In association with
Welcome to the inaugural Square Mile Watch Awards, in association with Wolf. We’d be lying if we said we weren’t excited to put together London’s first ever consumer awards for people who are genuinely passionate about the world of horology.
We’ve trawled through timepiece after timepiece, hand selecting the cream of this year’s impressive crop, to give you the a painstakingly curated list of the best watches you’ll find anywhere right now. But we haven’t done it alone.
We’ve drawn on the expertise of industry heavyweights – like Fabergé’s brilliant watchmaker Aurelie Picaud and the highly influential Instagrammer Watch Anish (to name but two of our ten judges) – to ensure our award winners are the most deserving champions of 2018.
Some categories were tightly run affairs, with a singular vote making the difference between winner and runner-up, while others – including the highly coveted award, Watch of the Year – had the judges in almost universal agreement. (There’s always one….)
The year 2018 has treated us to record-breaking timepieces, unusual complications and some bold plays from the biggest names in the game. But the real winner (other than the superb pieces that will take home a gong in this year’s list) is you, the consumer. Whether you’re looking for an excellent value watch or readying to splash out on a serious piece of haute horlogerie, there’s never been a more exciting time to invest.
Without further ado, the winners are…
Rolex GMT-Master II Ref. 126710 BLRO ‘Pepsi Bezel’
Photo by David Harrison
Watch of the Year & The Icon
Rolex GMT-Master II Ref. 126710 BLRO ‘Pepsi Bezel’
In 1954, Rolex launched a series of GMT watches that allowed globetrotters to keep track of the time in two time zones at once. Beyond this practical purpose, its huge success came more from its various different coloured bezels. The vibrant Pepsi dial has taken on cult status among collectors – showing a more playful side to the utilitarian Daytonas and Submariners.
The 2018 model sees the surprise but welcome use of Rolex’s Jubilee bracelet (usually reserved for its Datejust model) but, crucially, it also employs a fantastic new movement in the Calibre 3285. A markedly improved 70-hour power reserve is the headline here, confirming this timepiece as the finest iteration of this collection to date.
The watch has been so well received that it’s not only the winner of our ‘Watch of the Year 2018’ but also takes home ‘The Icon’ award, too. A deserved winner of this double whammy.
See the runners up in the Watch of the Year category.
See the runners up in The Icon category.
Vacheron Constantin FiftySix Self-Winding
Photo by David Harrison
Editor's Choice
Vacheron Constantin FiftySix Self-Winding
Vacheron Constantin may be the oldest watch manufacturer in continual production, but it’s also one of the most stylish. Understated, sophisticated, effortless style at that.
The new FiftySix collection is the embodiment of this. Naturally, it draws on Vacheron’s vast archive – in this case, the reference 6073 from 1956, and interprets it with a number of contemporary flourishes. The sector dial; the white gold hands and appliqués; the alternating Arabic numerals and baton hour-markers: every design touch is balanced and beautiful.
Most exciting, perhaps, is the price: the range starts at a snip over £10k, which for a Vacheron is practically pocket change.It’s the first time the brand has offered one of its classic collections in steel as well as precious metal, making it achievable for us mere mortals. Of course, if you want to take it up a gear (or six), the collection now includes a tourbillon. We like. A lot.
Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic
Photo by David Harrison
Technical Innovation of the Year
Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic
Over the last few years Piaget and Bulgari have battled to be crowned the king of thin. The Piaget Ultimate 910P broke the world record for the thinnest automatic wristwatch earlier this year, but it was toppled after just a couple of months by the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic.
Clocking in at an astounding 3.95mm thick, Bulgari’s latest technical marvel is now the world’s thinnest automatic watch, the world’s thinnest automatic tourbillon and the thinnest tourbillon ever. No wonder it created such a buzz among our judges.
The new calibre BVL 288 features a number of watchmaking innovations to slim down its size – including a peripheral oscillating weight, which enabled Bulgari the space to add a one-minute flying tourbillon with a ball bearing system. The greatest testimony to this timepiece’s technical prowess is that it still looks fantastic.
See the runners up in the Technical Innovation of the Year category.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Memovox Limited Edition
Photo by David Harrison
Heritage Watch of the Year
Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Memovox Limited Edition
The new Polaris collection harks back to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s 1968 Memovox Polaris – an innovative diver’s watch released 50 years ago, with an alarm function to warn divers when it’s time to resurface. It includes time-only, chronograph, and world timer models, as well as a tribute to the piece that inspired the collection. It’s the latter which is our judges’ pick thanks to its historical value, three-tone dial and utilitarian appeal.
