Icons are forever – but that does not mean they can’t benefit from the occasional update.
In 1977, Cartier launched the Must de Cartier Tank in vermeil cases to offer an attractive, lower-priced alternative to the classic Tank Louis Cartier. This year, the French luxury house relaunched the Tank Must collection. The new steel models replace the entry- level Tank Solo – which has a flatter profile – with a design that is closer to the Tank Louis Cartier, which is characterised by rounded brancards (the case’s vertical bars) and made only in precious metals.
A Patek Philippe classic with a much longer history than the Nautilus gets a new look this year. Dating back to 1932, the Calatrava is the Genevan manufacture’s flagship dress watch. Featuring Clous de Paris or hobnail guilloche, the model pays tribute to predecessors such as the Ref. 3919, introduced in 1985. Measuring a larger 39mm as compared to its forerunners, the Ref. 6119 is powered by a new hand-wound movement with a 65-hour power reserve.
The first serious watch for many people, including Tag Heuer’s young CEO Frederic Arnault, the Tag Heuer Aquaracer gets a subtle yet thorough revamp. The idea was to refine this key pillar launched in 2004 while retaining its sturdy, dive-watch DNA. Aside from a slimmer case, bezel and bracelet, the refreshed models boast improvements such as a new ceramic bezel insert, fluting on the 12-faceted bezel for better grip and a date magnifier that is engraved into the underside of the sapphire crystal.
To enable more people to wear its Big Pilot’s Watch, IWC reduced the model, launched in 2002, from 46mm to 43mm. Interestingly, the redesigned references – in steel, with a black or blue dial – take their minimalist cues from a truly gargantuan ancestor: the 55mm Big Pilot’s Watch Calibre 52 TSC from 1940. While the smaller size means certain trade-offs, such as a reduced (but still solid) power reserve of 60 hours instead of seven days, we’re fans of the new, stripped-down aesthetic that does away with the previous date and power-reserve displays.
Launched in 1993, the Chopard Happy Sport was the first timepiece to combine steel with diamonds. Nearly 30 years on, the watch with the “dancing diamonds”, to use the brand’s parlance, continues to be its bestseller. This year, Chopard’s new Happy Sport The First is a tribute to the debut 36mm model with an update in the form of a new 33mm case forged from Chopard’s proprietary Lucent steel.
This article first appeared in The Peak