This is year’s Watches and Wonders exhibition was more alive than ever.. over 48 brands only in Palexpo with an additional 180 brands across Geneva all exhibiting their wonders for this year.
I had the chance to spend the whole week in Geneva meeting with each brand individually whilst they present their novelties for the year; I must say at first I was very overwhelmed with the amount of watches released and needed to take sometime to step back , absorb all that content and come back to you with my top 10.
It wasn’t an easy task to select them, however, after reviewing the majority of the releases and based on several selection criteria , i have landed on the below 10… to be clear, I based my choices on degree of creativity, innovation in complications, aesthetics and the WOW factor (meaning, when I first saw the piece, did my heartbeat accelerate and I couldn’t wait to hold the watch in my hand?)
1- Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante
I fell in love with this release for the simple fact that it is the first time anyone has ever done a Minute Rattrapante. The Tonda PF is becoming some sort of an Icon in the past few years and that kind of complications makes it even more desirable than ever. I love the slick design, the smoothness of the pushers and how the movement operates – it is a clear winner for this year.
2-Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph
Talking about WOW factor; this release is a real tribute to the excellence of Reverso ; the skeletonised case back is mesmerising and the shades of blue on the steel edition is perfect. At CHF24,000, this is an absolute must in the collection.
3- MontBlanc Minerva Monopusher Chronograph
Montblanc comes back with an excellent showcase of its watchmaking capabilities with a fully skeletonised movement and one of the most powerful calibre from Minerva manufacture; the chonograph monopusher MB M16.26. This is a showstopper and frankly what most collectors are seeking in such exhibitions.
4- Piaget Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin
This year Piaget introduced 3 versions of its Polo Perpetual Calendar and one of them comes in a mesmerising Obsidian dial – first time I see such a stone on a dial and it looks perfect – it has added so much character to the watch and elevated it – I personally admire when brands experiment with new stones on dials , it sets them apart and for Piaget, it really did.
5- Grand Seiko Elegance HANA-IKADA SBGY026
Grand Seiko introduced this year a beautiful rose gold case watch with a ligh pink dial showcasing the cherry blossom trees. I always admire the inspirations that GS team draws from its nature and culture to replicate it into very well crafted dials that always tell a story- this piece is limited to 10o only.
6- Rolex Yacht Master 42 RLX Titanium 226627
This release is not major innovation by itself, however coming from Rolex and using its own Titanium case and bracelet is a huge deal for the crown. We know the final product is a well crafted daily beater to its tiniest details; something Rolex is well known and admired for.
7- Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce Annual Calendar 5261R
Although Patek claims this watch is for ladies; I cannot foresee the fact that its size and fit on the wrist is pretty much Unisex in that situation; the dial colors , design and combination with the Rose Gold case and bracelet are a perfect fit. Although the dial might seem busy, i found its architecture well executed and a great watch to look at overall.
8- Cartier Santos-Dumont Micro-Rotor
This is what Cartier stands for me – great slick design, out of the box thinking and a playfulness in material and colors – the three versions of this model are all equally beautiful and the micro-rotor design with the airplane on it is a wonderful touch of design and playfulness the watch needed.
9- Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Tourbillon Retrograde Date OpenFace
This year; Vacheron is focusing on its Retrograde complications and we couldn’t be more pleased with this new addition. It embodies the true craftsmanship of Vacheron , a great movement and an elegant case design – as a collector; this watch is absolutely ticking all the boxes.
10- F.P Journe FCC
This special watch was first released as a piece unique for the Only Watch Auction and 2 years later , Journe decided to offer it to the public with a different look and feel but same exquisite movement. One of the most intriguing elements of watchmaking is the time display and not many brands experiment in diversifying how we read time ; well this watch is exactly what we are looking for when we think of innovative ways of telling time.
Of course, there are a lot more watches that we admire and love from this year’s releases and there will be many more to come – but for now, these are definitely the top 10 on our wishlist.
