All the highlights of Watches and Wonders in Geneva
The luxury watch industry has undergone a radical shake up over the past few years. Despite the pandemic fundamentally disrupting the way it worked on a global scale, the public demand continued to grow.
Last month saw the return of its biggest physical trade fair, Watches & Wonders, in Geneva with some of the major players in the game coming together to re-set and synchronize the industry’s timelines. Here are our standout picks from what was released…
Did Panerai just perfect the dive watch?
Panerai timepieces have long been shorthand for bulky, over-sized, ultra-masculine watches. A regular favourite with people like Dwayne Johnson, Sly Stallone, Jason Statham and Arnold Schwarzenegger – the brand’s popular range of 47mm Submersible pieces look glorious on large, muscular forearms, but have traditionally been a bit intimidating for those more slight in the wrist.
Aware of this (and the growing popularity of the Submersible collection), a couple of years ago the Italian watchmaker introduced a 42mm version of the famed dive watch in order to appeal to a wider audience. But as they say, there is no better feedback than that of your customers.
“The Luminor remains the best-selling collection for Panerai,” explains Panerai CEO Jean-Marc Pontroué, “and the best-selling size of that collection is the 44mm. So we took that learning, and noticed that there was a big size gap in what we were offering in the Submersible range – so that is why we are launching a 44mm size this year.”
Known as the QuarantaQuattro (Italian for ‘44’), the new additions to the Submersible collection not only fills the vacant size gap, but they also represent the upfront values of Panerai has been a protagonist in over recent years – namely, sustainability. This is why the QuarantaQuattro have been made using the company’s patented eSteel material.
“For the new releases, 52 percent of the total weight of the watch will be made from recycled material,” says Pontroué, “and we continue to develop more and more materials – like eSteel that lessen the impact on the environment.”
The Panerai Submersible QuarantaQuattro eSteel also introduces polished ceramic material to the line, and the high gloss surface on the unidirectional bezel is the first of its kind in Panerai history. Aesthetically, the dial also has a polished finish and colour.
Vacheron Constantin’s hugely popular Overseas just added a skeleton tourbillon
There are times when something is so good, it can become troublesome. This is the current dilemma Vacheron Constantin faces with its Overseas collection. To clarify, such is the demand for the fine watchmaker’s offering in the luxuriously-sporty category, that when new additions are announced a waves of DMs rip through watch communities with people trying to get their connections to ensure they can get their hands on one. It’s a problem, but a nice one to have.
Fortunately, after 265 years of continuous operation, solving problems is very much part of Vacheron Constantin’s skillset. After the blink-and-you-missed-it offering of last year’s Overseas “Everest” limited editions, this year the venerable watchmaker has fuelled the fire by introducing its first tourbillon skeleton watch to the Overseas collection – with two stunning versions (18K pink gold and Grade 5 titanium) and interchangeable strap options.
Tantalisingly, the reference made from titanium is the first by the Maison to be entirely made from the metal – from crown to bezel and bracelet to case. The self-winding Manufacture Calibre 2160 powering the timepieces has been redesigned for purpose and entirely skeletonised in accordance to the Maison’s “Anatomy of Beauty” theme, which pays particular attention to the meticulous finishing.
The open-worked design has allowed for the pieces to be lighter and thinner than previous models, with the thinness particularly notable due to the choice of a peripheral gold oscillating weight, which also enables a completely clear view of the rear of the movement.
In terms of aesthetics, the 18k pink gold version is a showstopper with the appealing contrast of the slate grey and the gold on the case and integrated bracelet.
While Vacheron Constantin’s reputation for perfectly embodying the traditional notion of luxury watchmaking is its de facto calling card – renowned for its expensive, beautiful, gentlemen’s watches made from precious metals, often with mind-bendingly delicate engravings – as a collection the Overseas has become a modern must-have for watch collectors, particularly in the past decade. The trouble for watch fans now, is just how to get your hands on one.
