5 Under-the-Radar Watch Releases from the Last Few Months of 2021
With 2021 behind us and the watch world already ramping up for some major movement in 2022 (starting in earnest with the LVMH Watch Week launches next week), we take a look at a handful of recently released noteworthy timepieces from the fall of winter of '21 that you just may have missed in the run-up to the holiday season.
1. Sherpa Ultradive
Leading our list is not only an under-the-radar product release, but also an under-the-radar brand which made its debut just last year. The watch, called the Sherpa Ultradive, was launched at WatchTime Düsseldorf, a major watch event carried out by our colleagues in Germany. It notably revives a vintage design originally produced by Enicar called the Sherpa Ultradive Super Compressor, with the modern watch and Sherpa brand drawing direct inspiration from the original 1960s dive watch.
The new Sherpa Ultradive was launched alongside the Ultradive OPS, a black, DLC-coated variation of the design, with both featuring uncommonly designed supercompressor case shapes, plenty of vintage-inspired charm, and a dive-ready water resistance of 200 meters. Both the Ultradive and OPS are available for pre-order now, with the former priced at €5.900 (about $6,816) and the latter just below at €5,800 (about $6,700).
To learn more, visit Sherpa Watches, here.
2. G-Shock Full Metal GMW-B5000TVA-1 “Titanium Virtual Armor”
G-Shock is often considered a fan favorite among collectors, the designation largely resulting from the arguably unmatched value proposition its watches represent in terms of functionality, durability, and cost. At WatchTime New York 2021, the brand launched the latest update to its Mudmaster series with the new GWG2000, equipped with an elevated forged carbon bezel.
While interesting, the Mudmaster wasn’t the only watch drawing fans to G-Shock's showcase; the other was the Full Metal GMW-B5000TVA-1. Nicknamed the “Titanium Virtual Armor,” the black-and-red-accented watch was designed with science fiction and futuristic styles in mind, drawing its foremost inspiration from the Mecha genre of Japanese anime and applying it to a classic G-Shock silhouette.
The new DLC titanium watch sold out of its limited quantities in a pre-sale, but was made available again for regular sale on November 10, 2021, with pricing set at $1,650.
To learn more, visit G-Shock, here.
3. IWC Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Top Gun
G-Shock wasn’t the only brand launching a matte black timepiece with red accents. IWC debuted its own high-end sport-luxury piece in the colorway, the Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Top Gun. The watch melds together three veins in IWC’s catalog, the first being the use of the Pilot’s Watch Timezoner design, itself a notable take on a world-time complication; the next, its performance-oriented Top Gun series design influence; and finally its case construction of Ceratanium. The proprietary lightweight material reportedly boasts the structural integrity of titanium along with the exceptional scratch resistance of ceramic, with its matte color matching the aesthetic of the watch’s Top Gun designation.
The watch was launched alongside the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun at the end of October 2021, limited to 500 editions, and priced at $16,900.
To learn more, visit IWC, here.
4. Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Complete Calendar
Vacheron Constantin had a landmark year in 2021, updating its Overseas line, opening a new U.S. flagship in NYC, and more recently partnering with explorer Cory Richards for the super popular Overseas “Everest” Limited Editions. The maison closed out the year with the elegant Traditionelle Complete Calendar.
The formal-focused timepiece comes as part of the brand’s Traditionelle collection, and as such opts for an overall classical style for with its 18k white gold case and slate-grey dial hosting the watch’s namesake Complete Calendar complication, more simply known as a triple calendar moon-phase. Most interestingly, the luxury watch features a subtly sectored look on its dial, the outer edge featuring a brushed appearance, while the central aspect opts for a velvety matte.
The new Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Complete Calendar is available as a regular production timepiece, though one still certainly limited in its total quantity by its refinement and price of $41,300.
To learn more, visit Vacheron Constantin here.
5. Alexander Shorokhoff “Crazy Eyes”
Bavarian-based watchmaker Alexander Shorokhoff has, since its founding in 2003, created uncommonly designed, artistically focused timepieces, and in the brand’s latest release, the aptly named “Crazy Eyes,” that remains true.
Launched at the end of the fall, the new watch takes its inspiration from Austrian painter Gustav Klimt, whose symbolist paintings often featured a bright use of color, collage-like composition, and a frequent use of eyes and eye-like imagery. As such, the otherwise unassuming steel chronograph case shape plays host to a dial filled with much the same, its look quickly catching your eye with more staring back, all while secured to the wrist via an unusual stingray leather strap best noted for its pearl-like texture.
The Alexander Shorokhoff “Crazy Eyes” follows-up on a legacy of artistically inspired timepieces from the brand, including the colorful “Levels” from 2019 and the skeleton-themed Los Craneos launched in 2018. The watch is limited to only 30 editions, with prices marked at $2,300 for a steel case, and $2,400 for a gold-plated case.
To learn more, you can visit Alexander Shorokhoff website, here.
Want to learn about even more recent watch releases? Check out the list of novelties unveiled at WatchTime New York 2021, here!
And want to stay in the know for future WatchTime events where you can be among the first people to see new launches? Then be sure to subscribe to our newsletter, here.
