Last weekend guests of the SIHH (Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie) made their journey home after an exciting week admiring watches, meeting industry experts and mingling with fellow horologists. I think I speak for everyone when I say 2018 has already been an incredible year for watchmaking (and we’re only 29 days in!).

Last week some of the top luxury watch brands, including Cartier, Audemars Piguet, Richard Mille and A. Lange & Söhne introduced a selection of new stunning, unique and expertly engineered timepieces to the world. And it’s fair to say that the general public and horological industry welcomed the new models with open arms. Now, without anymore delay, I introduce to you some of SIHH’s most desirable pieces.

This year, Audemars Piguet is celebrating the 20^th anniversary of the very first Royal Oak Chronograph wristwatch, which was introduced in 1997. In honor of the significant occasion, Audemars Piguet has released five new wristwatch designs, including a unique Millenary collection, a striking non-chronograph divers watch and a beautiful, frosted selection of Royal Oaks. However, next year will also be another exciting year for the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer, because 2018 marks 25 years of the Royal Oak Offshore, which launched in 1993.

Never before has an HYT creation been so exclusive, and yet here we are with the chilling HYT Skull Vida watch. This timepiece has gone so far in playing with the codes of life and death to celebrate the passing of time and to seize the day. It is a watch of different proportions, and used with very unique materials.

Only five Skull Vida pieces have been released in HYT’s most restricted limited edition to date. In fact, rather than a limited edition, the innovative Swiss watchmakers prefer to call them five unique pieces; each one is different as they call on living material in a real watchmaking first: mammoth ivory from many millennia ago.

“Our first Skull collections fell within the tradition of Memento Mori, reflecting in particular the Mexican culture of Dia de los Meurtos, where death is celebrated in the same way as life, in a celebratory communion of the passing of time,” recalls Grégory Dourde, CEO of HYT. “However, we felt that we could go even further still by literally combining life and the unique flow of time with our fluid technology and a dial made from an authentic material, a true living sculpture. The Skull Vida was born from this all-encompassing, holistic vision.”

The Skull Vida comes in a 51mm black DLC titanium case with polished, micro-blasted and satin-finished finishes. The exclusive timepiece is powered by HYT’s incredible mechanical hand-wound movement which provides a 65-hour power reserve.

Its extraordinary dial is shaped like a skull and is crafted from Siberian mammoth ivory. This living material had to undergo a stabilisation process over the course of several months. It was sculpted and embedded in the Skull Vida thanks to a series of delicate tasked carried out by specially trained artisans and technicians. Each dial is completely unique and offers different textures, variations and designs. HYT’s Skull was entirely redesigned to highlight the fantastic properties of the mammoth ivory as much as possible.

The seconds are displayed in the left eye of the skull, with the power reserve displayed in the right. The entire artwork is surrounded by an HYT capillary specially folded into the skull shape, in which the separation point of two immiscible liquids indicates the hours. The bezel indicates the result on a black background, with Arabic numerals in a font specially created for the Skull Vida. It is also the first time that HYT has developed a fabric-based strap, which features beautiful fine embroidery in an floral pattern – a true symbol of life!

www.hytwatches.com

Jacquet Droz have unveiled six new timepeices honouring the art of paillonné enamelling, a traditional ornamental treasure preserved by the ateliers at Jacquet Droz.

There are techniques that border on the sublime, particularly when they fully capture the sheer magic of time. Take, for instance, those employed by the craftsmen of Jacquet Droz Ateliers d’Art, masters in the art of paillonné enamelling. This decorative technique, passed down by Renaissance goldsmiths, had its ‘heyday’ in the 18th century, its exquisitely meticulous execution marrying the beauty of history with the promise of the present.

Applied individually by hand on the Grand Feu enamel of the dial, the fragile gold elements create kaledoscopic patterns of hypnotic beauty, which are then fixed with a layer of translucent enamel. The result of this controlled mastery of fire, colour and creative fragility is set by the extreme temperatures of the kilns: paillonné enamelling produces masterpieces in which not even the slightest imperfection can be tolerated.

This year, six iconic models have been decorated using this exceptional technique, bringing together historic paillons and modern creations including the bird, which was so dear to the brand’s founder, Pierre Jacquet-Droz.

A model particularly beloved of the artists who worked with Jacquet Droz, the Petite Heure Minute celebrates the richness of blue and red enamel in a broader range of executions measuring 35, 39 and 43 mm. The Grande Seconde is available in a version with a dial decorated with blue Grand Feu enamel, beautifully set off by the brilliance of the paillons and the 43-mm diameter gold case.

An exceptional tourbillon, an ingenious complication that compensates for the effects of gravity, is housed in the seconds dial of one, while a pocket watch, which affords a precious insight into the standards of elegance in the 19th century, adds to the magic of the collection.

