SpotlightWatches & Wonders 2020: Jaeger-LeCoultre, IWC And More Present Complications Galore

At the beginning of the year, when COVID-19 was just about emerging, we began to speculate about the fate of international events of all kinds. Towards the end of February, when Watches & Wonders (formerly known as SIHH) announced that they were cancelling their Geneva event for 2020, it was baffling to think about how the situation was escalating. And when Baselworld was cancelled (or rescheduled), people spoke of how this was the first time in 100 years that the major show wouldn’t take place. (Now, of course, one doubts whether it will ever take place again, but that’s another story.) At that point, it was difficult to imagine these events not taking place. It was not normal. However, we were beginning to find out that the concept of ‘normal’ was being redefined, and quite rapidly at that. Today, as the situation in the world is beyond baffling, it’s now difficult to imagine any event taking place anytime soon. Yet, as the world continues to adapt to the new normal, to maintain some semblance of what we do know, especially for when we go back to work, we’ve all been trying to keep things going. And so has the watch industry, to some extent. The show must go on—in whatever way possible.

So while a physical event in Geneva was impossible, Watches & Wonders decided to go ahead and host a virtual launch platform for its brand partners, while brands are also individually conducting webinars and video conferences to announce their new releases. The novelties being launched are perhaps fewer in number for certain brands, but for most, the releases are just as they would be any other year. There are some interesting new pieces, with updates, upgrades, redesigned relaunches, and so on, while things are also not that discouraging on the complication front. We see quite a few calendar complications, along with moon phases that are also making their presence known. There’s a smattering of GMT watches, and even an odd tourbillon or minute repeater thrown into the mix. Let’s take a look at some of these complications and mechanical innovations.

Mark These Calendars

In recent times, calendar complications, beyond a date display, have been gaining prominence. Of course, perpetual calendars are the most highly regarded, but even annual calendars, and others that offer something different, make a mark in their own way. Jaeger-LeCoultre has reintroduced Master Control—the collection that was the first to undergo the brand’s rigorous 1,000 hours of tests when it was first launched in 1992—with a couple of pieces that offer calendar features. Yes, there is a simple date model, but the standout is the Master Control Calendar. This watch offers the day and month via apertures on the upper half of the dial, while the date display is analogue, with a hand that tracks the dates marked around the periphery of the dial. However, the date markers are split between five and seven o’clock. This means that the date hand jumps from the 15th to the 16th of the month, so as not to obstruct the view of the moon phase display at six o’clock. This is an interesting little quirk that they’ve introduced with development to the new generation calibre 866.

The analogue-date markers of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Calendar are split between five and seven o’clock, which means that the date hand jumps from the 15th to the 16th of the month, so as not to obstruct the view of the moon phase display

Baume & Mercier has built on their range of in-house calibres as well. After last year’s perpetual calendar, the Clifton Baumatic series presents a new model with day and date and a moon phase that has a translucent display, all powered by the new automatic calibre BM-14. They have also included a model without the day display at 12 o’clock.

After last year’s perpetual calendar, the Clifton Baumatic series presents a new model with day and date and a moon phase that has a translucent display

This watch is powered by the new Baumatic movement, the automatic calibre BM-14

IWC, on the other hand, have done a lot more with their calendar complications. Every year, IWC focuses on only one collection, and this year, it’s the Portugieser’s turn. Aside from relaunching its Portugieser Automatic and Chronograph watches, there are new editions of the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar as well—the brand’s pride and joy, based on a movement first developed by legendary watchmaker Kurt Klaus. This series has been presented this year for the first time powered by an in-house movement from the manufacture’s 82000 calibre range. In 42mm, this watch features a display that’s slightly cleaner than its predecessors, with a subtle little leap year indicator in the day sub-dial at nine o’clock.

In 42mm, the new IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar features a display that’s slightly cleaner than its predecessors, with a subtle little leap year indicator in the day sub-dial at nine o’clock

Time With Tide

While the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar does feature a moon phase display, the moon phase watch from IWC that particularly stands out this year is the Portugieser Yacht Club Moon & Tide. A classic in its own right, the Portugieser line draws from the brand’s legacy of having been suppliers of deck watches to the British Royal Navy. Portugieser watches have exemplified the reliability and legibility of nautical instruments for decades, and now IWC has taken their nautical heritage a step further with the new Portgieser Yacht Club watches. The Yacht Club Moon & Tide features a newly-developed tide indicator, which shows the expected times for the upcoming high or low tide. In addition to this, the moon phase indicator is also rather advanced, as it is developed to show spring and neap tides—when the differences between high and low tides are maximum and minimum, respectively, impacted such owing to the moon phases. This is clearly a standout complication this year—quite different from everything we’ve seen in recent years.

