SpotlightSIHH 2018 Preview: A Sneak Peek Of The Latest In Timekeeping

Held in Geneva, Switzerland, the Salon International De La Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) is one of the two biggest events in the world of horology. While Baselworld – held in Basel, Switzerland – is the larger show, SIHH is the more exclusive watch fair. The by-invitation-only event showcases the latest innovations and collections of 18 luxury and prestige watch manufacturers. The 28th edition of the fair will take place from January 15 to 19. The brands that will exhibit their newest products this year are A. Lange & Söhne, Audemars Piguet, Baume & Mercier, Cartier, Girard-Perregaux, Greubel Forsey, Hermès, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Montblanc, Panerai, Parmigiani, Piaget, Richard Mille, Roger Dubuis, Ulysse Nardin, Vacheron Constantin, and Van Cleef & Arpels.

Prior to the event, various brands have dropped teasers of what’s to come, by way of one of their new watches, an anniversary collection, or a new development in an already iconic range. Here we compile what we’re most looking forward to seeing at the fair. Take a look.

Baume & Mercier Collaborates With America’s First Motorcycle Company

A few months ago, Baume & Mercier announced a collaboration with Indian Motorcycle, America’s first motorcycle company, in order to create timepieces that represents a biker’s passion. Products of this association will be released officially at SIHH 2018. Called the Clifton Club Burt Munro Tribute Limited Edition, the flagship timepiece of this partnership pays tribute to Burt Munro, as the name suggests. In 1967, New Zealander biker, Burt Munro set the under-1,000cc record speed of 294.5kmph (later found to actually be 296.11kmph), on his Streamliner motorcycle that he’d been modifying for over 40 years in order to set the record.

The Burt Munro watch is a chronograph that features elements of Munro’s Streamliner, including the motorcycle’s shade of red seen on the strap and chronograph hands, and Munro’s lucky number, ‘35’, on the small seconds sub-dial. This one is limited to 1,967 pieces – commemorating the year of Munro’s record. Other 2018 watches from Baume & Mercier that reflect their partnership with Indian Motorcycle are the Chief and Scout Editions that reflect inspirations from the Chief and Scout motorcycles from Indian Motorcycle. This year, Baume & Mercier will also unveil new editions of their Clifton Baumatic, Classima, Hampton and Promesse timepieces.

Cartier Presents New High Jewellery Timepieces

It’s no surprise that the house of Cartier will present a fine jewellery watch collection that will enchant beholders with the intricate detailing and gem-setting that it incorporates. The watches will be new editions of the Cartier Baignoire and Crash watches, but tied together under one collection called the Libre. The new Baignoire watches in white gold, primarily in hues of black, white and grey, play with shapes. Oval cases are seen in the Débordante, Etoilée, Interdite, with a floral spread of diamond-studded petals, an intricate diamond mesh bracelet, and a paved case with oversized black Roman numerals respectively. On the other hand, the round case of the Infinie features baguette-cut diamonds in concentric circles that seemingly spill out to infinity.

The Crash Radieuse watch takes forward the Crash series of watches, the first of which was created in 1967 and drew inspiration from an actual damaged Cartier timepiece. This new edition, in a gold case, makes the Crash look even more realistic with stretched out Roman numerals. This one is almost reminiscent of the melting clocks from Salvador Dali’s ‘The Persistence Of Memory’!

The Fascinating New Complication Watches From Cartier

For the more technically-inclined are Cartier’s new high-complication watches. First is the Rotonde de Cartier Skeleton Mysterious Double Tourbillon. The ‘mystery’ in this white gold watch is evidently the question of how the tourbillon cage just appears to be floating in mid-air! It’s not a mystery anyone has to solve. The tourbillon cage is attached to layers of sapphire crystal and is driven by gears and a strategically hidden mechanism. The main movement of the watch is pushed off-centre towards 12 o’clock, while the movement bridges have been shaped to represent Roman numerals.

The next mystery is the Rotonde de Cartier Mysterious Day & Night Watch, which has been modelled after a Cartier clock from the 1900s that featured a unique day-night indicator. This one has a split dial. The top half has the sun or moon, arcing from left to right, indicating the hours, while the lower half has a blue retrograde hand that moves from 0 to 60, from right to left. While what we see here is in rose gold, the brand has indicated that there will be a white gold version too.

The Latest Edition Of The Most Iconic Jaeger-LeCoultre Watch

A follow-up to the brand’s Tribute Reverso Duoface collection of 2016, the version that will be unveiled at SIHH 2018 also features two dials for an additional time zone. Set in a rose gold case of dimensions 49.4mm by 29.9mm, on one face is a grey, sunray-finished dial with small seconds, while the other face has a smaller dial and Clous de Paris decoration around it. This face also features a day-night indicator – a very useful tool for those who need an am/pm reminder for the secondary time zone they’re referring to. The second dial is adjustable via a concealed trigger system at six o’clock.

