Claude Meylan Ups the Game, Breguet Innovates in Gold, and H. Moser & Cie. Partners with Alpine
This week on WorldTempus: Omega revives the Railmaster, Breguet unveils a new gold alloy, and H. Moser & Cie. collaborates with Alpine on innovative timepieces.
THIS WEEK’S NEWS
Accessible Excellence: Claude Meylan’s Automatic Tortue
Independent haute horlogerie often evokes images of unattainable price tags, but Claude Meylan’s latest release disrupts that narrative. While collectors may drool over prestigious names like Voutilainen or Richard Mille, few can afford their six-figure creations. Claude Meylan, however, offers a refreshing alternative—delivering exceptional design and technical creativity at a fraction of the cost.
Renowned for its “Tortue” collection, Claude Meylan’s approach is anything but conventional. Moving away from classic round cases, the brand embraces bold, non-traditional geometries, allowing wearers to showcase individuality and watchmaking knowledge without an extravagant price. The latest Tortue iteration introduces an automatic movement—a first for the collection’s 40mm case, which is more a rounded rectangle than a strict diameter. Priced at just 5,500 CHF, it challenges the notion that Swiss-made excellence is reserved for the privileged few.
The Tortue’s evolution is significant for two reasons. Historically, the collection only featured manual-winding models for men, a nod to traditional watchmaking in the Vallée de Joux. This automatic update offers a modern convenience while maintaining that homage. Moreover, Claude Meylan is famed for intricate skeletonization—crafting movements where light dances through meticulously hollowed components. Typically, automatic watches interrupt this visual magic, as the rotor obstructs the view.
Claude Meylan’s solution cleverly integrates a solid peripheral frame that conceals half the rotor’s width. This design highlights the fully skeletonized center, preserving the captivating openness. Additionally, the rotor’s visible portion matches the movement’s gray tones, rendering it nearly invisible as it quietly powers the reliable ETA 2892 with its 42-hour power reserve.
In essence, this new Tortue is not just a minor update—it represents a subtle but impactful innovation in accessible luxury watchmaking. For those who seek Swiss craftsmanship with distinct character, this release proves that excellence need not be synonymous with exclusivity.
Breguet’s Golden Innovation: A Legacy Reimagined
Under the guidance of CEO Gregory Kissling, a new chapter is unfolding at Breguet, coinciding with the brand’s 250th anniversary. This milestone has seen the introduction of an exclusive alloy—Breguet gold—a unique blend of gold, silver, copper, and palladium. Inspired by the hues of 18th-century watchmaking, this alloy’s soft, luminous blond tones recall the materials used by Abraham-Louis Breguet and his contemporaries. Kissling, who stepped into his role in October 2024, leveraged two decades of experience at Omega, including the creation of signature alloys like Moonshine gold, to develop this new composition within a few months.
Breguet gold serves as a cohesive link between heritage and innovation. While 18-carat gold mandates a 75% gold composition, the added elements—particularly palladium—enhance not only the aesthetic but also the durability. Palladium, a key component, imparts both a distinctive color and valuable physical properties such as hardness and resistance to discoloration. This combination enables the alloy to withstand the rigors of various craftsmanship techniques—guilloché, anglage, engraving, and enameling—while being applied across the case, bracelet, dial, movement, and even select hands.
Kissling’s approach marries historical reverence with forward-thinking precision. By examining the colorimetric and compositional nuances of 18th-century ternary alloys, the team achieved a balanced hue—neither overly yellow nor red, but a refined blend of blond and pink. This nuanced approach yields a uniquely radiant alloy that stands apart from standardized options.
Beyond the material itself, Breguet’s innovation extends to its applications. From galvanic baths for PVD treatment to detailed finishing touches on movements and dials, Breguet gold is a testament to the brand’s dedication to detail. The Classique Souscription 2025 model, with its gilded movement in this distinctive alloy, embodies this commitment. Breguet gold is more than an aesthetic statement—it is a seamless integration of history, craftsmanship, and visionary metallurgy.
