VIDEO: Vacheron Constantin 2017 collection – the most complicated of SIHH
Vacheron Constantin bucked the trend this year at SIHH. While many of their fellow exhibitors played it safe, bringing out crowd-pleasing steel models and revisiting their greatest hits, Vacheron Constantin walked another path, with a collection focused at the very highest end of horology. Not only did they offer mind-numbingly complex astronomical grand complication and a grand sonnerie model, they also offered some sculptural (yet still super complex) Métiers d’Art options. Oh, and they threw in some handsome new takes on existing models for good measure. Definitely not playing it safe.
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While the watches at SIHH change every year, one thing stays reassuringly the same, and that is the drama surrounding them. Sometimes it’s big, like the deregulation of the Swiss Franc. Sometimes it’s small, like a brand being a little too obsfucatory in a press release over the origins of a movement. This year everyone’s tongues seemed to be wagging about a) Moser’s cheesy take on the industry, and b) the Girard-Perregaux Laureato. Feel free to disagree with us, but we think the majority of noise around the Laureato – specifically around its look and legitimacy – is well and truly blown out of proportion, as is so often the case with ‘controversies’ like these. But that’s just the tip of the GP iceberg in 2017, with lots to discuss around other models, too. Watch on!
Le Locle-based Ulysse Nardin made their debut showing at SIHH this year, and we have to say, they brought the heat. We’re used to brands showing us one or two major novelties, but it’s safe to say UN went far beyond that. From technical tourbillons and regatta timers through to stunning dress pieces, vintage reissues and haute horlogerie wonders, the scale and substance of Ulysse Nardin’s offering meant their booth had a real buzz. What does this mean for Australian watch fans? Well, expect to see and hear a whole lot more about UN in the coming months as the brand makes inroads into the local market.
This year Piaget celebrates 60 years of the ground-breaking Altiplano. Released in 1957, the original model was the perfect vehicle for the revolutionary 2mm thin 9P, which went on to become the gold standard for reliable, elegant, ultra-thin movements. Over the decades, there’s been a clear evolution of the Altiplano (which was named after a high-altitude plateau in the Andes, by the way). Key releases include the 1960 automatic version (calibre 12P), and in 2013 the 900P, the world’s thinnest mechanical watch, measuring 3.65mm, followed two years later by the Altiplano Chronograph which added complication to the equation while still measuring in at a comparatively slight 8.24mm. It’s no wonder the Geneva-based brand has become famous for its slender movements. While these are great examples of the Altiplano pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, it’s also important to remember that a large part of its appeal is the ultra-thin aesthetic – which is where the new collection really shines. The 40mm golden trio is a marvel to behold. Powered by the svelte micro-rotor equipped 1203P, there’s a lot to love mechanically-speaking. Still, what really lights up these watches is the dials, offered in vibrant green and yellow gold, blue and pink gold, or a smoky grey cased in white…
Anyone who’s followed the SIHH 2017 releases will have noticed a few clear trends emerging – more entry level options, more yellow gold, that sort of thing. One trend that wasn’t as remarked upon in all the excitement of the fair was the way several brands made significant changes to their marketing and identity. Baume & Mercier is a case in point. Over the past few years they’ve invested time and effort into building their image as a brand with a long and proud heritage, and their product releases – particularly in the Clifton and Capeland collections – reflected this history. All that changed in Geneva, with the brand announcing a fresh, youthful face and a new name to go with it – the Clifton Club. Meanwhile, the runaway success that is the Shelby Cobra collaboration continues to evolve…
