Baselworld is the world’s biggest watch show, and as the 2017 edition gets under way in Switzerland this month, we give you a preview of the timepieces that the premiere brands will offer this year.

CHOPARD MILLE MIGLIA CLASSIC CHRONOGRAPH

The new sporty version of the famous self-winding chronograph comes in his and her models. The steel 42mm case for men and 39mm steel case with a gem-set bezel for women are enhanced by two traditional pushers and a fluted crown, echoing vintage chronographs. The male version features a black dial with large luminescent numerals. The dial of the women’s model is crafted from white mother-of-pearl, studded with diamonds.

BREGUET TRADITION DAME 7038

With this self-winding timepiece, Breguet has succeeded in creating a female counterpart to a model whose aesthetics are usually reserved for men. Its 37mm diameter case is in 18K rose gold, while the bezel is set with 68 brilliant-cut diamonds. The natural white mother-ofpearl dial is offset at 12 o’clock. It has 50 hours of power reserve.

ZENITH HERITAGE 146

This chronograph, inspired by a 1960s watch, features a retro look, a tropical brown or blue dial, a 38 mm-diameter steel case and a column-wheel El Primero movement chronometer. The two-counter dial features a central sweep-seconds hand and 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, as well as a tachymetric scale. It has a 38-hour power reserve.

SLIM D’HERMÈS QUANTIÈME PERPÉTUEL PLATINE

This perpetual calendar, in a 39.5 mm platinum case, stands out for its slender, pared-down, minimalist design. While the date, month, dual-time and leap-year indications are displayed on various counters, a mother-of-pearl moon phase graces an aventurine sky backdrop at 3 o’clock. The elegant and graphic dial melts seamlessly into the surrounding precious platinum case. ‘Mechanical memory’ ensures that the date of months with 30 and 31 days is automatically adjusted, while taking account of leap years by indicating February 29th every four years without any need for corrections.

JAQUET DROZ GRANDE SECONDE TOURBILLON MOTHER-OF-PEARL

The 2017 women’s version of the legendary watch is clothed in luminescent mother-of-pearl. Its shimmering effects play off the gleam of red gold on the 39mm case, set with brilliantcut diamonds, and the highlight is on the dial and the folding clasp. Laid on a white satin strap, its other stand-out feature is the gold oscillating weight adorned with white motherof-pearl. With a 7-day power reserve, it comes in a limited edition of 88 pieces.

BLANCPAIN FIFTY FATHOMS BATHYSCAPHE

The new 38mm Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe in a steel case comes with an abyss blue dial and a unidirectional dial, featuring a blue ceramic insert with hour-markers in Liquidmetal alloy. This diving watch is water-resistant to 300 metres and has a 100-hour power reserve.

TAG AUTAVIA HEUER 02 CHRONO 42MM

This new version of the legendary Autavia from 1962 (its name combines the first three letters of AUTomobile and AVIAtion), celebrates the 55th anniversary of the first collection, christened by Jack Heuer himself. The 2017 model is the result of an online poll, where collectors and fans were asked to choose their favourite model from a shortlist of 16 Autavia watches. Autavia “Rindt”, produced in 1963, emerged as the winner. The 2017 reinterpretation features three white, snailed chronograph counters, which have been spaced further apart to give an opaline dial that is more harmonious. A date window has been positioned at 6 o’clock, and it has been made water-resistant to 100 metres. The original diameter of 39mm has been expanded to 42mm, and features a black aluminum bezel, which is notched and bidirectional.

HUBLOT BIG BANG UNICO GMT

This watch is equipped with a new, patented module, which enables the second time zone to be updated instantly by a push-button, allowing the local time to be read easily via the conventional main hand of the watch. The time at home is indicated using a second arrow-shaped hour hand, which integrates a day/ night indicator and is set using the crown. A safety device prevents simultaneous activation of the two push-buttons. It comes in a 45mm case, and the bezel is in satin-finished and polished titanium or carbon fibre. The self-winding movement has a power reserve of 72 hours.

OMEGA SPEEDMASTER RACING MASTER CHRONOMETER

The distinctive minute-track on the matte-black dial first appeared on a 1968 Speedmaster, as a salute to its motor racing heritage. Other notable features on the dial include the orange markings and bevelled 18K white gold arrowhead indexes. At 44.25mm, the steel case is thinner than previous versions. The polished ceramic bezel features a brushed Liquidmetal tachymeter scale as well as distinctive orange wording that match the colour of the varnished hands and tip of the seconds hand.

CARL F. BUCHERER MANERO FLYBACK

The gold and champagnecolored dial of this flyback chronograph coordinates flawlessly with the warm rose gold of the 43mm, 18K red gold case. Unlike regular chronographs, both chronograph hands here can be reset to zero, while the chronograph is still running, and thus a new measurement can be started without any intermediate delay in timing. The automatic Caliber CFB 1970 has a power reserve of 42 hours.

