Silent Sleepers: The Best Watch Releases No One Talks About
This article highlights five watch releases from the past five years that the author believes deserve more attention, focusing on models still available in brand catalogs. The selection includes watches from Longines, Grand Seiko, Audemars Piguet, Hermès, and Ralph Lauren, chosen for their value, design, and often overlooked status.
- Longines Avigation Bigeye available for €3,300
- Longines Avigation Bigeye titanium version available for €4,200
- Grand Seiko SBGW283 priced at €5,200
- Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Selfwinding in stainless steel costs €26,200
- Hermès Arceau Le Temps Voyageur (38mm blue version) costs €24,350
- Hermès Arceau Le Temps Voyageur (41mm platinum model) costs €30,100
- Ralph Lauren Vintage 67 models cost €3,100
The Longines Avigation Bigeye is described as a modern reinterpretation of a heritage chronograph, featuring a brushed stainless steel case, large Arabic numerals, and a distinctive larger minute sub-dial.
The titanium version of the Longines Avigation Bigeye, released in 2021, features a textured blue fumé dial.
The Grand Seiko SBGW283 boasts a beautifully textured, shiny light blue dial inspired by the sky during the last days of spring.
The Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Selfwinding features an octagonal mid-case, skeletonized lugs, and a stamped ripple pattern dial, with lugs designed to slope dramatically for improved wearability.
The Hermès Arceau Le Temps Voyageur has an elegant round case with asymmetric lugs and a dial depicting an imaginary equestrian world map.
The Ralph Lauren Vintage 67 is available with a new black dial option, which the author feels gives it a more vintage-inspired sports watch aesthetic compared to the original white dial.
The Ralph Lauren Vintage 67's La Joux-Perret caliber 7380 movement features Côtes de Genève and perlage finishing visible through the display case back.