As rare as they are iconic, these new models effortlessly combine the colours that Jacquet Droz has made its own since the Enlightenment: the purest blue ever and deep red of the dial, and the luminous azure of the hands, complemented by the rich lustre of the rolled-edge hand-made alligator straps. All equipped with a silicon escapement movement (except for the pocket watch), these watches – eight of which have been produced in each version and engraved with an individual number – convey the characteristic Jacquet Droz style: pure refinement to capture the magic of time.

Images courtesy of Jaquet Droz

Watchmaker Bell & Ross has, over time, become a reference in the instrument watch field. Since its inception, the brand has continue to produce exceptional timepieces in its dedicated pursuit of superior performance. As part of this quest, the manufacture has forged links with the world of military – one of its key domains. Bell & Ross works regularly with professional elite units such as GIGN (Special Operations Unit of the French National Gendarmerie) and RAID (Search, Assistance, Intervention, Deterrence Unit of the French National Police Force), whose missions often depend on strict time keeping.

The Phantom concept, originally launched in 2007, and the Commando collection of 2009, fit perfectly into the professional military milieu. The launch of these watches, which are inspired by aeronautical instrumentation (like all Bell & Ross timepieces), heralded a foray into new territory. These avant-garde timepieces were among the first to use a camouflage coating in a horological setting. The new BR03-92 Black Camo represents another link in the Bell & Ross camouflage watch series.

The new BR03-92 Black Camo retains all the amazing technical features you’d expect from such a prestigious watch brand: its display is perfectly legible both day and night thanks to the photo luminescent coating on its hands, indices and numerals. The brand has also developed an original military-type tricolour coating. Its dial is covered with a patchwork of matte greys, its case and strap in matte black. The high-tech timepiece is practically undetectable, especially at night. Its matte-treated colours also avoid the risk of undesirable reflection – meaning this is an ideal watch to have during tailing operations or operations in hostile territory with no risk of detection.

The BR03-92 Back Camo has all the desirable characteristics of an Haute Horlogerie timepiece. Notably, the watch is driven by a highly accurate Swiss self-winding mechanical movement. It features a date function in a window between 4 and 5 o’clock. The beautiful and simple time display is based on the brand’s visual signature: large numerals accompanied by baton indices for perfect legibility. The design of the hands is also very distinctive – slender for the minutes and broader for the hours, to avoid any risk of confusion. The four large numerals (3, 6, 9, 12), impressive in both design and size, are also a Bell & Ross classic.

The case of the BR03-92 Black Camo uses mass-coloured ceramic. Wear-resistant and unalterable, the material is second to diamond in terms of hardness and strength. Almost scratch-resistant, ceramic is tougher and lighter than steel. It guarantees remarkable durability, which is indispensible in an instrument uses in dangerous military situations and environments. Finally, the watch is hypoallergenic and heats only slightly, making it very comfortable to wear – even in hot weather.

The sandwich type dial is made up of two superposed inserts. The lower part has a black Superluminova coating bearing the numerals and indices. The upper part carries the camouflage pattern. The die cutting for the numerals and indices reveals the black Superluminova. This system guarantees impeccable legibility, both day and night.

The new BR03-92 Black Camo is the third link of Bell & Ross’ camouflage family and combines the brand’s core aeronautical and military watch makes it one of the most innovative timepieces around. The BR03-92 is perfect for extreme professional situations and also for the everyday great adventures. The case is 42mm in diameter and features sapphire crystal face with anitreflective coating. The watch is finished with a black rubber and ultra-resilient black synthetic fabric and black PVD coated steel pin buckle.

Last year, Girard-Perregaux celebrated its 225th anniversary by releasing a new watch in stainless steel, entitled ‘Laureato‘. Earlier this year, the collection was updated, with the inclusion of a rose gold example, adding a refreshing new collection to this prestigious Swiss manufacture. This week, Girard-Perregaux took one step further by releasing new Laureato Skeleton watches in both rose gold and steel. The move is a clear statement of intent by Girard-Perregaux to redefine the world of haute horologerie.

The new Laureato Skeleton watches comes with a 42mm case in either stainless steel or 18K ‘pink gold’. Thickness of the example is 10.8mm, making it a rather thin watch. The case design is something to marvel at. It has a striking satin-brushed octagonal bezel with beveled edges that breaks into a mirror polished ring where it meets the case. The case is in fact largely satin-brushed and remains on an integrated H-bracelet with a mix of satin-brushed and mirror polished effects on the bracelet.

The major difference with these particular models and the previous Laureato models is of course the dial, with Girard-Perregaux opting for the openworked skeleton dial which does represent an elevation of high watchmaking. On display is the openworked version of Girard-Perregaux in-house GP1800 caliber. The movement is said to be hand-finished and the skeletonization of this watch does seem extensive and showcases the very best of Girard-Perregaux as a watch manufacture.

