Clear Cut

Sapphire watch cases are pricey, hard to make, and perfectly on-trend.

- Justin Mastine-Frost

There’s a reason why only eight of Greubel Forsey’s sapphire double tourbillon timepieces exist, and it isn’t merely a matter of its $1.1 million price. Sapphire is the second-hardest material known to man, next to diamonds, and brutally challenging to cut and finish with any artistry. Watchmakers run a risk, down to the last polish, that it will shatter and waste hundreds of manhours of work. More and more brands, however, are testing the material’s limits, which means a sapphire case is more accessible than ever. They’re still not cheap—you’ll spend north of $60,000 as opposed to seven figures— but you’ll get a piece that, for now, is a rarity in watches.

BELL & ROSS BR-X2 SKELETON TOURBILLON MICRO-ROTOR