The IWC Portugieser Yacht Club Moon & Tide features a newly-developed tide indicator, which shows the expected times for the upcoming high or low tide, while the moon phase indicator shows spring and neap tides—when the differences between high and low tides are maximum and minimum, respectively, impacted such owing to the moon's phases

The Holy Grail Complication

Continuing with their impressive range of new complication watches is IWC again, with its Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph. As its name suggests, the watch features a retrograde date display at nine o’clock. The 12 o’clock position is reserved for the 12-hour counter of the flyback chronograph along with running seconds, while at six o’clock sits the prestigious flying tourbillon cage. Additionally, IWC also has a new Portugieser with a perpetual calendar along with a tourbillon.

The IWC Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph features a retrograde date display, at nine. The 12 o’clock position is reserved for the 12-hour counter of the flyback chronograph along with running seconds, while at six o’clock sits the prestigious flying tourbillon cage

Roger Dubuis has presented a flying tourbillon as well in the Excalibur Diabolus In Machina—a unique piece that also features a new interpretation of the minute repeater complication. In addition to chiming the hours, minutes and quarters, it visually represents this also, via a disc at 11 o’clock, which turns when the minute repeater is triggered.

Another manufacture that has come out with a new tourbillon watch is Panerai. Continuing their partnership with explorer Mike Horn—after last year’s Mike Horn Edition that had a case made from recycled titanium, and a nylon strap made from recycled plastic—Panerai introduces the new Submersible EcoPangaea Tourbillon GMT 50mm Mike Horn Edition. A limited-edition of five pieces, this watch comes with the experience of going on an expedition to the Arctic with Mike Horn. Aside from drawing attention to the environmental causes that Mike Horn champions, this watch also comes with an extra strap in nylon made from recycled plastic. As for its features, the timepiece has a beautiful open-worked display—quite a rarity in the house of Panerai—with indications including a power reserve for its six days, a 24-hour indicator, and a central GMT hand. Along with the tourbillon, this is quite an haute horlogerie piece!

Panerai's new Submersible EcoPangaea Mike Horn Edition flaunts an open-worked display, with a GMT hand, small seconds, a power reserve display, 24-hour indicator and a tourbillon

The Panerai Luminor Luna Rossa features the red of the Luna Rossa team of the America’s Cup sailing yacht racing championship. The hue is seen on the GMT and small seconds hands

Another Time Zone

Panerai has also included a GMT indicator in the new Luminor Luna Rossa—a product of the Florentine brand’s continuing partnership with the Luna Rossa team of the America’s Cup, a sailing yacht racing championship. The new DLC-treated titanium watch features accents in the Luna Rossa team colour, red—seen on the GMT hand as well. Jaeger-LeCoultre also unveiled a watch with a time zone complication. Part of the new Master Control series is the Master Control Geographic—one of the most useful time zone watches you can find. Not only does this watch display the time in the secondary zone, it also has a city display at six o’clock, so you always know which zone that time corresponds to, in addition to a 24-hour display, along with an analogue date and power reserve indicator.

The Not-So-Common Chronograph

The new Master Control series by Jaeger-LeCoultre also includes a Chronograph Calendar, which is quite loaded, considering it has month and day displays, an analogue date, the moon phases, and a chronograph feature. Chronographs are usually seen in abundance, but there aren’t as many this year.

The new Master Control series by Jaeger-LeCoultre also includes a Chronograph Calendar, which is quite loaded, considering it has month and day displays, an analogue date, the moon phases, and a chronograph feature

Aside from this Master Control model, it’s mostly just IWC that have multiple chronograph pieces this time. There’s the relaunched Portugieser Chronograph of course, as well as the high-complication pieces discussed above. However, the highlight among the chronograph pieces is the Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph. While it presents the standard vertical bicompax layout of the Portugieser Chronograph, it gives the classical look a sportier edge, especially with its metal bracelet—which IWC have presented after quite a while—whether you consider the all-steel edition or the two-tone version.

Click here to read more about the new designs and materials seen among the Watches & Wonders 2020 novelties

The highlight among IWC's new chronograph pieces is the Portugieser Yacht Club Chronograph, which draws from the Portiugieser Chronograph's classical look, but gives it a sportier edge, especially with its metal bracelet—which IWC have presented after quite a while

That’s quite an array of complications unveiled at Watches & Wonders already, though we’re still to see what a few other brands have to show. Surely these brands planned their collections for the year well in advance and the current global scenario hasn’t really impacted what they’re releasing this year. However, it’s going to be interesting to see how the watch industry gets impacted as a whole in the year ahead. For now, though, let’s just focus on the 2020 novelties. We’ll be back with more on the novelties from Watches & Wonders, so watch this space, as you stay home and stay safe.