The Skeleton Laureato features thick baton hands with luminescent coating to aid legibility, as well as on the outer rehaut. The watch also features a miniature seconds display at the 10 o’clock position. The watch is also complete with an 18K winding rotor, used to improve the winding of the watch whilst the example is worn, and is included regardless of whether you have the stainless steel or pink gold example. The movement is made up of 173 components, beats at 4 HZ, and offers a power reserve of 54 hours.

The new Laureato Skeleton models are a fine addition to the Laureato collection, as well as the Girard-Perregaux brand. The release of the watches signal a clear statement of intent from the Swiss manufacture in its ability to develop and manufacture watches that are very technically advanced. The watches not only feature a openworked dial, but they also include a tourbillon mechanism, epitomizing the creme-de-la-creme of the watchmaking industry. From here, I would personally like to see the development and continuation of new Laureato models, with the logical step being the inclsuion of a chronograph model, a perpetual calendar model and a moon phase model. The models are priced at $32,000 for the stainless stell example, while the pink gold example comes in at $60,700. I expect to see big things in the coming years for Girard-Perregaux, so it very much is a case of ‘watch this space’.

The new Classic Fusion Chronograph Berluti fuses Hublot creative watchmaking genius with the innovative and inimitable patina of Berluti leathers.

Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot, commented on the new addition to the collection;

“Over the generations, Berluti has developed its exceptional expertise to perfect the patina of its leathers. Combining traditional craftsmanship with our technical expertise has enabled us to marry this natural material with the mechanical refinement of Hublot. With a coordinated style from wrist to toe, the modern gentleman is epitome of elegance!”

Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph Berluti All Black

Founded originally in France in 1895 by Italian Alessandro Berlutti, the Parisian House now dresses men from head to foot. The most elegant men choose Berluti for their footwear, captivated by its bold and inventive patinated leathers.

In 2016, Hublot released its first innovation: the Classic Fusion Berluti line. In honour of Berluti’s 120th anniversary these pieces encapsulated the inimitable style of the famous shoemaker in a watch for the first time. The model employed Berluti’s famous Venezia leather for both its strap and its dial. Developed by Olga Berluti, a proud descendent of Alessandro, this exclusive tanning technique needed to be developed into a delicate and complex process before it could be used to craft a watch. For example, all of the moisture had to be removed from the leather before it could be enclosed within the sapphire crystal.

Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph Berluti King Gold in its bespoke Berluti watch box.

One year on, Hublot decided to take its use of Berluti’s signature leather even further, combining this prestigious, natural material with its Classic Fusion Chronograph. Evidently a more complex task, as the dial features two counters at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock, craftsmen had to go back to basics and develop new practices to ensure the leather could be made stable despite these new additions.

This resulted in the new Classic Fusion Chronograph Berluti, available with a 45mm case in a choice of either Scritto King Gold or Scritto All Black. Limited to just 250 pieces of each, both models feature hand-crafted straps, presented in a bespoke Berluti box containing a complete Berluti leather care set. Thanks to Hublot, the pure skill and expertise of the Berluti leather can now be worn on the wrist.

Hublot.com

Omega unveils new collection of Seamaster “Edizione Venezia” watches, celebrating the wonderful “floating city” of Venice. The collection will be exclusively sold in the famous Italian city.

The story of the collection begins in the 1950s, when Venice provided the inspiration for one of Omega’s most famous symbols. On a visit to the famous city, one of the Omega design team was struck by the iconic gondolas and the beautifully sculpted representations of Neptune’s seahorse on each side. Omega’s symbol for its symbol for its Seamaster collection was born, and featured on models from 1957.

Today, 5th May 2017, Omega is paying tribute to that particular story, as well as the famous city, with this new collection of watches. The domed opaline-silvery dial on each model draws its design influence from the vaulted ceiling effects of Venetian architecture. The Venice theme even extends to the spherical crown, which is said to draw inspiration from St. Mark’s Basilica.

The famous Seahorse medallion has been laser engraved onto the sapphire crystal caseback and the words “SEAMASTER” and “Edizione Venezia” have been transferred onto the inner caseback ring. There is also a transferred pattern which closely resembles the intricate detail of Venice’s own flag.

Two different styles of the Seamaster “Edizione Venezia” are now available for collectors – either an 18K rose gold case on a brown leather strap, or a stainless steel version on a black leather strap. Both versions come presented in their very own special black-lacquered presentation box, lined with burgundy velour reminiscent of a Venetian gondola’s interior.

With a Master Chronometer calibre of the industry’s highest precision, and a design story filled with true Omega heritage, these new models are sure to appeal to collectors the world over. The watches can only be purchased at the Omega boutique in Venice.

