While Philipp Plein might be best known for its clothing and sneakers, the brand also produces watches, although it has only been within the last couple of years that its timepieces have started to exist within the same luxury-oriented realm as the rest of its catalog. When Philipp Plein first started selling watches, they were positioned as attainable fashion accessories priced similarly to its shirts and sunglasses; however, the brand launched its first Swiss timepiece last year, and this signaled a shift towards a focus on a more luxury-oriented segment of the market. While the brand’s inaugural Swiss watch was a simple three-handed model, the company’s latest release for 2024 leans heavily into the high-end concept, and the new Philipp Plein Crypto King Flying Tourbillon represents a significantly more horology-focused offering than anything that the brand has previously put forward.

Philipp Plein’s current timepieces exist in two different categories, which are classified as either fashion or luxury. Within the brand’s fashion watch category, you will find all of its entry-level collections, which almost all exist below the thousand-dollar price point. The primary purpose of the brand’s fashion watches is to offer attainable access to popular watch styles that have been given Phillip Plein’s signature aesthetic twist. However, the type of person who spends a couple of thousand dollars on a jacket or a pair of sneakers is probably comfortable spending far more on a wristwatch, and Philipp Plein now offers its luxury category to cater to this different type of buyer who might own numerous different high-end timepieces, and now seeks features such as premium materials and high-level complications.

The Philipp Plein Crypto King Flying Tourbillon is available in four different colorways, which are rather playfully named “Dare Devil XII” (white and red), “Ninja Panda” (black and white), “Dragon Fire” (orange and black), and “Night Wolf” (black and rose gold). Regardless of their colors, all of the different models feature cases made from forged carbon with a curved tonneau-shaped profile that measures 46mm in diameter by 15.95mm thick with an overall lug-to-lug distance of 55mm. A pair of curved sapphire crystals are fitted to either side of the case, while a winding crown signed with Philip Plein’s hexagon-framed “PP” logo sits at the 3 o’clock location, and water resistance for the Crypto King Flying Tourbillon series comes in at 30 meters to protect against incidental contact.

On all of the Philipp Plein Crypto King Flying Tourbillon watches, a hexagon-shaped metal frame extends over either side of the middle case, and the hexagon is a motif that can be found throughout Philipp Plein’s various designs. For the first three of the four aforementioned colorways, stainless steel is used for the winding crown, hexagon-shaped frame, and the screws that hold the various carbon fiber case sections together. However, these components can either be plated black or left with their natural steel appearance, depending on the specific model. Meanwhile, these same components are crafted from solid 18k rose gold on the “Night Wolf” edition, which is the top-of-the-line model from the Crypto King Flying Tourbillon series that is characterized by a slightly more restrained and luxurious overall appearance.

To power its Crypto King Flying Tourbillon watches, Philipp Plein turned to the Swiss movement manufacturer Landeron, and fully visible through both the sapphire crystal and display caseback is the open-worked Caliber PWL100LPP manual-wind flying tourbillon movement. Despite its highly skeletonized appearance, the 19-jewel Landeron PWL100LPP offers fairly conventional operating specs, and it runs at a frequency of 28,800vph (4 Hz) with a power reserve of approximately 42 hours. The reverse side of the movement is adorned with enamel emblems that depict Philipp Plein’s “$miley” and “$kull-bone” symbols, and engraved into the upper plate between these two decorative emblems are the initials of the watchmaker who is responsible for assembling each caliber.

In the same spirit as celebrating the watchmaker who built the movement, Philipp Plein also aims to celebrate its customers, and each Crypto King Flying Tourbillon watch will also have the name of its owner engraved upon the metal plate attached to its caseback. While the casebacks read “Made for Philipp Plein” on the prototype watches photographed for this article, the name of the individual owner will take the place of Philipp Plein’s signature on the specific example they purchase. Small details like the initials of the watchmaker inscribed on the movement or engraving your name on the caseback are rarely going to be the deciding factors when it comes to making a purchase, although I personally enjoy these small details, and they help underscore the concept that the Crypto King Flying Tourbillon is not a mass-produced item like the brand’s affordable entry-level fashion watches.

Aside from their colorways, one other difference between the four versions of the Philipp Plein Crypto King Flying Tourbillon relates to the material used for their integrated rubber straps. Silicone is chosen for the three models are paired with either white or black straps, while the white and red “Dare Devil XII” model is fitted with a transparent polyurethane strap, which is characterized by a slightly more rigid structure and an entirely crystal-clear appearance. Regardless of the different materials, all of the straps feature an integrated two-piece design that can be detached by using the two sets of screws that are located on the underside surface of its case, and the straps fasten on the bottom of the wrist using a chunky signed pin buckle that is either plated black or given a polished finish to match the rest of the watch’s colorway.

When I first learned that Philipp Plein was going to be releasing a Swiss-made flying tourbillon with a carbon fiber case, I legitimately thought that there was some type of misunderstanding, as it represents such an incredibly significant departure from the brand’s previous timepiece offerings. Opting for a Swiss movement or a precious metal case is the obvious route when it comes to making a luxury watch, although any time a brand creates a tourbillon, it serves as a bit of a statement. I find it rather impressive that Philipp Plein has gone the extra mile to work with Landeron to create a bespoke flying tourbillon for its Crypto King series. All things considered, I have to applaud Philipp Plein for creating something that exists on an exponentially higher level than any of its previous offerings, and my biggest criticism is simply that its design feels a bit too close to what you might find in Richard Mille’s catalog.

With that in mind, although the visual similarities between the Philipp Plein Crypto King Flying Tourbillon and something from Richard Mille are undeniable, putting its signature aesthetic spin on famous designs is a fundamental concept behind many of Philipp Plein’s products. If you look at the brand’s entry-level fashion watches, nearly all of them could be compared to some recognizable timepiece at an aspirational price point, and its “Notorious” line of sneakers almost looks like wild and customized pairs of Nike Dunks or Air Jordan 1s. Brands putting their own signature twists on celebrated designs is commonplace within the fashion and streetwear industries, although these types of efforts tend to be viewed far more critically when it comes to watches, regardless of the price point of the products or the degree to which they are executed.

The Crypto King Flying Tourbillon serves as a clear statement that Philipp Plein intends to increase its presence in the luxury-oriented segment of the watch market, although these models will not be permanent offerings, and each of the four colorways will be produced as a limited edition of 49 examples. Additionally, given that the Philipp Plein Crypto King Flying Tourbillon exists as somewhat of a halo piece, the brand declines to make the retail price publicly available, and the watches can only be purchased by ordering them through one of Philipp Plein’s physical stores or by scheduling an appointment directly with its Watches VIP Service. Despite being a luxury lifestyle brand, Philipp Plein’s timepieces have historically been surprisingly affordable relative to its other products. However, the Crypto King Flying Tourbillon truly feels like the type of watch that was designed for the brand’s affluent customers, who routinely spend thousands of dollars on its crystal-encrusted sneakers and python leather jackets. For more information on the Philipp Plein Crypto King Flying Tourbillon, please visit the brand’s website.