Things in Geneva are returning to normal. By which I mean that if the watches on show at SIHH this year are anything to go on then watchmakers are embracing a more sustainable attitude when it comes to new technology and mechanical advancement.
This year at the annual Swiss trade fair 16 of the most elite watch brands in the world (think A. Lange & Sohne, Audemars Piguet, Cartier, F.P. Journe, Panerai, Piaget, Richard Mille, Van Cleef & Arpels) showed minor innovations and several interesting complication combinations but generally came off a bit relaxed--they looked like those who had spent energy and resources presenting admirable new techniques and bona fide advancements in the past few years but who had finally decided to exhale.
And that's okay.
This year we spent most of the time talking about new materials (ceramic and DLC, for instance), novel cases (Piaget set a new world record for the thinnest watch ever), and various upgrades to straps and bezel designs. We saw plenty of navy on alligator straps and watch faces, saw loads of beautiful enamel work on dials, saw lots of red/rose/pink gold in watch cases and bracelet straps.
In short, the pieces this year tended to be middling, which isn’t bad, just middling—medium thickness, medium width, conservatively progressive, etc. Some of this has been brought about naturally by the slowing in China from its crazy growth spurt in the past few years. The luxury car industry has observed the same plateau—automakers like Bentley and Rolls-Royce used to tell me they expected wildly accelerated growth there and that China is/would soon be their biggest, baddest market. Now they tell me China and the United States are neck-and-neck in terms of sales and will likely remain so over the next few years. It's interesting to note that watchmaking is seeing the same thing happen--interesting but not surprising, since the same guy who drives the Wraith--yes it is a true driving (rather than be-driven) car--is going to have a Vacheron on his wrist as well.
There were a few standouts. Cartier showed a cool new dive watch; Panerai’s new Radiomir series captured a vintage look without feeling irrelevant; Vacheron Constantin’s Métiers d’Art Mécaniques Ajourées collection showed a beautiful new openwork dial technique of Grand Feu enameling; Breva showed a most innovative piece--the Genie 02--that can forecast the weather.
People also spoke with renewed respect about Montblanc and its newest Timewalker series, which demonstrated the brand’s advancement in making attractive modern watches that are also complicated timepieces. And Zenith's handsome El Primero and Pilot debuts reflected the increasingly healthy new culture there brought on by its rising-star boss, Jean-Frederic Dufour.
Meanwhile, Richard Mille and F.P. Journe—both extremely high-end, eextremely niche brands--introduced watches aimed at women. (F.P. Journe’s “electromechanical” line will raise a few brows because of its non-mechanical component, but I’m willing to bet that won’t stop the 300 they’ll make from selling out extremely quick.)
It wasn't gangbusters this year, but it doesn't have to be. There's more than enough to choose from.
Click through the slideshow to see more.
