BuyingTime Daily - November 21, 2025
Rolex steadies nerves, Swiss exports slip, Dubai Watch Week shines, and new releases—from Moser to TAG Heuer—keep the watch world buzzing on November 21.
Time Graphing today’s watch universe
Time Graphing Today’s Watch Universe — November 21, 2025
The watch world woke up today to reassurance from Rolex, with CEO Jean-Frédéric Dufour using Dubai Watch Week to tamp down fears that the Bucherer acquisition would upend its long-standing dealer ecosystem. Dufour reiterated that Bucherer is a small slice of the overall retail picture and that trusted partners—Seddiqi included—remain critical. Even with softer UK growth and broad economic headwinds, Rolex continues to notch market-share gains, reinforcing that the real strategy is staying the course, not reinventing it. The message was essentially: relax, your AD isn’t being replaced by a Bucherer super-factory anytime soon.
Not everything in Switzerland is trending upward, though. October export data landed with a thud, showing a 4.4% year-on-year decline to CHF 2.242 billion. Wristwatches alone fell 4.2%, but the true gut punch came from the United States, which cratered an astonishing 46.8%—a number so steep it almost looks like the line fell off the graph. Asia softened the blow, with China up double digits and Hong Kong and Singapore contributing modest bumps. Japan and the UK nudged the numbers back down, but the overall picture remains one of a global market in recalibration mode rather than outright panic.
Meanwhile, the intersection of cars and watches is alive and well. Porsche Design expanded its custom timepieces program to include Cayenne-themed personalization, effectively letting owners match their wristwear to their SUVs. Over on the ultra-bespoke fringe, Bentley’s Mulliner division rolled out customizable animated welcome lamps, because of course they did. Add it all up and you get a clear signal that personalization—not just luxury—is the next competitive battleground.
In the digital sphere, the Horologists app is making a strong pitch to become the collector’s all-in-one portal. It promises pre-owned listings, news, retailer connections, valuation tracking, and even Allianz-linked insurance exploration. It’s early days, but the infrastructure hints at a future where your watch box, your wishlist, your insurance policy, and your auction alerts might finally live under one roof—assuming they keep ironing out communication gaps and expand their retailer network.
Back in Geneva, Rolex added more color to its manufacturing philosophy, revealing it spends around CHF 100 million each year refreshing its tech and replacing machines every eight years. While AI helps efficiency, Dufour was emphatic: machines may assist, but humans still finish the job. It’s another reminder that even in 2025, the pinnacle of luxury watchmaking is still human hands doing human things—slowly, expensively, and beautifully.
Then there’s the celebrity headline of the day: Keanu Reeves had stolen items—including a Rolex featured in the John Wick films—returned after an FBI investigation. Hollywood loves a redemption arc, and this one comes with lume. Reeves can now move ahead with both closure and his movie prop back in the box where it belongs.
On the enthusiast front, the feature stories were wonderfully nerdy. The Antcalc RISC-V calculator watch delivers retro tech energy with modern microcontroller hardware, RPN input, non-volatile memory, scientific functions, and even the ability to play MOD files. It’s the kind of gloriously impractical overengineering that makes the watch world fun. And if your taste leans more toward modern classics, the Chopard Alpine Eagle guide map is out, tracing the model’s rise from 2019 upstart to a full-fledged integrated-bracelet contender with sizes, complications, and prices to match the big players. Elsewhere, Micromilspec’s Dualtimer refresh marks six years of rugged Norwegian watchmaking with unexpectedly cheerful color palettes, while the A. Lange & Söhne 1815 34 mm took Fratello’s Dress Watch Season after a month of bracket combat—an emphatic win for smaller, purer design.
Today’s new watch drops continued the global design parade. Armin Strom unveiled a rose-gold One Week Skeleton with a full seven-day reserve and a dramatic architectural layout, while Arnold & Son delivered a constant-force tourbillon in platinum with hand-engraved botanical motifs. Bell & Ross went ultrathin and technical with the BR-X3 Tourbillon Micro-Rotor, and Bremont punched above its weight with a perpetual-calendar mono-pusher skeleton built with Agenhor. Doxa brought Dubai Watch Week flare with a cherry-red SUB 300 Beta limited to eleven pieces, contrasting nicely with the fresh turquoise hits on the Bamford x Frederique Constant Highlife Chronograph. H. Moser & Cie doubled down on cosmic minimalism with two meteorite-dial Streamliner Perpetual Moon models—each boasting over a millennium of moonphase accuracy. RZE jumped in with a Cerakote-green digital field watch, and TAG Heuer embraced Las Vegas neon for a Monaco tuned to the Grand Prix weekend.
