MB&F LM101 EVO
MB&F’s LM101 was launched in 2014, but it is only in recent years that it has become one of its most in-demand pieces. The speculation is that it is tied to the post-COVID boom that many independent brands experienced, and a good portion of the fans MB&F acquired during this time were from more traditional watch-collecting backgrounds. The LM101 is relatively subdued when compared to its stablemates, with an uncomplicated—minimalist, in a way—dial side that is essentially a singular showcase for the movement’s oversized balance wheel. It is, thusly, a sort of bridge between classical watchmaking and MB&F’s signature craziness. That Kari Voutilainen was a key contributor to its development certainly helps.
In any case, the LM101 has just received a long-overdue EVO subtype—equipped with a rubber strap, shock absorber for the movement, screw-down crown, and a water resistance rating of 80m, it is now as close to an everyday watch that an MB&F can be. The LM101 EVO is available in two options with its 40mm case in titanium: one with a salmon dial and one with a green dial, both priced at RM334,800.
URWERK UR-150 Blue Scorpion
URWERK launched the UR-150 Scorpion earlier this year, and it was one of its most intriguing releases in a while. First, there was the movement, which retooled its signature wandering hours satellite display into a retrograde indicator that made it much more dynamic—the ‘sting’ is the instantaneous snap-back of the hand and accompanying twirl of satellites at the top of every hour. And then there was the case design: sleeker, less complex, more rounded, and more symmetrical than we normally see from the brand. Martin Frei, one half of URWERK’s founding duo, says that it is a natural evolution from the UR-100 and that he “bent it into a sphere” to create the UR-150. The deeply domed sapphire certainly seems to bring the mechanism closer to the viewer.
The newly released UR-150 Blue Scorpion (RM472,500) is its second edition. The original was monochrome, in greys; this one contrasts the 42.5mm-wide sandblasted steel-and-titanium case with a vibrant blue dial and movement elements, along with a rubber strap. One design addition is the engraved concentric rings on the bezel—a simple manoeuvre, but it adds a sense of vivacity that seems to highlight its fascinating mechanics even more.
Trilobe Trente-Deux
It is a surprising move for Trilobe as it moves to join a very crowded field—the integrated bracelet, steel-cased sports watch. Uncharitably, one could say that Trilobe has not presented anything with the new Trente-Deux (RM94,700) that we have not seen dozens of times before—though there is a touch of inspired proportions in the way the fluted bezel seems to almost burst out of the edges of the barrel-shaped, 39.5mm-diameter case. The double folding clasp has a neat, seamless spring blade operation, too.
Then again, this is Trilobe, which means that, by default, it is offering something unique. Founded in 2018, the French upstart’s calling card is a concentric display for hour, minute, and seconds that is legible—with practice—and aesthetically distinct. The presentation of the Trente-Deux also shows off one of the implied benefits of the Trilobe display: a great view of the sunray-brushed dial, available in either grey or blue.
It is new on the inside, too, and equipped with the brand’s first in-house movement. The X-Nihilo calibre has an unconventional layout as well, which is visible through the display caseback: beneath a minimalist tungsten rotor, the space is quite bare and dominated by a large, square-ish plate and balance wheel, with a contrast of red gold-treated textures.
De Bethune DB25xs Starry Varius
Starry nights on deep blue backdrops—a classic of multiple genres and the basis of De Bethune’s best-known motif. The Starry Varius has a unique outlook consisting of hand-fitted white gold pins representing a constellation that can be customised for the owner, along with a gold leaf depiction of the Milky Way, and, typically, a blued and polished titanium plate as the backdrop.
That last one has changed a bit, because the titanium plate is now a deep burgundy. Alien sky, Aurora Borealis, or a volcano erupting in the background? The subject is open to interpretation, but there is no denying that the warm-toned shift is a refreshing change.
That is not all, as the new DB25xs also debuts an all-new, smaller case size for the collection; this is its first 40mm reference. It is perhaps surprising that such an elegant watch started out as 44mm before also having a 42mm option, but the brand has long favoured larger sizes to execute its artistic vision. With the new reference also having a depth of just 8.8mm, it is going to make a lot of wrists happy. It is available in either a titanium or a rose gold case, both priced at RM341,300.
De Bethune DB25xs Starry Varius
L’Epée 1839 TF35 “Rust in Time”
L’Epée 1839 did not introduce much in the way of mechanical debuts for Geneva Watch Days, but it did dress up some of its classics in slick new artistic one-offs. The typical aesthetic for the brand is a sort of austere, brutalist take on mechanical sculpture—precisely, deliberately worked metal left bare or with simple, industrial finishes, one that embraces the technicality of the clockwork intricacies it holds.
With this series from its Creative Art line, however, glorious splashes of colour are introduced to old favourites such as the mid-century automotive-inspired Time Fast and the propeller plane Time Flies. It also included this rendition of the TF35, known as the “Rust in Time” edition (RM208,700). A depiction of open-cockpit race-cars from the 1920s and 1930s, its bodywork has been given an airbrushed patina by artist and in-house artisan Jeremy Brun. Featuring blue and black colours, it is a creative suggestion of a weathered, rusted heap of scrap—which, of course, the TF35 is anything but. Its eight-day movement powers a discreet time indication on the side of the chassis, with the escapement in the driver’s seat beneath a glass dome. Within its V8-inspired engine housing, a concealed cigar torch can be revealed by activating the handbrake.
L’Epée 1839 TF35 “Rust in Time”
READ MORE: Our favourite watches from Geneva Watch Days 2025
