Watch Briefing: Soccer, Natural Stone, and Venetian Light
The latest watch releases bring together three very different worlds: Hublot is marking the start of the UEFA Champions League with a limited-edition Big Bang; Perrelet has made four natural stones the centerpiece of its Weekend collection; and Jaeger-LeCoultre has captured the Venetian light of J. M. W. Turner on the backs of its Reverso watches.
Hublot Big Bang Reloaded: Blue for the Champions League
Hublot has been the official watch brand of the UEFA Champions League since 2015. To mark the start of the 2026–27 season, the eighth watch from this partnership is now being released. The Big Bang Reloaded UEFA Champions League Titanium Ceramic features the competition’s signature blue on the bezel, dial, case back, and bracelet.
The 44-millimeter case is made of satin-finished and polished titanium. A bezel made of titanium and blue ceramic frames the skeletonized, matte-blue dial. The sapphire crystal case back, featuring the Champions League logo, reveals the HUB1280 automatic in-house caliber. The column-wheel flyback chronograph consists of 354 components and offers approximately 72 hours of power reserve.
The strap combines blue rubber with white calfskin featuring a star print. The watch, which is water-resistant up to 100 meters, comes with a miniature replica of the Champions League trophy. It is limited to 100 pieces and is available now; the press release does not specify a price.
Perrelet Weekend Stone Dials: Four Dials Made of Natural Stone
Perrelet is expanding its Weekend collection with dials featuring turquoise, lapis lazuli, black onyx, and tiger’s eye. Following aventurine and malachite, the line is now growing to include four new gemstones, whose natural inclusions and patterns make each dial appear slightly different.
Polished baton hour markers, Dauphine hands, and a discreet date window allow the gemstones to take center stage. The stainless steel case measures 39 millimeters and flows seamlessly into an integrated steel bracelet. A calfskin leather strap with a quick-release system is also included.
The sapphire crystal case back reveals the P-321 automatic movement. It operates at 4 hertz and offers a power reserve of 42 hours. The models are available through authorized retailers and, in Europe and the U.S., through the brand’s online store. Prices have not been disclosed.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Turner Series: Venice in Enamel
Jaeger-LeCoultre returns to Venice in September for the Homo Faber Biennale. The fourth edition of the exhibition, titled “An Island of Light,” is dedicated to contemporary arts and crafts. From September 1 to 30, works by more than 500 artisans from over 70 countries will be on display on San Giorgio Maggiore.
For this collection, the Manufacture has created four Reverso Tribute Enamel watches, the backs of which feature paintings by Joseph Mallord William Turner. The British artist visited Venice in 1819, 1833, and 1840. Rather than the precise architecture, it was the shifting interplay of light, water, and atmosphere that became the central theme of his Venetian works.
The miniatures are crafted in the in-house Métiers Rares workshop. Each watch requires approximately 80 hours of work. Up to 14 layers of enamel create depth and perspective; silver plates beneath transparent enamel enhance the light reflections on the depicted water. The dials echo the color palette of the respective paintings with hand-guilloché patterns and translucent Grand Feu enamel.
The rectangular case houses the hand-wound Caliber 822, developed specifically for the Reverso. The movement, which is just under three millimeters high, runs at three hertz and offers a 42-hour power reserve. Each of the four versions is limited to ten pieces. The price in Germany is 155,000 euros for each model.
Homo Faber as a Framework for Rare Crafts
The Turner series is part of a larger presentation by the Manufacture at Homo Faber. In addition to the Reverso models, Jaeger-LeCoultre is showcasing a new color variation of the Atmos Régulateur Enamel “Colibris”—whose enamel work takes approximately 230 hours to complete—as well as works from the Homo Faber Fellowship, which the brand has supported since 2023.
The connection to the Biennale is thus more than just a backdrop for four special-edition models. It links the techniques visible on the backs of the Reverso watches to the question of how rare artisanal skills can be preserved and passed on to the next generation.
