Still, for a 45mm-wide tourbillon, it cuts a remarkably svelte figure thanks to its skeletonized dial and liberal use of multi-layered carbon in the case, bracelet and even parts of the movement. The Aquaracer collection as a whole has been going through changes in recent year, tipping its hat to past references from the ’90s.

Not only will this watch be able to easily start a fire wherever you are, but it is also a fully functional clock so you can time your cigarettes by the hour, by the half hour, or just ignore the time and light a new cigarette from your currently lit cigarette. These flyback chronograph variants of Panerai’s Submersible line are especially charming, in part on account of their rare use of central hands for indicating elapsed chronograph timing. Appropriately for such a high-performance watch, previous editions honour Olympic track stars, skiiers and tennis champions, while this recent version is dedicated to French World Rally Champion Sébastien Ogier, and liveried in his flag’s colours of of red, white and blue. This makes it not just the world ’ s thinnest automatic perpetual calendar wristwatch, but a true marvel of modern watchmaking. There are plenty of dial colours and case sizes to choose from, but there’s something about this monochromatic grey variant that always speaks our language.Look at it face-on, and it has all of the hallmarks of a Royal Oak, from the visible screws to the baton-style hands. mm thick, this slim dress watch is a good example of Nomos’ signature aesthetic, and the movement inside (the Nomos calibre DUW) 3001) is among their latest and most advanced. Among the new releases to mark the 70th anniversary of Panerai’s Luminor line, this brand new PAM01663 shows off some very impressive material technology. The understated diver features a crisp wave patterned dial, a day and date indication, and a ceramic bezel insert for increased robustness. Before quartz movements changed the game, watchmakers like Vacheron Constantin were locked in a race to create the thinnest, finest, most complicated movements possible.

While this reference carries some of that legacy with it, its 1,000m water resistance and new shrouded crown design are properly modern additions. Using its Swatch Group-derived automatic Caliber 80, the watch offers an impressive 80-hour power reserve.The use of an integrated bracelet provides improved wearing comfort, further enhanced by a reduced mass when looking at the titanium version; it’s also offered in stainless steel. The combination of its slim profile (perfect for slipping under a shirt cuff) and austere black dial, plus the unexpected touch of the seconds subdial at 9 o’clock, ensure this watch will look jut as good 60 years from now. It contains an H-10 automatic movement that will run accurately for up to 80 hours between wears, with a scratch proof sapphire crystal and a sturdy calf leather strap that will patina beautifully with age. Watch brands big and small have spent a fair amount of time and resource to find alternative materials that are capable of lightening the load in contrast to steel or precious metals.

The warm grey of its titanium case not only suits the traditional pilot watch aesthetic, but it in turn sheds mass much like its counterparts in this list. Thanks to a slim quartz movement and a case made out of high-tech ceramic, this watch and bracelet weigh in at just 80 grams. Once again, it trades off to titanium to lighten the overall structure and rigidity needed to dive to such depths.

If its name is a mouthful, perhaps that is in part to make up for this watch’s remarkably brief dimensions.

Even at 45mm across, the use of titanium makes this piece barely noticeable when strapped on, which is seldom the situation when wearing a watch of this size. The Lighter Watch is ignited by simply pulling a tab down on the side of the watch, is powered from Butane fluid which is refillable (not included), the clock of the watch is powered by a standard watch battery, and the wrist strap is fully adjustable to fit most-sized humans. thick, there’s nothing lacking in either the dial, which is skeletonized, and the movement itself, a self-winding perpetual calendar. Titanium, long prized for its incredible strength-to-weight ratio, is used in spacecraft, race cars, and other places where performance is measured down to the millisecond. In honour of the brand’s 60th anniversary this year, Grand Seiko has released a slew of new models and movements.

To use the lighter watch, just pull the tab on the side of the watch and a flame comes right out of the face of the watch which will be perfect for lighting a cigarette, starting a fire in the wilderness while stranded, lighting birthday candles, or just starting general fires for BBQs, campfires, or other things. The most understated of them (if not the most beautiful as well) might be this Elegance model in steel, with a manual-wind Caliber 9S63 movement inside. In addition to Carbotech, the brand’s proprietary carbon fibre composite, and sandblasted titanium, this Luminor’s case is made using Fibratech, a new aerospace material made from unidirectional mineral fibres derived from basalt rock. These limited-edition pieces celebrate the colour theory pioneered by Le Corbusier in a rainbow of eye-catching hues. Sure to be an ultimate survival tool, a smokers dream, plus it'll also come in very handy at birthday parties!