Jumping hours, cosmic light: Bold new releases from Audemars Piguet, Urwerk, Tissot and others

Audemars Piguet Neo Frame Jumping Hour

A quirky relic of the 1920s, the minimalist “window display” format is suddenly the toast of modern watchmaking, and Audemars Piguet (AP) has joined the party with serious flair.

The new Neo Frame Jumping Hour revives a design first seen in 1929. The black sapphire crystal dial creates a slick, uninterrupted surface enhanced by pink-gold-toned apertures that reveal the hour and minutes through bevelled openings.

Beneath the sleek surface, titanium and aluminium discs display crisp white numerals, jumping and gliding in synchronicity.

The Art Deco influence comes through in the fluted case sides, angled lugs and black-and-gold colour scheme of the 18K pink-gold case, sized at a refined 34mm by 47mm. A textured black calfskin strap with matching stitching and a solid gold folding clasp complete the vintage-meets-modern look.

Inside beats the automatic Caliber 7122, an evolution of AP’s esteemed 7121, with a 52-hour reserve and a pink-gold rotor visible through the caseback.

Price: $95,000 

IWC Portugieser Chronograph Ceratanium

IWC Schaffhausen has introduced a new version of its signature Portugieser Chronograph, this time in an all-black design made from the brand’s proprietary ceratanium.

The limited edition of 1,500 pieces marks the first use of the material – which combines the strength and lightness of titanium with the hardness and scratch-resistance of ceramic – in the Portugieser line.

The result is a matt black finish used for the 41mm case, crown and pushers. The monochrome design continues across the black dial, hands and rubber strap, giving the model a cohesive, minimalist appearance.

Powering the watch is IWC’s in-house 69355 calibre, a column-wheel chronograph movement offering a 46-hour power reserve.

Price: $20,000

Urwerk UR-100V LightSpeed Ceramic

Urwerk’s new UR-100V LightSpeed Ceramic turns watchmaking into an astronomical idea, showing not just the passage of time but also the distance light travels.

Its signature wandering-hour satellite display takes on a new role here. Once it leaves the minutes track, it follows the path of light moving through the solar system. Each arc marks how long light takes to reach a planet – about 8.3 minutes to Earth and 43 minutes to Jupiter – turning the dial into a map of cosmic distance.

Housed in Urwerk’s most advanced composite ceramic case to date, the UR-100V LS runs on the self-winding UR 12.02 calibre, regulated by the brand’s Windfanger turbine system to optimise winding efficiency. It beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour and offers a 48-hour power reserve.

Price: $117,000

Tissot PRC 100 Solar Collection

First launched in the mid-2000s, the PRC 100 Solar has always mixed everyday toughness with design flair, thanks to its distinctive dodecagonal or 12-sided bezel and sunray dial.

The latest trio build on that formula: a 34mm bicolour yellow-gold PVD model with a silver dial; a matching 39mm version for a his-and-hers (or duo) pairing; and a 39mm full-steel model with an ice-blue dial that nods to the popular 34mm release from 2025.

Beneath the sapphire crystal, discreet solar panels power a quartz movement, charging through both natural and artificial light, and storing excess energy in a rechargeable accumulator.

When fully charged, the watch is said to be able to run for up to 14 months in complete darkness, while Super-LumiNova hands and indexes ensure visibility after sunset. The new models are backed by a three-year warranty.

Price: From $620 to $820

Ulyssee Nardin Freak X Gumball 3000 Edition 2

The new Freak X Gumball 3000 Edition 2 takes the already radical Freak X and gives it a shot of black-and-orange adrenaline.

Housed in a 43mm black DLC-coated titanium case with sapphire crystals front and back, it stays surprisingly wearable while looking every bit the asphalt assassin. A personalised side plate ties each of the 150 pieces directly to the annual 3,000-mile international celebrity motor rally and lifestyle brand founded in 1999. 

Like the rest of the Freak family, this model has no traditional dial or hands. Instead, a rotating Carbonium hour disc – crafted from aerospace-grade carbon fibre infused with vivid orange resin – tracks the hours, while a flying carousel movement sweeps around once an hour to mark the minutes.

An orange Super-LumiNova ring around the minute gear, as well as glowing white indexes and bridges, crank up low-light legibility.

Inside beats the in-house automatic calibre UN-230, boasting a silicon balance, escapement and balance spring, running at 21,600 vibrations per hour with a 72-hour power reserve. A black rubber strap with orange accents and a black DLC titanium folding clasp complete this high-octane package.

Price: $60,900

Slim d’Hermes Squelette Lune

The Slim d’Hermes has long stood out as one of the watch world’s more understated dress watches. With the new Slim d’Hermes Squelette Lune, the brand adds mechanical detail while keeping that signature restraint.

Launched in 2015, the Slim line is known for its thin profile, clean lines and angular lugs. Here, the 39.5mm case – in titanium or platinum – frames an openworked dial that reveals a skeletonised automatic movement, adding depth to the minimalist design.

A double moonphase display is worked into the dial rather than dominating it, in line with Hermes’ measured approach to complications.

The watch runs on the ultra-thin in-house H1953 calibre, visible through the sapphire caseback, with bridges finished to match the dial. It is paired with a matt alligator or calfskin strap colour-matched to the watch, a nod to Hermes’ leather craftsmanship.

Price: $58,920 (platinum), $34,850 (titanium)