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A List Of The Best Obscenely Expensive Watches Of The Year, Sherpa Teams Up With Real Time Show For Sandblasted OPS, Lederer InVerto Takes Open Work Seriously And Dragon Watches From Arnold & Son
Most of these watches will never find their way to our wrists. But it's fun to fantasize
It's About Time
December 21, 2023
Hey friends, welcome back to It’s About Time. In the second-to-last newsletter of the year, I wanted to feature the best “money is no object” watches of the year. I also was cleaning out the archive of news items I didn’t get a chance to publish earlier in the week. And completely by chance, the one issue that features the best of expensive watches of the year ended up with news items that are almost exclusively unimaginably expensive. So, I hope you enjoy this trip to the rarified zone of high-end watches.
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In this issue:
Sherpa Watches Teams Up With The Real Time Show Podcast For A New Sandblasted OPS Model
The New Lederer Central Impulse Chronometer InVerto Takes Open Worked To A Whole New Level
Spectacular Year Of The Dragon Watches Continue, This Time With Two Incredible Arnold & Son Models
The Best “Money Is No Object” Watches Of 2023, As Chosen By Me
Today’s reading time: 12 minutes and 1 second
👂What’s new
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It might seem to you that Sherpa watches have been around forever, right? And you might be partially right. While the brand Sherpa Watches has been around only since 2019, the Sherpa model has been around since the 1950s, produced by Enicar as one of the first compressor-style diving watches, inspired by the determination of the Sherpas in Nepal. Enicar is no longer around thanks to the quartz crisis, but German Martin Klocke has revived the Sherpa name and created a whole brand around the legendary dive model. Their latest release is an OPS model made in collaboration with the The Real Time Show, a podcast hosted by watch industry insiders Alon Ben Joseph and Rob Nudds that is quickly making it’s way into the very top of my favorites.
The podcasting duo has convinced Sherpa to use their OPS model and give it a sandblasted stainless-steel finish to join the already existing polished steel and black DLC. The case measures 40mm wide, 13.5mm thick and has a 49.3mm lug-to-lug. It also has an asymmetric case, which always looks awesome and in this model includes a protrusion of the case to protect the two crowns on the right side.
The watch is rated to 200 meters of water resistance and Sherpa has done a lot to bring back their compressor-style case roots. While today we might call any case that has two crowns and an internal bezel a super-compressor, this is not the case. For a case to be a compressor-style case, it needs to have gaskets and rings that allow it to become more water resistant the more it is compressed by the pressure of the water above it. Go take a peek at Sherpa’s website to see their very detailed breakdown of how they improved this technology.
The rest of the watch remains largely unchanged. This means you get a slightly domed box-style sapphire crystal, no external bezel and a domed dial that has a matte black finish. On the matte black you have a graduated grey inner bezel, orange and luminous markers, and two-finish beveled hands, along with an orange seconds hand.
Inside is what the brand calls the Mantramatic MM01 movement, which is a decorated top-grade Sellita SW200-1. The SW200-1 is a known entity in the watch world, robust, reliable and easily servicable and just fine, despite its relatively low power reserve of 38 hours. The top-grade level of the movement gets you premium finishing and an accuracy ranging from +/-4 to +/-15 seconds per day. The two brands avoided putting any branding from the podcast onto the dial, so the only thing you will see is the TRTS logo on the dive helmet engraved on the case back.
The Sherpa × TRTS OPS model will not be a limited edition, which is a very interesting (and welcomed, I would say) approach to a collaboration and a percentage of the sales will be donated to programs that support actual Sherpas. Price si set at €6,200. See more on the Sherpa website.
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The Central Impulse Chronometer from independent watchmaker Bernhard Lederer is not a new thing. He has been making them for a while and so far four versions have come out - two limited editions in white gold, a rose gold one and a steel version. For the fifth version, Lederer decided to throw it all out into the wind, literally. The new Lederer Central Impulse Chronometer InVerto has no dial and a fully exposed and very dramatic movement is exposed under the heavily domed crystal.
