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The New York watch scene is different. Just like the city does most things differently, this event also marches to the beat of a different drum. New York Watch Week 2026 brings together established luxury maisons and independent watchmakers with releases that range from intricate complications to playful, design-led timepieces. Here are 5 watches that caught our attention, from Chopard L.U.C Full Strike Dia de los Muertos, MING × Massena LAB 57.09 Secret Honey, to Ulysse Nardin Freak [S Howlite], Temporal Works Series A: Romanesque and Brew Metric Chrono Taxi. From a minute repeater inspired by Mexico’s Day of the Dead, a watch that reimagines how time is displayed, and a chronograph inspired by New York's iconic yellow cabs, the event has it all.
Who says haute horlogerie has to be serious? The Chopard L.U.C Full Strike Día de los Muertos pairs a 42.5mm ethical white-gold case with a colourful skull motif crafted using green Grand Feu enamel and champlevé gold. Baguette-cut emeralds add further drama. Its real attraction is the manually wound L.U.C 08.01-L movement, which uses sapphire gongs integrated with the crystal to produce its distinctive chime. With a 60-hour power reserve and Geneva Seal and COSC certifications, it combines technical achievement with a bold celebration of Mexican culture.
The Chopard L.U.C Full Strike Dia de los Muertos price is available on request.
Honey tones meet mechanical ingenuity in the MING × Massena LAB 57.09 Secret Honey. Three rotating sapphire discs create a changing display, revealing golden accents against a dark dial. It is the sort of watch that rewards a second look. Limited to 125 pieces the 40mm Grade 5 titanium case houses an automatic Sellita-based movement with around 50 hours of power reserve.
The MING × Massena LAB 57.09 Secret Honey is priced at CHF 7,250 before taxes.
Forget traditional hands. The Ulysse Nardin Freak [S Howlite] displays time through its moving mechanical architecture, set against a natural howlite disc with distinctive grey veining. Its 45mm titanium case houses the UN-251 calibre, featuring a flying carousel and two inclined silicon oscillators. The movement offers a 72-hour power reserve. Limited to just 15 pieces as a North American exclusive, the watch surely belongs to a collector.
The Ulysse Nardin Freak [S Howlite] is reportedly priced at US$190,700.
The Temporal Works Series A: Romanesque proves that clever design does not always require a complicated movement. Developed with watch designer Lee Yuen-Rapati, it transforms Roman numerals into architectural forms inspired by repeating columns. A 37mm stainless-steel case frames a two-layer dial, where laser-cut numerals reveal a glossy midnight-blue surface beneath silver-white detailing. Its manual-winding Sellita movement offers around 42 hours of power reserve; the watch is limited to 50 pieces.
The Temporal Works Series A: Romanesque is priced at $2,500.
For something with a little New York attitude, meet the Brew Metric Chrono Taxi. Inspired by the city’s yellow cabs, its dial combines taxi-yellow accents, a chequered stripe and a subtle “New York” inscription. Limited to 1,000 pieces, the 36mm stainless-steel case houses a Seiko VK68 mecaquartz chronograph movement and offers 50 metres of water resistance.
The Brew Metric Chrono Taxi is priced at $495.
These 5 watches show just how varied modern watchmaking can be and there is something here for collectors chasing technical innovation and for anyone who simply wants a watch with a story.
