The Revolution Team’s Top Picks From Watches & Wonders 2023, Part 1

The incredible design of the Calibre 5 in the Chanel J12 Diamond Tourbillon from year left me amazed, and the newly released white version of the watch is equally stunning. On the back, the white ceramic case is contrasted by the movement’s black-plated mainplate and bridges, showcasing its excellent fit. While the Calibre 5 was emphatically aesthetically constructed, what’s truly remarkable is the amount of consideration paid to maximize the movement’s volume for greater performance within the pursuit of beauty. Being smaller than the Caliber 1, the Caliber 5 has only one barrel but one that occupies half the movement’s diameter, covering the span from the central axis to the edge of the baseplate, allowing it to offer a healthy 48-hour power reserve despite a balance frequency of 4Hz, which is higher than most tourbillons, as well as a diamond-set cage. This is made possible as the watch features a dial that is offset from the central axis, with hands that are driven by an auxiliary train from the great wheel located at the edge of the movement as part of a circular layout. As such, the motion works are off-centered, leaving the tourbillon free from obstructions; the aperture size for the tourbillon, like the barrel, can also be taken to its limit, occupying half of the movement’s diameter for maximum visual impact. Achieving such an impressive balance between performance, artistry and coherence in movement and dial design — with respect to the codes of the house — sets a standard that few can match.

This year makes my first year back in the Palexpo (and indeed Switzerland) since 2019, and overall the watches have been a pretty mixed bag, ranging from the super safe to the exceptionally weird. It’s easy to fall in love with the peacocking attention-seekers, but for my favorites, I’m keeping it a little more restrained.

Zenith’s Pilot Big Date Automatic