Horizons in horology

THE year 2026 has been a terrific one for watch collectors and enthusiasts, not least because some of its most talked-about releases have arrived away from the usual watch fairs. Rolex, in particular, has given collectors plenty to talk about with the surprise drop of the Perpetual Padellone in September.

The watch is special for more than its unexpected arrival. Inspired by the vintage Ref 8171, a complete-calendar watch from the late 1940s, it brings an annual calendar and moon-phase display into Rolex’s dressy Perpetual collection. Its day, date and month indications change instantaneously at midnight, while the annual calendar requires adjustment only once a year at the end of February.

The release is a striking reminder of Rolex’s ambitions as it celebrates a major milestone – 100 years of its waterproof Oyster case – and sets the tone for the 2026 edition of The Business Times’ annual watch supplement The Business of Time, where history, innovation and craftsmanship come together in the watches featured across these pages.

Other major anniversaries include Vacheron Constantin marking three decades of its Overseas collection with four titanium Dual Time Cardinal Points editions and its slimmest white gold Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin to date. Patek Philippe also revisits its annual calendar complication, while IWC Schaffhausen pays tribute to 50 years of Gerald Genta’s Ingenieur SL design.

Material and design innovations provide another compelling narrative thread in this year’s novelties. Audemars Piguet collaborates with tennis champion Serena Williams on a white ceramic Royal Oak Chronograph with a pink mother-of-pearl dial. Tudor introduces a full black ceramic bracelet for the Black Bay Ceramic. Urwerk pairs avant-garde mechanics with solid yellow gold in the UR-150 Golden Scorpion, and Grand Seiko explores new materials and nature-inspired dials in its Evolution 9 series.

For devotees of mechanical ingenuity, A. Lange & Sohne showcases its technical prowess through the Triple Split chronograph and 1815 Up/Down. Franck Muller presents a five-disc triple-jumping mechanism in the Long Island Master Jumper Skeleton, while Longines introduces a new hand-wound monopusher chronograph to the Master Collection.

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Closer to home, Singapore’s independent watchmaking scene has reason to celebrate too. LOTH, founded by self-taught watchmaker Tristan Ho, has earned a nomination at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Geneve, one of the industry’s most respected accolades. Its Watch 1, with 150 hours of hand-finishing devoted to each piece, is a testament to the painstaking work behind independent watchmaking and the determination to make a mark on the international stage.

From unexpected releases to historic anniversaries, experimental materials and intricate mechanics, 2026’s watches show that the art of horology continues to find fresh ways to surprise and inspire.

Enjoy the issue.