Hermes’ Arceau Le Temp Voyager adds flight to the fantasy
Hermès is always related to travel,” says Philippe Delhotal, “and this piece evokes the spirit of travel. Not just in the physical sense, but also in pure fantasy.” As the Creative Director of Hermès Horloger, it must be the kind of project that you would dream to work on. In fact, the concept of dreaming and fantasy play central roles in the luxury maison’s newest timepiece: the Arceau Le Temp Voyager.
To categorise, the showpiece watch revealed at the Watches & Wonders fair is a World Timer displaying 24 time zones but it is so much more than that. Like so much of Hermes’ DNA the fantasy is in the detail.
Capturing that sense of floating across the world in a dream-like state, two time zones are displayed via a “Travelling time” mechanism that uses a rotating disc display. The ‘home time’ is told via a numeral display at the top, while the second time zone is indicated by the positioning of the satellite dial that appears to be floating above the dial. The pusher located at the 9 o’clock allows the wearer to instantly change the timezone to sync up to the city they are in on the outer dial that showcases 24 locations including ‘24FBG’ in reference to Hermes’ headquarters in Paris.
It’s a mind boggling display of watchmaking that the French maison has continued to excel at over the past decade or so, with the new self-winding H1837 movement adding flight to the fantasy – literally.
Enhancing its appeal even more is the decoration of the dial. While the satellite dial orbits the space above, underneath the design is of the Planisphère d’un monde équestre – a fantasy map that was adapted from a unique Hermes silk scarf design by Jérôme Colliard.
Crafted in two different models – a 41mm-diameter platinum version with a matt black DLC-treated titanium bezel and a 38mm steel iteration – the pieces come fitted with the choice of alligator or Swift calfskin straps that are made in Hermès Horloger’s own workshops using the House’s long-established saddle-making and leather craftsmanship expertise.
“It was important to us to create a piece that was an invitation to travel,” says Delhotal, “but one that is emotional, open minded and, ultimately, fun.”
Piaget pays tribute to its history-maker
In watchmaking, there has always existed an intense (and highly technical) race to develop the world’s thinnest mechanical watch. The race was eventually won by Piaget – renowned specialists in ultra-thin movements – when it unveiled its now-legendary Altiplano Ultimate Concept timepiece in 2018. But, for Piaget, it was never about winning the race or setting a record, it is a quest for elegance – and with its newest release it delivers just that.
Most timepieces are made up of four layers: the bezel and crystal; the dial and hands; the movement; and the case back. With the Altiplano Ultimate Concept, the watchmaker was able to combine all of these components into one layer – and one that is only 2mm thick. Its unveiling was met with huge acclaim, and its feat of micro-mechanical engineering was lauded with awards. But the story doesn’t stop there.
Four years on, Piaget has released a unique piece as a tribute to the Ultimate Concept, featuring stylistic details that recall the history of the record-setting project.
Using the original piece’s first ‘beat’ as the inspiration, the new one-of-a-kind timepiece includes finishing details including the engraving of the exact place (La Côte-aux-Fées), date (7th February 2017) and time (7:47) it first beat. Completing the tribute, the background of ground of the dial features stars illuminated with Super-LumiNova that replicate the sky above the Swiss village of La Côte-aux-Fées.
TAG Heuer goes solar power
After a rather excellent revamp of its Aquaracer collection last year, Tag Heuer continues to push the (diving)boat out with addition of a solar-powered model to the Aquaracer Professional range – a first for the famed brand.
Unveiled at Watches & Wonders, the new Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph piece uses innovative ‘Eco-Drive’ solar dial technology to power the dive watch, giving new meaning to the phrase ‘made for the outdoors’.
The watch is charged through the dial, which is designed to be partially transparent in order to maximise its exposure to the sun without compromising the design.
To develop the reliable and efficient movement (Calibre TH50-00), TAG Heuer teamed up with the Manufacture of La Joux-Perret based in Switzerland, allowing the piece to only require two minutes in full sunlight to keep the watch running for a whole day. When fully charged – after less than 20 hours under the sun, the watch can run for six months.