NEW WATCHES
H. Moser & Cie. and Alpine: Crafting a New Standard for Watchmaking Collaboration
In an industry where partnerships between watchmakers and car manufacturers often feel superficial, H. Moser & Cie. and Alpine have set a new benchmark. Their 2024 collaboration transcends traditional branding exercises, opting instead for a genuine fusion of engineering expertise and shared innovation. The result? Two exceptional timepieces—the Streamliner Alpine Drivers Edition and the Streamliner Alpine Mechanics Edition—that epitomize a bold, functional, and authentic approach to horology.
The Streamliner Alpine Drivers Edition embodies mechanical sophistication. It houses a skeletonized version of the AgenGraphe movement, developed in collaboration with AGENHOR, delivering both aesthetic allure and high-performance functionality. Its open dial design echoes Alpine’s sleek single-seaters, with blue and white color codes capturing the essence of speed and the brand’s identity. Design elements like V-shaped bridges, reminiscent of triangulated car suspensions, and a helmet-shaped central bridge pay homage to racing. The skeleton rotor, inspired by an Alpine A110 wheel rim, underlines the natural link between watch and automobile engineering. Equipped with a flyback chronograph, this model focuses on clarity and precision, allowing instantaneous restart of the chronograph function. The HMC 700 skeleton caliber, in anthracite finish, reinforces the watch’s focus on minimalist sophistication and performance.
The Streamliner Alpine Mechanics Edition ventures into uncharted territory—a connected timepiece engineered to meet the demands of Alpine’s Formula 1 team. Developed on a specific platform with direct input from engineers and mechanics, it seamlessly integrates digital technology with horological elegance. Its discreet black screen activates to display critical information: GMT, split-seconds chronograph, perpetual calendar, and an innovative F1 mode. This latter feature synchronizes key race moments and countdowns, offering invaluable support for teams striving to optimize performance down to the millisecond. Paired with a small domed Funky Blue fumé dial displaying the time, the Mechanics Edition operates autonomously, compatible with both Android® and iOS®, with Bluetooth syncing. Its power reserve is impressive—one year in time-only mode and covering six Grand Prix events in connected mode.
Sold together in an exclusive presentation case limited to 200 pieces, the Streamliner Alpine Drivers Edition and the Mechanics Edition showcase a dynamic partnership that combines watchmaking artistry with the relentless pursuit of performance. This collaboration marks not just a milestone for both brands but a redefinition of what it means to innovate across industries.
Precision by Design: Hublot's Big Bang MECA-10 Concrete Jungle
Hublot’s Big Bang MECA-10 Concrete Jungle stands as a bold testament to the fusion of fine watchmaking and the raw, urban essence of New York City. Drawing inspiration from the concrete facades of Hublot's newly relocated flagship boutique on Fifth Avenue, this striking 44mm edition reimagines concrete—not as cold or industrial, but as a tactile, refined, and expressive material in haute horlogerie.
Julien Tornare, Hublot's CEO, emphasizes this transformation: "Concrete has long been misunderstood as cold and industrial, but in the world of high design, it has become something else entirely—tactile, refined, even expressive. With the Big Bang MECA-10 Concrete Jungle, this timepiece captures the raw energy of New York and the meticulous precision of Swiss watchmaking."
Encased entirely in matte concrete, the watch’s frame is accentuated by H-shaped screws in polished and micro-blasted titanium, a titanium caseback, and a satin-finished titanium crown over molded with black rubber. Measuring 15.3mm thick and water-resistant up to 50 meters, this timepiece embodies the resilience and spirit of the city it honors.
At its heart lies Hublot's in-house HUB1201 movement—a skeletonized, manual-winding marvel composed of 223 precisely crafted components. It delivers a remarkable 10-day power reserve, achieved through twin barrels and enhanced by a rack-and-pinion power reserve indicator marked in red. Beating at 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations/hour), the movement’s exposed architecture mirrors the Brutalist inspiration of the piece, revealing meticulous craftsmanship in every element.
The Big Bang MECA-10 Concrete Jungle also introduces versatility with its two interchangeable straps: a grey fabric option with Velcro fastening and Hublot's signature black lined rubber. The “One Click” system ensures easy customization. Each timepiece is presented in a unique Hublot Green box adorned with a stylized rendering of New York’s skyline, reinforcing its exclusive connection to the city.