The InVerto comes in a 904L steel that’s coated with black DLC and measures 44mm wide and a surprisingly svelte 11.5mm thick. It’s a simple case with a polished finish and short and dramatically angled lugs. The domed sapphire crystal has the Lederer logo engraved into it at the 6 o’clock position. And if this watch looks familiar with it’s bold design, it might be because you have seen one before. It is based on the piece unique that Lederer has made for the canceled Only Watch 2023 auction. That one also featured a black case but had bridges, hands and other assorted parts painted in the Only Watch colors.
Not tis version. This one goes very dark. The open worked movement becomes the dial, and a striking one at that with the bridges and main plate coated in black acting as perfect contrast to the gilded components. The bridges have a frosted finish with a distinctive raised lip that is straight-grained on the surface, polished and beveled by hand on the edges while the unique wheel spokes showcase numerous internal angles. The hour and minute hands have a complex form that could only be crafted by hand. Likewise, they feature black polishing and frosting. You can clearly see the twin barrels and independent gear trains, each equipped with a 10-second remontoire. The large balance wheels and escapement rhythmically tick at 9 o’clock.
The Lederer Central Impulse Chronometer InVerto is, to no surprise, both extremely limited and extremely expensive. Only 18 pieces will be made and it’s priced at CHF 150,000. See more on the Lederer website.
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The Chinese Year of the Dragon is obviously no joke. The Chinese take the dragon as a symbol of power and good luck, so it’s no surprise that so many brands are coming out with incredible watches to pay homage to this important year which starts on February 10th 2024. Now, joining this incredible lineup of watches are two new models from Arnold & Son - the Luna Magna and the Perpetual Moon, both with hand-sculpted dragons on the stunningly beautiful dials.
First up is the Perpetual Moon. This one comes in the larger of the two model cases, meaning it measures 41.5mm wide and 11.67mm thick and made out of polished red gold. You can get it with a choice of black aventurine or a blue aventurine dials, with a garden depicted at the bottom of the dial and a large hand-made dragon sliding through it. Towards the top of the dial is the dark sky represented in the aventurine. But even more impressive is the huge 29mm window that displays the moonphase. Within the window is a 11.2mm hand-engraved mother-of-pearl moon with hand-painted shadows and hand-painted constellations of the Great Bear and Cassiopeia. The watch is powered by the manual-winding A&S1512 calibre, with the moonphase accurate to 122 years, and a 90 hour power reserve. The black aventurine model comes with a spangled black alligator strap while the blue aventurine dial comes with an ink-blue alligator strap, both with a red alligator lining.
Then there’s the Luna Magna, based on the model the brand launched only a couple of years ago, with a huge (12mm) spherical moon phase at 6 o’clock. It too comes in a polished red gold case, but this one is 44mm wide and 15.9mm thick. That’s a thick watch, but you have to allow a lot of room for that sphere for the moon phase. There are two versions of this moon, one made from red gold and pietersite and the other made from red gold and black onyx. The pietersite and black onyx are also used to create the background dial area surrounding the time and moon phase indications.
At 12 o’clock you’ll find the opal disc that’s used for time telling and around it is a hand-sculpted red gold dragon that gives off a look of three-dimensionality that I doubt has been seen in a watch before. Inside is the A&S1021 calibre, a hand-wound movement beating at 21,600vph and 90 hours of power reserve. The pietersite model comes on an ink-blue alligator strap, while the onyx is fitted with a black alligator strap, both with red alligator lining.
All four versions of these watches are limited to eight pieces each, with the two Perpetual Moon versions retailing for CHF 57,000 and the Luna Magna versions selling for CHF 79,600. See more on the Arnold & Son website.
