There are progressive brands, and then there is Ulysse Nardin. While it is, in essence, a classic manufacture, it uses the Swiss watchmaking tradition as a foundation to innovate and push the envelope. This has resulted not only in many progressive watches, with equally innovative movements, but also in introducing new materials in the world of watchmaking. Haute Time sat down with Stéphane von Gunten, Ulysse Nardin's Research and Innovation Director, to discuss the latest developments.

When it comes to dial colors, decades were ruled by black and silver as the most popular choices. They still rule supreme, but now need to give a bit of space to other colors as well. Blue has become a staple in more recent years, but grey and brown tones are getting more popular as well. Green might seem like a more extreme color, but also this one seems to be here to stay. While it will probably never dethrone black and silver, these four watches are bound to make anybody who sees you wear them, green with envy!

Hublot is the undisputed king of sapphire cased watches, and for several reasons. First of all, they can create sapphire in different colors, like blue and yellow. Creating sapphire cases, in general, is still not an easy task. The few brands that offer sapphire cased watches usually only make about two dozen of them or so in a limited edition. However, this type of watches is probably the only one where being able to produce them in 'volume' is more difficult than making just a few. Hublot also doesn't do that with just a single watch but offers an entire collection of sapphire cased watches, of which all have shapes that are complex to make. This also goes for the Big Bang Unico Magic Sapphire, which offers the clear advantage of sapphire, to Hublot's signature watch.

For those of us with slender wrists, there has been a welcomed trend in the luxury watch space towards smaller timepieces. When wristwatches first became a thing at the turn of the 20th Century, they were small. However, as we approached the new millennium, watches gradually became larger and larger. Thankfully, some brands have caught on that not everyone can successfully pull-off oversized timepieces and have introduced smaller versions of well-known luxury watches. Here are some of our favorites right now.

With most watches, there is only one way to wear them on your wrist: dial side up. While this is a true pleasure, it also means that the heart of the watch, its movement, it hidden. For decades the privilege of seeing the movement and being able to admire all its details and craftsmanship was that of the watchmakers making and servicing these watches. Today, especially in the higher echelons of watchmaking, a display back is almost standard and allows us to behold the true magic behind mechanical watches; movements with technical ingenuity and a perfect finish on even the smallest part, turning these practical objects into the realm of wearable art.

Roger Dubuis has always had a strong drive to innovate, not only in a technical but also in an aesthetic sense. This means that they need to think outside the box in all different dimensions and keep their eyes open to new materials, but also new applications of existing materials. With the Excalibur Blacklight, they took the lab-grown sapphire crystals, commonly used in the watch industry as the 'jewels' or 'rubies' which are used inside the movement as bearings for the gears and other parts that are prone to wear, and applied them in a completely different way.

Haute Time sits down with Ulysse Nardin's Francois-Xavier Hotier who discusses Haute Living's Luxe & Leisure Weekend at Brickell City Centre.

The World Time watch holds a very special position in both the history of Patek Philippe, as well as in their current collection. It is one of those watches that has become an icon, and the most desirable versions feature a Cloisonné enamel center. This year Patek Philippe launched an addition to their collection of World Time watches with the 5231J.

HYT is already known as a brand that like the push the envelope, not only with their unique way of telling time through 'fluid technology,' but also in terms of design. The shape of the case provides HYT with the perfect canvas to take things to the next level in a way that no other watch manufacture can, and the new SOONOW is a perfect example of this.