Favre Leuba’s GPHG nomination to Bvlgari’s titanium edit: What’s new in horology

From skeletonised movements and ice blue guilloché to titanium architecture and watches steeped in musical and horological history, contemporary watchmaking is having a distinctly expressive moment. At the 2026 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, Favre Leuba marks its first GPHG nomination since its global relaunch, while Baume & Mercier revisits mid century elegance through a cooler lens. Read on for a quick catch up with everything that’s making headlines.

Favre Leuba’s Chief Skeleton earns its first GPHG nomination

Favre Leuba’s Chief Skeleton has been nominated for the 2026 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in the Challenge category, marking the Swiss maison’s first ever GPHG nomination since its global relaunch. Selected as one of six finalists from 62 competing watches in the category, the 40mm timepiece brings a fully skeletonised movement, layered architecture and detailed finishing to a segment that recognises watches priced below CHF 4,500. The nomination adds another milestone to Favre Leuba’s Renaissance era, following its return to the global watchmaking stage.

Baume & Mercier gives the Clifton an ice blue makeover

Baume & Mercier has introduced two limited editions to its Clifton collection, pairing the maison’s vintage inspired aesthetic with striking ice blue guilloché dials. The 39mm Automatic Date and 40mm Automatic Perpetual Calendar are both powered by Baumatic manufacture movements, with the latter adding a more complex calendar mechanism. Drawing from the elegance of 1950s watchmaking, the new editions bring refined proportions, domed sapphire crystals and polished and satin finished cases together with a cooler, contemporary colour palette.

Montblanc brings the story of the chronograph back to Paris

Montblanc revisits the origins of the chronograph with the Star Legacy Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph Limited Edition 100, inspired by French watchmaker Nicolas Rieussec’s pioneering 1821 timekeeping invention. Created in tribute to the device that recorded the precise finishing times of horses at Parisian races, the limited edition brings historical storytelling into contemporary watchmaking through a monopusher chronograph, dual time display and date complication. The piece also draws on Rieussec’s connection to Paris, where his groundbreaking invention helped shape the history of precision timekeeping.

Breitling revives Miles Davis’ favourite Navitimer

Breitling is celebrating the centenary of jazz legend Miles Davis with the Navitimer B09 Chronograph 41 Tribute to Miles Davis, a limited edition of 500 pieces inspired by the Navitimer Ref. 806 Mk5 worn by the musician in the 1960s. The new timepiece retains key details from Davis’ original, including its reverse panda dial and vintage inspired Twin Jet logo, while introducing the modern hand wound B09 calibre with a 70 hour power reserve. The tribute marks a meeting of horology, music and personal style, recalling a time when the Navitimer was still primarily regarded as a pilot’s instrument rather than a luxury fashion statement.

Bvlgari unveils its titanium creations at Geneva Watch Days 2026

Bvlgari has unveiled its latest titanium creations at Geneva Watch Days 2026, once again pushing the language of contemporary horology through an unlikely meeting of technical material and Italian glamour. Lightweight yet highly engineered, titanium allows the Maison to experiment with new proportions, finishes and forms while retaining the architectural codes that have become synonymous with Bvlgari’s watchmaking. The result is a collection where technical performance meets unmistakable visual drama, reinforcing the idea that contemporary luxury can be as much about engineering and material innovation as it is about precious metals and traditional ornamentation.

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