Whether you’re into divers, chronographs or drivers, rounds up the most important new replica watches you need to know about this year. From Alpina to Zenith, strap yourself in for the latest replica watch trends with the Replica Watch Guide to 2016.
A. Lange & Söhne Replica
The leading Saxon watch house has plenty to celebrate this year, because it’s two centuries since founder FA Lange was born and 170 years since he established his first factory. To mark these milestones, A. Lange & Söhne has opened a new manufacturing facility and (of course) made an extra-special A. Lange & Söhne replica watches in the form of the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater, the first to feature a “decimal” minute-repeating mechanism, which sounds the time exactly as it is shown on the jumping numerals display. It costs more than £300,000.
Rather more affordable, but still exquisitely crafted, is the new Lange 1. The brand’s signature watch gets its first significant upgrade since its introduction back in 1994 with a new hand-wound movement, a slightly narrower bezel and a jumping large date display, which advances on the stroke of midnight.
Audemars Piguet Replica
This high-end brand has a history of creating innovative minute-repeater wrist Audemars Piguet replica watches dating back almost 150 years, with its latest being the Royal Oak Concept RD1. Developed over the course of a decade in collaboration with a stringed-instrument maker, a sound engineer and an audiophile, it is said to be the loudest, clearest, most sonorous minute-repeating wristwatch ever made.
Unfortunately, the RD1 is not actually for sale – but you can buy an equally clever AP in the form of the new Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher, a ground-breaking mechanical chronograph that was developed at the request of the Formula One legend. A horological first, it features two central hands that can be repeatedly stopped, started and re-set independently to allow continuous, accurate, consecutive timing of individual laps. The watch has a 44mm forged-carbon case with titanium and pink-gold detailing. Just 221 examples will be made, reflecting the number of World Championship point-winning races in which Schumacher competed.
Breguet Replica
The Breguet replica uk name is clearly a big one to live up to, but the Swatch Group-owned brand does so admirably. This year, for example, it pulled the wraps off the truly superb reference Minute Repeater Tourbillon 7087 (£329,200), featuring tourbillon bridges and a baseplate made from titanium.
The new Marine Chronograph celebrates 200 years since Louis XVIII appointed AL Breguet official chronometer-maker to the French Royal Navy. Limited
to just 200 examples, the 42mm, platinum-cased tribute watch is supplied on the usual “Marine” rubber strap.
Breitling Replica
To counter the rise of the smartwatch, Breitling replica watches has unveiled its B55 Connected, a quartz-powered aviation model with a digi-analogue display. The B55 can be synchronised to a phone using a special app, via which the time and alarms can be set.
The 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain earlier this year was marked by the introduction of a limited-edition version of the Navitimer pilot’s watch, with ten per cent of the proceeds going to the RAF Benevolent Fund. The 75 individually numbered watches carry Battle of Britain anniversary crests on the sub-dials and case backs.
Cartier Replica
The team at Cartier’s watch-manufacturing facility has clearly been working overtime of late. This year it has unveiled a swathe of new models ranging from a women’s version of the Replica Cartier Ballon Bleu with a dial covered in quivering diamonds to a skeletonised update of the celebrated, malformed Crash watch (originally launched in 1967 and allegedly inspired by the mangled remains of a Baignoire Allongée recovered from a car wreck). There is also a new Grand Complication and a “mysterious” double tourbillon.
The watch the “jeweller of kings” seems most excited about, however, is the relatively bread-and-butter Clé de Cartier, a nifty piece of engineering in which the conventional crown is substituted with an integrated, sapphire-topped “key”, which, when not being used to re-wind the automatic movement, is neatly recessed in the side of the case to maintain an elegant line. Currently the Clé is available only in gold (white, rose or yellow) or bi-colour (gold and steel) either plain or “decorated” (ie diamond-encrusted).
Jaeger-LeCoultre Replica
The Jaeger-LeCoultre replica watches brand is reaching for the sky with a range of celestial-themed watches, including the impressive Duomètre Sphérotourbillon Moon, which is said to be capable of precisely following the moon’s phases for 3,887 years. The £280,000 Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication uses a flying tourbillon to indicate the passage of sidereal time (the astronomical measurement based on fixed stars).
Still on the space theme are a pair of new Master Calendar moon-phase watches with dials made from slivers of real meteorite. Cut from a meteor recovered in Sweden, the slices are acid-treated to reveal their remarkable textures.
Omega Replica
Right now Omega replica watches sale retailers are preparing for the rush following the release of the latest Bond film, Spectre, in which Daniel Craig provides the Swiss brand with more invaluable exposure by wearing its Seamaster model. Limited editions for Bond fans and wannabe agents include the Seamaster 300 Spectre, and a version of the Seamaster Aqua Terra with the Bond family coat of arms on the blue dial and seconds hand. The visible self-winding weight takes the form of a gun barrel.
The polished, black ceramic case of the latest Black Black version of Omega’s Dark Side Of The Moon Speedmaster, together with its matt-black ceramic dial, blackened indexes and a black (of course) lacquered bezel with tachymeter scale all add up to one of the stealthiest watches in the universe. Powering the beast is Omega’s supremely accurate Calibre 9300 C-Axial movement.
Rolex Replica
The mighty crown is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Replica Rolex Day-Date by giving its flagship model a fairly extreme makeover, resulting in 17 new patents. Changes include a new 40mm case, a new-generation movement with 70 hours of power reserve, extra flutes on the distinctive bezel and ceramic-sleeved bracelet links.
The first Rolex to be supplied on a rubber strap, the latest Yacht-Master features a delectable, fade-resistant “Everose” pink gold case, which can be had in a choice of 40mm or 37mm sizes, a black gloss dial and a scratch-proof Cerachrom bezel insert. The Chromalight hands and hour markers, meanwhile, glow a suitably maritime blue in the dark.
TAG Heuer Replica
The leading sports TAG Heuer replica watchmaker has been given a serious shake-up with the arrival in 2015 of watch industry veteran Jean-Claude Biver. The brains behind the revival of Blancpain and the stellar rise of Hublot is keen to re-assert TAG Heuer’s position as a watch brand appealing to a younger generation of style warriors, and has appointed Cara Delevingne and David Guetta brand ambassadors, alongside its lordly clan of sporting superstars. The brand has also partnered with Google and Intel to develop its own connected watch, unveiled in New York this month.
If you always hankered after a tourbillon wrist top replica watches but never thought you’d be able to afford one, TAG Heuer might change your mind with its new 45mm Calibre Heuer 02T – soon to become the most affordable tourbillon on the market when it launches next year at £12,100. Equally good value, meanwhile, is the new Calibre Heuer 01 chronograph, which features a titanium carbide-coated steel case, an openwork dial and an in-house movement, all for around £4,000, making it the least expensive Swiss-made manufacture chronograph money can buy.