10 Extraordinary Watches Unveiled in 2017

Keeping track of time isn’t the most exciting or pleasant activities; we’re all getting older, with every day that goes by, and that’s not really a great conversation starter early in the morning.

However, as you enjoy a good cup of coffee, admiring a cool and sophisticated timekeeper might just make your day a bit more bearable. Some watches are more interesting, luxurious or spectacular than others, and the list below includes some of the most incredible timepieces unveiled in 2017.

10. MB&F HM7 Aquapod Tourbillon

The renowned Swiss watchmaker MB&F took everyone by surprise with the Horological Machine No. 7 Aquapod, a ridiculously cool diving watch that can only handle 50-meter deep waters. Aside from that little detail, this exquisite timepiece shows off a 53.8 mm case, made of 95 parts and benefiting from a sapphire sandwich inner case, hiding a spherical mechanical automatic movement.

A black rubber-style strap, that’s actually an aircraft-grade Fluorocarbon FKM 70 Shore A elastomer, finishes everything off. Available in either titanium or gold, this timepiece will easily help you make an impression wherever you go.

9. Hublot Techframe Ferrari Tourbillon Chronograph

A collaboration between Hublot and Ferrari will surely get you excited, and their latest joint venture led to the Hublot Techframe Ferrari Tourbillon Chronograph. Designed to celebrate Ferrari’s 70th Anniversary, this stunner is available in three different versions – King Gold, Titanium, and PEEK Carbon. It’s also set to be produced in a super limited run of just 70 pieces, to match the 70 years of Italian automotive perfection, of course.

Aggressive-looking, lightweight and durable, this cool watch packs the fresh HUB6311 manual-wind movement, made of 253 components and backed up by a 5-day power reserve. This complex Hublot caliber was done in Ruthenium-coated Anthracite, with an invisible crystal above the cage adding to the visual magic.

8. Manufacture Royale ADN Street Art

The ravishing Manufacture Royale ADN Street Art blends a unique design with technical innovation and Swiss watchmaking excellence in the best way possible. Each of these stunning timepieces is one-of-a-kind, thanks to a special decorative design process, involving water transfer printing.

The ADN Street Art packs a 46 mm stainless steel case, with double AR-coated sapphire crystals, and complemented by a manual-wind in-house caliber MR10 and 108 hours of power reserve. The hand-decorated plate and bridges, as well as the hand-sewn black alligator leather strap, or a black or blue rubber strap, with a steel folding buckle should also help convince you to get one of your own.

7. Bell & Ross BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon Sapphire

We really don’t know if we can find the right words to describe this incredible watch. The renowned French watchmaker Bell & Ross wanted to take the stealthy BR-X1 to the next level, thus the new Bell & Ross BR-X1 Skeleton Tourbillon Sapphire has been born. It features a special case assembled from five, very carefully, carved sapphire blocks that allow us to enjoy the flying tourbillon’s movement in all its glory.

Pushing the limits of design, both visually and technologically, this mesmerizing watch also benefits from the scratch-proof attribute of sapphire, which means its beauty may be enjoyed for years to come. Only eight people may do so, by the way.

6. Zenith Defy Lab

The Zenith Defy Lab is supposed to be the most accurate mechanical watch in the world, at least according to the CEO of TAG Heuer. The oscillator in Zenith’s Defy Lab is made from a special monocrystalline silicon, thus allowing the watch to work unaffected by extreme temperatures, magnetism, and lubrication.

With its slightly large dimension and semi-reflective appearance, this stunning mechanism also creates an interesting visual effect, that’s complemented by an ultra-light foam-like aluminum composite case. Unfortunately only 10 very lucky people will be able to put that to the test.

5. Harry Winston Histoire De Tourbillon 8

Harry Winston’s Histoire de Tourbillon 8 is another timepiece that takes things to the next level, in a very beautiful way. It displays a 51 mm white gold case, with aluminum rotating time discs, as well as titanium tourbillon cages and movement bridges. The brand’s complex calibre HW4503 comes backed up by a power reserve of around 55 hours, but this watch is all about exclusivity.

Only 20 pieces of the Harry Winston Histoire de Tourbillon 8 watches will be ever produced, ten with the striking red dial and ten in a stylish Anthracite Gray. There’s no point in wondering about price-tags, as these timepieces have been quickly sold out.

4. Anura Rafael Write Time

Combining calligraphy with the art of high-end watchmaking, Anura Rafael Write Time is one of the most incredible watches we’ve seen this year. Anura Rafael‘s first wristwatch combines a linear movement with a tourbillon in a removable module made out of sapphire crystal, pink gold, and partially wrapped in alligator leather, to blend the best of two worlds.

You could see the time thanks to three discs that are housed under the large sapphire crystal, with all the numerals on the discs being hand-engraved and painted. As you can see from this photo, the wonderful tourbillon is visible at one end of the case, but it’s the incredible transformation from a watch into a fountain pen that will get you totally mesmerized.

3. Jacob & Co. Astronomia Solar

The brilliant watchmakers from Jacob & Co. have come up a new breathtaking watch – that’s not really a surprise.  But the new Astronomia Solar watch is the brand’s first-ever reproduction of all eight planets around the Sun. Featuring a hand-engraved Earth rotating around its axis once every 60 seconds and making a complete revolution of the dial in 10 minutes, this piece will have you staring for hours.

With an 18kt rose gold 44.5 mm case on display, complemented by a sapphire crystal case band and a beautiful domed AR-coated sapphire top crystal, this mind blowing timepiece also comes backed up by a power reserve of 48 hours. A black alligator leather strap with an 18kt rose gold folding clasp finishes everything off, ending with a $1,013,600 price tag.

2. Audemars Piguet Diamond Outrage

Audemars Piguet’s Diamond Outrage is a new outrageous creation from the renowned Swiss brand, an avant-garde, diamond-studded, spiky haute joaillerie watch. Available in two unique 18-karat white gold versions, entirely covered with either diamonds or blue sapphires, this unconventional timepiece is definitely one for the news.

The sharp, pointed cones, show off diamonds that might potentially be harmful to others. The Audemars Piguet Diamond Outrage Full Diamond features exactly 9,923 brilliant-cut diamonds of approximately 50.06 carats, and 354 baguette-cut diamonds, while the Diamond Outrage Sapphire watch is set with 11,043 brilliant-cut blue sapphires of 65.47 carats – pricing available only upon request.

1. Hysek Colossal Grande Complication

To mark its 20th anniversary, the prestigious Swiss watchmaker Hysek has revealed the extraordinary Colossal Grande Complication watch before you. Available only in 18k rose gold, this precious watch features a 44 mm case benefiting from an expansive curved sapphire crystal, that arches along with the case, and two smaller sapphire crystal windows on its sides. But that’s just a small part of its unique appeal.

Showing off quite a busy dial, the Hysek Colossal Grande Complication looks like a functional work of art, with a large three-dimensional moon, a superb way of telling the time or the day, and a power reserve indicator that might be really useful to look at. For  around $700,000, the Hysek Colossal Grande Complication will only make one of eight people happy.