As the world's largest watch fair celebrates its 100th anniversaryrd anniversary, watchmakers and jewelers, as well as related branches, are once again present at this unmissable professional event.
From March 23 to 30, 2017, during the show Baselworld, watchmakers and jewelers present their latest innovations, often world exclusives, competing more than ever in innovation and know-how to respond to a tense economic context.
True to their reputation for excellence, Swiss manufacturers are doubling their creativity to meet the demands of a market waiting for simpler and more accessible pieces. Thus, while the time is for refined designs, innovation is more present than ever. Far from any exuberance, it is today placed above all at the service of functionality, durability and comfort, with ever more efficient mechanisms, useful complications, new adjustment systems for greater ease of use, as well as particular attention paid to the construction method to make the watch even more resistant to the wear and tear of time. Effective from 1er January 2017, the reinforced requirements of the Swiss Made label also echo this desire of our watchmakers to offer consumers ever more guarantees in terms of quality, craftsmanship and provenance.
The new features unveiled at Baselworld and at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) at the start of this year, we can observe various watchmaking trends: more reasonable diameters, ornate dials, the ever-present vintage look and the use of unexpected materials.
Among the new features presented:
Aerowatch: Numbered Semi-Skeleton Chronograph
Buoyed by the success of its skeletonized models, the Jura brand Aerowatch presents a new creation in a numbered edition. From the first glance, this Semi-Skeleton Chronograph seduces with its assertive contemporary style, even though each manufacturing step is carried out in the great Swiss artisanal tradition. Like a diaphragm, the ornate dial reveals halos of transparency, revealing all the complexity of a mechanical movement. Bridges, weight, gears and other blued screws fit together with infinite precision, while revealing finishes that are alternately chamfered, rhodium-plated, circular-grained or decorated with Côtes de Genève. Enigmatic and intriguing, the dial features four counters with an aesthetic resolutely anchored in the 21e century, to count down the hours and minutes of the chronograph, a small second, as well as the date.
DE GRISOGONO: Eccentrica
Bold, confident, at once completely new and seemingly belonging to de Grisogono forever, the new Eccentrica collection opens up a new creative territory. By imagining a nonconformist design, carried by a succession of circles of different diameters and centers, contained one within the other, Fawaz Gruosi has found the key to a perfectly harmonious geometry. An original balance, like a tribute to roundness, where diamonds draw captivating plays of depth, while the subtly asymmetrical architecture of the whole extends to the lugs. On the dial, large Arabic numerals tell the time with opulence. A crown set with a black diamond and a shagreen-stitched strap are invited to perfect the elegance of a watch imbued with the codes predestining the success of the Maison de Grisogono.
ZENITH: Heritage 146
Zenith revisits one of its historic pieces from the 1960s to give life to a new chronograph with deliciously vintage accents: Heritage 146. While it adopts the retro look of its predecessor, with the same 38 mm case, it allows itself a new high-frequency movement, equipped with a chronograph function and a 50-hour power reserve, whereas the former caliber 146D beat at the rate of 18 vibrations per hour, for a power reserve of 000 hours and only hours, minutes and small seconds functions. In a nod to the 38s, today's El Primero 1960 movement orchestrates a configuration typical of chronographs of the time, with two counters aligned on a dial without a date, available in sunburst blue or tropical brown. A matching leather racing strap completes the ensemble, emphasizing the vintage character of this piece that so subtly blends eras.
BREITLING: Superocean Heritage II 46
Launched in 1957, the Superocean professional diving watch has spawned several generations of instruments with unparalleled aquatic performance. To celebrate the 60th anniversary of this pioneer of the great outdoors, Breitling has revitalized its iconic design. The first evolution: a new steel bezel with a ring made of ultra-hard, scratch-resistant, and highly shock-resistant high-tech ceramic. Thanks to the removal of the metal ring surrounding the minute track, this bezel appears to be one with the dial adorned with the original Superocean logo. The shape of the hands—triangle for the hours, diamond for the minutes—and the slightly conical indexes reinforce the links with the 1957 model, while ensuring optimal readability. In terms of performance, this new Superocean Héritage II is water-resistant to 200 meters and beats to the rhythm of a COSC-certified Manufacture Caliber B20 with a power reserve of over 70 hours.
