mirage and Dusty are two vintage-looking chronographs created in partnership with Revolution magazine and revolution.watch. Each is released in a limited edition of 100 pieces.>