WATCHES:

Following its Dave Aldana-inspired motorcycle jacket, KAPITAL has returned with two smiley-faced watches, with molds that closely resemble Seiko‘s SBDX models.

First up is the Smile Watch, coming with a thin black nato strap, complemented by a tonal case and dial. The face sees a minute track, with “15,” “30,” and “45,” which double as second markers in place of the common 12-hour clock. The yellow smiley face motif is slightly shifted to the left, where the watch’s hands cover the right eye at 12 o’clock. Other details like a date window and an orange second-hand finish off the piece. The other is the Rain Smile Divers Watch, which sees a larger case than its aforementioned counterpart. The orange minute track is etched over the case instead of under the glass. This time, the smiley face has two sets of eyes and is oriented more symmetrically. The crown is mounted at four o’clock while packing 20 ATM water resistance.

The KAPITAL Smile Watch and Rain Smile Divers Watch are currently available at kapital-webshop.jp for $160 – $190 USD, respectively.

Seiko Prospex launched its LX line in 2019 to present a collection of premium sport watches. The series takes its name from the latin word “lux,” or “light,” which references the light that is reflected onto the broad surface of each case. As part of the LX line, a new limited edition model will launch in two distinct colorways to embody the seascape of a diver’s collection.

Designed around the concepts “Sea illuminated by the sun at dawn” and “Moonlight flickering on the sea surface,” Seiko utilizes cermet for the watch’s bezels in order to depict the flickering reflections of light onto surfaces of water. The limited-edition LX watch with a “Violet Gold” cermet bezel and dark brown dial is reminiscent of the sea seen in the dim light of dawn. In contrast, the “Platinum” watch and cermet bezel offset the charcoal gray dial, such that the scenery of a silent sea at night emerges.

Combining a sense of aesthetics with high practicality, the cermet watches are designed for high performance while incorporating the artistic interplay of light and shadow. The luxurious item boasts a distortion-free mirror surface around the case and an advanced 5R Spring Drive caliber. The watch is prepared for active situations, such as marine sports and climbing, with water resistance up to to a depth of 300 meters and high resistance to temperature variations and shock.

Each color is limited to a quantity of 200 pieces. Shop the limited edition LX Line on Seiko’s website starting in November.

Casio G-SHOCK‘s flagship women’s watch, the BABY-G, first debuted in 1994, a few years before Pokémon‘s lovable Pikachu took the world by storm. To commemorate both the 25th anniversary of the BABY-G and the forthcoming Pokémon: Sword and Shield games, the duo have prepared a bespoke Pikachu edition of the timeless timepiece.

Executed in muted black, the watch’s straps are emblazoned with a variety of small Pikachu and Pokéball icons in bright hues, complemented by “0:25” text on the clasp that reflects Pikachu’s status as the 25th Pokédex entry. A Pokémon logo graces the face of the special BABY-G, with a backlight that reveals Pikachu’s tiny overworld sprite behind the numbers. Finally, the rear of the watch sports an embossed Pikachu and co-branding to underline the celebratory nature of the design.

Visit Casio G-SHOCK’s dedicated Pikachu page for more information on the special collaboration, which retails for ¥13,000 JPY (approximately $120 USD). Expect the BABY-G to launch around November 15, the date that Nintendo drops Pokemon: Sword and Shield.

In addition to hosting an exhibition in New York, Swiss luxury watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen is celebrating the 80th anniversary of French writer, poet, and pioneering aviator Antoine de Saint Exupéry‘s transatlantic flight with a special edition Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Chronograph Edition “80 Years Flight to New York.”

Reimagined in a shade of sepia-brown resembling Saint Exupéry’s pilot suit, the ceramic bezel sits elegantly atop a 46mm stainless steel case, its Timezoner design allowing its wearer to simply push down on the ring and rotate it to adjust the watch’s time zone. As a tribute to the legendary journey, both “Paris” and “New York” on the bezel are painted in red, matching with one of the hands while providing a welcome contrast to the also sepia-brown dial. Two subdials grace the watch face at the 12 and six o’clock positions, whilst a date indicator can be found at 3 o’clock. On the caseback, you’ll find an engraving of the Latécoère 521 which Saint Exupéry piloted for that very flight 80 years ago.

Internally, the limited edition timepiece is powered by an IWC in-house automatic movement — the 89760 calibre — intricately composed of 323 components, capable of holding a power reserve of 68 hours. Protected by an antireflective-coated sapphire crystal, the timepiece is water resistant up to six bar, and is fully capable of withstanding a significant drop in air pressure.

As a limited edition model, only 80 units will be made in honor of the 80th anniversary, and the proceeds of the very first one sold will be fully donated to the Saint Exupéry Foundation, which supports various educational programs for youth all around the globe. For those interested, the IWC Schaffhausen Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Chronograph Edition “80 Years Flight to New York” is now available at the brand’s boutiques and select retailers for $13,100 USD. Head over to its site to learn more now.

Following a 2017 release, Audemars Piguet has now put together an updated openworked take on its sleek Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Black Ceramic model.

The 2019 iteration features a sleek 41 mm x 9.9 mm black ceramic case accented by intricate satin-brushing all over. Highlighting the clean design of the watch are polished beveled edges on the case, bezel, case back and bracelet.

Underneath the sapphire crystal dial found on the watch is Audemars Piguet’s in-house movement caliber 5135, a skeletonized take on the caliber 5134. The movement features a skeletonized rose gold oscillating weight that beats at a frequency of 2.75Hz, with a total of 374 components, 38 jewels and a 40-hour power reserve. The hours, minutes, seconds, and a perpetual calendar is marked by baton-shaped hands done in rose gold to match the indices and subdial surroundings.

Priced at $130,000 USD, the 2019 Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked Black Ceramic is set to release at select Audemars Piguet dealer before the end of the year.