Hublot launched its latest demonstration of perfect fusion with the unveiling of the Classic Fusion Chronograph Aerofusion RED, created with specialist luxury retailer The Watch Gallery. To mark the occasion of the latest celebrated collaboration in the successful creative partnership, the invincible haute horology duo revealed a new 45mm timepiece at a cocktail event held at the very stylish rooftop venue Aqua Kyoto, on London’s landmark Regent’s Street.

Hublot had the privilege of collaborating with The Watch Gallery on 3 limited edition series launched in the past three years, all of which were met with tremendous commercial and advertorial success. Previous editions had harnessed a fusion of titanium and ceramic with touches of blue, but in true innovative style, the new edition pushes the envelope with bold and daring red accents.

The new Classic Fusion Chronograph Aerofusion RED made a striking and impactful showcase with 45 units of the special edition timepiece individually represented in contrasting red-framed presentation cases.

Attended by 300 guests, journalists and customers of the brand, the event boasted a modern takeover of a highly renowned venue in the heart of the British capital.

Jean-Claude Biver, Chairman on Hublot and President of the LVMH Group Watch Division co-hosted the event with David Coleridge, Chairman of The Watch Gallery, they were joined by Hublot brand ambassador Maxime Büchi, creative designer and leading international tattoo artist. Presenter and DJ Zara Martin provided the evening soundtrack over the spectacular views of central London.

In keeping with Hublot’s bold and confident image, RED is the carefully considered accent tone which can be adorning the lacquered rings of the special edition timepieces dial, the rhodium plated hands and the accent stitching added to the black alligator leather strap. The satin-finished and polished titanium case adds a sense of robust durability whilst the expertise of fine watchmaking is elegantly apparent to the trained eye with the self-winding skeleton chronograph movement featuring a 42-hour power reserve.

In continuation of the Hublot’s vision to develop luxury timepieces that ‘fuse’ tradition with innovation; a unique philosophy seen in the brand’s Classic Fusion collection, combining classical watchmaking and cutting-edge design with exceptional craftsmanship.

The Classic Fusion is the most contemporary and understated of the Hublot collections, and is inspired by the brand’s first avant-garde designs initially launched by the company in 1980, when the brand was founded. Hublot pioneered the innovative use of gold with rubber, daringly fusing precious and industrials materials in iterations that disrupted the watch making conventions of its time.

The Classic Fusion Chronograph special edition is limited to just 45 pieces, it is available throughout The Watch Gallery’s prestigious Hublot outlets: The Wonder Room, Selfridges, Oxford Street London; The Watch Gallery, Westfield and online.

The latest newcomer to the Quai de l’Ile collection by Vacheron Constantin, is a very much a contemporary expression of horological traditions, and is a stainless steel model in which blue makes a noteworthy entrance to the dial along with luminescent indications, as well as being available on leather or rubber strap.

The Quai de l’Ile traditionally features rose gold examples, but the inclusion of a steel example now makes this exclusive collection even more accessible to collectors. The Quai de l’Ile collection stems from the historical site of Vacheron Constantin. Located in the heart of Geneva, between the left and right banks of the Rhone river – home to the famous 19th century cabinotiers – and now a bustling urban hub for many tourists and residents.

The new stainless steel model has been described as sturdy, comfortable and light and is 41mm in diameter with alternating polished and satin-brushed finishes. The watch combines three iconic shapes from the aesthetic heritage of Vacheron Constantin and the spirit of the Quai de l’Ile collection: a round bezel, a cushion-type case and a tonneau caseband. This harmoniously embedded “shape-in-shape” design is accentuated by the light playing off of the steel finish. Intended to ensure optimal comfort, the split level lugs reinforce the dynamics of this case.

This stainless steel exterior houses a mechanical self-winding movement comprising of 172 components. Calibre 5100, entirely designed, developed and crafted by Vacheron Constantin, drives the hours, minutes, central seconds and date functions. Beating at a rate of 28,800 VpH and designed for a active lifestyle, this movement features excellent resistance to impacts as well as a comfortable over 60-hours power reserve guaranteed by its twin barrel. Visible through the sapphire crystal case-back, the watch is distinguished by its modern Quai de l’Ile decor adorned with five raised decorative fillets. The finishing operations – chamfering, polishing, circular graining, Côtes de  Genève – are performing in keeping with the finest Geneva watchmaking traditions.

The blue dial features a multi-level construction and is teamed with an opaline finish. Composed of three distinct parts, its display with its innovative depth effects ensure remarkable legibility thanks to its hour-markers and Arabic numerals entirely made of white luminescent material. Another distinctive feature is the replacement of the tradition aperture-type date by a two-level date indication. A sapphire disc at the dial centre displays the days of the month. The date disc of Calibre 5100 appears beneath this transparent dial and features an indicator which points towards the correct date.

This new steel Quai de l’Ile model, water-resistance to 30 metres, is delivered with a blue alligator leather of blue rubber strap, firmly secured to the wrist with a steel folding clasp.