In the video below by Business Insider, We got to take a closer look at the Récital 22 Grand Récital which comes in red gold and platinum, each hovering around the $500K price range. During the video they will explain why exactly this watch costs almost half a million dollars.

The case, in 18kt white or rose gold, measures 46.5mm x 20.8mm. It has a domed AR-coated sapphire crystal, a sapphire display back and it is water resistant to 30 meters. The three arches that cover and encircle the crown on Histoire de Tourbillon 9 – was inspired by the entrance of Harry Winston’s Fifth Avenue Salon in New York City.

Movement is the Swiss manual-wind Harry Winston in-house caliber HW4504 with 58 jewels, 21,600 vph and a power reserve of 50 hours. It is comprised of 408 parts, of which 117 are in the tourbillon. The HW4504 caliber was designed exclusively for Histoire de Tourbillon 9. This development guarantees an exceptional degree of exclusivity, since only 20 models total will be made.

Tourbillons: 1 triaxial tourbillon. Internal carriage: 1 rotation in 45 seconds Intermediate carriage: 1 rotation in 75 seconds. External carriage: 1 rotation in 300 seconds. Fast-rotating series-coupled barrels (1 revolution in 3.2 hours),1 barrel fitted with a spring featuring a sliding brace. It features a Phillips terminal curve and Geneva-style stud. Variable-inertia with 18kt gold adjusting screws. Satin-finished and circular-grained mainplate, titanium bridges, circular satin-brushing and microbeading, titanium tourbillon bridges. Functions are: retrograde jumping hours, retrograde dragging minutes, power reserve with hand indication.

It has a beautiful skeletonized dial with hand beveling. The hour and minute hands circle directly above the movement and point to two zones calibrated with Arabic numerals. The power-reserve indicator at 8 o’clock displays a field and a two-part hand that share a distinctly three-dimensional nature.

The timepiece comes on a black alligator leather strap with 18kt rose gold or platinum thread. Matching with the gold Ardillon buckle.

The Breitling Premier gets its name from the 1943 elegant original, this new version being leeker, cleaner aesthetic than the average Breitling. And it’s also worth pointing out that the most recent iteration of the Premier from the late 1990s that had cursive Arabic numerals has been sensibly forgotten.

The new Premier line is made up of 4 models, plus a new Breitling for Bentley Chronograph. The key features of this new collection include the range is characterised by moderately sized cases – the largest being a 42mm chronograph. Domed sapphire crystals with antireflective coating are also common to all models which is a key feature.

The dials of the Premier line are two-part, with a separate, sloped flange for either the minute track or tachymetre. Hands and hour markers are baton-shaped. And while the movements across the line differ from model to model, all are COSC-certified chronometers.

The Premier is a line-up with different finishes and styles, available with a variety of metallic finish dials in sedate colours: black, grey, dark blue, and silver. Different and various straps are also available, including Breitling’s new signature slanted-link Pilot bracelet.

The collection starts with the Premier Automatic 40, a 40mm, time-0nly automatic powered by the Breitling Calibre 37, which is actually a variant of the ETA 2892.

With the same size as Automatic 40, the Premier Automatic Day & Date 40, has the calendar in windows. Inside is the Breitling Calibre 45, which is derived from the ETA 2824.

The entry-level chronograph is the Premier Chronograph 42. It has a 42mm case that contains the ETA Valjoux 7750, which has tone-on-tone chronograph sub-dials.

The more intricate and top of the line model is the Premier B01 Chronograph 42, which is equipped with the in-house Breitling B01 movement.

Other than the “tri-compax” layout of the chronograph, another feature that indicates it’s an in-house movement are the contrast colour sub-dials.

The more upscale version is the Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Bentley British Racing Green. It’s perhaps the most sedate Bentley wristwatch Breitling has ever made in the 16-year span of the brand’s collaboration.

Price and availability 

The new Premier collection reaches retailers and boutiques October 2018. Prices are as follows for the base models fitted with a calfskin strap:

Premier B01 Chronograph 42 – US$8200

Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Bentley – US$8500

Premier Chronograph 42 – US$6050

Premier Automatic Day & Date 40 – US$4000

Breitling Premier Automatic 40 – US$4000

Crocodile straps are an additional US$200, while a folding clasp is extra US$250. And a matching steel bracelet is US$750.

Also known as Day of the Dead, it is an annual event at the end of October celebrated in Mexico meant to remember the dearly departed, explaining the liberal use of skulls on the L.U.C Perpetual T, named after the Mexican patron saint of death, which boasts a perpetual calendar, (invisible) tourbillon regulator and nine-day power reserve. It makes for surely the most extravagant, and oddly appealing, L.U.C complicated wristwatch in a long, long time.

The dial is a solid 18k gold disc with a radial guilloche edge and a hand-engraved skull that’s been painted with black lacquer. Each of the sub-dials for the perpetual calendar form the eyes, while the skull has mother of pearl inlaid for its teeth, and the black-coated tourbillon bridge forms a moustache of sorts. But because of the dial design, the tourbillon is entirely hidden, a discretion almost unheard of in modern watchmaking.

The case is a large 43mm, and in 18k rose gold, with the front, sides and crown fully engraved by hand. The L.U.C Perpetual T Spirit of la Santa Muerte (ref. 161941-5005) is a unique creation, priced at SFr244,500. However, similar timepieces are available as custom orders.

James Stacey – A. Lange & Söhne (Germany)

A. Lange & Söhne doesn’t need much introduction but this small German watch manufacturer has been producing one of the finest watches over the years. Germany has been had a strong watchmaking history in the past and A. Lange & Söhne has paved a good part of it. Their watches are full of uniqueness while being gorgeous and distinctive. They focus on featuring watches that are beautifully subtle with complexity. A.Lange & Söhne is the heart of German watchmaking.

