Time was of the essence at the latest Watches & Wonders exhibit in Geneva
The horology set descends on the Swiss city for the launch of the watch world’s latest timepiece treasures from Rolex, Cartier, IWC and more.
The world’s biggest horological fair, Watches & Wonders, has just wrapped in Geneva. Around 48 brands participated in the exhibition at the Palexpo convention centre, the second to be held in person since the Covid era restrictions.
The fair went big on wonder. And not just because Julia Roberts was there with Chopard to launch the brand’s recycled steel initiative, David Beckham popped up at the Tudor booth and Roger Federer was spied at Rolex.
There were the talked-about releases, from Rolex having a serious amount of fun with an Oyster Perpetual featuring colourful bubbles and emojis printed on the dial, to Cartier adding new references to its Tank Normale as part of its annual Cartier Privé collection— the watch has retained its essential shape and allure since it first launched more than 100 years ago—and the gold bangle version of the Baignoire, a style first launched in 1912.
Other highlights included Jaeger LeCoultre, which also celebrated its heritage, focusing entirely on the Art Deco era-born Reverso (inspired by polo players) with new lacquered and diamond references crafted by its in-house Métiers Rares atelier.
Indeed sportiness was, perhaps unsurprisingly, a key theme for the fair. This year IWC Schaffhausen revisited its Ingenieur watch, first launched in 1955. It was first created by Gérald Genta, the legendary watch designer who designed some of the world’s most famous watches such as the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Patek Philippe Nautilus in the glorious era of the stainless steel sports watch in the 1970s.
Indeed, in further proof that watch appreciation is thriving, luxury conglomerate LVMH announced this month it would revive Gérald Genta’s own brand and operate it as an independent brand.
In any case, from the delightfully silly, such as Oris’s collaboration with Kermit the Frog on its Pro Pilot X Calibre 4000 watch, to catnip for the serious watch lover with places to go, such the Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-hour Display Time Travel, there was much to admire in this year’s releases.
And amid the barrage of new launches, several trends have emerged.
Sporty and substantive
The appeal of a sporty chic watch remains eternal, but this year watchmakers, from Hermes to Tag Heuer (which celebrates the 60th anniversary of its Carrera watch in serious style this year) dialled up the ante. Hermes added a chronograph to its H08 watches, as well as a slew of colourful new watch straps. Vacheron Constantin put a retrograde moonphase complication into its Overseas line (with an alluring blue dial to boot). Meanwhile German brand A. Lange and Söhne joined Hermes in adding a chronograph to its sports watch offering, the Odysseus model in stainless steel.
Jewellery that tells the time
At the Van Cleef & Arpels magical forest themed booth (an ideal place to escape the frenzy of the fair) the magic of the French maison’s ‘secret watch’ history was displayed with new necklace versions of its Perlée timepiece. Stunning necklace watches were also at Piaget, Chanel and Jaeger Le-Coultre.
Dial it up
There was plenty of horological whizzbangery with fancy high complications and fodder for the true watch enthusiasts. But there was also much to admire when it came to the dials. Chanel played with its many recognisable codes for its Watches & Wonders offerings, but a highlight were the Mademoiselle Privé Pique-Aiguilles watches, with oversized dials that took inspiration from couture and a seamstresses pin cushion. There was much appeal in the chequered dials at Philippe Patek, wavy guilloche details at the likes of Chopard and the pretty pink floral detail on Grand Seiko’s limited-edition Hana-ikada SBGY026 too.