In the last five years, the world’s most visionary watchmakers pushed mechanical art to new frontiers. From German precision to avant-garde experimentation, these outstanding examples of haute horlogerie blur the line between engineering and emotion. Our watch editor Nick Rice reports on the extraordinary machines elevating modern watchmaking.
In recent years, horology’s upper echelons have been pushing boundaries in ways both audacious and extraordinary. Record-setting technical achievements sit alongside an ever-expanding spectrum of creative vision, demonstrating that the language of time remains as dynamic and inventive as ever.
Such ambition rarely comes without a hefty price, and the watches that reinvent and reimagine often command sums in the hundreds of thousands of euros. Yet our selection spans more than just the rarefied extremes: it includes those more attainable pieces that lift the ambitions of the everyday enthusiast.
From MB&F’s jaw-dropping HM9 Sapphire Vision to Omega’s uncompromising Planet Ocean Ultra Deep, this collection offers a masterclass in contemporary haute horlogerie. Each timepiece tells a story—whether reinventing the mechanics of modern watchmaking or reshaping the visual language of time.
From independent ateliers to the powerhouse global brands, every voice in this selection is distinct, yet all converge to state one fact: watchmaking today is fearless, inventive, and endlessly captivating.
First out is:
OMEGA SEAMASTER OCEAN ULTRA DEEP
Released in 2022, the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep represents a pinnacle of dive-watch engineering. With the brand’s legacy of exploration, it demands and delivers extreme technical performance. In 2019, the very first Ultra Deep watches made history when they reached the deepest place on Earth, the Mariana Trench, aboard Victor Vescovo’s submersible, proving that Omega can deliver reliability where few watches can even survive.
This latest Ultra Deep is housed in a robust 45.5 mm O‑MEGASTEEL case, 18.12 mm thick, and engineered to survive pressures found at 6,000 metres beneath the ocean surface. This extraordinary water resistance meets the standards for saturation diving, demonstrating that the Ultra Deep is as functional as it is imposing. The case is also offered in Grade 5 titanium, reducing weight and improving anti-corrosion properties. The screw-down caseback bears a laser-engraved sonar motif—a subtle nod to the marine environments it was designed to conquer.
Inside, Omega’s calibre 8912 provides automatic winding, a 60-hour power reserve, and antimagnetic protection up to 15,000 gauss. The multi-dimensional dial (available in gradient blue, titanium grey, or ceramic) is fully lumed, paired with blued or Super-LumiNova-filled hands and indexes. A ceramic bezel insert adds scratch resistance, and strap options include NATO, rubber, or steel bracelets depending on the case material.
Most of us will never need water resistance past 6 metres, let alone 6,000, but it is precisely the extremity of the engineering, and the knowledge that it can perform if called upon, that gives the Ultra Deep its irresistible appeal. It is a watch built not just for everyday use, but to embody ultimate potential.
On its launch, Omega CEO Raynald Aeschlimann summarised the ethos of the collection said:
The idea was to make something typically Omega, offering high value and innovative technology, available at an Omega price.
Pricing ranges from €11,200 to €12,300, reflecting a realistic investment for those seeking adventure-tested technical mastery.
