Being understated seems to be a thing that appeals in particular to the German watch brands. A. Lange & Söhne is no exception to this and has made a name for itself, with classic designs in which less is more. The Saxonia Thin is the watch that highlights this in its purest form, with nothing but two elegant hands, aided by twelve hour markers to tell time. But while it seems to be so easy to create a watch so pure in terms of design, brands like A. Lange & Söhne know all too well that the devil is in the details.

One can wonder if Patek Philippe would have known that when they launched their very first annual calendar in 1996 that it would have become such a popular complication. Today, its popularity even goes beyond Patek Philippe itself, as many other brands have developed watches that feature this complication. For Patek Philippe, it has become one of their signature complications, and many of the watches fitted with it, follow the classic dial design for calendar watches. There is however one exception, and that is reference 5235/50R.

Ultra-thin is not the only name of the game at Bulgari, as they also master that of ultra-complex watches. The Octo Grande Sonnerie Perpetual Calendar is a perfect example of this. Housed in their signature Octo case, they equipped an automatic movement with a tourbillon, which is also fitted with grande and petite sonnerie, as well as a minute repeater.

Hublot's partnership with Ferrari has shown us what a dynamic synergy is possible when two brands have such complementary DNA. This year they marked the 90th anniversary of Scuderia Ferrari, the race division of the Italian brand, with three unique watches, and among them, this Big Bang Scuderia Ferrari 90th Anniversary Sapphire.

Seven years ago, Richard Mille took inspiration from something that has fascinated humankind for centuries, the human skull, and made it the centerpiece of the RM 052 Tourbillon Skull. The shape of the skull served as the top bridges, hiding the entire movement behind it. It was suspended in the middle of the case, almost like a mystery watch, being only connected to the case by four bridges. This created the effect of bones and skull, much like a pirates flag. Richard Mille went even so far as also to sculpt the back of the skull, which served as the movement's center bridge. With the introduction of the RM 52-06, Richard Mille continues to play with this concept, yet now it is not a skull, but a mask that takes center stage.

Some watches don't have to prove anything anymore. Their name is enough to gain a watch connoisseurs respect, and in rare cases, you don't even have to mention the exact model to achieve this. One of these watches is the Zenith El Primero. A watch that cannot only rely on a strong heritage but also kept its relevance because Zenith continued to invest in it. Today clients can still buy the pure El Primero with only a chronograph, but also far more complex varieties such as the Defy El Primero Double Tourbillon.

If there is one complication that, especially in recent years, has become very popular, it is the annual calendar. This is also for good reasons, as it offers nearly all the benefits of a perpetual calendar, with the only exception that you have to adjust the date at the end of February manually. As a result, an annual calendar doesn't have to know when it is a leap year, making it less complex to make, and therefore, it can also be offered at a lower price. While there are now many annual calendars on the market, one of the most beautiful is still the IWC Portugieser Annual Calendar.

If there is one thing that Van Cleef & Arpels excels in, it is in creating classic watches with a twist. Even this twist is often subtle but sets the watch apart from others. An excellent example of this is the legendary 'Pierre Arpels'-model, which is essentially a very classic wristwatch, yet by fitting it with Vendome-lugs, it obtained a timeless appeal that still lasts today. The same can be said of the Midnight Heure d'Ici & Heure d'Ailleurs, yet with this watch, the twist can not only be found in its design but also in its movement.

Can you make a design even more imposing when you take something away? At Chronoswiss, they prove that this can indeed be the case as with the Flying Grand Regulator Skeleton, they take one of their most iconic designs to the next level by taking away most of the dial and leave only the bare essentials of the movement. This results in a watch that has an incredible sense of depth when you look at it from the dial side. Originally the dial already had several levels, and Chronoswiss retained most of this structure, not only to add the extra sense of depth but also to ensure that this version of the Grand Regulator remains just as easy to read as the ones with a solid dial.

Can a watch have an appeal beyond those who play the sport that it was so specifically designed for? In the case of the Hublot Big Bang Unico Golf, this can be answered with a clear yes. This is quite unusual as the complication that this watch is fitted with is very specific and of little use when not on the green. However, the impact that this complication has on the overall design is what makes this watch so tempting to a much larger group of watch connoisseurs, and proves its worth also off the golf course.

One thing that Graff excels in is uniting the best of various crafts into a single watch. The MasterGraff China is a perfect example of this, as it is not only technically a tantalizing watch, but also impresses with its diamond setting and intricate dial.

When you say Rolex Daytona, the image that this invokes in the mind of most people is that of a sportive, functional chronograph with a touch of classic flair. This watch has become one of the benchmarks in its category, with an instantly recognizable look. Rolex is often a brand of evolution instead of revolution, and the Daytona has most certainly benefited from that approach. But there is always the exception to the rule, as in 2004 the brand launched the much talked about Daytona “leopard” (reference 116598 SACO).

Subtle changes can sometimes result in a dramatically different result. This is most certainly the case with the new Kalpagraphe ADLC from Parmigiani. You can take this quite literally as both the two new models feature a case with a black coating of Amorphous Diamond-like Carbon, better known as their acronym ADLC. This coating has quite a few advantages, and one of them is that it is very hard. This means that it is very scratch-resistant, but the unique thing about ADLC is that it combines this quality with being highly elastic as well. As a result, it will not chip off, but it can also be smoothly applied to a watch case, even those with a more complex shape.

Over the years has Hublot actively contributed to many great charity organizations. As they continue in this tradition, they have now joined forces with Kevin Pietersen, whose organization 'Save Our Rhino Africa India' (SORAI) is determined to protect the rhinoceroses from extinction. This threat is genuine, as two-thirds of all the rhino species are estimated to disappear within the next few decades, as their populations decline sharply.

The Zenith Defy El Primero 21 is already an impressive watch, with its automatic 1/100th-second chronograph movement. However, when Grammy-award winning artists Swizz Beatz adds his style to it, it gets even better. For his creation, Swizz Beatz opted for a vibrant color combination of white and orange. On the Zenith, it works wonders because no corners are cut to bring them to life in nearly every aspect of the watch.

Like a meal that is cooked to perfection, there is something about a watch that is designed, crafted, and finished with passion and eye for detail. Vacheron Constantin did just that with the Traditionnelle Tourbillon, which is in regards to some of their other offerings a relatively simple time-only watch fitted with a tourbillon. But this watch is not about being the most complicated, but more about being one of the most refined offerings in its category.