Over the next few weeks, you’ll find us taking an in-depth look at some of the spotlight releases, brands and stories we loved from the fair – the Tag Heuer Carreras, the Van Cleef & Arpels high jewellery pieces, Vacheron Constantin’s retrograde complication releases, secret necklace sautoir watches, current trends and Tudor’s new Manufacture, to name just a few.
And several new releases and developments still have enthusiasts buzzing a month on. Glashütte house A. Lange & Söhne added an automatic chronograph in steel to its already impressive stable of watches. And with the Odysseus Chronograph, privately-owned Swiss watchmaker Oris saw Rolex’s much-loved “Kermit” Submariner and raised them by initiating an actual collaboration with the frog on a special edition of the ProPilot X.
Rolex got cute with us by adding emojis to the Day-Date, and gave us an unprecedented platinum Daytona with a sapphire exhibition caseback. Frederique Constant also celebrated its 35th anniversary by making a long overdue debut at the fair with a new tourbillon.Inside Christie’s Hong Kong’s record-breaking watch auction coming in May
2. Meanwhile, outside Watches and Wonders …
Astute watch fans will have noticed that not all of their favourite houses made it to Geneva for the fair this year, but that hasn’t stopped them from moving forward with new releases.
Carl F. Bucherer launched its Capsule collection this month, and front-and-centre are new versions of the Manero Peripheral in 40mm, all cased in forged carbon and titanium with domed sapphire crystals and intriguing dial layouts for a robust wearing experience.
Meanwhile, the brand’s Tourbillon Double Peripheral (limited to 30 pieces) places the complication at 12 instead of the usual 6, while the Peripheral Perpetual Calendar Black (limited to 88 pieces) includes a moonphase and sizes down the subdials, making the complications more discreet. The Peripheral Big Date Black (limited to 188 pieces) increases legibility by having the date at the unorthodox position of 11 o’clock, the power reserve indicator at 3 and sub-seconds at 6. All three feature exhibition casebacks and peripheral rotors, allowing wearers to fully appreciate the automatic mechanism inside.
Audemars Piguet also upped the ante by adding the Starwheel to the Swiss maison’s Code 11.59 complications collection. The Starwheel features the “wandering hours” complication, which was invented in the 17th century and use a series of rotating subdials and a minute indicator arc at the top to tell the time.
Breguet gives us a more traditional piece in the Classique Quantième Perpétuel 7327. The watch simplifies the dial design by introducing a retrograde month indicator at 11 o’clock, whilst enlarging the date indicator at 6 o’clock to create a highly legible, classic and elegant look.
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In the independent space, watchmaker Code41 collaborated with its supporters via crowdfunding to complete the first batch of new T360 Tourbillons, a first for the house in a unique style of watchmaking first established in 2016. Since fans are a core part of the process, the brand also gives full disclosure to the community, allowing them to vote on it. The new piece features a signature skeleton case design that comes in six varieties – including a rainbow version – all in titanium. Pre-orders for the second batch are under way for the next month, with the watch coming to those 100 buyers around April or May next year.
3. Independent watchmaking royalty
Now they’ve followed up with news of their first piece together. The Carillon Tourbillon Biver is set to be released in September in a limited run of 12 pieces, cased in 18 karat gold and featuring tourbillon and minute repeater complications.
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The brand and the piece are perceived to be a passing of the torch from father to son after decades of high horology and watchmaking. Many consider the brand a swan song for the elder Biver since his departure from LVMH in 2018, and a much-anticipated debut for Pierre Biver after a brief stint at Phillips auction house.
Jean-Claude’s career is one of the most storied in horology. He was responsible for several of Hublot’s now-ubiquitous designs that rode the sports chic wave in previous decades; Blancpain’s seminal Six Masterpieces series through the 1980s, which gave us five complication pieces and one dress piece; and for tying James Bond to the Omega Seamaster as the timepiece of choice for 007 since Pierce Brosnan’s 1995 debut in the role.
4. Audemars Piguet has you covered
Audemars Piguet this month announced a groundbreaking new service that better protects your timepiece. When your watch is registered, the AP Coverage Service will cover watches bought from boutiques, houses or authorised dealers in 2022 and 2023 for two years, on a complimentary basis. If your watch is stolen, the house will examine your request and attempt to replace it or offer a refund. Similarly, in the case of functional damage, the house will also repair or replace the model.
This is a true first in the world of horology, and CEO François-Henry Bennahmias has said he expects that 75 per cent of customers will enrol in the programme and that the house could receive up to 100 complaints over the next two years, per Italian Watch Spotter.
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