Every two years, Dubai comes to life with Dubai Watch Week, a celebration of all things watchmaking organized by Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, the emirate’s premier jeweler. With each edition, the fair grows larger, with myriad exhibiting brands both small and large; various industry panels and workshops; and different special-edition watch launches taking place throughout the week. Besides providing time to hold and examine rare and important timepieces, the fair is also an excellent opportunity to interface with watch industry executives, designers and other important personalities. But one of the best parts of DWW is the numerous releases that debut during the show — while some merely use new colorways or fresh case metals, others are unique to the fair. Check out some of the best of them below!
MB&F HM11 Architect
Max Busser’s MB&F is well known in horological circles for its groundbreaking designs, innovative movements, and compelling collaborations. The brand’s latest “Horological Machine,” the HM11 Architect, is easily one of its most striking timepieces yet: Drawing a throughline between horology and architecture, it’s housed in a 1960s-inspired, spherical “house” that contains an hours and minutes display; a power reserve indicator; and — believe it or not! — a thermometer. The case itself rotates to wind the movement, while a central tourbillon is contained under a double-domed sapphire crystal. Powered by an in-house movement and available in two editions of 25 pieces each in blue or gold, it’s a wildly cool riff on contemporary timekeeping.
- Diameter: 42mm
- Movement: MB&F mechanical
- Water Resistance: 20m
- Price: $230,000
Doxa SUB 300β Seddiqi Edition 2023
Following last fall’s release of the SUB 300β — a thinner version of the Doxa’s beloved diver — the brand is putting out a special version in concert with Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, the family-owned, UAE-based jeweler behind Dubai Watch Week. Featuring a subtle blue mother-of-pearl dial, it has a unidirectional dive bezel with a blue ceramic insert overlaid with dual scales: a 60-minute count-up scale, and a depth scale in meters. Together, these constitute Doxa’s famed “no-decompression” bezel — which, before the advent of the dive computer, was essential kit for SCUBA divers. Coated in Super-LumiNova for underwater legibility and powered by an automatic Swiss movement, this handsome piece comes on either a beads-of-rice bracelet or a white KFM rubber dive strap.
- Diameter: 42.5mm
- Movement: Sellita SW200-1 automatic
- Water Resistance: 300m
- Price: ~$3,199
Oris ProPilot X Calibre 400 Laser
If you’re not familiar with the Oris ProPilot X, allow us to enlighten you: Introduced in 2019, it’s an awesome, contemporary take on the pilot’s watch vertical — and since 2022, it’s been powered by the brand’s in-house Calibre 400 movement. New this week is a special version with an incredible, shimmery dial: Inspired by biomimicry, it changes color like a soap bubble despite using no color pigment. Housed within the ProPilot X’s unique 39mm titanium case with matching, serpentine three-link bracelet, its signature movement boasts an impressive five-day power reserve and is backed by a 10-year warranty with 10-year recommended service intervals. And while the ProPilot X typically features a date window at 6 o’clock, it’s been removed from the Laser in order to let the dial shine in all its iridescent glory.
- Diameter: 39mm
- Movement: Oris Calibre 400 automatic
- Water Resistance: 100m
- Price: $5,200
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Chopard Alpine Eagle 41mm
Expanding upon the design of the brand’s St. Moritz from the 1980s, the Chopard Alpine Eagle is a contemporary luxury sports watch in the mold of famous examples such as the Royal Oak and Nautilus. Launched in 2019, it’s gaining gem-set siblings in the form of four stunning new references melding the collection’s classic looks with colorful precious stones: The first in yellow gold is ringed with a bezel set with pink sapphires; next comes a white gold reference with blue and purple sapphires; then a white gold model with tsavorites; and finally, a piece in rose gold with spessartites. Each measures 41mm; features a matching, integrated bracelet; and is powered by the chronometer-certified Chopard 01.15-C automatic movement — ample proof that the maison is committed to perfecting every piece of the watchmaking process.
