So things move rather slowly, and the incremental changes over time appeal to purists. In 2002, IWC added the Big Pilot's Watch Ref. 5002 to its lineup. Inspired by IWC's earliest designs, the watch was a success. Today, that design is being updated with three f.p. journe elegante new references: A blue-dialed option on a strap or bracelet, and a black-dialed variant on a leather strap, all inside a 43mm case.

It's the year of the gold Mini (see here and here if you don't believe me). The timing of this new bite-sized DolceVita in gold is bang-on. But while small watch fever is certainly still burning, I have to be link candid for a moment: What makes the new Mini DolceVita relevant enough to succeed in today's Cartier-saturated watch market?

First of all, this isn't a Flightmaster. That's the name that was kicked occasionally after the leak. If that's what you're hoping for – and many people are hoping for a new Flightmaster link – you might have to reset your expectations. There are a lot of visual similarities at first glance, and when I opened the box sent over by Omega, I immediately got excited to be holding a new Flightmaster. But then I realized I wasn't.

The dial and hands, like the case, are made using traditional techniques. The dial is fired enamel and made in two parts – the main dial, and the subdial for the small seconds. Of all the methods used in the creation of the unique piece, the fired enamel link dial is probably the one most familiar to today's enthusiasts, as enamel dialmaking, while unquestionably a high-craft technique, is used fairly often in high-end watchmaking.