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The Best “Money Is No Object” Watches Of 2023, As Chosen By Me
We’re almost done with these list of best watches, I promise. Today, we have the outrageously priced category, one where money is truly no object (although, some of them could be within reach for a couple of people) and you could get whatever you want. Let’s do some daydreaming before we move on to YOUR favorite watches of 2023. But more on that tomorrow. Here’s the expensive stuff:
The watch comes in a 41.9mm wide and 14.7mm thick 18k white gold case with a pink-gold dial, limited to 100 pieces. In essence, it’s just a new dial color for the already familiar 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar, a line of Lange watches that completely unfairly gets ignored next to their more popular collections. But it’s such a beautiful watch, there’s no need to change much. Unlimited editions of this watch in platinum or pink gold with silver dials retailed for €160,000 and 180,000 a couple of years ago, so it’s safe to assume a price tag of over €200,000. Read my writeup here
A collaboration between Montblanc and the California-based members-only collectors club Collective Horology was perhaps the most underrated watch of the year. You get a gorgeous white lacquer dial with the Minerva logo, a really special treat for horological nerds and only the second the Minerva arrow logo has returned on a modern Montblanc watch, and the rotating blue timing arrow seen on the dial and controlled by the 18K white gold fluted bezel. Inside the watch is the hand-wound MB M13.21 movement – the current-day descendent of the Minerva Calibre 13.20 – visible through a display caseback. Nearly every component of the movement – with the exception of jewels and a handful of screws – was made in-house in Villeret. With a 60-hour power reserve, the movement has a screw balance with Philips curve, Rhodium-coated German silver bridges with Côtes de Genève, circular graining on both sides, and hand-chamfered edges. Priced at $34,500 and limited to 30 pieces. Read more here.
Those two watches you see in the picture above? Those are not two watches. It’s the same watch, just seen under different lights, giving the sapphire crystal radically different colors. Exposed to warm light, the case has an amber color, but shine a brighter and cooler light on it and suddenly it shifts to an electric lime-green. It will set you back $179,000. Here’s the article on it.
While not an obscenely expensive watch and not outside the realm of availability, I just had to sneak in another Glassbox TAG Heuer into the mix. I swear, I’m completely in love with these watches. And the gold one in particular looks stunning. I also love that they didn’t do a gold bracelet with it, as it would have been way too much. Yours for CHF 21,000. My writeup is here.
Ming has had an incredible year. This is a new watch from the Special Projects Cave called the Ming LW.01, quite possibly the lightest watch ever made. And they did it while not compromising their signature style, which means a lot in this race for lightness. Ming is actually releasing two watches, the Ming LW.01 Manual and the LW.01 Automatic. The manual weighs in at 8.8 grams while the auto is 10.8 grams, both without a strap. However, seeing as how the strap and buckle weigh in at just 1.8 grams, you can see how this whole package is mind blowing. Price is set at CHF 19,500. Read my article here.
Do excuse me here, as I’m about to fanboy-out. You see, the Ressence Type 3 just might be my absolute favorite watch of all time, from the first second I saw it, I was mesmirized. I’m not usually sucker for technical advancements. They can impress me, but I don’t obsess over them. I don’t, that is, until I have seen the Type 3, with it’s oil filled dial and magnetic connection between the movement and the gears that rotate the discs that hold the hands. And this year Ressence introduces their best version of the Type 3 yet - one in a super smooth eucalyptus-green color. Price is CHF 38,200. My thoughts can be found here.
Huh. Another Collective Horology watch on this list. They must be doing something right. Gabe Reilly, one of the founders of Collective studied at the University of Hawaii and says that he wanted to recreate the unique aquamarine hues and textures of the waters surrounding Lanikai Beach. This is the color that Czapek applied to the dial with the application of a specially sourced turquoise-coloured enamel, emphasized with a wavy texture was stamped with a hand-engraved mould to reproduce the natural irregularities of a seabed. The retail price is USD 26,500. Read more here.
Each Atelier de Chronométrie is a piece unique and is made to order by a client. This means you will not be able to buy this one, but you might try to order one for yourself. Just know that the price for AdC17 has not been revealed and the base price for a similar split-second chronograph starts at €150,000 and only goes up from there. This will sound outrageous, but considering the fact that there are mass produced watches that lack the crazy attention to detail and hand-made cache of the AdC at the same price point, this looks like a bargain. Read more about it here.
