Hrotsky Flame Blue
Most dial colours are applied – whether that be painted, plated, or printed on – the Hrotsky Flame Blue is grown. Each titanium dial is sandblasted to create a uniform microtexture, then heated by hand until a nanometre-thin oxide layer forms on the surface. As the temperature rises, the metal shifts from gold to bronze, then purple, and finally a deep, interference blue that interacts with light like a thin-film creating an almost optical illusion effect. A difference of just a few seconds in heating time can change the entire spectrum, and the process cannot be perfectly repeated, which means every one of the 20 dials in the series is unique.
The dial is framed by a stainless steel ring with classic hour markers and a minute track, paired with flame-shaped polished hands that nod to the thermal process behind the watch. The 41mm stainless steel case is just 10mm thick with a 44mm lug-to-lug, featuring a polished bezel and lugs with linear brushed edges. It has a double-domed sapphire up front and a flat sapphire caseback. Inside is a modified De Bortoli DB6, a Swiss manual-wind movement with a Glucydur balance, Incabloc shock protection, and a 53-hour power reserve. It’s finished with rhodium-plated bridges with a decorative honeycomb motif and heat-blued screws to complete the fiery theme.
Price and Specs:
More details at Hrotsky.
Axon Origo
Complete calendars used to be the preserve of prestige brands, but the Axon Origo manages to put all five of the necessary complications (moonphase, day, date, month, and 24-hour indicator) onto one dial for under €600. The debut watch from Italian newcomer Axon, currently live on Kickstarter, uses a 39mm stainless steel case with a modified Miyota Series 9 movement beneath a layered lacquer dial with Roman numerals.
The complication windows across are placed along the top hemisphere in an upper arc, giving it more of a classical dress watch feel. Sapphire crystals front and back let you see the whole thing at work. At 12.2mm thick, it is on the chunky side for a dress piece, but with five complications running off a single modified movement, the architecture earns its depth. It comes on a buffalo leather strap with a butterfly clasp and quick-release, and at €599 (approx. £520) it is comfortably the most affordable complete calendar we have seen this year.
Price and Specs:
More details at Axon Watches.
Tedoro Harmony 39 GMT Sarab Limited Edition
Mother-of-pearl dials are having a moment, but the Tedoro Harmony 39 GMT Sarab does something different with the material. Sections of pearl are laid in a geometric pattern inspired by the desert mirage, or ‘sarab’ in Arabic, so the light shifts, dissolves, and reappears depending on the angle. It is Lebanese brand Tedoro’s most ambitious release to date, building on a quietly growing following for their clean, integrated-bracelet Harmony collection.
The 39mm stainless steel case is powered by the Miyota 9075 – the movement that has single-handedly democratised the accessible GMT. It also has a sapphire crystal and anti-reflective coating, 100m of water resistance, and a solid caseback engraved with six Gulf landmarks, each representing one of the GCC countries. Every piece is individually numbered out of a 300-piece run and at $785 (approx. £590) it is a genuine head-turner for the price.
Price and Specs:
More details at Tedoro.
DESDER D001
It is impossible not to think of the steampunk-esque MB&F HM9 when looking at the new DESDER D001, and that is no bad thing. This is the debut from London tattoo artist and watch collector Mo Coppoletta and master watchmaker Luca Soprana – the man behind Jacob & Co.’s Astronomia Tourbillon – who have set up their own brand in Modena, in the heart of Italy’s Motor Valley.
The D001 is a wrist-worn mechanical sculpture: a central triple-axis tourbillon flanked by jumping hours and continuous minutes displayed on separate cylinders, all housed in a streamlined case inspired by the teardrop coachwork styles of the 1920s and 1930s. The in-house hand-wound calibre runs a double barrel delivering 12 N/mm of torque at 3 Hz, with a 45-hour power reserve, a GMT function and a power reserve display. It’s made from 465 components and 63 jewels. Limited to six unique pieces with price on request, it’s not really like the other watches on this list.
Price and Specs:
More details at DESDER.
Behrens x Vianney Halter KWH Limited Edition
The original Behrens x Vianney Halter KWH was one of the standout independent releases of 2025. Inspired by a touch of fate (both Behrens founder Lin Bingqiang and Vianney Halter happened to collect antique electricity meters), it told the time via a patented micro-chain mechanism where a seven-dot ‘pixel snake’, inspired by the classic Nokia game, rotates continuously around the dial. Minutes and power reserve are shown on rotating cylinders inspired by the aluminium discs on vintage meters, with a moonphase and calendar tucked away on the caseback. At the heart sits the Cal. BM06, a manual-wind movement co-developed by Behrens and Halter, with 870 components, 170 jewels, twin barrels, a 72-hour power reserve, and a temperature-compensation system to keep the micro-chain stable.
The original 18 pieces in 18k white and rose gold sold out instantly at $44,800 each after launching at Geneva Watch Days. Now the 35mm x 41mm KWH returns in two new materials at 90 pieces each: tantalum alloy in a deep ‘Lazuline Blue’ and hand-polished zirconia ceramic in ‘Aqua Green’. The mechanics are unchanged, but the new cases make one of the most unconventional watches in production considerably more accessible at $33,800 (approx. £25,200) for the tantalum and $30,800 (approx. £23,000) for the ceramic.
Price and Specs:
More details at Behrens.
