Tiffany returned to watchmaking on 2 April 2015, with the CT60 collection of mechanical watches. The most interesting piece in that collection was the Tiffany East West, a rectangular watch with a case at 90° with respect to the usual orientation. Last year’s pieces were exclusively quartz watches. This year, the Tiffany East West has been launched with an automatic movement, the Sellita SW1000, a self-winding movement made in Switzerland, with a 40-hour power reserve. This movement is a small circular calibre, just 20 mm in diameter.

The watch is available in three versions, in steel or rose gold. The case is larger than it looks in the photos, 46.5 mm tall and 27.5 mm wide, with an attractive curving profile and watchglass. The sides have a brushed finish, the top edges are polished. Water resistance is the standard 3 bar (30 metres). The design is based on a Tiffany 1940s travel clock.

The dial has a radial guilloché finish, and gold poudre numerals that add a vintage look. The automatic versions differ from the quartz pieces in that they have a seconds hand, and the word “automatic” below the central pivot. The strap is in alligator.

On the caseback, there is a small semicircular window that provides a glimpse of the movement, which has a branded oscillating weight. Tiffany have entered this watch into the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) watch competition, and more specifically in the Petite Aiguille category, for watches with a retail price of under 8,000 Swiss francs.

Several brands have made watches with unusual case orientations – notably Longines Avigation Watch Type A-7 – but I can’t think of any with this 90° pattern. It reflects contemporary lifestyle habits, in that a watch like the East-West is perfect for when you are typing at a computer keyboard or a typewriter (does anyone still remember those?).

The automatic versions with stainless steel case (white or dark blue dial) cost €5,300, $4,750. The version in rose gold costs €13,400, $12,000. The quartz versions with stainless steel case cost €4,200, $3,750. They are available online from the Tiffany & Co. website or the brand’s boutiques.