MONOCHROME’s Favourite New Watches from Dubai Watch Week 2023

With the whole watch world zooming in on Dubai for about a week and a half, it was expected there would be no shortage of captivating and fresh new watches being presented during Dubai Watch Week. And boy, the 2023 edition of what has become one of the most important fairs of the year did not disappoint! With various brands presenting adaptations of existing collections, there were also a fair few completely new models being revealed, including one very wild creation by Max Büser & Friends. So, as we’re still processing most of the horological content, here’s a look back at some of our favourite new watches.

H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Small Seconds micro-rotor

The luxury sports watch scene is still going strong, and H. Moser & Cie is adding a fine example to the mix with its new Streamliner Small Seconds Micro-Rotor. This shrinks the soft cushion-shaped Streamliner down to 39mm by 10.9mm and gives it a completely new movement and yet another stunner of a dial. The Grand Feu enamel dial, finished in aqua-blue, has a hammered finish and an outlined snailed small seconds sub-dial with Globolight hands and indices. But the backside reveals even more splendour with the new HMC 500 micro-rotor calibre, manufactured in-house top to bottom, including the Straumann hairspring. Worn on the wavey integrated steel bracelet, it retails for CHF 29,000, incl. VAT.

For more information, please visit H-Moser.com.

Quick Facts – 39mm x 10.9mm – stainless steel case, brushed & polished – domed sapphire crystal, see-through caseback – screw-down crown – 120m water-resistant – gradient aqua-blue Grand Feu enamel dial with hammered texture – applied indices – hour and minute hands with Globolight inserts – HMC 500, in-house – automatic winding with micro-rotor – 21,600vph – 72h power reserve – Straumann hairspring – platinum micro-rotor – hours, minutes, small seconds – integrated steel bracelet with folding clasp – CHF 29,000 incl. VAT

Doxa SUB 300B Seddiqi Limited Edition

A Doxa with a mother-of-pearl dial? Unheard of, right? Doxa’s should be utilitarian instrument-like tool watches built to last and take a beating! But Doxa proves us all wrong with the new SUB 300β (pronounced Beta) limited edition made for Seddiqi. It gives a fresh spin on the iconic helmet-shaped diver, with a steel case, black ceramic bezel with a deep blue ceramic insert and its sea blue MoP dial. It features all the hallmarks of the SUB 300 we love, like the double scale on the bezel and the oversized minutes hand. It’s powered by the reliable Sellita SW200-1 automatic and comes on a beads-of-rice bracelet and an additional white FKM rubber strap. Limited to 50 pieces, it will set you back AED 11,750 (approx. EUR 2,980).

For more information, please visit DoxaWatches.com or Seddiqi.com.

Quick Facts – 42.50mm x 44.50mm x 11.95mm – stainless steel case, brushed & polished – black ceramic bezel with blue ceramic insert – sapphire crystal – solid caseback – 300m water-resistant – deep blue MoP dial – applied indices & hands with Super-LumiNova – Sellita SW200, automatic – 28,800vph – 38h power reserve – hours, minutes, seconds, date – stainless steel beads-of-rice bracelet and white FKM rubber strap – limited to 50 pieces exclusively available at Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons – AED 11,750 (approx. EUR 2,980)

MB&F HM11 architect

This unique creation is the new and rather wild MB&F HM11 Architect. The pod-like structure of the case is unlike anything else they’ve done before. Each pod houses its own feature, with one reserved for the setting crown and the others for the time (hours, minutes), power reserve (96 hours) and temperature (-20 to 60° C). On top of the complex movement sits a flying tourbillon escapement. Apart from the titanium chambers and base structure, most of the case is covered by sapphire crystals enabling a clear view of all the intricate elements. Two movement colours are presented (blue and 5N gold PVD) in a run of 25 pieces, each worn on either a white or khaki green rubber strap. The price is EUR 207,000 excl. VAT.

For more information, please visit MBandF.com.

Quick Facts – 42mm x 23mm – grade 5 titanium case, polished & brushed – case rotating on central axis – sapphire crystals on top, back and each chamber – 20m water-resistant – pod-like crown – 3 pod-like dials with power reserve, temperature and hours/minutes – 3D movement, in-house – 364 components – manual-winding by rotating the case – 18,000vph – 96h power reserve – one-minute flying tourbillon escapement – blue or 5N gold PVD coating – rubber strap in white or khaki green – limited to 25 pieces per colour – EUR 207,000 (excl. VAT)

Ulysse Nardin Freak Ops

Thanks to regular updates and developments, sometimes technical and sometimes aesthetical, Ludwig Oechslin’s iconic Ulysse Nardin Freak is kept fresh and exciting even after more than 20 years. This Freak One Ops is the latest military-inspired adaptation and comes in a black DLC-coated titanium and Carbonium case. The flying carousel time indication is set by rotating the notched Carbonium bezel while the movement is wound automatically or by rotating the caseback, eliminating the need for a crown. The Freak One Ops has a khaki green base ‘dial’ and comes on a black rubber strap with a khaki green textured ‘ballistic’ rubber insert. This version of the Freak is part of the permanent collection and retails for EUR 67,500.

For more information, please visit Ulysse-Nardin.com.

Quick Facts – 44mm x 12mm – black DLC-coated titanium & Carbonium case – sapphire crystal front & back – 30m water-resistant – khaki green base ‘dial’ – flying carousel hour & minutes indication – calibre UN-240, in-house – automatic winding or manual winding through caseback – 229 components – 21,600vph – 90h power reserve – oversized silicon oscillator and balance spring – integrated black and khaki green rubber strap with black DLC-coated titanium and ceramic folding clasp – permanent collection – EUR 67,500

De bethune DBD Evergreen Digitale

Watch lovers are pretty much conditioned to read time in an analogue manner with hands that rotate over a dial. But there are other options, such as the De Bethune DBD Evergreen ‘Digitale’. The DBD indicates the jumping hour and revolving minutes as well as calendar indications for the date, day of the week and month through three separate apertures in a green dial. This minimalistic yet intuitive way of reading time is set in a distinctive titanium case and uses a superbly constructed movement which can be seen through the back. This comes with the typical De Bethune construction and technology, such as the titanium balance wheel and delta-shaped barrel bridge. Only 20 will be made at a price of CHF 105,000 each.

For more information, please visit DeBethune.ch.

Quick Facts – 42.6mm x 9.4mm – polished grade 5 titanium case – cone-shaped ‘ogival’ lugs – sapphire crystal front & back – 30m water-resistant – green dial with De Bethune stripes – jumping hour, minute, day, date, month discs in white displayed through three windows – calibre DB2044, in-house – manual-winding – 28,800vph – 120h power reserve – titanium balance and De Bethune spiral – silicon escape wheel – beige textile strap or black alligator leather strap with pin buckle – limited to 20 pieces – CHF 105,000