When Rolex brought back the Pepsi GMT Master II in 2018, you didn’t necessarily need your finger on the pulse to know about it. It was borderline watercooler chat, at least one guy in every group of casual watch-wearers coming across the news on the Wall Street Journal. Not to say that knowing the five watches rounded up here is all about impressing the in-the-know crowd—though you will.
These models are more than just new releases from Swiss Big Luxury, though especially impressive hard-hitters are included. They represent distinct design and function (ground-floor investment potential even), reissues of coveted hard-to-find models, and interesting, non-gimmicky remixes to icons. Essentially, they’re fundamentally fresh takes.
Benrus Orbit Robot Skindiver
Though anchored in tried-and-true military design, the Orbit Robot Skindiver also delves into some visual curiosities. So, it’s both quintessentially Benrus and, as far as the greater imagination goes, a departure. Based on an elusive 1972 Benrus model, the muscular bezel is pure field watch, and not unlike the bezel on the original Explorer II. Behind that though, you have a retro, near-future UFO case. And within, the dial flaunts an effervescent smoke fumé aesthetic, grounded by its neon orange hands and gem-like indices.
This unique yet familiar watch is equipped, appropriately, with a nostalgic domed crystal, though it’s made out of modern sapphire. The Soprod P024 movement is effectively high-frequency, while brilliant lume makes the already otherworldly dial even more fascinating.
Sinn T50 Titanium Dive Watch
The T50 Dive Watch boasts pedigree and ancestry. It’s a follow-up to the Sinn T1 and T2 divers, both of which were descendants of the iconic Porsche and IWC Ocean 2000; Lothar Schmidt headed case design at IWC before buying Sinn. This connection exists in the form of its comfortably light yet tank-like titanium case and the scalloped bezel that you have to push down before you can turn it. You have to love that fun-to-use factor.
In addition to being related to past cult favorites, the T50 is truly souped up. Like the watch’s case construction, the Sellita SW300-1 is ballerina-light but lineman-strong. There’s a whole 500 meters of water resistance, while the air-dehumidifying capsule is a Sinn speciality.
Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Tech Gombessa Dive Watch
The Tech Gombessa Dive Watch is the second chapter in Blancpain’s commemoration of the Fifty Fathoms’ 70th anniversary. Act 1 encapsulated the features of the first Fifty Fathoms from 1953, while this, Act 2, is an endurance diver that celebrates the subline’s renowned specs and tech-forward build.
It’s a 47-millimeter hulk, with a 129-hour power reserve, a titanium case, a decompression valve, and a glossy unidirectional bezel. This, along with the lively Arabic cardinals, combine legibility and strength with snazzy style. Adding to its collectibility profile is the fact this watch is a collaboration. The Gombessa Project is a conservation and data-collecting initiative.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph
Full-black ceramic watches are grail-worthy, so you have to respect Audemar Piguet for waiting this long to outfit the Royal Oak Offshore in full Batman mode. Clearly, they wanted to do it right. More than featuring the emblematic model’s important qualities (bold hexagonal bezel, tapisserie dial, and company), and even more than the look itself (the deep black is commanding and strong), ceramic is a genuine upgrade.
It’s harder than most watch metals and resistant to UV rays, meaning that onyx hue will last forever. And feel free to spend days admiring the 40-jewel flyback chronograph engine through the sapphire caseback—it has a 70-hour power reserve.
Accutron Astronaut ‘T’ Limited Edition
The sleek Astronaut ‘T’s return from the Space Age will undoubtedly bring a lot of collectors together, each one thinking they were the only person praying for this reissue. Though Accutron is one of the most famous monikers in Bulova history, its CIA-approved heyday in the ‘60s didn’t last long. Its wildly accurate tuning-fork mechanism was quickly made irrelevant by the even more accurate quartz movement.
Still, lost history is like buried treasure for watch collectors. This bold, beautifully applied, sapphire-clad legend now runs on a Swiss GMT with a convenient quick-set date, and features 100 meters of water resistance. In other words, this limited edition is one heck of an everyday timepiece.
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