Emmanuel Gueit has more than 30 years of experience as a watch and jewellery designer. He has designed for some of the most prestigious brands, notably, Audemars Piguet, Harry Winston, Rolex and Piaget and is responsible for the iconic Royal Oak Offshore that this year celebrates it’s 25th anniversary. While living in the United States and working for the Fossil Group, he was responsible for launching the watch division for the brands Burberry, Armani, Diesel and DKNY among others. In 2017 he sat on the jury for the Grand Prix de d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG)
Jaeger le Coultre’s Polaris Chronograph
“All of the new Polaris chrono or three hands collection is very much in the spirit of the times . A very desirable remake of historical pieces.”
Baume & Mercier’s Clifton Baumatic
Cartier’s Revelation
“Marvelous technical realisation with a mysterious dial where the head of a panther appears with the movement of the wrist in a wave of little gold balls.”
Baume & Mercier’s Clifton Baumatic
“With an in-house movement at a low price, even though more effort could be made on the dial, it is a young and fresh piece.”
Kristian Haagen is a published writer with six books on watches under his belt. He has spent ten years as a consultant to auction houses and has been an avid watch collector for many more. Haagen, who is based in Denmark, currently writes for several foreign media as well as publishing his own online magazine “Timegeeks.” He is co-founder of the 8past10 application and recently opened his own webshop, ‘www.kristianhaagen.com’. He has attended the SIHH since 2001.
Piaget’s Black Tie
“Admittedly, I have always been a fan of the stone dials from Piaget. They are true masters of these and I am especially taken with the green stone dial and 534P automatic caliber. Sure 45 millimeter in diameter seem large on paper, but not on the wrist. I’m quite impressed with how well it fits me.”
Lange & Söhne’s 1815 Chronograph
Lange & Söhne’s 1815 Flyback Chronograph
“It is never dull going through the A. Lange & Söhne collection. Old as well as new. Often it is just subtle changes when the Glashütte manufacturer present novelties, and the 1815 Chronograph in pink gold with a black dial is just that. It is not a new model, but it has never been offered in this combination of metal and dial color. Size-wise it also appeals to me, 39.5 millimeters. Sure, I am not a doctor of any kind, but the pulsation flange of the 1815 Chronograph (which is inspired by the 2015 boutique version of the same model) makes this 2018 version extra attractive, when talking dial layout.”
Montblanc’s Geosphere in bronze
“With Davide Cerrato at the design helm at Montblanc, good things were bound to happen. And that’s very much so with the incredible handsome and somewhat rugged 1858 Geosphere in bronze. Normally I am not a fan of this hyped material in the watch world but when sitting on a Spartacus double layer strap the material seems just right. Also the dial layout could have gone all wrong with that many functions (24-hour worldwide with two turning hemisphere and day/night indicator). But it didn’t – it looks just right. And sits oh-so-well on the wrist as well.”
Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Date
“The homage to the 1968 Polaris is really attractive. Most people would probably go for the Polaris MemoVox, but personally I appreciate the slightly slimmer Polaris Date instead. Not that I am not a fan of the legendary alarm function, but when wearing the watch I prefer the lesser height. The overall look and feel is near perfect and the black rubber strap in on point. Forty-two millimeters is a great size for this watch and I must admit the faux patina luminous material in the hands and hour markers are quite attractive.”
David Chang is a horology writer and researcher based in Beijing, China. He is the founder of Watchina and director of the Beijing Collectors’ Association. In 2017 he sat on the jury of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.
Girard Perregaux Minute Repeater Tri-axial Tourbillon
“Aesthetic and technology are a winning combination in this extreme model. The dial is symmetrical and balanced. The tourbillon gives a three-dimensional focus. The chiming is a wonderful sound for the auditory time-giving, with the left and right auxillary dial positions giving the hour and minutes.”
Ferdinand Berthoud’s Chronometre FB1
“There is always history in the prototype watch. This watch, for example, is inspired by 18th century sailing clocks, which were synonymous with precision, and the long second hand is the best reference of this connotation.”
Ferdinand Berthoud’s Chronometre
Parmigiani Fleurier Bugatti Type 390
“Bugatti is not just the name of the sports car, but also is the spirit of this watch. The engine is condensed into the mechanical movement, and the transmission converted to the horizontal. The watch is inclined for ease of reading while driving.”
Roger Dubuis’ Excalibur Aventador S
“The sports gene in this watch plays to the extreme in its hollow design. The premise, creating a postmodern mechanical aesthetic, similar to that of the Lamborghini body. The balance of the design is particularly refined. The ultra-light carbon case is extremely comfortable to wear.”
Ali Al Husseini has a background in fashion. He began his career as a luxury personal shopper with emphasis on watches and jewellery. Following a decade with Cartier working in high jewellery, he moved to Bulgari Switzerland as an executive. His primary function is to liaise and advise privileged clients wanting to invest in jewellery
Piaget’s Antiplano Automati
Ulysse Nardin Freak Vision
“The first automatic watch in the Freak collection. Aside from the technical prowess, it is a watch with a very audacitious look.”
The vintage theme carries on into the new collections as well. The guilloché dials we’ve come to associate with the luxury watch industry are few and far between, replaced by simple black or white enamel dials reminiscent of the 1920s and 30s. The simpler dials and cases make perfect sense. It brings the focus back to what is most important – the movement. It is the watch industry’s perfect response to a world of digital and connected watches.
Quelle belle manière pour nous faire rêver ! En quelques clics, on voyage d'une montre à l'autre et on est en immersion totale. De quoi partager la passion de ces magnifiques créateurs qui vont sans doute à terme, faire du SIHH le salon de référence pour la Suisse entière.