When Jean Arnault took over the Louis Vuitton watchmaking outfit with the promise of a though revamping, many believed good things were coming. After all, both Arnault and the new LV creative director Pharrell have exceptional taste in watches. However, I doubt anybody predicted that a watch like the one they just released was in the work. LV Watches has teamed up with Akrivia, spearheaded by one of the most important independent watchmakers alive, Rexhep Rexhepi, to create the truly stunning LVRR-01 Chronographe à Sonnerie. Only 10 of these watches will be made and they will sell for approximately CHF 450,000, without tax. Read more here.
Audemars Piguet is announcing their latest limited edition model and with it they mark the 30th birthday of the Royal Oak Offshore chronograph. And just like the AP Royal Oak was huge and over the top in the 90s, so is the cameo connection of this edition - 90s action movies. The black-and-yellow colorway of the limited edition is a direct reference to the early Royal Oak Offshore that Arnold Schwarzenegger wore in End of Days back in 1999, which has since become a cult model. Yours for $60,300. Read more about it here.
Simon Brette has spent years coming up with some of the most important modern watches from independent watchmakers like Chronode and MB&F. Now, he is presenting his first solo watch - the Simon Brette Chronomètre Artisans Subscription Edition. It’s time only, it’s overly engineered and ultra decorated. A perfect combo for a first solo watch. Price is set at CHF 50,000. You can find my short writeup here.
The Streamliner Centre Seconds is the most elemental or straightforward model in this family, offering hours, minutes and central seconds. Moser’s characteristic minimalism is at play here, and the beauty of the fumé griffé dial (gradient with an emphatic vertical brushed finishing) is the true star of the show. Similar to the Matrix Green Streamliner Centre Seconds of 2020, nicknamed the ‘Green Dragon’ by fans, this is the second colour to appear on board this three-hand model. The retail price is CHF 19,900. See more here.
🫳On hand
Our selection of the best reviews we stumble upon
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⚙️Watch Worthy
A look at an off beat, less known watch you might actually likewatches
Although a Swiss brand, Peren’s heart lies in Transylvania. Look no further than the small vampire fangs printed on prior dials. Of course, this goes beyond whether or not Dracula would’ve sported this watch as the design was influenced by the ancient Sarmizegetusa Regia Calendar. Known as the Stonehenge of Transylvania, the Dacians used an impressive blend of math, geometry and astronomy to create one of the most precise calendars of its day (lunar/solar cycles) and it’s a significant contribution to modern timekeeping. This was even before the height of ancient Rome. Peren was introduced by Transylvanian Andy Bica and is named after the word perennial, meaning everlasting or perpetual.
⏲️Wait a minute
A bunch of links that might or might not have something to do with watches. One thing’s for sure - they’re interesting
This is an astonishing and very moving account of the vast number of people doing the tedious, lowly paid, weird human work that makes A.I.— well, intelligent.
Lasting for three straight days, the grand opening of Caesars Palace in August of 1966 was a spectacle unlike any the city of Las Vegas had ever seen. The owners dropped over a million dollars on food and booze. John Wayne, Johnny Carson, Maureen O’Hara, Eydie Gorme—even Grant Sawyer, the governor of Nevada, was on hand. The guest of honor, however, was someone who didn’t drink, didn’t gamble, and didn’t much care for lasciviousness or ostentatious displays of wealth. His name was Jimmy Hoffa, and he was the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. What really happened that night in Vegas?
You know you have to be a particularly horrible person when you stand out as the “worst landlord in Toronto”. Carolyn Krebs (alias Carolyn Goodman, alias Marian Linton) ignores work orders, falsifies documents and evicts tenants without cause. How one woman is making a killing off a system that’s too broken to stop her
👀Watch this
One video you have to watch today
Making some plans for next year. So how about I get the ugliest Porsche 911 generation as a daily driver? Probably not going to happen, but this video illustrates just how capable this monster of a car is.
💵Pre-loved precision
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