Titanium has always been an intriguing material to craft watches from. It didn't become widely used in the world of watches until the 1980s, but today it is embraced by a wide variety of brands. Some polish it to perfection, giving it a look similar to that of stainless steel, but in a brushed finish, the deep grey tone that is so typical for titanium tends to give watches a more technical look. This is also the case with the new Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe that Blancpain recently introduced.

As a pioneer in the field of diving watches, it doesn't come as a surprise that Blancpain has a rich history in this area. While Blancpain's diving watches were available to amateur divers, the brand also made these timepieces for special aquatic units of armed forces around the world. One of their most iconic diving watches was made specifically for the Combat Swimmers of the German Navy. It stood out by the 'no radiations' logo on the dial, indicating that Blancpain used luminescent materials that didn't contain radium, a radioactive substance that was initially used to make hands and hour markers visible during low-light conditions.

The days that a watch would be available with either a black or a silver dial are long gone. Color is the new credo, as many brands now release watches in a rainbow of different hues. Recently, the colorful dials of the new Oyster Perpetual 41 even eclipsed the news of the revised Submariner. Blancpain and Jaeger-LeCoultre also offer a colorful take on existing favorites as they launch their new models.

Gold prices have, in recent weeks, reached new record highs. In times of uncertainty, people tend to go back to old standards. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, we already saw a renewed interest in gold-cased watches. This trend was, to some extent, also fueled by watch brands creating their own alloys, which gave them a unique edge in a very competitive market.

There was a time, not so long ago, when green was a rare color to encounter on a watch. Now it seems to follow firmly into the footsteps of blue. This color was once a bold statement next to black and silver dialed watches but has now become another staple. In the past few years, we have seen many more watches that feature green dials and details. Will this color now become a common option, instead of a trend, especially now also TAG Heuer and Blancpain launch new watches featuring it so prominently?

Whether auctions like Only Watch benefitting research into Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy or celebrities selling personal watches and donating proceeds to various charities, auctioning high-end timepieces for worthy causes is a common occurrence in the watch industry. Along with these high profile events, some brands also have charity-supporting timepieces as part of their catalog. From wildlife conservation to social change to health care, here are a few fantastic watches that support good causes.

Standing out in the competitive field of water-loving watches is quite a task these days. Nearly every brand has a watch in its collection that likes to get wet, all competing for the favor of the consumer. Many brands utilize tried and tested designs, often inspired by the icons in this category, but a few brands take a more original approach. The following four watches are most certainly making waves;

Good design lasts forever. But great designs can lay the groundwork for a bevy of future reinterpretations—a handful of modifications here and there and you end up with a fresher take on the fundamentals.

It is still interesting to see that the development of certain mechanical complications doesn't stop. A great example of this is the chronograph, where brands continue to find new ways to take it to the next level. 2019 was a year in which chronographs broke records and celebrated anniversaries, as it has been 50 years since the very first automatic chronographs hit the market. So no wonder that 2019 was a great year for chronographs.

Time flies when having fun, and this is most certainly the case as another year is coming close to an end. In the world of watches, 2019 was quite exciting. It was the year in which the stainless steel sports watch with Haute Horlogerie pedigree still ruled supreme, especially those with blue dials, and even welcomed some new members to the club, such as the A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus. The waiting list for some of these watches breaks records, but they are not the only stainless steel watches to do so, as just last weekend the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300A-010, the only one ever to be made in steel, broke the record of most expensive wristwatch ever to be sold at auction when the hammer fell at CHF 31,000,000,-.

Jean-Claude Biver is a man that needs no further introduction to even the most novice of watch collectors. In the more than 45 years of his life that he dedicated to the Swiss watch industry, he has played a vital role in the renaissance of mechanical watchmaking. Through knowledge, courage, and tenacity, he developed what seems to be a Midas touch and shaped the watchmaking landscape as we know it today.

Most mechanical watches emit a sound of some sort. Some tick modestly, yet others quite noticeably. This is not really on purpose, but more the way that they are constructed. There is, however, a category of watches that are designed to make a sound. Some chime the time, others have an audible alarm, but all are without exception fitted with a beautiful and complex movement, such as the following four watches.

The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms has been an icon among diving watches ever since its conception in 1953. It was a trailblazer whose profile has become one of the most recognized in the industry. While Blancpain is still making the Fifty Fathoms with a modern interpretation of the vintage lines, they are also pushing the envelope and have created a few versions that you might not expect.

With its double-stepped bezel is Blancpain's Villeret collection not only instantly recognizable but also a true classic. Its details are subtle, but because of that, all the more powerful. Such a case also forms the perfect framework for the Tourbillon Heure Sautante Minutes Retrograde, which takes the purity of the Villeret-design to the next level with a tantalizing combination complications.

The truth is, nothing beats the original. However, when it comes to watches, some of these original creations are so rare and precious that you either have a hard time finding one or that its prices have sky-rocketed, most likely even both. As they are very desirable, demands outstrip supply, and then it actually makes sense from a business perspective that the brands who originally produced the watch, launch a re-edition. While they are in it for the profit, it also highlights an often important part of their history once again, while it gives their clients the opportunity to own something as close to the original as they can get.

With Father's Day just around the corner, this might be the perfect year to surprise that important man in your life with something that he can not only enjoy every day but will also have a practical use and serve as a reminder of your love for him; a watch. With plenty of options to choose from, we selected four different ones, for four different dads.