To commemorate the 160th anniversary of the brand's first chronograph, introduced in 1866, Tiffany & Co. has released two limited-edition Tiffany Timer watches in succession. Earlier this year, Tiffany unveiled the first special edition, limited to 60 pieces, featuring a platinum case, a Tiffany Blue dial and an exclusive custom movement. The second highly anticipated edition, limited to 100 pieces, will launch in September 2026; it combines titanium and platinum, with a deep blue dial accented by Tiffany Blue details. The two timepieces share a common lineage, paying tribute to Tiffany's deep watchmaking heritage while expressing the brand's philosophy of design, craftsmanship and innovation through a distinctive perspective.
When the brand began retailing timepieces in 1847, founder Charles Lewis Tiffany recognized a growing demand for high-end watches of exceptional craftsmanship and precision. In 1866, Tiffany introduced the Tiffany & Co. Timing Watch pocket watch—now widely regarded as the first chronograph in the brand's history. Two years later, coinciding with Tiffany's opening of a watch assembly workshop in Switzerland, the piece was officially renamed the Tiffany & Co. Timer. In 1874, Tiffany formally established a watchmaking workshop in Geneva, producing complicated timepieces including chronographs and calendar watches.
The new Tiffany Timer watch features a 40 mm satin-brushed titanium case with flowing lines and rounded curves; the curved chronograph pushers are seamlessly integrated with the case and also serve to protect the crown, together defining an elegantly distinctive overall silhouette. The dual-material construction of titanium and platinum contrasts with the sunray deep blue dial. On the dial, Tiffany Blue accents the subdial scales, the outer seconds chronograph scale and the date window, subtly echoing the classic hue long associated with Tiffany's Blue Book.
Turning the watch over reveals a surprise beneath the sapphire crystal case back: a bird inspired by the brand's iconic Bird on a Rock brooch perches atop the openworked rotor, vividly expressing Tiffany's signature sense of whimsy. Just 1.4 cm wide, the bird is hand-carved from a single block of 18K yellow gold, exquisitely capturing the lively spirit of Jean Schlumberger's original design. Artisans then hand-polish it using traditional techniques with tools including diamond abrasives and gentian wood sticks, creating rich layers of luster that make the bird appear even more vivid atop the rotor. The case back is also engraved with "Limited Edition of 100."
Fifty years ago, the introduction of the El Primero movement marked a groundbreaking technological breakthrough in watchmaking history. Today, it remains one of the world's most renowned movements. Although self-winding movements had existed for nearly two centuries, it was not until January 1969, when Zenith introduced the world's first integrated automatic chronograph movement, El Primero (meaning "first"), that this technology was successfully applied to chronographs.
As a quintessential expression of the El Primero movement, this watch adopts the classic "tri-compax" dial layout, symmetrical and highly legible: the seconds chronograph indication is at the outer edge of the dial, the 30-minute counter at 3 o'clock, the 12-hour counter at 6 o'clock and the small seconds at 9 o'clock. The watch also adds a date window at 6 o'clock, incorporating one of the most practical complications in watchmaking.
The previously released first global limited-edition Tiffany Timer platinum watch has been acquired by five Chinese collectors. The new titanium and platinum edition, limited to 100 pieces, once again offers collectors a timepiece of considerable collectible significance.
｜Source: Official press release
｜Image credit: Provided by the brand
｜Editor: LuxeCO