Reviews kept the energy going with hands-on looks at the limited TAG Heuer Monaco GP, Vacheron Constantin’s pink-gold Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin, and Zenith’s lapis-lazuli-fueled Defy Extreme. All three leaned heavily into their house aesthetics—square motorsport futurism, refined calendar classicism, and hyper-performance maximalism—each pushing a different vision of what high-end watches should be in 2025.
For entertainment, today’s Watching Time lineup ranged from storytelling deep dives to grey-market high drama. And for auction watchers, the 2017 Ulysse Nardin El Toro stalled at $11,000 without meeting reserve, while the 2018 Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5167R-001 heads toward its Sunday close with an early bid of $30,000 and all the hallmarks of a late-weekend bidding spike.
That’s today in the watch universe—exports wobbling, personalization booming, CEOs soothing, meteorites glowing, Keanu recovering, and collectors doing what collectors do best: reading it all and deciding what matters most to their own wrists.
News Time
Rolex CEO says Bucherer will not replace retail partners
Jean-Frédéric Dufour reaffirmed at Dubai Watch Week that Bucherer, acquired in 2023, will not supplant Rolex’s existing authorized dealers. He credited long-standing retail partners as central to the brand’s success and emphasized that Bucherer represents a small part of the overall strategy. While acknowledging economic headwinds and slower growth in the UK, he highlighted Rolex’s continued market share gains and the value of trusted partners like Seddiqi in Dubai. The priority remains deep relationships and consistent brand representation worldwide.
Business News: Rolex CEO Says Brand Won’t Significantly Expand Own Retail And Will Continue To Work With Authorized Dealers - Read More >
Swiss watch exports decline 4.4% in October
Swiss watch exports fell 4.4% year-on-year in October to CHF 2.242 billion, with wristwatches down 4.2% to CHF 2.133 billion. The United States was the biggest drag, plunging 46.8% to CHF 224.3 million. Several Asian markets offset some of the weakness, with China up 12.6% to CHF 188.5 million and Hong Kong and Singapore rising 2.4% and 6.6% respectively. Japan and the UK also slipped, down 5.6% and 7.4%.
Porsche Design Adds Cayenne Models to Its Custom Timepieces Program
Porsche Design expanded its custom timepieces program to include Cayenne-inspired options, allowing owners to personalize watches that match their style and vehicles. The move underscores a broader push toward bespoke luxury experiences that bridge automotive and horology. In a related luxury-tech flourish, Bentley’s Mulliner division introduced bespoke animated welcome lamps that can be customized by owners. Together, these updates highlight how brands are extending craftsmanship into personalized details.
Horologists App Review: A Digital Platform for Collectors
The Horologists app aims to unify the watch-collecting journey by integrating pre-owned buy and sell, collection management, news, and direct connections to authorized retailers. Users can track valuations, manage portfolios, and even explore insurance options via Allianz, with a customizable feed and event calendar. Early limitations include a narrower range of offers and occasional retailer communication gaps, though plans include expanding networks, adding auctions, and launching fully digital insurance. It sets a promising foundation for a more connected collector–retailer ecosystem.
Rolex spends CHF 100 million per year on watchmaking tech but AI will not replace the human touch
Rolex invests roughly CHF 100 million annually to maintain and upgrade its watchmaking machinery, replacing equipment about every eight years as technology advances. Despite the role of AI in efficiency, CEO Jean-Frédéric Dufour underscores that final assembly remains in the hands of skilled craftspeople. The brand’s fully integrated production reinforces quality control across components. The message is clear: innovation supports, but does not supplant, traditional savoir-faire and customer relationships.
Keanu Reeves Has Stolen Items From His Home Returned to Him, Including Rolex from John Wick Films, FBI Confirms
Following an FBI investigation, stolen items belonging to Keanu Reeves were recovered, including a Rolex used in the John Wick films. The case drew attention due to both Reeves’ profile and the value of the items involved. With the pieces returned, Reeves can move forward from the incident. The story details the recovery and confirmation by authorities.
