1. Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36mm

Day Date 2. Rotonde de Cartier Double

Tourbillon Mystery 3. Jaeger-LeCoultre

Deep Sea Chronograph Cermet 4. Hublot

Masterpiece LaFerrari 5. IWC Ingenieur Constant-Force

Tourbillon

Trends in time? The premium watch brands had some surprises up their sleeves this year. Bani McSpedden reports

on the standouts competing to adorn your wrist.

colour and (swiss) movemenT

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special report watches

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that time of year when the crop of new timepieces from the major Swiss watch fairs begins to grace the displays of retailers, and the customers can finally see how they size up. About time, given that the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie took place in Geneva back in January and the giant baselworld fair in April.

It has been estimated that more than 70 per cent of annual time-piece orders are placed at these two fairs, at the conclusion of which the brands gear up their production to reflect expressed demand. Hence the wait, one that sees some models produced in volume and others restricted to a few pieces allocated to particular regions and brand boutiques. Some models never make it to the high-street counter.

At this year’s fairs, it was expected the influence of china, a region that accounts for almost one-third of Swiss production, would again dominate brand thinking. Pundits guessed that politely styled and sized watches – in other words, nothing complicated such as chronographs and preferably under 40mm – would continue the comeback first witnessed a few years ago, when the Middle Kingdom’s appetite for wristwear seemed almost insatiable. Yearly sales gains of 30 to 50 per cent were achieved and, understandably, brands scrambled to cater to the new clientele.

but now sales in china have plateaued and it seems creativity has been unleashed again. If there is a trend to emerge this year, it’s that the elegant time-teller might be alive and well, but colour and movements are forging their way to the fore.

there was more referencing of the colour chart than at any time since the edgy 1970s, and regular rethinking of the traditional mechanical movement. It’s all evidence that the watch is increasingly fulfilling a new function, that of heady adornment, rather than handy instrument. Here are some of the more eye-catching pieces.

magical machinesGirard-Perregaux constant escapementFive years in development, this 48mm creation harnesses the energy created by a tiny silicon blade rather than relying on the venerable escapement set-up found in virtually all watches. Just one-sixth the width of a human hair, the blade vibrates back and forth, its movement doing a superior job of regulating power delivery, resulting in incredible accuracy. There are 271 parts involved and you can see the blade – and its “butterfly wing” frame – dial-side, below the

1. Girard-Perregaux Constant Escapement 2. TAG Heuer Mikro-PendulumS Double Tourbillon

It’shours and minutes display.The movement is manual-wind, the power reserve is one week, and production is limited to 10 pieces, all cased in white gold. $153,000.

tAG Heuer MikroPendulumS Double tourbillon What makes this watch interesting is its substitution of the usual power source, the hairspring, with friction-free magnetic pendulums. There are two of them, one delivering energy to a tourbillon that rotates every five seconds to regulate hours and minutes, the other to a second tourbillon rotating in a more leisurely way to regulate the watch’s chronograph functions. There are 454 tiny parts, crafted from exotic materials ranging from cobalt to aviation composites, all housed in a lightweight 45mm case. It’s not destined yet for serial production, but you can always ask. Ditto the price.

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IWc Ingenieur constant-Force tourbillon In pride of place on the left side of the dial (p125) is the constant-force mechanism and tourbillon that gives this watch its name. The former ensures unwavering amplitude and works with the regulating tourbillon to deliver outstanding accuracy. But if that’s impressive – not to mention fascinating to look at – the two moons to the right of the dial, one for each hemisphere, are said to accurately reflect not only the celestial body’s position, but its surface, right down to tiny craters. The complex movement has two barrels, offering a 96-hour power reserve, in a 46mm platinum and ceramics case. About $300,000.

A Lange & Sohne Grand complication Grand is hardly too grand a word for what’s on offer here, namely a perpetual calendar, split-seconds mono-pusher chronograph, and minute repeater boasting a chiming mechanism with grand and small strikes. But it’s the impressive look that attracted aficionados and collectors on its debut in Geneva, where a giant version of the watch hung over the A Lange & Sohne stand entrance. Mind you, in real life the piece is hardly recessive; the pink-gold case is 50mm and the five-part enamel dial is stunning. All six examples slated for production were snapped up despite a ¤2m ($2.96m) price tag.

Hublot Masterpiece LaFerrari Hublot celebrated its relationship with Ferrari with an exotic of its own (p125), dubbed an “engine block for the wrist”. Its horological horsepower is undeniable, thanks to an incredible 11 barrels – most

watches have one, some two – delivering a 50-day power reserve. That, too, is a record, the standard being 48 hours. Winding the LaFerrari – those 11 barrels are regulated by the usual tourbillon

– takes a special electric tool, thankfully supplied. You’re looking at 637 parts. $300,000-plus.

rotonde de cartier Double tourbillon Mystery

Cartier first produced so-called “mystery” clocks in the early 1900s, the

time-telling hands “carried” by crystal discs driven from their serrated and hidden edges. Now, a century later, Cartier has not only brought the idea to the wrist, but done it with a complex double tourbillon. A five-year effort, it meant overcoming problems of friction, durability and power transfer, all with

patented new techniques. Mesmerising to look at, the mechanism seems to float in space with no visible connection to the gear train or means of support. The 242-part movement carries the Geneva seal and is presented in a 45mm platinum case. Now in production, for under $200,000.

time for colourrolex Perpetual cosmograph Daytona/rolex oyster Perpetual 36mm Day DateSomething in the water cooler at Rolex? This year has seen a plethora of shades enhancing new models, from this platinum Daytona with its icy-blue dial and chestnut ceramic bezel (around $80,000), to the range of 36mm Day Date watches in tantalising

1. A Lange & Sohne Grand Complication 2. Rotonde de Cartier Double Tourbillon Mystery 3. Rolex Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona

4. Louis Vuitton Tambour Twin Chrono Match Racing

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tones – green, cognac, blue, cherry and chocolate – presented in white, yellow or Everose gold cases with coloured alligator straps (p125). About $24,000.