HERMES: Slim d'Hermès The impatient hour
Hermès time cultivates this extravagance of reconciling rigor and fantasy. One must know how to handle paradox to imagine that a watch is intended to heighten our emotions. Yet this is the purpose of Slim d'Hermès L'heure impatiente, whose complication invites us to rejoice in the moment to come. The jubilation of the ritual that consists of setting the time on the watch's counter for the long-awaited event that will occur in less than twelve hours. One hour before it occurs, the mechanical hourglass starts ticking at 6 o'clock. This complication is an exquisite torture of waiting, culminating in apotheosis when the note sounds. It only rings once to indicate that the event has arrived, with a sound that is both long and discreet, so that only the wearer of the watch can perceive its content. Playful and offbeat, the L'heure impatiente complication is based on this complicity, contained in a module only 2,2 mm thick.
BULGARI: Lvcea Moon Phases
Placing women at the heart of all its attention, Bvlgari plays with contrasts and marries light with the moon, revealing the different phases of the mysterious star on its Lvcea watch. A mother-of-pearl dial opens up a sky revealing in turn the new moon, the first quarter, the full moon and the last quarter. Between poetry and watchmaking precision, the calculation of the lunar months is orchestrated by the automatic caliber BVL 210, decorated and finished in the grand Swiss tradition. An object of all temptations, the new Lvcea Phases de Lune is presented in different compositions, like so many encounters between the light watch and the star of the night. Intense blue, bright red or dazzling plum: the sky on which the moon continues its revolutions echoes the color of the bracelet, while the rose gold or white gold case is revealed with or without diamonds, like the attachments.
HARRY WINSTON: Avenue Classic Cherry Blossom
Harry Winston captures the ephemeral beauty of a cherry blossom tree to bring to life a captivating piece: Avenue Classic Cherry Blossom. On the dial, mother-of-pearl provides an iridescent backdrop for a shower of 39 white diamonds and 29 pink sapphires depicting the cherry blossoms and petals, heralding spring. Clinging to the tree's white gold branches or delicately fluttering before touching the ground, the variously cut precious stones create fascinating effects of depth and movement, capturing the beauty of nature for eternity. This sumptuous tableau finds a choice setting in a 750‰ (18K) white gold case inspired by the historic Harry Winston Salon of the 5e Avenue in New York, more precisely with its imposing stone facade and the three arches framing the entrance. Set with 29 brilliant-cut diamonds, this box recalls the Maison's great diamond tradition.
CHOPARD: LUC XPS Twist QF Fairmined
A pioneer in the development of sustainable luxury, Chopard is launching a new LUC watch made from ethical rose gold: the LUC XPS Twist QF Fairmined. Crafted in the Chopard workshops where gold from certified "Fairmined" extractors is rigorously separated from other alloys to guarantee complete traceability, the ultra-thin case creates a subtly offbeat elegance, with a crown at 4 o'clock echoing the asymmetry of the small seconds positioned at 7 o'clock on the dial. The latter is traversed by raised rays evoking the raw structure of gold nuggets extracted from the mines. Remarkably technical, the LUC XPS Twist QF Fairmined is stamped Qualité Fleurier, the most demanding certification attesting to the precision, reliability, durability and quality of the movement's finishes, as well as the provenance of the watch as a whole, each component of which must be manufactured in Switzerland. Limited edition of 250 pieces.
PATEK PHILIPPE: Flyback Chronograph with Annual Calendar, Reference 5960/1
A combination of two particularly sought-after complications when they are signed Patek Philippe, the Flyback Chronograph with Annual Calendar Reference 5960/1 in steel inaugurates a new opaline ebony black dial. Punctuated with discreet notes of red, this reinforces the original character of this timepiece, with its three arc-shaped day/date/month apertures, associated with a chronograph monocounter at 6 o'clock. The whole is orchestrated by the automatic caliber CH 28-520 IRM QA 24H, perfectly combining tradition and innovation. The control system of this integrated chronograph combines a very classic column wheel with a modern vertical disc clutch, eliminating any risk of the hand jumping or moving backward when the chronograph is engaged. In addition, this innovative clutch allows the chronograph seconds hand to be used to display the central seconds, given that it causes virtually no wear.