Feature Time
Wear This RISC V, RPN Calculator Watch For Maximum Nerd Cred
A new calculator watch dubbed Antcalc brings back retro tech with a modern twist, built on the CH32V002A4M6 RISC V microcontroller and a small OLED display. It uses Reverse Polish Notation input, packs ten registers with 21-digit mantissas and ±99 exponents, and supports scientific functions plus up to 10 macros. The compact 30 mm x 55 mm watch stores data in non-volatile memory, so information survives battery changes. Beyond calculations, it can be repurposed for fun hacks like playing MOD files, with early SDK support via CH32Lib.
Collector’s Guide to the Chopard Alpine Eagle
Chopard’s Alpine Eagle has grown into a full collection since 2019, spanning 33, 36, 41, and 44 mm sizes with integrated bracelets and richly textured “eagle iris” dials. Built in exclusive Lucent Steel A223, models range from straightforward three-handers to XL chronographs and even flying tourbillons and ultra-thin variants. Prices start around $12,900 for the 33 mm and reach six figures for high complications and gem-set editions. The lineup strikes a balance between sporty elegance and high-end finishing, competing credibly with established icons.
Micromilspec celebrates 6 years with new Dualtimer dials
Micromilspec marks its sixth anniversary with colorful Dualtimer models in Perfect Blue, Perfect Green, and Perfect Sand, a playful shift from its usual mission-ready black dials. The rugged design retains technical bona fides with the Sellita SW330-2 automatic GMT movement, strong lume, sapphire, and 200 m water resistance. Buyers can choose a steel bracelet or leather and rubber straps, and personalize the open caseback with engraving. The refreshed palette signals a more relaxed aesthetic while preserving function-first roots, with pricing at $1,955.
Fratello Dress Watch Season: The Winner — The A. Lange & Söhne 1815 34mm
After a month-long series of reader-voted matchups among 34 contenders, the 34 mm A. Lange & Söhne 1815 won Fratello’s Dress Watch Season. It advanced past favorites like the Grand Seiko SBGH368 and JLC Reverso Tribute Monoface, ultimately defeating the Breguet Classique Souscription 2025 with 60% of the votes. Voters praised the 1815’s modest size and elegant purity as defining traits of a true dress watch. The result underscores demand for smaller, refined pieces and hints at future potential for compact Langes.
The Latest Time
Armin Strom
The Armin Strom One Week Skeleton in Rose Gold
Armin Strom’s One Week Skeleton in 18k rose gold showcases visible mechanics and meticulous hand finishing inside a 41 mm, 100 m-resistant case. The openworked architecture forgoes a conventional dial to highlight the in-house ARM21-S with dual barrels and a seven-day power reserve. Super-LumiNova accents and layered detailing add legibility and depth, paired to a black textile strap with a rose gold pin buckle. Limited to 50 pieces and priced at CHF 47,000.
Arnold & Son
The Arnold & Son Constant Force 11 Platinum Edition
This 41.5 mm platinum limited edition blends a constant force mechanism with a one-minute tourbillon, honoring John Arnold and Abraham-Louis Breguet. Its hand‑engraved yellow gold dial draws inspiration from Cornwall’s ferns, while the manual A&S5219 delivers 100 hours of power reserve. A navy alligator strap and platinum folding clasp complete the refined package. Limited to 11 pieces at CHF 140,600 (excl. VAT).
Bell & Ross
Bell & Ross BR-X3 Tourbillon Micro-Rotor
The BR-X3 reveals its flying tourbillon and micro-rotor through a transparent steel and sapphire construction that’s just 9 mm thick. Powered by calibre BR‑CAL.389, it delivers a 58‑hour power reserve and a minimalist hours-and-minutes display that puts the mechanics center stage. The 40 mm case is water‑resistant to 50 m and paired with a grey alligator strap. Limited to 25 pieces, priced at CHF 80,000.
