Your luggage is freshly monogrammed, your shoe game is flawless and you’ve got a holiday wardrobe to die for. So why is your watch an afterthought? MOJEH rounds up the summer’s most sizzling timepieces, for every type of traveller
Best For… Nature Lovers
Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Heures Florales Cerisier
If twirling through the fragrant lavender fields of Grasse or living your Bridgerton reveries in the gardens of a British stately home are on your travel wishlist then be sure to reflect your blossoming interest in horticulture on your timepiece. Van Cleef can always be relied upon to dial up the whimsy, and with the latest edition of their Heures Florales watch — Cerisier — they’ve nudged it up to eleven. Building on the original turquoise, lapis lazuli and sky blue hues of the first Heures Florales watch, Cerisier’s warm pinks, salmons and coral reds, as well as its dainty butterflies and twinkling pink sapphires, evoke gentle summer evenings. The timepiece’s ingenious mechanism opens and closes the 12 corolla flowers at random on the hour, making the dial fascinating and ever-changing. And to tell the time? Count how many flowers are open, then glance at the minute window on the side of the case. But once you find yourself lost in nature, perhaps the minutes won’t matter as much as the moments. Shop Now
Best For… Jet Setters
Patek Philippe Reference 5231-G World Time Rare Handcrafts
We’ve all been there — stumbling off a long-haul flight, wondering where, when and even who we are. But for frequent flyers your problems are solved with a world time complication, cutting through the confusion and allowing you to keep track of 24 time zones simultaneously. Patek Philippe, one of horology’s ‘holy trinity’ and one of the few watchmaking Maisons whose timepieces are guaranteed to keep or even increase their value, has one of the most attractive and user-friendly world timers on the market. This year, Patek have produced their neat, ultra thin 38.5mm Reference 5230 World Time case in platinum for the first time, as well as adding a few other design features to stoke that stylish wanderlust — a light-catching guilloche dial in the centre of the city and 24-hour discs is complemented by a cool hue on both dial and strap. Then, for even more travel vibes, there’s the Reference 5231-G World Time Rare Handcrafts in a white gold case with its Grand Feu cloisonné enamel dial depicting Oceania and South-East Asia. Both models simply require a press of the 10 o’ clock pusher to correct every time zone simultaneously. Chocks away. Shop Now
Best For… Real-Life Mermaids
Chanel J12 Caliber 12.2
As Chanel’s first self-winding movement to occupy a dainty 33mm package, this watch may be subtly elegant but it’s tough and utilitarian too. Perfectly suited to a trip spent plunging in and out of the depths, the Caliber 12.2 is water resistant up to 200 metres — enough to keep the most adventurous of divers happy. With a COSC-certified chronometer and outstanding legibility on the monochrome dial, this is a watch that’s hardy enough to withstand any amount of Ursula Andress Bond girl fantasies. Fancy a dip? How low can you go? Shop Now
Best For… Beach Bums
Hublot Big Bang Unico Summer Purple
It’s a classic summer pastime, and for good reason — there’s nothing quite like some sun, sand and vitamin sea. But beach-and-pool holidays can be tough on timepieces so it’s important to choose the right one, and Hublot’s Big Bang Unico Summer Purple couldn’t be more ideal. Its striking all-over purple hue is impactful and perfect for summer’s bright colour blocking trend. Measuring a chunky 42mm in diameter, it’s eye-catching while still being comfortable on the wrist thanks to the lightweight and durable satin-finish aluminium case. Coming with two interchangeable straps — convenient purple velcro and hard-wearing natural rubber — Hublot has all your holiday situations covered. Shop Now
Best For… Intrepid Explorers
Hermès Arceau Les Folies Du Ciel
Evoke the spirit of a bygone age of exploration with this sweet-as-candy timepiece from Hermès. Taking its design from Loïc Dubigeon’s Les Folies du Ciel silk scarf motif, designed in 1984, it pays tribute to man’s first forays into the skies via aerostat, making it the ideal companion for your own lofty explorations. The fresh white gold case and Chantilly alligator strap give this watch a lightness, while the kiln-fired and hand-painted balloon and gondola decor on the mother of pearl dial absolutely pop with colour and touch-me texture. At 12 o’ clock, a hand-painted blue and yellow balloon spins on its axis depending on the wearer’s wrist movements — as well as looking fanciful, it acts as a balance for the self- winding proprietary Hermès movement. This is a watch to remind you that you’re free to explore — whichever way the wind blows. Enquire Now
Best For… Stylish City Breakers
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding 34mm Black Ceramic
A few days in a new city is always cause for excitement; wandering streets, browsing local goods and seeking out the most exclusive eateries. A stylish, go-with- anything timepiece is a must to see you through whatever adventure you may end up on, and Audemars Piguet’s latest collaboration with Italian jewellery designer Carolina Bucci ticks all the boxes. Produced in celebration of the Royal Oak’s 50th anniversary, this rainbow-hued fancy is the perfect city watch at a manageable 34mm and with case and bracelet in subtle jet-black ceramic. “I wanted to place a rainbow in the most unexpected of places, a little like when you see oil floating on a puddle in a city street,” says Bucci. “So here you have every colour of the spectrum on a canvas that is completely black.” As an exciting new reinterpretation of the Royal Oak’s famed tapisserie technique, the mirror-polished dial gives just a touch of pizzazz to this most familiar of timepieces. A delicious twist on a modern classic — who could resist? Enquire Now
Best For… Culture Vultures
Cartier Coussin De Cartier
In art as in nature, spirals are a path to perfection. And for a vacation spent museum and gallery hopping, shouldn’t one’s timepiece be as important a work of art as what’s hanging on the walls? Cartier is well known for masterful savoir faire, and in the Coussin’s delicate spiralling stone setting — in ever-decreasing size — the Maison’s prowess is on full display. Whether hewn in pure white diamonds or one of the clever two-tone editions in tsavorite and tourmaline or monochromatic diamond and black spinel, one can hardly distinguish where the spin ends or begins. With four choices of stone and precious metal combos, this is a true jewellery watch, full of texture and meticulous craftsmanship. All eyes will be on your wrist. Shop Now
Read Next: Timeless Timepiece: The Enduring Appeal Of The Rolex
- Words by Rachel Silvestri