This latest edition, the third in Hublot’s Concrete Jungle series, celebrates both the brand’s enduring relationship with New York and the opening of its sophisticated new Fifth Avenue boutique, ushering in a bold new chapter for Hublot in one of the world’s most iconic luxury destinations.
Omega Railmaster Returns: An Unsung Hero Reimagined
Often overshadowed by its illustrious sisters, the Seamaster and Speedmaster, Omega’s Railmaster is stepping back into the spotlight with four new editions that pay homage to its robust heritage and contemporary relevance. Originally launched in 1957 as part of the "Professional Line," the Railmaster shared its debut year—and even consecutive model numbers—with the CK2913 Seamaster and CK2915 Speedmaster. However, while the Seamaster capitalized on the rise of recreational diving and the Speedmaster achieved celestial fame, the Railmaster remained a quietly steadfast presence.
Designed for railway workers exposed to powerful magnetic fields, the original Railmaster featured a soft iron Faraday cage shielding its movement, a dial twice the thickness of standard models, and copper components resistant to magnetism. Although less glamorous than its diving and moon-bound counterparts, the Railmaster’s technical prowess earned it a loyal, if niche, following. Its rarity—exacerbated by multiple discontinuations and its brief adoption by military units in Peru and Pakistan—has only heightened its appeal among collectors.
The 2025 relaunch introduces four new variations: a grey gradient dial with three central hands and a brown gradient dial with small seconds, each available with a leather strap or steel bracelet. With a diameter of 38mm, these models closely mirror the original’s 37.5mm size, maintaining the classic proportions. The distinctive “Arrow” hour hand and broader minute hand create a balanced, reversed aesthetic, while the seconds hand, now tipped with Super-LumiNova, enhances legibility.
Omega’s updated Railmaster stays true to its utilitarian roots with a stainless steel case. The once-essential Faraday cage has been replaced by the use of a silicon balance spring and Co-Axial escapement—technologies inherently resistant to magnetism—courtesy of the Calibre 8806 movement, also used in the Seamaster series. Priced at CHF 5,200, the new Railmaster is not only a technical gem but also the most accessible entry point into Omega’s iconic trilogy, making it an irresistible option for those seeking a timepiece with understated legacy and contemporary performance.
MUST-SEE THIS WEEK
Breitling and Austin Butler: A Perfect Match with the Top Time B31
Austin Butler, a star known for his magnetic presence and deeply authentic style, is the latest name to join Breitling’s esteemed lineup of ambassadors. This partnership between the Swiss watchmaker and one of Hollywood’s brightest new talents celebrates the launch of the Top Time B31—a timepiece as distinctive and bold as the actor himself.
At the heart of the collaboration is an immediate and genuine connection. “To me, Breitling means adventure and pushing past limits. The Top Time reflects the way I’ve always wanted to live my life: freely and ready to take on anything,” Butler shared at the watch’s unveiling in Geneva. His natural chemistry with the Breitling team, especially CEO Georges Kern, underscores the partnership’s authenticity. Kern highlighted Butler’s meticulous eye for detail, mirroring Breitling’s own commitment to perfection.
The Top Time B31 is a masterclass in design and functionality. Its 38mm stainless steel case offers timeless proportions, paired with the choice of a matching steel bracelet or a leather strap for versatility. The watch is available in three dial variations—blue with a white inner ring, green with a black inner ring, and white with a light blue inner ring—each capturing a different facet of the wearer’s personality. This diversity of styles makes the Top Time B31 a true standout in Breitling’s spring lineup.
Butler’s role as the face of the Top Time B31 is a natural fit. His career, marked by critically acclaimed performances in Elvis, Dune, and The Bikeriders, embodies a spirit of freedom and individuality. His dedication to his craft resonates with a generation that values authenticity and independence. This alignment between Butler’s personal ethos and Breitling’s design philosophy brings a fresh, dynamic energy to the brand.
The campaign, which channels the charisma of a modern-day James Dean, completes the circle—linking the inspiration behind Butler’s acting journey with a timepiece that represents freedom and style. With the Top Time B31, Breitling continues to push boundaries, inviting a new audience to embrace the spirit of adventure and timeless elegance.
