Be Extreme

Why follow a trend blindly when your intuition suggests otherwise? At Carollinum, we understand this—and so do the watchmakers. That’s why they offer models that stand in direct opposition to the dominant trend of the past two years. 

For those unafraid of life’s challenges and seeking a watch as bold as their personality, there are models that proudly carry the word “extreme” in their name. They do not whisper. They cannot be hidden under a shirt cuff. With spectacular energy, advanced technology, and unmistakable design, they evoke Mick Jagger and the The Rolling Stones at their peak. And we can guarantee that if you choose one—especially from the limited editions by TAG Heuer currently available at Carollinum—you certainly won’t be left feeling “I can’t get no satisfaction.”

When Carole Forestier-Kasapi became Director of Movement Development at TAG Heuer five years ago, the watchmaking world paid close attention. One of the few women to hold a comparable position at Cartier, she demonstrated not only courage in pursuing original ideas, but also a remarkable sense of innovation and determination. Last autumn, she silenced any remaining sceptics. TAG Heuer unveiled models that simply cannot be ignored. 

Although the Carrera Extreme Sport sub-collection was introduced in 2016—four years before Forestier-Kasapi’s arrival—she has elevated it further, highlighting the brand’s technical mastery and deep-rooted connection to motorsport.

All models feature a 44 mm case water-resistant to 100 meters. The chronograph versions are crafted from titanium with various finishes (the most luxurious variant combines rose gold and titanium), paired with a matte black ceramic bezel with tachymeter scale. The openworked dial includes Super-LumiNova and is complemented by an innovative rubber strap. Colour scheme used for dials and straps —orange, blue, and black for those who prefer a monochromatic look, and black paired with rose gold and titanium—underscores the extreme sports spirit. 

The tourbillon chronographs, also housed in 44 mm cases (titanium with ceramic bezel or rose gold), are powered by the in-house TH20-00 or TH20-09 movement (the latter for tourbillon versions), delivering an impressive 65-hour power reserve. 

If you are a fan of adrenaline-fueled motorsport, its history, and tourbillon chronographs, TAG Heuer has prepared two remarkable limited editions that combine historical tribute, high watchmaking, and contemporary aesthetics.

The second limited edition model, limited to 500 pieces, is the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon x Senna. It pays tribute to Ayrton Senna, the exceptional Brazilian Formula 1 driver and dedicated TAG Heuer ambassador since 1988. The watch has a 44 mm titanium case with a carbon bezel featuring a tachymeter scale and is executed in blue with yellow and grey accents.

If you read the latest issue of The Art of Time—and we firmly believe you did—you know that IWC Schaffhausen dedicated most of this year’s novelties to its collaboration on the film F1 starring Brad Pitt. The black-and-gold colours of the fictional APX GP racing team are reflected in two of this year’s high-tech releases, which appear almost otherworldly while combining innovation with traditional complications. 

The Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber Tourbillon Skeleton XPL was developed by the brand’s XPL (Experimental Engineering Division). For the first time in the history of the Schaffhausen-based manufacturer, a tourbillon mechanism—highly sensitive to shocks—is protected by the patented SPRIN-g PROTECT system, introduced in 2021. Its cantilever spring, made of a special amorphous elastic material (BMG), protects the balance assembly from shocks. The 44 mm case is made of Ceratanium, a material that combines the lightness of titanium with the hardness of ceramic. The innovative shock-absorber system can protect the movement against accelerations of up to 10,000 G. The automatic movement with Pellaton winding offers an 80-hour power reserve. 

The second novelty, the Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month, is also crafted from Ceratanium, a material introduced and patented by the brand in 2017. The Performance chronograph line was first introduced two years ago and is characterized by a ceramic bezel with a tachymeter scale—also present in this year’s model. With this watch, the brand proves that even a complication such as a perpetual calendar can be presented in an innovative and contemporary design. The case measures 43 mm, and the power reserve is 68 hours.

Few brands are as closely associated with high-frequency chronographs as Zenith, thanks to the world’s first automatic chronograph. In 1969, the brand proudly introduced El Primero. Although the movement initially faced an uncertain fate, it evolved into a lasting icon, and the manufacturer continues to push its technical boundaries. 

The Defy Extreme sub-collection, first introduced in 2021, embodies 21st-century innovation. It offers a masculine yet highly original design and, above all, features the El Primero 21 movement capable of measuring time intervals with an accuracy of 1/100th of a second. This is achieved through two independent escapements: one operating at 5 Hz for timekeeping and the other at 50 Hz for the chronograph. 

In its Defy Extreme sub-collection, characterized by 45 mm cases, Zenith offers mostly limited editions of interesting watches, such as last year's Defy Extreme Jungle model, which, after the desert and glaciers, embodied the third chapter in the story of extreme natural conditions. The Defy Extreme watch cases are mainly crafted from titanium—sometimes in a beautiful combination with rose gold—or from carbon. The brand also offers the Defy Extreme Double Tourbillon featuring two independent tourbillons rotating at 60-second intervals for timekeeping and at 5-second intervals for the chronograph.

Panerai watches—particularly those from the professional Submersible line—can be considered extreme in their own right thanks to their high water resistance and distinctive design. However, the brand pushed the concept even further in 2010 and 2018. It captivated the watchmaking world with the L’Astronomo, demonstrating that the sporty and uncompromising Luminor case can house grand complications. The watch pays tribute to the brilliant Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei. 

In 2010, marking the 400th anniversary of his first stellar observations, Panerai introduced Lo Scienzato and Jupiterium—a watch with a perpetual calendar displaying the relative positions of the Sun, the Moon, and Jupiter and its moons, discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610. 

Among the unique models available by special order (with an approximate waiting time of one year) are the Luminor Tourbillon GMT (Lo Scienzato) in a 47 mm Goldtech rose gold case and the Luminor Tourbillon Moon Phases Equation of Time GMT (L’Astronomo), whose name proudly lists most of its complications. The case measures 50 mm, and clients may choose the material according to their preference.