In the world of luxury watches, there's an old saying: the heavier the watch, the more it should cost.
But if that were true, we'd be lining our watches with lead and tungsten to make them as heavy as possible. We could, and have often talked about how certain precious metals increase a watch's value and which ones are worth more in real terms, and while hefty watches made of these precious metals can indeed have weight, there are many excellent watches that are ultra-lightweight, and this doesn't diminish their value.
The first element that comes to mind when we talk about light watches is, of course, titanium, and for good reason. The 22nd element in the periodic table, it has the highest strength-to-density ratio of all known metals, is especially corrosion-resistant, and hypoallergenic, which can be very useful for watches worn on your skin all day.
A bit of botany. There are different grades of titanium, and I don't want to go into detail about them, but the most common in watchmaking, as well as almost all other industries, is Grade 5 titanium, otherwise known as Ti-6Al-4V. The code of letters and numbers corresponds to the composition of this alloy. It is 6% aluminum, 4% vanadium, 0.25% iron, 0.2% oxygen, and the rest is pure titanium. All grades below Grade 5 are known as "commercially pure" since they are unalloyed and much more malleable and ductile than this alloy.
This list contains many titanium watches, but of course, it's not the only material used. As the watch world evolves, experiments with materials and materials science have kept pace. Probably best known for its material experiments is Richard Mille, who began experimenting with carbon composites and introduced carbon nanotubes long before anyone else knew they existed. All in pursuit of greater strength and less weight.
Before we move on to the list, I must make a small disclaimer: I have not included plastic watches. I wanted to stay in the realm of metals, carbon, and other high-tech composites, not go down the bioceramics and plastic route, as they would take up almost the entire list.
But enough talk about materials and science, let's take a look at some of the best ultralight watches that, in my opinion, will never need to go on a diet.
Ming LW.01 - 8.8 g
Unofficially, these are the lightest mechanical watches on the market today. Released by the iconic brand Ming, two versions of these watches were released in a limited edition of only 200 pieces: one with a manual wind (weighing 8.8 g), the other automatic, adding another 2 g. What I appreciate about these watches is that Ming did not want to distract from the very process of wearing these watches. In developing the watches, they imposed constraints to ensure they wear and function like regular watches. To ensure maximum lightness of the case without compromising the feel of the watch, the case is made of magnesium-aluminum-zinc-manganese AZ31. This ultra-light material weighs less than carbon and retains a metallic sheen after applying two coatings. Even the glass is thoughtfully designed. Instead of standard sapphire, Corning Gorilla Glass 6 is used, which loses to sapphire on the Vickers hardness scale by nearly 1500 points, but is much lighter.
There is no dial here, no ingenious materials are used, the hands glide over the movement holder, and the movement itself is hidden from view by a gradient pattern on the glass, which also features markers. Overall, there's little to say about the watch, but much can be said. It's a beautiful embodiment of materials science and horological creativity.
Behrens BHR030 11G - 11 g.
These watches impress with almost everything. A dual retrograde movement, a completely proprietary mechanism, a curved case, all weighing 11 g - quite impressive. The watch design may not appeal to everyone, given its rather avant-garde style, but the inspiration for this model was an ancient Chinese note-taking device, which ties it to Behrens' home in China. The case is made of composite carbon fiber, there is no dial, and the movement is fully skeletonized, allowing you to see where the grams were saved.
The Behrens brand has existed since 2012 and is a relatively new name in the watch world. And with this youth comes the opportunity to experiment and be free from the burden of tradition and history, allowing the team to explore unexpected designs, following concepts that other brands may never get the chance to explore. This freedom could not be more evident in this case, as they strive to remove the stigma from Chinese-made watches, drawing on their country's traditions in a way that does not rely on stereotypes and simplified images, but rather directs the characteristics of high watchmaking in a completely genuine way.
- Price: 11,800 USD, limited to 33 pieces in each color (SOLD OUT).