Bremont
The Bremont Altitude Perpetual Calendar GMT Mono-Pusher Skeleton
Bremont’s limited Altitude Perpetual Calendar GMT Mono‑Pusher Skeleton uses a 42 mm grade 2 titanium Trip‑Tick case and an openworked blue dial to showcase the Agenhor‑developed calibre BHC9192. The watch pairs a manual base with an exclusive perpetual calendar module, offering a 50‑hour reserve and 100 m water resistance. Recessed correctors and an integrated mono‑pusher make operation clean and intuitive. Priced at GBP 37,000, supplied with a quick‑release titanium bracelet and blue leather strap.
Doxa
The Cherry-and-Black Doxa SUB 300 Beta DWW 2025 Edition
A matte black ceramic case meets a vivid cherry‑red sunburst dial in this Dubai Watch Week special, limited to just 11 pieces. The COSC‑certified Sellita SW200‑1 powers 300 m of water resistance, delivered on a black FKM rubber strap with an additional grey NATO. Function‑first details channel Doxa’s tool‑watch heritage with modern materials and color. Priced at CHF 4,200 or AED 18,750, available exclusively at Ahmed Seddiqi boutiques in the UAE.
Frederique Constant
The new Bamford x Frederique Constant Highlife Chronograph Automatic
This 41 mm grade 2 titanium Highlife Chronograph gets a Bamford makeover with a matte black DLC case and tri‑compax dial accented in turquoise. Inside is the in‑house FC‑391 automatic chronograph with 60‑hour power reserve and 100 m water resistance. The 100‑piece limited edition includes three quick‑change straps for easy versatility. Priced at CHF 4,495.
H. Moser & Cie
This Space-Themed Sports Watch Claims Over 1,000 Years of Accuracy
The Streamliner Perpetual Moon Concept Meteorite combines a meteorite dial with Moser’s ultra‑precise moonphase complication said to deviate by a day only after 1,027 years. The 40 mm steel case houses the automatic HMC 270 with a three‑day reserve and easy adjustments via a pusher. A minimalist display and luminous hands keep the focus on texture and legibility. Priced at $43,700.
The New H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Perpetual Moon Concept Meteorite - Read More >
RZE
The Brilliant New Cerakote RZE UTD-8000-CKG
RZE’s military‑style digital UTD‑8000‑CKG pairs a Cerakote green titanium case with a black DLC bezel and a high‑contrast amber display. It delivers 200 m water resistance, a multifunction module with stopwatch and alarm, and an LED backlight, all on a 20 mm canvas strap. The lightweight build and robust spec make it an easy daily field companion. Priced at $320.
TAG Heuer
A New Night Racing-Inspired TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Skeleton for Las Vegas GP
This 39 mm Monaco celebrates the Las Vegas Grand Prix with a gradient purple‑to‑blue skeletonized dial in a matte black DLC titanium case. The in‑house automatic TH20‑00 delivers an 80‑hour reserve, while Super‑LumiNova details amplify night‑race vibes. A black rubber and calf strap completes the motorsport look. Limited to 600 pieces, priced at CHF 11,000 or EUR 11,400.
Wearing Time - Reviews
Vacheron Constantin
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Pink Gold Dial. Hands-on Review
A tone-on-tone pink gold dial and 18K pink gold case give this Overseas Perpetual Calendar an elegant warmth, while the moon phase adds a poetic touch. The highly legible calendar layout pairs with an interchangeable bracelet and straps, shifting easily from formal to casual wear. Inside, the ultra-thin Calibre 1120 QP/1 showcases refined finishing in a sleek, comfortable package. Priced at $120,000 USD.
Zenith
Zenith Defy Extreme Lapis Lazuli Watch Brings Regal Color To An Aggressive Design
This Defy Extreme pairs an assertive 45 mm, two-tone steel and yellow gold case with lapis lazuli subdials for a dramatic look and 200 m of water resistance. The El Primero 9004 chronograph runs its chrono train at a blistering 360,000 bph, prioritizing performance and spectacle. Three strap options, including a polished bracelet and rubber, widen its wearability despite the bold silhouette. Limited to 50 pieces, priced at $33,900 USD.