If the timepiece stops working, it only needs to be exposed to light for ten seconds to make it work again, thanks to its ultra-efficient recharge time.
Tudor’s new Black Bay Pro is a go
The Black Bay was an immediate hit for Tudor when it launched in 2012. A modern remake of its Submariner dive watch from the 1950s, its suddenly-back-in-vogue retro appeal was matched only by its hugely reasonable price. It was, and remains, a really nice watch.
Today the Black Bay comes in at least 17 different versions. And now Tudor adds a new model, the Black Bay Pro, to the collection.
The Black Bay Pro adds a dual time zone feature. There’s also a new aesthetic that plays even more into Tudor’s adventurer-from-yesteryear appeal – 70 years ago its founder Hans Wilsdorf supplied the team heading off on a two-year British North Greenland Expedition. (The brand’s logo is inspired from a flag from that exhibition.) This vintage look, in particular, sets it apart from Tudor’s other GMT options.
On the new 39mm watch the reference time is indicated by the “snowflake” hand, a Tudor hallmark, which completes a lap of the dial every 24 hours. Local time is indicated by another, shorter snowflake hand set by a jumping hour, which can be moved either backwards or forwards.
A retro beige colour is used for both the indices and the hands, which the brand says reflects the heritage of instruments used by those pioneering explorers.
Montblanc continues to scale the highest heights. Literally.
Montblanc’s distinctive position in the timepiece market began with revolutionings the culture of writing and followed with advancing that expression of fine craftsmanship across writing instruments, leather goods, accessories and timepieces.
Since its founding in 1906, Montblanc hasn’t swayed from its mission to create “lifetime companions” that elevate and support “those who leave their mark,” both of those factor into one of its key novelties for 2022, the Geosphere Zero Oxygen.
Inspired by the mountain of its namesake, it is created to be able to endure the highest peaks, thanks to technical designs that the brand says will eliminate fogging and oxidation—which can occur with drastic temperature changes at altitude.
For the first time in the Geosphere collection, the piece is equipped with a Chronograph complication, in addition to the famous World Timer that indicates the house of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres on two half-spheres.
But as always, when it comes to Montblanc, the luxury is in the details. The back of the watch has an engraving on the face of Mount Everest—created using 3D colouring technology —due to the mountain being climbed without supplimentary oxygen by one of its ‘mark makers’ the famed Nepalese climber Nimsdai Purja next month.
Hublot’s new angle on watchmaking
A few years ago, on the occasion of the launch of the Apple Watch—the innovation dismissed by the “serious” Swiss watch industry as doomed to the dustbin, and now one it takes a bit more seriously (it has gone on to outsell the entire Swiss watch business)—one watch boss spoke to Esquire about his thoughts on its potential. “I don’t know why they made it square,” he reasoned. “Everyone knows men don’t buy square watches.”
Perhaps it is no surprise that guy no longer has that job. The success of the Apple Watch aside, of course men buy square watches. That would be to ignore the entire business model of Bell & Ross. And to discount square designs would also mean discounting indisputable design classics like TAG Heuer’s Monaco, Panerai’s Luminor, Cartier’s Santos and, depending on how strict you are with your protractor, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso and most G-Shocks. Breiting’s Top Time has a case shape also described as a “squircle”, which is a real shape that you can look up in the dictionary. Just FYI.
Anyway, the latest entry into the square watch category is Hublot’s Big Bang Square Unico. The hyper-luxury brand is noted for its belief in space-age materials matched only by its out-of-this-world price tags. Its “art of fusion” stapline is embodied by unconventional use of carbon, titanium, steel, ceramic and magnesium and its invention of its own type of gold, for good measure.
Another defining factor has been its tonneau case shape, a curvy rectangle design popular during the Art Deco movement, that makes Hublot watches instantly clock-able to those
in-the-know. Now it has made a square watch.