TUDOR: Heritage Black Bay Steel
An iconic model celebrating 60 years of Tudor diver's watches with extraordinary destinies, the Heritage Black Bay goes all steel for its new Steel model. In this execution, the lines and proportions of the Black Bay are preserved, while the rotating bezel disc is machined from steel and satin-brushed in a circular manner, for a matte finish with a very functional style. A movement as precise as it is efficient, benefiting from a 70-hour power reserve, the MT5612 manufacture caliber powering this new model allows for the introduction of a date function for the first time in the Black Bay family. The bracelet, meanwhile, incorporates the rivets fixing the links visible on the edge, as well as the famous "stepped escapement" of the models of the 50s and 60s. Also available in leather, it is delivered in both configurations with a second strap in khaki fabric hand-woven on Jacquard looms.
CORUM: Golden Bridge Rectangle
Corum enriches its unique and iconic Golden Bridge collection with a new model featuring a rectangular case, a refined creation by renowned designer Dino Modolo, who has perfected its superbly engraved horizontal movement, giving it an incredible and finely crafted geometric interplay. 750‰ (18-carat) gold structures symbolizing six Roman numerals surround the fully visible caliber, inspiring a harmonious sense of nostalgia between the shapes, rivets, and materials, which subtly evoke the architecture of a bridge. Inspired by the aesthetic codes of the Art Deco style, the Golden Bridge Rectangle exudes a timeless and understated elegance. It nevertheless highlights the functions of its exceptional movement, inviting the eye to follow the path of the energy transfer of the CO113 caliber from the mainspring at 6 o'clock to the escapement at 12 o'clock.
ALPINA: Startimer Pilot Automatic
A true benchmark in the world of aviation, Alpina was the official supplier of military watches for pilots of the Continental Air Force during the first half of the 20th century.e century. Inspired by these legendary models, its Startimer Pilot collection, launched in 2011, quickly established itself as a true professional instrument of today, while remaining faithful to the original requirements of aviation pioneers: precision and extreme shock resistance, implacable readability, non-magnetic case. The new Startimer Pilot Automatic presented today is no exception. At the heart of a 44 mm case available in different versions beats an automatic caliber oscillating at 4 Hz for optimal precision. On the dial, the emblematic red Alpina triangle on the second hand and at XNUMX o'clock punctuates the ultra-legible display of the whole, carried by oversized luminescent numerals.
BULGARI: Octo Roma
Bvlgari reinterprets the formal lines of its Octo collection to deliver the ultimate definition of the octagon, in an approach that pushes the quest for purity to the extreme. With an ideal diameter of 41 mm, the new Octo Roma fits perfectly into the heart of the collection, known for its XNUMX-faceted cases. Following the classic models, the Velocissimo chronographs, the ultra-thin Finissimo, and the Finissimo with complications, the Octo Roma embodies the "fifth element," introducing a modern and urban version that touches on absolute purity, while respecting the formal fundamentals of the model. Subtly reworked, the emblematic Octo case retains its strength, while offering even greater wearing comfort, like the seamless bracelet. Blending the circle and the square, the two major shapes in watchmaking, it is available in gold, steel, or steel and gold, with a very Italian elegance.
CUERVO Y SOBRINOS: Torpedo Pirata Chrono Day Date
(Presentation photo visual)
Drawing inspiration from its Cuban roots, Cuervo y Sobrinos brings a Caribbean breeze to Swiss watchmaking. Its new Torpedo Pirata Chrono Day Date reveals a veritable treasure trove of details inspired by the buccaneers who once roamed the coasts of Cuba. The watch's lugs reproduce the prow of a pirate ship, as do the strap buckle and crown, which evoke a globe. Visible through the sapphire crystal case back, the automatic chronograph movement with day/date calendar beats at the heart of an ingenious modular case construction that allows for all kinds of creative daring. These are embodied here in steel. A small revolution compared to the previous Torpedo Pirata models crafted in bronze, the preferred material of the great buccaneers of the 17th century.e century.
Claudie V.