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Talking Time
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BuyingTime at Auction
A few select current auctions that caught our eye on Grailzee and Bezel
[Thursday’s auction watch, the 2017 Ulysse Nardin El Toro GMT Perpetual Calendar 43MM Black Dial Leather Strap (326-03)- was bid to $11,000 but did not meet its reserve. - make an offer]
2018 Patek Philippe Aquanaut 40MM Brown Dial Rubber Strap (5167R-001)
Auction Report: Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5167R-001 – Chocolate, But Make It Asset Class
The 2018 Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5167R-001 you’re looking at is very much the modern definition of “casual wealth.” In rose gold with a chocolate brown dial and matching rubber strap, it’s the warm-tone sibling to the steel 5167A, and for many collectors, the purist expression of the Aquanaut idea with just enough flash. This example is represented as being in good condition with light wear on the case and comes as a full set: inner and outer boxes, additional items, and papers dated April 14, 2018. For a high-demand contemporary Patek Philippe, that “full kit” matters almost as much as the watch itself.
Reference 5167R-001 was introduced in 2009 as the first rose-gold Aquanaut, roughly a dozen years after the original Aquanaut launched in 1997 as Patek Philippe’s answer to the emerging luxury sports watch boom. The rose gold case is 40 mm with a brushed bezel, 120 m water resistance, and a sapphire display back showing caliber 324 SC, the automatic workhorse with date and sweep seconds used across the Aquanaut family. Patek’s own literature describes the model as “casual elegance,” with a brown embossed dial, luminous rose-gold hands and Arabic numerals, and a tropical composite strap with a fold-over clasp.
In today’s market, this is no sleepy back-corner Aquanaut. Retail on the 5167R is listed around $58,600 in the U.S. but the real story is on the secondary side. WatchCharts pegs the current secondary market value at roughly $82,000, around 40% above retail, and notes that the 5167R trades meaningfully above list even if it lags the most hyped Aquanaut references. Chrono24 asks cluster in the high-$70Ks on average, with a broad range from about $57,000 to $110,000 depending on year, condition, and completeness; most of those are dealer listings and more than 90% include box and papers. Dealer and platform listings often show ask prices in the high-$90Ks to low-$100Ks for clean full sets, underscoring how far demand has pushed this reference beyond its “casual” label.
Recent auction data reinforces the point. Aggregated results from spring and fall 2025 sales show multiple 5167R-001s changing hands in a band from the high-$60Ks to well into six figures: approximately $67,500 at Christie’s Hong Kong in May, about $75,600 at Christie’s in the U.S., $94,500 at a Phillips Bacs & Russo sale in Switzerland, and over $120,000 at a Sotheby’s U.S. auction this June. That’s a pretty healthy spread, but the midpoint still sits firmly in that $80–90K neighborhood and tells you bidders are willing to step up for the right watch, in the right condition, with the right paperwork.
Against that backdrop, this 2018 example with light case wear and complete accessories is exactly the kind of watch that brings out both collectors and “one and done” Aquanaut buyers. The 2018 date is late enough to feel modern but early enough to sit comfortably in the model’s production arc. Light wear on a rose-gold case is normal—and usually correctable—with nothing in the description suggesting abuse or heavy polishing. The full box and papers dated to a specific day in April 2018 help with authenticity, service history tracking, and, bluntly, future resale.
Where does that leave expectations going into the hammer at 9:42 pm on Sunday, November 23, 2025? With street prices and recent auction comps in mind, a rational estimate range would cluster somewhere around the mid-$70Ks to mid-$80Ks, with upside if the bidding room is thin on alternatives or this piece presents particularly fresh and crisp in person. If the watch sneaks through closer to retail or the low-$70Ks, that’s opportunistic money. If it charges past $90K all-in, you’re paying a forward premium for the comfort of locking in a trophy Aquanaut now instead of waiting out the boutique lottery and grey-market spread.
The broader Aquanaut story doesn’t hurt the narrative either. Since its 1997 debut, the line has evolved from “younger cousin” to the Nautilus into its own standalone pillar, with the 5167R often cited as the reference that perfected the formula in rose gold: sport watch stance, tropical strap, but a dial and metal combination that reads more “weekend villa” than “diving off the back of the boat.” In a market that still rewards recognizable, wearable, and relatively conservative luxury sports watches, the 5167R-001 checks every box.
In short, this lot is not a speculative moonshot; it’s a known quantity in one of Patek Philippe’s most bankable modern families. If you’ve been circling a rose-gold Aquanaut and want the full-set, post-2010 sweet spot, this Sunday night might be your moment—provided you’re prepared to swim at the deeper end of the price pool.
Current bid: $30,000