The Hublot Big Bang Square Unico comes in five different versions, including titanium, ceramic, its own ‘King Gold’ and an all-black finish version. All models measure 42mm x 42mm. As per other Unico models it features a skeletonised dial and a flyback chronograph movement.
Rolex reveals a GMT-Master II for lefties
Rolex isn’t a brand known for surprises. A drop in case size, or a slightly type of metal are usually enough to keep fans of the world’s Number One watch brand salivating over that year’s new releases. This year it’s done something that counts, in Rolex circles at least, as completely out there.
It has released a new version of it Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II with two surprises: One is the green and black bezel; the other is the crown on left side of the case. Rolex is calling this a “destro”, meaning it’s designed for those customers who would wear their watch on their right wrist.
The date aperture and the Cyclops lens have also moved and appear at 9 o’clock, something that required several technical adjustments in terms of the movement. The watch is made from the brand’s Oystersteel and fitted with an Oyster bracelet, this watch features a two-colour monobloc Cerachrom bezel insert in the aforementioned green and black ceramic—a colour pairing never before seen on this model.
IWC introduces fresh new Pantone-approved colours to its standout collection
Later this year, Tom Cruise will star in the long-awaited sequel to the cult 1980s film Top Gun, however, until then, the main Top Guns the rest of us will be speaking about are the new additions to the Top Gun timepiece collection released by Swiss watchmaker IWC—and its newly engineered ceramic colours.
Known as “The Colours of Top Gun” the aviation-focused brand has skillfully used its deep network with US Navy and Airforce squadrons, along with a brand new collaboration with colour gurus Pantone, to invigorate one of the most exciting sections of its Pilot’s Watches family.
While the reputation of the Pilot’s Watch is very well established, the focus this year was on the IWC-manufactured chronographs in the new—Pantone certified—colours of Woodland, Mojave Desert, Lake Tahoe and Ceratanium (the brand’s patented material made from combining ceramic and titanium).
According to IWC, the colours are inspired by the uniforms and flight suits of the US’ Top Gun pilot squadrons, and the fascinating landscapes that they fly across. Based on this, the watchmaker engineered entirely new ceramic colours in monochromatic designs, but not just on the case and the dial, but also the strap and—impressively—the movement too. Since the 1980s, IWC has been working with ceramics, and these new additions underscore its ambition to pioneer new colours in the material, allowing its audience (pilot and non pilot) to emphasise their character and style.
Cartier reshapes perceptions with its inspiring Mass Mystérieuse
Cartier’s return to physical watch fairs was both bombastic and brilliant. In what can only be described as a Michelin-quality degustation menu of offerings, the French jeweller released such a variety of high-quality products that there was literally something for everyone (price and availability permitting, of course).
But while the digital and physical world cooed over the release of its revamped, design-led ‘Chinoise’ collection, what was even more impressive was the reveal of its Mass Mystérieuse pieces (in three references).
While Cartier has long been famous for its ‘mysterious’ movements and clocks (remarkable timepieces that through careful craftsmanship completely obscure their operating mechanisms), its new Masse Mystérieuse takes that to the next level.
Not only does it have that classic ‘floating’ illusion, but the whole movement has been transformed into a mobile, skeletonised, oscillating weight. It’s a rather unique complication that’s unlike anything else on people’s wrists (or Instagram grids) at the moment.
Essentially, the watch’s in-house 9801 MC movement is the rotor. All components that receive energy from the movement, transmission and regulation are integrated into the rotor. The end result is that the Masse Mystérieuse’s hands seem to float in the space of the case, without being connected to any gears. On top of that, the rotor/movement is skeletonised, for added visual flair and transparency.
Being the jeweller that it is, Cartier crafted the Masse Mystérieuse from 950/1000 platinum, added a ruby cabochon set in the crown, and mounted it on an alligator strap. The piece pays homage to Cartier’s legacy of luxurious objets d’art, while also reminding people of its skills as one of the world’s most technical and innovative watchmakers.