Written by Rhonda Riche

Steel Wheel

One of the most talked about timepieces at Baselworld was Patek Phillipe’s reissued Nautilus Travel Time Chronograph Ref. 5990/1A. Introduced in 1976, this sexy sports watch slowly built a cult following amongst collectors. Long seen as a functional finish, stainless steel is now integral to the heavy metal timepieces many wear with more formal attire (think James Bond in an Omega, Breitling or Rolex and a dinner jacket). The Nautilus Travel Time can also pull off the jump from sporty to elegant because its brushed steel finish is neutral enough to work with almost everything in your wardrobe, and the chunky porthole-shaped case and gray ombré dial make a distinct statement. The 2014 model also boasts a Travel Time complication that displays two different zones. It’s a clever addition: highly practical but doesn’t clutter the Nautilus’ seminal design.

Nautilus Travel Time Chronograph in stainless steel, $57,300, PATEK PHILIPPE, 212-218-1240.

Written by Rhonda Riche

Super Marine

Amongst the to-die-for divers were the revival of Rolex’s GMT-Master II in white gold with a red and blue “Pepsi” bezel as well as a revived Omega Seamaster 300. The International Watch Company launched a whole new collection of dive watches, including the (extremely handsome) Aquatimer Chronograph Edition Expedition Darwin. The Expedition Darwin is a striking timepiece, with a minimalist black chrono dial and modern rubber strap. In a year that saw most watch manufacturers experimenting with new elements, IWC stood apart by using bronze as a case material. The metal evokes the memory of an old-fashioned diving bell, and because it is meant to take on a patina of use as it ages, it is also a thoughtful tip of the hat to its namesake, Charles Darwin, the father of the theory of evolution.

1.Aquatimer Chronograph Edition Expedition Charles Darwin, $11,100, IWC, iwc.com.
2.Jeremy Renner in Bulgari
3.Bradley Cooper in Chopard
4.Kevin Spacey in IWC

Written by Rhonda Riche

High and Low

Audemars Piguet launched six new models to the Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph family, one of the most popular watches in the world of haute horology. Most notably, rubber case accents such as the crown and pushers have been replaced with black ceramic. And the hands are now faceted for a cleaner read. These small changes have a big impact, making the Offshore’s design crisper and more refined. For the gearhead, all are outfitted with a sapphire caseback so you can observe the beating heart of the AP caliber 3126/3840 movement. There are high and low versions featuring cases in either rose gold or stainless steel and newly redesigned bracelets and straps in solid gold, alligator or rubber. We were particularly taken by the stainless-steel model with blue and red tapisserie dial.

1. Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph in 18-karat rose gold, $69,200, AUDEMARS PIGUET, 888-214-6858.
2. Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph in stainless steel with rubber strap, $25,600, AUDEMARS PIGUET.
3. Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph in stainless steel with Hornback Alligator strap, $26,000, AUDEMARS PIGUET.

Written by Rhonda Riche

Time Signatures

Ninety years ago, Montblanc introduced the iconic Montblanc Meisterstück 149 pen. World leaders such as Winston Churchill and John F. Kennedy signed historic treaties with it. Men of letters like Ernest Hemingway and Franz Kafka are said to have favoured the stylish stylo. This year, attendees buzzed over Montblanc’s introducing the Meisterstück Heritage Collection of timepieces, which harken back to dress watches of the 1960s and ’70s.

Like the Meisterstück pen, the four watches in the Heritage Collection were designed to look good and serve a practical function. For example, the limited edition Heritage Pulsograph (to be launched this fall), has a pulsometer scale to help medical professionals calculate pulse rate—and set watch aficionados’ hearts racing.

1. Meisterstück 90 Years LeGrand Fountain pen, $715, MONTBLANC, montblanc.com.
2. John F. Kennedy shares his Meisterstück pen with German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer.

Written by Rhonda Riche

Watch styling has been slowly de-blinging over the last couple of seasons. Most radically, some of the world’s priciest timepieces were presented at Baselworld on inexpensive nylon bands (a.k.a. NATO) or rugged leather straps instead of heavy metal bracelets. Many manufacturers went beyond bands, paying homage to the armed forces by reviving historic military watches.

The limited edition Zenith Pilot GMT 1903 is a tribute to the Wright Brothers and features an appropriately aged, suede “Bund” strap. This más macho watch is powered by Zenith’s in-house automatic Elite Dual Time Calibre 693 housed in a 48mm titanium case.

No less manly is the updated Breitling Chronomat Airborne. Originally designed in collaboration with the Frecce Tricolori aerobatic demonstration team of the Italian Aeronautica Militaire, this edition celebrates the 30th anniversary of the classic chronograph. It is available on a military-style fabric strap (for the first time).

1. Chronomat 44 Airborne, $8,030, BREITLING, breitling.com.
2. BR 03-94 Carbon, $5,900, BELL & ROSS, bellross.com.
3. Pilot Type 20 GMT 1903, $8,900, ZENITH, zenith-watches.com.