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6 Watches to Celebrate Time Well Spent in 2024

This festive season, whether you’re torn between practicality and whimsy or seeking a timeless investment or playful stocking filler, these watches celebrate creativity, passion, and every special moment.

For storytellers

Montblanc’s latest Star Legacy Chronograph Day & Date Limited Edition infuses a fresh green aesthetic into the collection, inspired by the Mont Blanc mountain and its six glacier valleys. This design pays homage to the emblematic motif that motivated the first Star Legacy collection in 1997, featuring an exploding star guilloché pattern evoking an aerial view of the peak. The guilloché technique, rooted in 18th-century watchmaking, is recreated with precision stamping, bringing a modern touch to a timeless craft.

The chronograph draws from Montblanc’s heritage, channelling the elegance of Minerva pocket watches with its polished, pebble-shaped case, onion-shaped crown, and luminescent sword-shaped hands. Limited to 800 pieces, the 43mm stainless steel case houses the automatic MB 25.07 movement, offering a 48-hour power reserve. Water-resistant to around 50 metres, it includes Montblanc’s interchangeable strap system, pairing refined functionality with sporty sophistication – a perfect tribute to classical horology.

For the resolutely timeless

Longines adds new models to the Mini Dolcevita collection launched last year. Powered by a high-precision L178 quartz movement, and water resistant to 30 metres, these gorgeous timepieces are now available in 18ct yellow gold for the first time and rose gold. They come set with 38 Top Wesselton diamonds and fastened with a supple metal bracelet or an understated, unset bezel for a model attached with a black leather strap. The rectangular silvered Roman dial features delicate geometric motifs embossed in relief with a guilloché-work effect. They are complemented by painted blue Roman numerals and blued steel hands. A square sub-second dial is at 6 o’clock.

For daredevils

The Pelagos FXD GMT “Zulu Time” by Tudor is a high-performance watch designed for the French Naval Aviation, offering precision and functionality for critical missions. Master Chronometer-certified by METAS, this watch can track up to three time zones, including Zulu time, the aviation standard for UTC. Its robust 42mm titanium case is waterproof to 200m, with fixed strap bars and a lightweight design. The watch features a high-contrast dial, blue luminous snowflake hands and hour markers contrasting with the green luminous emission of the 24-hour hand and graduation on the 24-hour bezel. A distinctive orange Zulu hand further enhances legibility in low-light conditions.

Inspired by the French Navy’s historic designs, the single-piece flight-suit green fabric strap is crafted on 19th-century looms by the Julien Faure company. It complements the engraved titanium case back showcasing the Aéronautique Navale logo and “M.N.24.” Powered by the MT5652-U Manufacture Calibre, the Pelagos FXD GMT embodies Tudor’s legacy of reliability, cementing its partnership with the French Navy, which began in 1956.

For nature lovers

Panerai recently unveiled the PAM01696 Submersible QuarantaQuattro – Aspen & Scottsdale Edition featuring a striking white dial (unusual for the brand), white indices and blue accents in honour of the pristine snow-capped peaks of the Roaring Fork Valley mountains and the colours of the ocean depths. Enhancing readability with Super-LumiNova on the dot, hands, and indices, the design evokes a sense of adventure and exploration shared by collectors and nature lovers alike. The case back features an engraving of the Colorado mountains and Arizona desert flora. This production is limited to 60 pieces, exclusively available at Oliver Smith Jeweler’s boutiques in Aspen and Scottsdale.

For dreamers

The Master of Materials offers three timepieces to mark festive celebrations and realisations of dreams. Rado’s Captain Cook model has a case and bracelet in matte-black hi-tech ceramic complemented by a stainless-steel bezel and crown finished in a warm PVD rose-gold shade. The smoke-tinted skeletonised dial reveals the R808 movement for the rugged, sporty watch. The True Square Open Heart’s softly rounded format, presented in sensuous white ceramic, presents the R734 Open Heart movement visible on both sides of the case, all the better to admire the fine movement decorations. Rounding off the trio is the Centrix Open Heart Super Jubilé sparkling with 86 full-cut Top Wesselton diamonds over the bridge and 12 more stones for the hour markers.

For partygoers

The designs for the Swatch Holiday Collection ooze connection, joy and celebration. Living up to the brand’s reputation for “positive provocation and joie de vivre”, there are 14 vibey designs to choose from whether you decide to hang out at the bar, settle in for the party that’s always in the kitchen or bust a move on the dance floor. Think Audacious Acai, Shimmer at Dusk, Hazel Delight, Canyon Chaser and Poppingly Pink. With names like these, you will find one that suits your personality. Dressing light? The Swatch Neon Party to the Max option comes with the SwatchPay feature that enables simple, secure and effortless ways to pay for holiday treats.

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JUly 2026

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