I do love a good leather strap watch, here are some of my favorites for 2016. All over £1000
1. Alpina
The Alpina brand comes from the same stable as Frdrique Constant, and the big news from each this year is the introduction of the Horological Smartwatch. The technology in both versions is exactly the same, so we'll leave you to read about it under "F" for Frdrique...
The announcement that Alpina has created its very first in-house chronograph movement provided some excitement on the traditional watchmaking side. The 233-part AL-760 flyback mechanism is said to have taken up to three years to develop and debuts in the Alpiner 4 Manufacture Flyback Chronograph, which, typically for the brand, represents a lot of wristwear for the money.
£3,780. alpina-watches.com
2. Baume & Mercier
Reinforcing its mantra that "life is about moments", Baume & Mercier has become the "student celebratory partner" of the London Business School. Outstanding students will be awarded B&M watches at events throughout the year.
Two B&M Shelby Cobra watches celebrate 50 years since the hot-rod house became the first American car maker to win the World Manufacturer's GT Championship. Cobra-inspired styling cues include "snake's head" seconds hands and striped dials. The editions comprise 1,965 standard chronographs in steel and 98 flyback models in red gold.
£3,000 (steel); £13,300 (red gold). baume-et-mercier.com
3. Blancpain
The brand famous for its Fifty Fathoms dive watch this year reinforced its commitment to saving the seas by continuing its support of the World Ocean Summit, which aims to combine economic development with marine conservation.
In keeping with the environmental theme, the Ocean Commitment Bathyscaphe Chronograph Flyback is limited to 250 pieces, with 1,000 (720) from the proceeds of each sale donated to the cause.
14,000. blancpain.com
4. Burberry
In 2015, Burberry CEO and design head Christopher Bailey's worth was recognised with a salary and share deal worth 8 million - some of which he earned by adding to the brand's growing watch line-up, including a made-to-order women's piece with a self-winding STP movement.
For men, however, the watch to have is the new, limited-edition Britain Icon Check, which features a 45mm, DLC-coated, blackened titanium case as well as a ruthenium-plated, lattice-work dial over the top of a hand-wound ETA movement.
£11,900. uk.burberry.com
5. Cartier
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 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 Allonge 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 Cl 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 Cl is available only in gold (white, rose or yellow) or bi-colour (gold and steel) either plain or "decorated" (ie diamond-encrusted).
Case sizes range from 31mm to 40mm, from £5,000 to £40,000. cartier.com
6. Chaumet
Chaumet's men's watch line is so dependable you know that each year is going to bring one or two new Dandys, and you're sure to like them...
It's certainly the case with the two latest offerings, a 38mm piece in pink gold with a black, galvanic dial decorated with golden stripes; and the equally delectable 42mm version in steel with silver stripes.
£2,838 (steel); £11,270 (pink gold). chaumet.com
7. Chopard
As rival brands attempt to jump on the lucrative classic-car bandwagon, Chopard celebrated a Le Mans victory by its partner Porsche Motorsport and marked its 27th year as the longest-standing sponsor of the celebrated Mille Miglia rally with a new range of Mille Miglia GTS driving watches. The line-up comprises an understated automatic, a Power Control version with fuel gauge-style power-reserve indicator, and a classic 44mm chronograph.
For sheer horological elegance, it has to be the exquisite LUC Regulator, which combines a 43mm rose-gold case with an in-house, hand-wound movement. The single, central minute hand works in conjunction with an hours sub-dial at three o'clock, a 24-hour GMT indicator at nine o'clock, and a small seconds hand at six. Balancing the design to perfection, meanwhile, is a crescent-shaped display to show the state of the eight-day power reserve.
£21,640. chopard.com
8. Lange & Shne
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 & Shne has opened a new manufacturing facility and (of course) made an extra-special watch 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.
From £21,000. alange-soehne.com
After all the rambling, price aside I really like the look of the Burberry, it is completely different from any watch I own and any watch I have seen in that price range. I love the idea of a titanium cased watch, Titium was discovered in britian - low weight and high density metal, which If I rememeber from school it sparks when scrapped again concrete, so you will defiantly know if you drop it.
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