- Diameter: 41mm
- Movement: Chopard 01.15-C automatic
- Water Resistance: 100m
- Price: $77,600-$85,400
Ulysse Nardin Freak ONE Ops
Released at Watches & Wonders Geneva 2023, the Freak ONE saw Ulysse Nardin return the Freak to its funky, 2001 roots — no crown, no hands, no dial — but add modern materials and processes such as DLC-coated titanium, DIAMonSIL coating, and Grinder winding system. (Flip up the Freak tab below 6 o’clock, and you can set the time via the bezel!) In a quick update to this relatively new release, the brand has given the Freak ONE its “Ops” treatment; short for “Operations,” this military-esque, olive-green-and-black aesthetic includes a DLC-coated titanium case with a Carbonium bezel; an OD-green “barrel cover” (effectively the dial); and an OD-green and black ballistic rubber strap. More than just a simple colorway update, this new version looks like the type of watch James Bond would sport if he weren’t already a dedicated Omega wearer.
- Diameter: 44mm
- Movement: Ulysse Nardin UN-240 automatic
- Water Resistance: 30m
- Price: $66,500
De Bethune DBD Evergreen
If you’re after a contemporary expression of classical watchmaking tropes, you could do much worse than De Bethune’s DBD, a unique model that incorporates a linear triple-calendar display with a “digital” time display. Launched in 2006, the collection now includes some 39 references in either a rose or white gold case whose distinctive shape sets the line apart from any of its contemporaries. In honor of DWW, the company is launching a new, limited-edition reference in titanium with a striking green dial. Nearly cerulean in hue, it contains the aforementioned calendar windows and digital display windows, and is powered by the hand-wound De Bethune Caliber DB2044 movement. Paired to a two-tone beige and green textile strap, it’s a compelling mix of inspirations, and a handsome offering from one of the most unique marques in independent watchmaking.
- Diameter: 42.6mm
- Movement: De Bethune DB2044 hand-wound
- Water Resistance: 30m
- Price: TBD
Moser Streamliner Small Seconds
Are you a fan of integrated-bracelet, luxury sports watches such as the Royal Oak and the Nautilus? If so, then Moser’s Streamliner is no doubt long on your radar. But while previous iterations of this most innovative, funky-looking timepiece clocked in closer to 43mm, the new Streamliner Small Seconds with blue enamel dial measures just 39mm, carting over the looks and technical excellence of the original into a more ergonomic, easy-wearing size that’s equally appropriate for men or women. What’s more, this version boasts a simply incredible, deep blue enamel dial in the grand feu style with a beautiful fumé finish — plus, a new in-house, automatic movement, the HMC 500. The slimmest automatic yet produced by the maison, it fits neatly into the watch’s cushioned-shaped, stainless steel case and is visible via a sapphire caseback.
- Diameter: 39mm
- Movement: H. Moser & Cie. HMC 500 automatic
- Water Resistance: 120m
- Price: $32,900
Zenith X Time & Tide Defy Skyline Night Surfer El Primero
A collaboration between Swiss watchmaker Zenith and the good folks at Time & Tide, Australia’s premier watch website, this sequel to the 2021 Zenith Night Surfer Limited Edition is so damn cool looking, it’s tough to peel one’s eyes away. While the 2021 LE featured a star-shaped motif within its skeletonized dial, the new version is even more futuristic, with a dark grey, sandblasted titanium case against which a skeletonized movement with electric blue bridges and dark blue mainplate simply pop. Lumed sword hands and applied hour indices (as well as a sub-seconds display above 6 o’clock) ensure a welcome degree of legibility despite numerous dark surfaces, while the Zenith El Primero 3620 hi-beat automatic movement ticking away within promises accuracy and plenty of power reserve. The one unfortunate bit of news? There are only 200 of these being made.
- Diameter: 41mm
- Movement: Zenith El Primero 3620
- Water Resistance: 100m
- Price: $12,000
Chopard L.U.C Strike One
Though you might associate Chopard more with high jewelry rather than with watchmaking, there’s no doubt that the maison’s in-house horological creations are truly special and worthy of your consideration. Besides the relatively new Alpine Eagle — (see our coverage above) — the brand’s L.U.C. collection of men’s watches contains numerous standouts. Case in point: the new L.U.C. Strike One, a limited edition of 25 pieces. Housed within a 40mm 18K white gold case, it contains the chronometer-certified L.U.C 96.32-L movement, whose visible hammer strikes a patented, monobloc sapphire gong. Meanwhile, a blue-green, hand-guillochéd dial with a honeycomb motif adds visual interest, while the crown’s integrated pusher interfaces smoothly with the movement, proving the brand’s horological bona fides and technical excellence.
- Diameter: 40mm
- Movement: Chopard L.U.C 96.32-L automatic
- Water Resistance: N/A
- Price: $66,600
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