A barrel-shaped case topped with 8 screws. A decidedly sporty look with three counters on the dial. A silicone strap. There is no doubt, this is the new watch unveiled by Richard Mille.
Finally, almost. Because this Boliday which “diverts the ultra-elegant codes of Haute Horlogerie” is part of the new Ice Watch collection. And its price is far removed from the standards of the prestigious Swiss brand since it costs less than 150 euros…
The Boliday, a watch made for work and vacation
Business + Holiday = Boliday! The new watch revealed by Ice Watch takes its name from the contraction of these two English words. In fact, it’s not so new, as the Boliday has already been adorning women’s wrists for some time. But with its “iconic” design, this watch couldn’t ignore the male audience and now it’s been done in this year 2024.
Never stingy with good words, the Belgian brand asserts that this collection is “born to democratically bring a touch of chic to the codes of haute horlogerie and offer them with impertinence”. Visually, it’s impossible not to make a connection between this Boliday and certain Richard Mille models such as the RM07-01. This newcomer at Ice Watch thus sports a curved 40 mm barrel-shaped case (“a shape never seen in ‘accessibly priced’ time measurement”), three counters on the dial (for the day, date and 24h display) and a silicone strap.
Many details still evoke the unique style and sportiness of Richard Mille watches, such as these 8 screws on the aluminum bezel or this prominent crown in steel and aluminum. Inside, however, there is no ultra-sophisticated automatic movement, but a simple Miyota 6P29 quartz, with a stated autonomy of 2 years.
And then, of course, the last difference between the RM collections and this new ICE Boliday is not the least significant. When the price of a Swiss chronograph regularly displays 6 figures, the Ice Watch remains accessible to the majority, starting from 149 euros…
Ice Watch, official disruptor of the watch market
Since its creation in 2006, Ice Watch has never stopped breaking the codes of watchmaking. And as soon as it entered the market, the Belgian brand was obviously compared to Swatch, with its colorful and fun watches fitted with a silicone strap. Even the brand name inevitably reminds of its historic Swiss rival, which has indeed multiplied its legal actions towards Ice Watch.
Finally, today, the two entities cohabitate almost peacefully. And while Swatch is making a name for itself through its prestigious collaborations with Omage and Blancpain, Ice Watch has therefore decided to tackle another prominent member of luxury watchmaking.
With her ICE Boliday, she promises us luxury and refinement in abundance: “Not one, not two, not three, but all the codes of luxury watchmaking are combined, reinterpreted with the optimism and chromatic freedom at the heart of Ice Watch’s DNA.” Declined in 5 timeless colors, the men’s collection will probably not please purists, but marks a new chapter for Ice Watch, “after 17 years of existence and two major designs, the iconic Forver and the sleek ICE”. And the brand doesn’t plan to stop there, as more models are already announced to continue to reanimate the world of entry-level quartz watches.