The most striking feature of this watch is the leather strap, manufactured by Casa Fagliano, craftsmen of customised leather shoes, specialising in equestrian boots. The association between Reverso and Casa Fagliano is a perfect fit, since the Reverso line was originally created for polo players to wear during matches. So the Casa Fagliano leather strap of the latest Reverso is a sweet throwback to the collection’s equestrian origins. This watch will be a limited edition and will only be sold at Jaeger-LeCoultre boutiques.

IWC Celebrates 150 Years With A Jubilee Collection

The Portugieser, Pilot’s Watch, Portofino, and Da Vinci are the four watches that IWC has chosen to mark its 150th anniversary with. All these watches have their own unique designs. However, the subtle detail that is seen across all these anniversary editions is the treatment of the dial and hands. The white dials have blued hands; and blue dials have rhodium-plated hands. Additionally, the dials are lacquered so as to give it a finish that is reminiscent of enamel dials.

The most distinguished watch from this jubilee range is the Tribute To Pallweber watch, which is a mechanical, manual-winding timepiece, but with a digital display. The hours and minutes are indicated through discs behind apertures, while a small seconds hand can be seen in the lower half of the dial. This is a tribute to an 1884 pocket watch by IWC, created by watchmaker Josef Pallweber, who pioneered this digital display system.

Other watches in the Jubilee collection include a new Da Vinci Automatic with small seconds, in steel. And there’s the Da Vinci Moon Phase in red gold. This one also has women’s version, with diamonds on the bezel and lugs. All jubilee edition watches have an IWC ‘150 years’ medallion either engraved on the caseback, or on the rotor, for watches with sapphire crystal casebacks.

High-Complication Watches Of The IWC Jubilee Collection

First up is the Portugieser Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition 150 Years. At a generous 46mm, this one comes in platinum, and is a true high-complication piece. With an advanced moon phase display, and a power reserve indicator – depicting a whopping 100 hours – the watch features a tourbillon as well. However, what’s most striking about this is the small seconds hand, which is fixed on the tourbillon bridge, with the tourbillon cage appearing as the backdrop for small seconds sub-dial. The display itself is magnificent, but just think about how that seconds hand connects to the main movement, bypassing the tourbillon mechanism! This baffling piece will be limited to 15 pieces.

Another high-complication piece is the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Edition 150 Years in red gold. This one is super-complicated. Besides the tourbillon and the fact that it has a perpetual calendar, it indicates the day, date, month, and the moon phase. And following from the bafflement of the hand on the tourbillon cage in the previous watch, is the power reserve indicator on this one. It shares a sub-dial with the analogue date display at three o’clock. This perpetual calendar watch comes in a limited series of 50 pieces.

Montblanc To Release New Star Legacy Chronograph Watches

At SIHH 2008, Montblanc introduced their first movement manufactured completely in-house, with the Star Nicolas Rieussec Monopusher Chronograph. It was named after Nicolas Rieussec, a French watchmaker from the 1800s, who is credited with being the inventor of the world’s first patented chronograph. This year, as Montblanc celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Star collection, they will also unveil the new Star Legacy Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph. This new edition features a redesigned case and dial, yet maintaining the 2008 chronograph’s turning disc counters that are now in domed titanium, with a fixed dual pointer in blue between the discs. The 44.8mm steel case houses an automatic chronograph calibre by Montblanc.

Along with the new Rieussec, there is a Star Legacy Automatic chronograph as well. Also in stainless steel, this is a more conventional chronograph piece, set in a 42mm polished stainless steel case, with a silvery-white dial.

Other Pre-SIHH Announcements

Aside from the above, other noteworthy watches that we look forward to seeing at SIHH this year include the 25th anniversary edition of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore collection. The brand new Offshore Tourbillon Chronograph, with a baffling skeleton dial, will be the highlight of this commemorative series. On the other hand, there’s A. Lange & Söhne, paying tribute to Walter Lange, the descendant of the founder, who passed away last year. The Homage to Walter Lange watches feature stoppable, jumping sweep-seconds hands, an innovation developed by Ferdinand Adolphe Lange in 1876.

Roger Dubuis will unveil new Pirelli and Lamborghini limited editions with striking skeleton cases. Ulysse Nardin will stay true to its legacy of making marine chronometers, with the new Marine Torpilleur Military. Vacheron Constantin is going to introduce its Overseas Dual-Time, with an additional central hand for the secondary time zone indication, as well as a limited edition Traditionnelle Complete Calendar watch. And last, but certainly not the least, this year, Piaget reclaims the distinction of having the thinnest automatic watch, with their new Altiplano Ultimate Automatic 910P, with a case just 4.3mm thick.

Yes, there’s a lot that’s going to unravel with the latest edition of the SIHH all set to roll out next week. And The Watch Guide will be there to capture the buzz and give you the latest on everything that unfolds. Watch this space!