Luxury Watch Roundup: F1, Bulgari, Franck Muller, Oris and More
Unpacking LVMH's big bet on watches, scrunchies and childhood throwbacks.
January felt like it had 75 days, but wow, what a packed four weeks it was! Let's dive right into the highlights, shall we?
LVMH came out swinging, dominating the conversation with their annual Luxury Week and building even more anticipation for their Formula 1 partnership. This feels like a real homecoming for TAG Heuer, an LVMH brand. Their history with F1 is deeply rooted, stretching back over 60 years—from the "Autavia" gracing drivers' wrists in 1962 to becoming the first watchmaker on an F1 car in 1969. LVMH's reported $1 billion investment over the next decade makes their intentions clear: they see huge dollar signs potential when it comes to the sport’s global reach. And the numbers back them up. F1's worldwide audience is a staggering 1.5 billion, and is increasingly young and female. Today, one in three fans is under 35, and 41% are women.
With TAG Heuer now taking over from Rolex as the official timekeeper, I'm especially excited to see how LVMH leverages its entire portfolio to connect with new collectors. Imagine an F1-themed Sephora activation drawing in the "watch girlies," new sizes of the Carrera and Monaco collections (as seen on Jasmine Tookes), or nostalgic collaborations and limited-edition timepieces. The potential for reaching new audiences and creating immersive luxury experiences around watches and F1 is enormous. We're already seeing the beginnings of this shift, with Louis Vuitton becoming the title sponsor of the Australian Grand Prix next month. The big question: who'll be sporting a Tambour in the stands?
Speaking of the Tambour, LVMH unveiled several new timepieces at Watch Week. For me, the Tambour Convergence was a standout—a delicate pink gold/platinum dress watch. Ditching the traditional hands and dial, it glides minutes and hours across a circular display. Sleek, delicate, and ultra-polished (hand-finished 37mm case!), it's not the sporty Tambour of two years ago (famously spotted on Taylor Swift). This one's for those who live a little more gently—one wrong move, and a scratch could bring tears to your eyes. Still, I love seeing Louis Vuitton give us something a little different.
Bulgari also made a statement, expanding its iconic Serpenti collection (first introduced in 1948 and loved by celebrities like Issa Rae) just in time for Chinese New Year, and the “Year of the Snake.” This year, they debuted the Lady Solotempo movement in their new automatic watches, developed entirely in-house. The new Serpenti Seduttori and Tubogas Automatic watches, in 34mm and 35mm sizes, range from refined stainless steel and rose gold to opulent full pavé designs dripping with diamonds. The movement is a petite powerhouse (just 19mm diameter, 3.9mm thick, and five grams!), it also features an open sapphire crystal case back. This is a significant shift. While women's watches have traditionally leaned towards quartz for affordability and convenience, female collectors are embracing more intricate, high-end mechanical timepieces and Bulgari seems to be listening and adapting.
Keeping with the theme of snakes, several brands have released "Year of the Snake" watches in the last couple of weeks, but the Franck Muller Silhouette CX Snake really caught my eye. Although it launched in December, I only discovered it last month. With China being the second-largest importer of Swiss watches, it’s no surprise that Swiss brands release these unique and exclusive pieces to mark the annual occasion. What’s intriguing about this one is its serpentine case design, offering a slightly different silhouette compared to Franck Muller's usual Cintrée and Vanguard shapes.
My interest in Franck Muller was further sparked by Dubai Bling season 3. Danya Mohammed’s appearance with the limited-edition Franck Muller Vanguard Ladies Alfardan watch worn as a scrunchie was obviously a head turner. This piece, a collaboration with Al-Fardan Jewelers in Qatar, is limited to just 100 units and features Eastern Arabic numerals and a diamond-set bezel. Dubai Bling is always a great show to spot incredible watches, and seeing a Franck Muller styled so effortlessly was pretty epic.
In other fun news, Oris unveiled the Oris ProPilot X Miss Piggy Edition—a playful and glamorous tribute to the world's most fabulous pig! This fun timepiece features a vibrant hot pink dial, a sparkling diamond accent, and a portrait of Miss Piggy herself. It's a perfect example of the nostalgic collaborations I mentioned in my 2025 predictions, proving this trend is still going strong.
And speaking of nostalgia, can you believe it's the 30th anniversary of Clueless this year? I can't wait to see which brand will give a nod to that iconic moment in pop culture. Oh, and Toy Story also turns 30, while Back to the Future is celebrating its 40th anniversary. And let's not forget some major watch anniversaries this year too. Audemars Piguet turns 150, Breguet celebrates 250 years, and TAG Heuer races to 165 years… vroom vroom! While not all the celebrations will happen in February, I'm excited to see how these milestones play out as the year unfolds. Until next time!