Even despite the gadget being powered by an average (but, hey, it is still a Swiss made job!) quartz chronograph movement made by Ronda, the new Edox WRC X-Treme Pilot III Limited Edition easily takes the top spot in my personal The Next Sporty Chronograph short list for this year.
Titanium
Armand Nicolet L09 in Rose Gold and DLC Titanium
Armand Nicolet -a Swiss brand that was established more than a hundred years ago, succumbed to the Quartz Crisis back in 1970, and, reborn under a new management, found a profitable niche in making luxury timekeepers powered by NOS (also referred to as “new old stock”) mechanical calibers- has officially presented its new range of watches built with modified historic movements inside. The Armand Nicolet L09 in rose gold and DLC titanium (Ref. S619N-BU-G9610) belongs to the new trio of sporty timekeepers that successfully combine their modern exteriors with deliberately archaic mechanisms.
Chanel J-12 Chromatic in Titanium Ceramic
The 2011 Chanel J-12 Chromatic (ref. H2566) is presented in a new (or, rather, previously not employed as a material of choice by other watchmaking or jewelry brands) form of ceramic. Probably based on titanium carbide, it looks more like high-polished metal and is way more attractive than those glossy, plasticky timekeepers made using different versions of the extremely robust (albeit easy to shatter) material that was popularized by Rado decades ago.
Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 Regatta GMT Titanio
Although the unusual Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Automatic Bronze (PAM 382) was the real show-stopper for the 2011 Submersible range, the new Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 Regatta 3 Days GMT Titanio (PAM 371) looks like a more rational choice for those looking for an oversized diver from a major brand.
Panerai Luminor 1950 Chrono Monopulsante Left-Handed
Besides the Luminor 1950 Destro 8 Days Titanio that, too, was presented at the SIHH 2011, Panerai has also unveiled an even more complicated Luminor 1950 Chrono Monopulsante Left-Handed 8 Days Titanio (PAM 345) model. Featuring its signature exterior with a cushion-shaped body and an easy-to-read dial, it was designed for left-handed people, but may also be of liking to those who sometimes feel uncomfortable with their easily recognizable XXL-sized crown guard system.
Panerai PAM384 Radiomir 8 Days Ceramica (PAM 384)
Surprisingly, Panerai did not present anything revolutionary at the SIHH 2011. Instead, they kept building on the success of the last year`s model range. Among such successful updates was the hand-wound Radiomir 8 Days Ceramica PAM 384.