Updated on March 20, 2026
For several years, the watchmaking world has been committed to reviving its heritage through creations that reinterpret its legacy. Never before has retro style exercised such an intense fascination over watch enthusiasts. Carrying deep values and often captivating stories, these watches draw their inspiration from the iconic models of yesteryear while integrating contemporary precision and technical innovations. They thus offer an elegant and nostalgic plunge into the heart of the golden age of High Watchmaking. Here is a selection of new releases that reinvent timeless design with elegance, combining modern audacity and technical mastery.
Contents
- Rolex Oyster Perpetual 28
- Cartier Baignoire Watch
- Tiffany & Co. Tiffany Timer
- When Monaco Inspires Watchmaking
- Louis Vuitton Monterey
- Jaeger LeCoultre Master Control Classic
- Bulgari Tubogas Cuff Watch
- Richard Mille Sets Up Beneath the Arches of the Carré d’Or
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 28
A century earlier, Hans Wilsdorf revolutionised watchmaking with the Oyster, the first-ever waterproof wristwatch. Today, the Oyster Perpetual 28, featuring a superb lavender lacquered dial, continues this heritage of precision timing, impeccable waterproofing, and automatic winding powered by the Perpetual rotor. Driven by the Calibre 2232 and certified as a Superlative Chronometer, it combines Rolex's inherent reliability with timeless elegance.
© Rolex
Cartier Baignoire Watch
For over a century, Cartier has maintained a special relationship with Monaco and the Princely Family, celebrated at the end of 2025 with the release of a dedicated book: Cartier Monaco. At the start of this year, the House is reimagining its iconic 1958 model, the Baignoire watch, through several exquisite versions, including this splendid Baignoire All-Mini model featuring a rhodium-finished 18-carat white gold case, a rigid bracelet, and a beaded crown set with 552 brilliant-cut diamonds totalling 5 carats.
© Cartier
Tiffany & Co. Tiffany Timer
In 1866, Tiffany & Co. unveiled one of the earliest chronometers: the Tiffany Timer. One hundred and sixty years on, the brand has created a new limited-edition chronograph that combines its jewellery expertise with its historic watchmaking heritage. Featuring a lacquered dial in the instantly recognisable Tiffany Blue®, diamond indices, and an exclusive El Primero movement decorated with a miniature Bird on a Rock, the latter paying homage to the House's precision, craftsmanship, and pioneering spirit.
© Tiffany & Co.
When Monaco Inspires Watchmaking
An iconic figure in contemporary watchmaking, the TAG Heuer Monaco has exemplified the perfect blend of innovation, elegance, and motorsport for over half a century. Introduced in 1969, it revolutionised the industry by becoming the first automatic chronograph housed in a perfectly waterproof square case. Its name honours the iconic Monaco Grand Prix, the stage for ultimate performance in Formula 1. Enthusiastic about this world, Jack Heuer, the brand's founder, drew the very DNA of this distinctive watch from the Principality's unique atmosphere and lifestyle.
The only watch collection to bear the name of Monaco, it permanently entered legend in 1971 when Steve McQueen wore it onscreen in the film Le Mans. From that moment, the TAG Heuer Monaco became much more than just a timepiece; it symbolises sophisticated luxury, inseparable from the Principality and its timeless aura. Last year, the watchmaking maison strengthened this historic link by becoming the very first Title Partner of the Formula 1® TAG Heuer Grand Prix de Monaco 2025.
Recently, the brand launched a limited edition of 600 pieces of its iconic TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph, inspired by the beauty and thrill of night racing on Formula 1® circuits. Its "skeletonised" dial allows a glimpse of the watch's mechanism, powered by the TH20-00 Calibre, in a gradient from midnight blue to purple, enhanced by luminous details in striking hues.
What to Remember
Iconic models such as the Rolex Oyster Perpetual, the Cartier Baignoire and the TAG Heuer Monaco reflect a strong return to the roots of fine watchmaking, while seamlessly integrating cutting-edge technical advancements. More than ever, Monaco stands out as a key source of inspiration, embodying an art of living where performance, elegance and heritage converge—particularly through the enduring ties between watchmaking Houses and the Principality’s most iconic events.
Louis Vuitton Monterey
This year, Louis Vuitton becomes the Title Partner of the Formula 1® Grand Prix de Monaco. To celebrate this milestone in style, the House will unveil an original trophy trunk, whose iconic Monogram canvas will be adorned with the colours of the Principality. In recent months, the brand has also launched the Monterey, which pays tribute to the company’s very first wristwatch, created in 1988. This limited edition of 188 pieces features its distinctive pebble shape and characteristic white "Grand Feu" enamel dial. It is now fitted with a manufactured automatic movement.
Visuels Still life © Thomas Legrand – Louis Vuitton
Jaeger LeCoultre Master Control Classic
The brand celebrates the timeless elegance of its watchmaking heritage with a limited edition of 500 pieces, inspired by one of its flagship models launched in 1995. Faithful to the original in every detail, it subtly reinterprets the collection's retro charm through a refined design. Beneath its classic appearance, however, lies a resolutely modern mechanism, featuring the latest evolution of the 899 automatic calibre, combining tradition with contemporary precision.
© Jaeger LeCoultre
Bulgari Tubogas Manchette
During the recent LVMH Week held in Milan, Bulgari unveiled an exquisite reinterpretation of one of its archival models from 1974. True to the original, this piece combines a dial adorned with white diamonds with a "single tour" Tubogas yellow gold bracelet, set with diamonds, citrines, rubellites, peridots, amethysts, topazes, and spessartites. It houses the Lady Solotempo BVS100 automatic movement, fusing watchmaking tradition with contemporary luxury.
© Bulgari
Through these new creations, the watch asserts itself as far more than a simple instrument for measuring time—it becomes a symbol of transmission, innovation and style. Between archival reinterpretations, limited editions and technical prowess, watchmaking Houses cultivate a subtle balance between past and future. In Monaco, this art of time finds a distinctive resonance, shaped by an environment where luxury, sport and excellence naturally converge, making each timepiece a true signature of timeless elegance.
Richard Mille settles under the arches of the Carré d'Or
The passion for watchmaking is thriving in Monte Carlo. Since February, the Richard Mille boutique has been located on Avenue Princesse Alice, gaining renewed momentum in the heart of the Carré d’Or. It has opened its doors at the famous bend where Formula 1 cars race at nearly 300 km/h, at the top of the Beau Rivage climb. The brand, for which Charles Leclerc has been an ambassador for over ten years, has chosen an address that perfectly aligns with its identity. At Richard Mille, a watch is regarded as an object of engineering, showcasing mechanical performance taken to the extreme, using materials derived from cutting-edge industrial research. By working with elite athletes, equipment manufacturers, and sporting events, the brand seeks to demonstrate that it pushes the boundaries of what is possible to the utmost.
© Richard Mille
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