Richard Mille RM27-01 - 18.3 g.
I told you we'd get to Richard Mille eventually. These are the lightest watches in the brand's history and the first model they released for tennis phenomenon Rafael Nadal. There are many technical details here, so I'll try not to get too carried away, but let's start with the case. It is made of a polymer into which carbon nanotubes have been added to increase rigidity and resistance to impact, which also makes it an incredibly light material considering the properties inherent in carbon.
Inside the unusual RM27-01 case, we see a movement that seems to defy logic and all watchmaking standards. It is literally suspended in air by a system of stainless steel cables with a diameter of 0.35 mm. The movement construction uses strong yet light materials: the base plate and tourbillon cage are made of Grade 5 titanium, while the bridges and gear train are made of aluminum-lithium alloy. Although these are among the lightest watches on this list (18.3 g, including the heaviest component - the strap), they are also probably the most durable, as they are, according to the specifications, capable of withstanding accelerations of up to 5,000G. Much more than I ever could.
- Price: 740,000 USD, limited to 50 pieces (SOLD OUT).
Titanium Meteorite Nivada Grenchen F77 - 86 g
Perhaps the heaviest watch on this list, but they still deserve a place as they have a fully integrated metal bracelet, a meteorite dial, and weigh less than 100 g. These watches are undoubtedly inspired by the original Royal Oak sports watches, and the references are obvious from the start, but this does not detract from what Nivada Grenchen has achieved. By using a more affordable Soprod PO24 movement, this tried and tested style suddenly became accessible to a much wider audience.
The case and bracelet, fully made of titanium, make these sports watches much more comfortable to wear. The use of this metal is also considered a fairly modern touch, given that traditional watchmaking only used cases made of precious metals, and stainless steel was used only when absolutely necessary. But here titanium seems like a natural choice for the style of the watch; it is utilitarian, practical, with a hint of coolness. What really attracts me to this model is the play between titanium and meteorite: one eternally matte material next to another that catches the light from all sides seems like a beautiful juxtaposition that plays with different types of textures.
- Price: From 2,390 AUD.
Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Ultra Light - 55 g.
Titanium is known for its matte sandblasted finish, and in this case, Omega has embraced this aesthetic, going fully monochromatic in this lightweight version of everyday divers. The brand not only focused on the titanium aesthetics but also used this light metal at the heart of the watch. The movement itself is made of ceramized titanium, which is supposed to help reduce friction between the numerous moving parts.
The case, massive back cover, and push-in push-out crown are made of an alloy called Gamma Titanium - this is just another name for titanium aluminide, which is often used to make turbine engine blades due to its ability to withstand temperatures above 600°C. The Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Ultra Light was developed in collaboration with Rory McIlroy, and although they were not specifically designed for golf, the idea was to make them practical for athletes to use during play, although in the real world they are unlikely to reach temperatures of 600°C.
- Price: 53,400 USD
Bulgari Octo Finnissimo Ultra COSC - 43 g.
It would have been very easy for me to turn this article into one about ultra-thin watches, as they are, as a byproduct, very light. But I decided to take as the main example from this cohort only the newest holder of the title of the thinnest watch, because in my opinion, it is the most impressive in terms of weight reduction, as it is the only one of the main contenders to have a fully integrated bracelet.
Completely made of titanium (or platinum, but they are too heavy to make this list), these watches are only 1.7 mm thick. To achieve maximum weight reduction, the same techniques used in previous models are employed: the traditional dial and movement construction is completely eliminated. Everything is mounted directly to the back cover, allowing for a completely futuristic construction. The crown has been split into two parts and laid flat on the back cover, one setting the time and the other serving to wind the 1.5 mm thick movement. Perhaps these watches are too thin? Perhaps, but there are only 20 pieces made, and I didn't get to see them during the Watches & Wonders exhibition, so I probably won't have another chance to find out. But are they light enough to make this list? Absolutely.
- Price: 600,000 EUR (in titanium case)