Remembrance Of Things Past

We highlight four eye-catching timepieces launched at this year's LVMH Watch Week Singapore Edition, which pay homage to each watchmaker’s rich and colourful heritage.

- Zhuan Lee

Since 2020, the LVMH Watch Week, held each January, has been the first major watch event to kick off the horological season. For 2023, the French luxury conglomerate brought the four watch brands in its stable-Bulgari, Hublot, TAG Heuer and Zenith-to Singapore for the first time. The creations were showcased at the Capella Singapore, and it was a chance for journalists from all over the world to admire and examine these marvellous novelties up close.

One common thread among the four watchmakers was a return to their roots, as they looked to the past for inspiration, and breathed new life into some of their most emblematic creations. Beloved classics from the '60s, '70s and '80s were given a new twist; some underwent a complete metamorphosis. Yet at the heart of each new timepiece lies the creativity and tenacity of these watchmaking powerhouses. This year's releases proved that a distinctive design that marries great form and functionality, will always be the key to timeless allure. Here are our favourites.

Bulgari's spirit animal, the serpent, is a symbol of perpetual rebirth, wisdom and sensuality. Since its debut in the 1940s, the Serpenti collection has been synonymous with the Tubogas, a technique that utilised a material and manufacturing process that was similar to how gas pipes were produced. Not only were bracelets made using the Tubogas technique supple and flexible enough to wrap around the arm, but their industrial aesthetic also presented an interesting juxtaposition when used in jewellery timepieces. The earliest Serpenti watches featured dials placed at the position where the head of the snake' would have been. More than 70 years on, this watch remains an icon, thanks to its duality as a jewel that tells time.