Some watch fans won’t associate tool watches with Jaeger Le-Coultre, but the Polaris proves the brand can do rugged as well as dressy. For the real JLC fanatics, it’s reassuring to hear that the watch’s caliber 956 movement is assembled in JLC’s complications workshop to make sure they’re working to the highest standards possible. Sadly the model is limited to just 1,000 pieces, so getting your hands on one won’t be easy. Regardless, it’s a worthy winner of this year’s Heritage award.
See the runners up in the Heritage Watch of the Year category.
Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight
Photo by David Harrison
Best Value Watch of the Year
Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight
There are so many reasons the judges loved Tudor’s new dive watch it’s difficult to know where to start. Certainly, the perfectly proportioned 39mm case is an appealing update. As are the gilt finishing on the dial, the copper numerals on the wide bezel, and the lack of date indicator. These all add up to one of the best put-together time-only watches of the year.
There’s more to be impressed with on the inside, too. Tudor has created the new MT5402 calibre in-house movement to fit inside the smaller, slimmer case, while little touches of clever watchmaking – like a new silicon balance spring – also help produce a chronometer-certified 70-hour power reserve and a water resistance of up to 200m.
Staggeringly, you’ll get spare change out of £2,500. The Tudor reference 7924 divers watch, upon which the Fifty-Eight is based, was a favourite of naval forces the world over. But this is a watch for absolutely everyone.
See the runners up in the Best Value Watch of the Year category.
IWC Tribute to Pallweber Edition "150 Years"
Photo by David Harrison
Best Complication
IWC Tribute to Pallweber Edition "150 Years"
Few watches released this year draw the eye quite like IWC’s Tribute To Pallweber. Its unusual complication – a double jumping display that shows both the hours and minutes digitally – comes courtesy of Josef Pallweber, who invented one of IWC’s most iconic pocket watches in 1883.
The fully mechanical digital design never made it into a wristwatch but, as part of IWC’s 150th anniversary, the brand has put that right in the form of this tribute.
The new IWC in-house calibre 94200 comprises 290 individual parts and took five years to develop. A vast improvement on the 19th century original, the watch features a separate wheel train with a barrel of its own to advance the display discs.
Pallweber pocket watches were phased out of production after two short years and are now some of the most collectible. No doubt this piece will become just as highly coveted.
See the runners up in the Best Complication category.
H Moser & Cie
Photo by David Harrison
Independent Watchmaker of the Year
H Moser & Cie
Over the last few years, H Moser & Cie has grown into the enfant terrible of the watch world thanks to a number of irreverent marketing campaigns. Whether you appreciate its controversialist approach or not, its timepieces continue to impress with strikingly minimalist designs that freely strip away the frippery sometimes associated with classic watchmaking.
A perfect example of this is the Endeavour Flying Hours, which features a highly unusual way of displaying the time. Three ‘hour’ disks around the perimeter of the watch rotate to display the hour in white, while a ‘minutes’ disk turns at the centre of the dial. It’s not running-for-a-train legible, but it’s immediately captivating, especially with the sunburst blue dial finish. The automatic movement has a 48-hour power reserve and is made entirely in house.
Although this particular model is limited to just 60 pieces, it’s safe to say there’s much more to come from this exciting brand.
See the runners up in the Independent Watchmaker of the Year category.
Patek Philippe Nautilus Perpetual Calendar
Photo by David Harrison
Readers' Choice
Patek Philippe Nautilus Perpetual Calendar
The winner of this year’s Readers’ Choice award is a heady combination: the brand power of Patek Philippe; the iconic status of the Nautilus; and the technical prowess of a perpetual calendar. Although Patek has mastered every complication going, its signature really is the perpetual calendar – having invented the first wrist-worn version in 1925.
Few watches match the design prestige and sheer covetability of Patek Philippe’s Nautilus collection in its simplest form. But the latest model, however, is the first time we’ve seen the Swiss brand add one of its grand complications to the iconic sports watch.
Not only does the resulting perpetual calendar look right at home on the design, but a little watchmaking trickery means that the case is only a hair’s breadth thicker than the original case. Clearly a hit with our readers, too. Thanks to all those who voted online.
