Whether it’s motorsport, diving, running, aviation, or even football; there is a watch made to match your sporting lifestyle of choice. At Baselworld 2018 there were so many exciting timepieces linked by design to the sporting world, and although we’d have happily walked away with an example of each, we wanted to highlight our favorites.
Tag Heuer Monaco Gulf 2018
This beautiful special edition watch is a homage to the Tag Heuer Monaco watch from the late 60s, which was worn by Steve McQueen in the film, Le Mans, in which he drove a Gulf-livered Porsche 917. Like that watch, the Monaco Gulf 2018 also has a square steel case and a stunning sunray blue dial with the famous light blue and orange stripes. Pictures don’t do it justice.
Tag Heuer Carrera Heuer 01 Aston Martin
The first watch made to celebrate Tag Heuer’s partnership with Aston Martin is this special edition Carrera. The 45mm steel case hides a skeletonized automatic movement beneath the black, honeycomb-effect dial and is peppered with Aston Martin logos and details. For example, the reworked case features lugs that have been designed using an Aston Martin car’s shape as inspiration. Aston Martin has found a great partner in Tag Heuer, if this is representative of future watches.
Omega Speedmaster Blue side of the Moon
A beautiful special edition released at the beginning of the year, this was one of the first chances to see the Speedmaster Blue Side of the Moon up close, and it’s worth the wait. The 44mm ceramic case comes in a muted but still eye catching blue, which matches the polished blue ceramic bezel and dark blue leather strap. It’s the platinum Liquidmetal moonphase dial that makes this watch special in the Speedmaster range, nestling between the two superb sub dials.
Edox Sharkman II
This is a dive watch with real dive credentials, as it was worn by world record diver Christian Redl during his most recent world free-diving record attempt. The Sharkman II’s 45mm case comes in five different color combinations, including the white, black, and red highlighted version seen here. Check out the engraved case-back, too. These are limited editions and will be released in the near future.
Oris Clipperton Limited Edition
This special edition diver’s watch is part of Oris’s Aquis series and only 2,000 Oris Clipperton watches will be produced with a percentage of sales going to initiatives based on protecting the ocean. The name references the uninhabited, but ecologically crucial Clipperton Island, where Oris-sponsored scientists visited to study shark migration patterns in 2017. The 43.5mm case has an engraved back featuring an image of the island and its location and comes with either a rubber or stainless steel strap.
Chopard Mille Miglia 2018 Race Edition
Race-inspired watches don’t get much more classically styled than the Mille Miglia 2018 watch from Chopard. Just look at the sub dials, the font used, and the carbon dial itself, then tell us you’re not instantly transported inside the cockpit of a car used in the famous race. Only 1,000 will be made and each has a stainless steel case, an engine-turned dial, and the automatic movement has a 48 hour power reserve. A beauty and a watch to treasure.
Longines Conquest VHP
VHP stands for Very High Precision and it’s a name that’s well-earned on the new Longines Conquest, since the movement is so accurate it will lose no more or less than five seconds annually. This is backed up by technology to resist shocks and magnetic forces trying to disrupt the time during regular wear, along with a “smart crown” to make adjusting the time during travel an easy and precise exercise. The sporty chronograph will be out in April.
Jacob & Co. Epic X Chrono
Surprisingly, the colorful Epic X Chrono is rather muted in terms of design from the usually outrageous Jacob & Co. Baselworld 2018 saw the introduction of a limited edition Epic X Chrono made in partnership with footballer Luis Figo; but we prefer the style of these original versions. The automatic movement inside the 47mm case has a power reserve of 48 hours and the sub dials show minutes and seconds. The Luis Figo versions are limited to 110 pieces and come in either rose gold, titanium, or DLC titanium.
Hublot Big Bang Referee
One of the few touchscreen smartwatches launched at Baselworld 2018, the Big Bang Referee is the first to come from the famous Hublot brand and it runs Google’s Wear OS. It’s compatible with iPhone and Android devices, but because only 2,018 are being made, you may have to search hard to get one on your wrist. It’s a limited edition to celebrate the 2018 FIFA World Cup, will actually be worn by referees during all the games, plus it comes with special World Cup watch face designs, and even sends you score notification alerts.
If these watches aren’t quite your style, you can always opt for our current favorites under $500.
