Heritage Watches With a Modern Edge

The fine watch world evolves constantly, yet iconic timepieces endure. Navigator discovers legacy watchmakers refining heritage designs through modern innovation.

Ulysse Nardin
UR-FREAK

Fine watchmaker Ulysse Nardin, quite literally, “freaked out” the watch world when it debuted the original Freak timepiece in 2001. But that was 25 years ago, and in the ensuing years, a series of innovations, style modifications, and collaborations have proved that the watch’s unique crown-less concept that brings the majority of the movement components into full view on the dial is not only a wonderfully flexible canvas, but now also an iconic design in its own still-disruptive right. Going into this anniversary year, Ulysse Nardin partnered with an equally innovative watchmaker, bringing URWERK’s signature three-axis rotating carousel mechanics into the mix for a superbly artful update for the Freak. The ends of each axis have a rotating tip, as well, so when the current hour finishes its movement along the minute gauge on the right side of the 44mm titanium case, the next hour is all lined up to continue the time telling.
ulysse-nardin.com

Omega
Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M

While the pro-diver-spec Planet Ocean sub-collection of the Omega Seamaster first debuted in 2005, the Seamaster dive watch itself first hit the waves in 1948, instantly becoming one of the most beloved and honored diving watches ever produced. Over the going-on-eight decades of its life, the Omega Seamaster represents an enduring blueprint for a perfect dive watch that might as well serve as the illustration of the term in the dictionary. A recent full re-envisioning of the Planet Ocean line includes this 42mm steel execution in striking orange, which now includes the Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 8912 movement previously used in Omega’s superdeep-diving Seamasters.
omegawatches.com

Breguet
Expérimentale 1

With a 250-year history and the profound underpinnings of 18th-century timepiece auteur and founder Abraham-Louis Breguet ever-present, the Breguet watch maison has the most impeccable classic watchmaking bona fides out there. And it has generally leaned heavily into that heritage, producing masterpieces of classically appealing time-telling. But for this, its 250th year, the brand has opened a new chapter of embracing a more modern approach, while still crafting an exquisite wrist instrument that is true to its story. In the new 43.5mm Expérimentale 1, the watchmaker leans into historic Breguet innovations like a constant force magnetic escapement that provides better accuracy than traditional levered escapements and, of course, a gravity-fighting tourbillon. But this all appears on the wrist in a more modern, angular case design in an 18-karat rose gold and technical rubber strap combination that is still unwaveringly Breguet.
breguet.com

Jaeger-LeCoultre
Reverso Classic Monoface Small Seconds

You might be surprised to learn that, for all its double-sided elegance and elan, the Reverso was introduced in 1931 as one of the world’s first purpose-built sport watches. Elite British army officers in India who spent time off-duty playing polo were in search of a timepiece that let them protect their wristwear during intense play, and the flippable case of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s most iconic model delivered. Since then, the brand’s designers have galloped ahead with the two-sided concept, growing the idea beyond simple protection to offer a multitude of design options (including a full second watch dial) for the reverse side of the watch case. This new steel 45.6mm by 27.4mm Reverso Classic harkens back to the watch’s more rugged beginnings with a traditional protective steel plate on the flipside, but the gleaming, sculpted rectangular case, textured dial, and small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock are pure, enduring Reverso elegance.
jaeger-lecoultre.com