The resemblance between the Hysek Design Colonne du Temps and a Romaneque column is more than just fleeting, especially since it has the word column in its name. Released at Baselworld 2018, this clock marks the return of Jorg Hysek, a prolific watch designer and founder of an eponymous brand, who has spent the last two years sailing his boat in quasi-retirement.

Standing before his eyes was the most perfect of God’s creatures, a wonderful mix of Audrey Hepburn and Penelope Cruz. What Makes Me Tick thought his heart had skipped a beat, and he heard the chimes of every single minute repeater Patek Philippe had ever created – all chiming at exactly the same time! Six months later the gentle creature and he were married. This extraordinary story reflects the marvelous world of vintage watches: finding the rare bird, linking it to a story, and never letting it go.

Individual champagnes rarely seem to attract the pre-release anticipation that we sometimes see with other wines. Ken Gargett thinks that perhaps the 1996 Krug was the last release that really generated serious excitement before it hit the market and he doubts that any champagne has created such interest since then – until we come to the 2008 Louis Roederer Cristal.

Black aventurine is a relatively recent invention and few brands - perhaps just one - have incorporated the material in watches as yet. One exception is astronomical specialist Christiaan van der Klaauw, which recently released a black aventurine dial on the already incredible Planetarium. Joshua Munchow explains what makes this black material so special.

Pilot’s watches rank among the most successful of all watch genres, owing their strong popularity to an unmistakable design with an instrument-like look resulting from over 100 years of history as a technical aid in the cockpit. Modern pilot’s watches still exude this spirit of adventure and audacity, and here are three prime examples from 2018.