Louis Vuitton tambour twin chrono Match racingThere’s not just a spectacular cobalt-blue dial rendered in enamel, but impressive mechanicals here (p128). Designed to measure split time, there are two separate chronograph mechanisms allowing for the display of first elapsed time, second elapsed time and the time differential between the two. This involves 437 parts, inside a 45.5mm case in white gold. That said, it’s the looks that are hard to go past. About $80,000.

tudor Heritage chrono blueBased on Tudor’s highly collectable 1970s Monte Carlo model, this chromatic chrono comes with a steel bracelet, but looks its brilliant best on the matching blue, white and orange woven strap on offer with the package. About $4000.

breitling emergency IIYou can have this “survival instrument” – the world’s first wristwatch with a dual-frequency locator beacon – in a black dial, but those who like colourful pursuits will go for the yellow or orange version. All can pinpoint your location if you hit trouble, but only the yellow and orange will cheer you up when you simply need the time. There’s also a chronograph,

calendar and dual time readouts. Cased in titanium, about $20,000.

Patek Philippe Ladies Aquanaut Luce Metal bluePatek has long used a darker and a lighter blue on its dials, but says this year’s vibrant hue is one you won’t find on any other watch. It’s accented by a metallic effect on the traditional grid pattern of the dial, repeated on the tropical strap. Diamonds on the bezel (46 of them, totalling one carat) add even more colour. The 35.6mm case is water-resistant to 120m. $17,800.

Dior La Mini D de DiorAs cute as bright little buttons, the

19mm mini-Diors fizz thanks to setting off

the black mother-of-pearl dials with flashy

fluoro straps. Yes, there are diamonds, too, but in this

case you don’t need them to dazzle. About $5000.

roundly desirableomega Dark Side of the Moon Wittily named, this all-ceramic piece is the latest and possibly most interesting take to date on the iconic Speedmaster moon watch. Unusually, the 44.25mm case, bezel, dial, crown, pushers and buckle are all rendered in the black ceramic composite, while inside beats a chronometer-grade co-axial movement with silicon

Yes, There are diamonds, Too, buT in This case You don’T need Them To dazzle

1. Dior La Mini D de Dior 2. Breitling Emergency II 3. Patek Philippe Ladies Aquanaut Luce Metal Blue

4. Tudor Heritage Chrono Blue

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balance spring. It’s no surprise Omega has been inundated with orders. About $11,000.

oris Aquis Depth GaugePossibly the sports watch of the year, this diver was tested on the Great Barrier Reef and in Bass Strait. It features a clever and unique depth-gauge arrangement. A barely-there hole in the 4.5mm crystal allows water to sluice into a channel that measures the air resistance it encounters, and converts this to a depth reading on the perimeter of the dial. In a 46mm package, it’s a lot of engineering for about $3300.

Jaeger-Lecoultre Deep Sea chronograph cermetCermet is a new metal Jaeger-LeCoultre has cooked

up, combining ceramics and metals. It’s lighter than titanium, doesn’t shatter like ceramics, but apparently offers the strength and scratch-resistance of both. In this 44mm piece (p125), it’s used with titanium to great visual effect, helped by the three-counter chronograph. There’s even a version with more vintage-like parchment-shaded luminescence on the hands and markers. Powered by a self-winding in-house column-wheel movement. About $20,000.

Panerai Luminor 1950 regatta

3 Days chrono Automatic Flyback titanioChronograph functions,

tick; regatta timing countdown, tick; 47mm

titanium case, tick; Panerai

branding, tick. Aside from the usual boxes ticked, it’s touches such as the orange-coded

chrono push-button just below the crown, and hints of orange

and bright blue on the dial and hands that set this Panny apart. Yes, more colour and more movement. About $15,000.

Zenith Montre D’Aeronef type 20 GMt Touching down this year, a fleet of pilot watches measuring 40-48mm, from the brand favoured by pioneering aviator Louis Blériot, the first person to fly across the English Channel. Despite its giant onion-shaped winders, the mechanicals are self-winding, but the look is fully fledged authenticity. Steel-cased GMT version about $8000.

baume & Mercier clifton 1830Distil everything a classic watch should be and this is what you might get. The 42mm rose-gold case allows for the right expanse of silvered dial, the perfect backdrop to handsome gold hour-markers of alternating batons and Arabic numerals, and nicely faceted hands. Adding to the traditional feel is a domed sapphire crystal and a La Joux-Perret manual-wind mechanical movement with an impressive 90-hour power reserve. About $18,000. c

1. Zenith Montre D’Aeronef Type 20 GMT (steel case) 2. Baume & Mercier Clifton 1830 3. Omega Dark Side of the Moon 4. Oris Aquis Depth Gauge 5. Panerai Luminor 1950 Regatta 3 Days Chrono Automatic Flyback Titanio

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