Jack Forster – Grand Seiko (Japan)

Grand Seiko is one of those brands that really shows you do no have to be a Swiss brand to succeed in the watchmaking world. The Japanese brand has been designing amazing watches since the start of the 20th century and since then has had a name for themselves. The philosophy of quality that informs them is so characteristically Japanese which makes it so incredible. Grand Seiko doesn’t aspire to resemble a great Swiss watch; instead, it strives to be the best possible Japanese watch. Grand Seiko has shown great evidence that you can be at any part of the world to create such a wonderful timepiece.

Stephen Pulvirent – Sarpaneva (Finland)

Many people would not think as Finland as a country for watchmaking rather one for hockey legends or  telecom companies like Nokia. Sarpaneva has been producing watches from the center of Helsinki. Their watches have a completely different feel to them having a rock n’ roll feeling to them. With the signature moon grinning back at you from the often layered dials. They also has a line of slightly lower priced pieces under the brand S.U.F that are intended for the Finnish domestic market and play off local culture and use local materials. It is very fascinating to see a watch brand like this using their own materials and building watches in their own turf while making watches that are nothing alike to the ‘Swiss’ style.

Many can say this TAG Heuer has one of the coolest name, Tête de Vipère,  meaning head of the viper in French. Greatest thing about this watch s that it lives up to its rockstar name. At first glance you can tell this watch is no ordinary one. Already looking through the dial you can see the intricacies and pure detail that it features.

The strap is a alligator skin backed with rubber so when you sweat you won’t have to worry about damaging the strap. What is perfect is how the watch all comes together with different aspects and comes together very well and not mismatched.  No single element overpowers the others.

You may think the case would always overpower any other aspect in the watch but as you can see, the blue ceramic case is more muted than usual allowing other parts of the watch to shine as well. This timepiece is priced at $26,750, and available at TAG Heuer boutiques.

The main eye catcher in this watch is mainly the skull in the dial. A patented fluidic module and exclusive mechanical calibre bring this to life. The colored liquid brings reflection to the watch which is a main symbol.

The coolest part about this piece is the intimidating eyes. No matter what, just giving this watch a little stare will definitely intimidate you in some way. Behind the right eye is a rotating disc expressing the passing of each precious second as it fades from dark to pale.

Most importantly, light and color really brings this watch to life. The three versions each incorporate their colors respectively.

This deliberate tension fascinates the eye, as does the effect of light on the differently treated, unmistakably modern grey surfaces. The watches come equipped on grey fabric straps with accents that  matches each respective skull colours.

Basics:

• Mechanical with manual winding, exclusive HYT calibre
• 28,800 Vph, 4 Hz, 35 jewels
• Bridges hand-bevelled and adorned with Côtes de Genève, rhodium-plated bellows
• 65-hour power reserve

• Titanium, satin and sandblasted finishes
• Black rubber sheathed screw-in titanium crown
• Domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on the dial side
• Screw-on case back, sapphire crystal
• Water-resistant up to 100 metres

“When I was considering this new watch, I wanted to create a dynamic contrast of surfaces and settled on the idea of taking the tapisserie dial in the opposite direction towards pure reflection,” says Carolina Bucci.

Many people had mixed reviews about the first Frosted Gold Royal Oak. In my opinion the frosted gold gives the AP a nice texture which looks great on the wrist. Although some people may have not liked the first version, this new limited edition version is newly updated and improved. The mirrored dial adds more heat to this timepiece selling at $53,600.

Basics:

Diameter: 37mm
Case Material: 18k yellow gold
Dial: Mirrored
Indexes: Applied stick markers at the hours
Lume: Luminescent coating to hour markers and hands
Water Resistance: 50 meters
Strap/Bracelet: Frosted gold bracelet

Zenith has created a new movement to pair with lovely beauty. The Gravity Control mechanism that was found in the limited Christophe Colomb series of watches, has been paired with an El Primero, high-frequency movement. This movement could not upset as the housing regulates the tourbillion to keep it horizontal at all times. Zenith also re-engineered the system so it is not as large as it was in the Zenith Colomb watches.

Zenith did a great job keeping the watch as open and visible as possible for everyone can enjoy the beauty inside this watch. The Zenith Defy Zero G is available in either titanium or rose gold and on either an alligator-leather and rubber strap or a bracelet. A true looker.

The movement used in this UTC is the Eterna Cal. 39 with 65h of power reserve. At first glance, this watch has beautiful colors that attracts the eye. The blue color on the dial has a great finish that shines amazingly in the light or sun. The watch has a water resistance of 100 meters or 330 feet.

What catches my eye most is the back of this watch. For such new brand with little experience in the market they have developed a very beautiful caseback. Engraved on the back is “Intégralement ouvré en Suisse” with its acronym « I.O.E.S. » on the dial. Which translates to English as “Entirely made in Switzerland”.

The price tag of the watch is inspired by Fair Trade. They have published the manufacturing cost which is € 950, and the selling price for the first 100 pieces is € 1,300 excluding tax. The next 200 will be on sale for € 1,600. And the Morse UTC is a limited edition of 300 pieces.

A beautiful things about this brand is that 10% of its profit is donated to NGOs committed to the conservation and protection of marine life. Also, they will provide each customer with a warranty of 3 years.

The name of the brand came to be because it was appealing to founder, Lionel Bruneau. In French, les territoires ultramarins, means overseas territories, represented by the blue.