Since its inception six years ago, Dubai Watch Week has become a key watch industry event, joining the likes of LVMH Watch Week and Watches & Wonders as a mainstay in the horological calendar. Founded in 2016 by United Arab Emirates jeweller Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, Dubai Watch Week sees horological heavyweights and independent watchmakers alike unite to showcase new releases, engage with the press and wider community, and partake in all manner of lavish activations.
Perhaps no better attestation to the influence Dubai Watch Week has come to hold in the horological industry is the array of new releases and special edition timepieces created specifically for the event — several of the matter being Middle Eastern exclusives, often distinguishable by their use of Eastern Arabic numerals.
Here, we’ve rounded up our favourite timepieces showcased at Dubai Watch Week 2023.
1. H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Small Seconds Blue Enamel
Enfant terrible of the watchmaking world H. Moser & Cie. has released an imminently more wearable version of its flagship luxury steel sports watch. The new H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Small Seconds Blue Enamel is housed in a 39mm stainless steel case and features a blue fumé dial. Like its predecessors, it’s housed in a cushion-shaped case inspired by the curves and roundness of the first high-speed trains of the 1920s and 1930s, from which it takes its name. However, its proportions have been reworked to give it more elongated lines, resulting in a more slimline appearance. Inside beats the new in-house HMC 500 automatic movement; visible through the exhibition caseback, it utilises open-worked elements and features a platinum micro-rotor.
2. MB&F HM11 Architect
MB&F founder Max Büsser doesn’t make watches; he creates horological machines. Inspired by Charles Haertling’s Brenton House (the form of which was influenced by a barnacle), the MB&F HM11 Architect sees the case rotate on a central axis to wind the in-house movement. Busser compares the timepiece to a house, with the case featuring a quartet of ‘windows’, each of which looks into a different room — housing either a flying tourbillon, hours and minutes, power reserve indicator, or temperature measurement within.
3. Armin Strom Tribute 1 Fumé
The Swiss-German manufacture introduces a quartet of coloured dials into its Tribute 1 collection. The off-centre hours, minutes, and seconds subdial features a fumé effect in burgundy, sky, ocean, or slate; juxtaposed against striking hand-guillochéd anthracite dials. The Armin Strom Tribute 1 Fumé is powered by the manual-winding AMW21 manufacture calibre.
4. Doxa SUB 300β Seddiqi Edition
Created in collaboration with Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, the founder of Dubai Watch Week, the Doxa SUB 300β Seddiqi Edition sees the Swiss manufacture riff off the SUB 300β launched late last year; a slimmer variant of its flagship SUB 300. The Doxa SUB 300β Seddiqi Edition features a deep sea blue mother-of-pearl dial, encircled by a DOXA-patented unidirectional rotating bezel with a blue ceramic insert. The timepiece is presented on a beads-of-rice bracelet with the option to sub in a white rubber strap.
5. Baltic x Perpétuel Gallery Tropical Tricompax
Created in collaboration with Dubai-based horological destination Perpétuel Gallery, the Baltic x Perpétuel Gallery Tropical Tricompax sees the French microbrand’s tricompax chronograph reimagined with a tropical brown dial and Eastern Arabic numerals. Housed in a 39.5mm stainless steel case with an aluminium bezel, it’s powered by the hand-wound SW510-M.
6. De Bethune DBD Digitale Evergreen
Pioneering independent watch brand De Bethune has released a new variant of its DBD timepiece. The De Bethune DBD Digitale Evergreen sees the manufacture’s signature futuristic case — defined by its ogive-shaped lugs and fluted crown at 12 o’clock — crafted from lightweight titanium. The côtes de genève dial is finished in a deep shade of green, a hue significant to Middle Eastern culture and history. Time is read in linear format, but from bottom to top. The triple-calendar timepiece has three displays; work your way upwards beginning at the jumping hour display at 6 o’clock. Above it are the minutes, followed by a day-date aperture at the top.
7. Chopard Alpine Eagle Summit
The new it boy watch just entered the chat. Chopard has released four new references of its luxury sports watch, the Alpine Eagle. Eschewing lucent steel in favour of ethical gold (yellow, rose, and white), the Chopard Alpine Eagle Summit references feature decadent baguette-cut gem-set bezels that are a veritable feast for the eyes. There are two white gold models — one with blue and purple sapphires and the other with tsavorites — as well as yellow gold with pink sapphires and rose gold with garnets. Housed in 41mm cases, they technically fall within the men’s range but boast unisex appeal.
8. Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 3SPC
The Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 3SPC celebrates its first anniversary with the release of a new iteration. Housed in a 42.3mm rose or white gold case, the open-worked timepiece showcases a movement in black and anthracite tones and gilded hands. The unique timepiece ensures precision through a cylindrical hairspring visible on its left side, set atop a tourbillon.
9. Arnold & Son Time Pyramid 42.5
London-founded Swiss watchmaker Arnold & Son revisits its iconic Time Pyramid collection. The new Arnold & Son Time Pyramid 42.5 retains the open-worked pyramid structure posited by the collection, albeit in a redesigned rose gold or platinum case with a 42.5mm diameter. Like its predecessors, the movement is built on a vertical line stemming from a flying tourbillon at 12 o’clock. The timepiece features a white opal minutes circle which features a striking effect against the whimsical blue aventurine glass caseback.
Words by Theo Rosen
