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Omega's Deep Black breaks new ground in using a fiendishly hard-to-machine monobloc ceramic case that's waterproof to 600 metres. It wears bigger than its 45mm size would suggest, but you're not buying one of these if compromise is on the agenda. Up close, the build quality is easily good enough to justify the chunky price tag. £7,900
Watch makers often talk about bringing centuries-old crafts into the 21st century; with Urwerk it's more like the 23rd. The EMC line pairs a 4Hz mechanical movement with optical sensors, a 16MHz reference oscillator and a discreet LED array so the wearer has constant data on the watch's accuracy.
Its electronics are manually powered, storing charge from the winding lever in a capacitor built into the case. For its Time Hunter X-Ray edition, the movement has been skeletonised to show what's going on - whether you understand it or not. CHF125,000
Quite a number of car designers try their hands at watch design; few manage to bring anything new to the field. Nicholas DiLoreto, whose CV includes time at BMW and Volvo, has, however, with the Avra 1-Hundred.
It resulted in four patents - relating to the watch's locking crown (found in the square corner of the 46mm titanium case) and its perpendicular time display, which uses a sapphire ring sandwiched between the front and back of the case to show the time from a side-on view. Each made-to-order model takes six months to machine. $2,500
Tudor's Heritage Black Bay has been so successful over the past three years it has come to exemplify the brand's revival in the UK. Blacked-out designs are nothing new, but as with previous Black Bays, the execution is so sharp (the dial stands up to microscopic inspection) that it once again sets the standard. If you find the black bracelet a bit much, swap it for the grey textile strap (included as standard) to leaven the look a little. £3,050
The Series 2 version of Apple's smartwatch now has built-in GPS and an IP67 rating, meaning it's water-resistant to 50 metres. It can also track your running without having to be a slave to an iPhone. WIRED's favourite option is the top-of-the-range 38mm White Ceramic: thanks to a spot of amazingly tricky machining it looks great on the wrist and, at 39.6g, is lighter than the 41.9g stainless-steel model. £1,249
Sistem51 - the only mechanical watch movement assembled on an entirely automated production line - sounds like heresy in an industry that venerates hand-made craft. But hardcore fans love it because it's an honestly priced distillation of a simple idea. Previously only available in plastic cases, the Sistem51 now comes in a wide range of stainless-steel designs. From £127
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
