As you would know, this year Watches and Wonders was even Bigger, Better and Crazier for me! After exploring 7 Strong trends for 2023 exhibited by the maisons that were brought in during Watches and Wonders, presenting the BIG TEN that caught my attention.
To be Honest, 7 days were really not enough to explore all the timepieces the participating maisons had to offer and my 7 days flew by in a whiff! Although I couldn’t discover ALL the timepieces from all the brands, I was happy to discover some Independent brands like Gronefeld, Chronoswiss, Louis Monet along with the other mighty ones like Rolex, Patek Philippe, JLC, Van Cleef and Arpels, Hermes and so on.
Every year launching new watches isn’t easy right ? From my interactions with brand head honchos and my understanding, I can tell you that every brand begins working on their new launches years in advance. For e.g brands would have already planned what will be launched in 2024 and 2025 in this year. The 2023 edition of Watches and Wonders saw many Novelties that were worth making note of.
I must have seen several timepieces but few of the watches that were truly exceptional to get added on my watch list, or the ones I would totally invest in, yes they are real investments for me, atleast! So here’s presenting the Big 10
1) Vacheron Constantin- Patrimony Retrograde
Legendary brand- Vacheron Constantin, Best known for its fine marriage of tradition, complication and aesthetics. Vacheron Constantin, Patrimony Retrograde day date in Platinum with salmon-coloured dial , was complicated yet so very sophisticated and minimalist in design. It’s approximately priced @ 70000 euros. Since I am on Vacheron I would also like to mention about Traditionnelle tourbillon retrograde date open face. This masterpiece is a delight in Pink gold.
2) Grand Seiko Masterpiece Collection
I was mesmerized by the Grand Seiko Masterpiece Collection Hand-engraved Manual-winding Spring Drive Limited Edition in platinum 950 which is limited to 50 pieces and do you know the price it is 80,000 euros ++
Vacheron covered, Grand Seiko covered. The next brand is surely a brand that is on every customer’s wish list is – yes, it is Rolex!
3) Rolex- Perpetual 1908
The one that I would certainly get my hands on is the Perpetual 1908 39mm in the yellow gold version although the Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 42 mm has been introduced for the first time in RLX titanium. This too is superb. Another timepiece from Rolex, would be without a doubt Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 mm – Time Stamped with Emotion was also so cool and you must certainly check this out. It displays a new emotion each day. Interesting isn’t it ?
4) Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso One Precious Colours
JLC’s Reverso One Precious Colours. It was so poetic and what craftsmanship with the enameling and gemsetting. It has taken 80 hours for an artist to enamel each of this timepiece and one would certainly get mesmerized with this piece. When I am on JLC I have to mention about Reverso Hybris Artistica Calibre 179, a multiaxis tourbillon. This piece is worth approx half a million euros.
5) Panerai – Radiomir Annual Calendar PAM01432
A brand known for the watches made for the Italian Navy – Panerai.
Panerai introduced a new caliber in their Radiomir Annual Calendar PAM01432 produced in only 24 pieces, and I loved this special edition known as the Experience edition. It features a sun-brushed burgundy shaded dial in a 45mm Platinum Tech case and has a black hand-dyed matte alligator strap. This burgundy coloured dial is so eye pleasing that I couldn’t get my eyes off it!
6) Cartier – Tank Normale
Cartier, the most desired brand by women known for its heritage and creativity. When you think of Cartier watches, the first thing that comes to your mind is the Cartier Tank timepieces. This year, the brand added a complication to its iconic collection: signature complications with a skeleton movement with the Tank Normale watch. It features a 24-hour complication marked by a sun and crescent moon, also skeletonised. While the minute hand turns around the dial in one hour, the hour hand goes round in 24 hours instead of 12 hours. It comes in 2 colours- The yellow gold on a brown strap and green alligator strap and platinum on a burgundy and grey alligator strap.
Platinum on a burgundy is what I would go for but this one is a masterpiece and comes in a limited edition.
7) Patek Philippe- Aquanaut Luce Collection- II
Heard many Brand Spokespersons mentioning that women are increasingly demanding complicated timepieces. This was music to my ears. I found Patek philippe ‘s Aquanaut Luce Collection, a very practical and easy to use complication- Annual calendar which is complete with day, date and month and requires only one manual correction in a year. It is in rose gold and the bezel has a rounded octagonal shape. I tell you, this watch is simply elegant, sophisticated and yet complicated.
8) Patek Philippe- 5178G-012, Grand Complications
Patek Philippe 5178G-012, – GRAND COMPLICATIONS has a beautiful blue coloured dial, and a hand guilloche swirling pattern beneath grand-flue transparent enamel with gold applied breguet numerals. This is a grand complication. I say that because it is a minute repeater. It also comes with 2 Interchangeable straps, one in shiny peacock blue alligator leather and other in shiny orange alligator leather.
9) Bell & Ross – BR 01 Cyber Skull Bronze
I discovered Bell & Ross BR 01 cyber skull bronze having a specific calibre 210. Its manual winding activates an automaton part and by turning the crown the jaw of the skull comes alive. This isn’t a horror watch but a technical masterpiece. Please get your hands on this one as it is a perfect combination of watchmaking, design and technology.
10) Zenith – Pilot Big Date Flyback Ceramic Chronograph
Zenith always captures the spirit of aviation. This year it introduced the Pilot Big date flyback ceramic chronograph which changes the date in less than 0.03 secs. Now one can imagine this date change function in so little time that one is almost virtually shifted to a This watch is powered by El Primero 3652 automatic calibre.
My Big Ten were not so serious but fun & enriching isn’t it ? But my BIG 10 remains incomplete without Ulysse Nardin’s Freak one, Montblanc’s 1858 iced sea automatic and Roger Dubuis’s Monovertex split second’s chronograph watch.
I was fortunate to also experience few interesting independent brands hence I would also like to also share some timepieces that left me in awe and cannot be forgotten, first one was from U-boat and the other from Gronefeld I know, in my last blog on Trends, I Mentioned that small is the new big, but this massive watch dial in 55mm and with oil inside the case, is certainly worth a look. The dial provided a 3D effect, the Capsoil Doppio tempo watch by U-BOAT – is truly an invention. The “Oil Immersion”- is the case is filled with an oil bath. There is a compensation bubble that is free to float on the dial. The oil bath and compensation bubble were a visual delight indeed !!
I loved two watches from Gronefeld one was the Deltaworks, so very classy and yet cool as one can even swim with this watch. The other one was 1941 chronograph this one is the one which is sold out. It is a jumping minute chronograph and the movement has 408 parts. It also has a power reserve indicator. For This watch, one has to wait for more than 5 years. They are sold out for next 5 years and unable to take any more orders. I have given my request 😉
I freaked out, worked, literally passed out, but all in all had fun discovering some of the world’s most spectacular timepieces. That was all from me! Let me know which ones your favorite? Write to us at hello@jammindia.com