BREITLING AVENGER HURRICANE 12H

This new version of the Avenger Hurricane, launched last year, retains the 50mm case in exclusive Breitlight, the high-tech material that is 3.3 times lighter than titanium and 5.8 times lighter than steel, yet significantly harder. The major new element is the new Breitling Caliber 01, which indicates time in a more conventional 12-hour mode. The yellow or black dial is punctuated with aviation-inspired white stencil-type numerals. The power reserve is 70 hours.

MONSIEUR DE CHANEL

This limited edition watch (100 pieces) features two integrated complications, an instant jumping hour and retrograde minute. It is equipped with the Calibre 1, Chanel’s first in-house highwatchmaking movement, with a power reserve of 3 days. It comes in a 40mm platinum case with a black grand feu enamel dial.

FAVRE-LEUBA RAIDER DEEP BLUE

Part of the Raider collection from the newly re-launched second oldest watch brand in the world (now owned by the Tatas), this automatic watch comes in a 44 mm steel case. The display includes hours, minutes and a running seconds disk at the centre for function control and date. It is water resistant up to 300 metres.

CORUM GOLDEN BRIDGE RECTANGLE

The new refined, rectangular look of this classic watch is the creation of renowned designer Dino Modolo. 18K gold structures representing six Roman numerals surround the completely visible caliber. It comes in a 29.5×42.2mm case in 18K rose gold. The manually wound caliber has a power reserve of 40 hours.

BELL & ROSS BR 03-92 HOROGRAPH

The minimalist Bauhaus-inspired design of this automatic watch, with its iconic ‘circle within a square’ case featuring a graphic dial with a simple uncluttered display, pays homage to clocks at airport terminals. The 42mm diameter case is made from bead-blasted steel.

FAVRE-LEUBA RAIDER DEEP BLUE

Part of the Raider collection from the newly re-launched second oldest watch brand in the world (now owned by the Tatas), this automatic watch comes in a 44 mm steel case. The display includes hours, minutes and a running seconds disk at the centre for function control and date. It is water resistant up to 300 metres.

GRAHAM CHRONOFIGHTER VINTAGE GMT

This watch, with Graham’s trademark stop-start trigger, integrates a second time zone in a design that takes inspirations from earlier versions. Its unidirectional rotation bezel, decorated with a lateral helical toothing, features 24 positions. A large double-disk date is located at 12 o’clock. A boxlock mechanism features a slow, tick-tock sound to the ceramic bezel’s motion. Underlining the statement of technical complexity is the construction of the trigger, combining a co-axial crown and push-button. It is powered by the G1733 automatic chronograph movement.

MOVADO ULTRA SLIM

Crafted in solid stainless steel, or yellow or rose gold PVD-finished steel, each of the four men’s styles in this new collection feature a round 40mm case, a mere 6.3mm deep, with polished bezels. The simple round, ultra-slim case frames a soleil-textured dial defined by a signature concave dot at 12 o’clock, thin stick markers, elegant dauphine hour and minute hands and subtle contrast printing.

LONGINES FLAGSHIP HERITAGE

This watch celebrates the 60th anniversary of the brand’s first Flagship collection. It comes in steel, yellow gold or rose gold versions. The numbered models house an L609 mechanical calibre in their 38.5mm case. The gold versions are limited to 60 watches, while the steel versions are limited to 1957 watches.

RAYMOND WEIL FREELANCER

The new version of the Freelancer comes in a 43.5mm stainless steel case with black PVD coating, and a tachometer bezel. The mechanical chronograph with automatic winding has a power reserve of 46 hours.

ORIS ARTELIER CALIBRE 113

This watch in a steel case is driven by Calibre 113, the fourth in-house movement from Oris, and features a 10-day power reserve by just using a single barrel. It features a business calendar complication that indicates day, date, week and month of the year. The movement also features a non-linear, patented power reserve indicator, and small seconds functions.

RADO DIAMASTER GRANDE SECONDE

This watch, notable for its asymmetrical dial design with two stacked sub-dials, one for hours and minutes and the other for seconds, has been updated in two versions. It features Roman numerals and a sunray pattern in grayish brown or strong blue frames for the sub-dials. The 43mm case, in Rado’s signature plasma high-tech ceramic, has been outfitted with a colour coordinated leather bracelet in either brown or black.

FREDERIQUE CONSTANT CLASSIC WORLDTIMER MANUFACTURE

This watch, which helps track time in 24 world cities, is controlled by the crown through its three positions. The first lets the user manually wind the watch by turning the crown upwards; the second allows the user to set the date and city by turning the crown upwards and downwards respectively; the third position allows the user to set the time by turning the crown downwards. A dark brown design of the world map is finely etched onto the dial, and the 24 cities are on its outer rim. The FC- 718 movement has a 42 hour power reserve.

CITIZEN ECO-DRIVE AT8124-91L

This 43mm watch in a black stainless steel case is powered by Citizen’s Eco-Drive technology, which ensures no battery replacement. It is water resistant up to 200 meters.

TISSOT T-RACE MOTOGP

The 2017 Official MotoGP Collection comprises two Tissot T-Race MotoGP Limited Edition watches; an automatic piece limited to 2017 pieces, and the other powered by a quartz movement, produced in a series of 5000 pieces. The automatic version has a rose gold PVD case, while the quartz version is in dark gray PVD with electric blue detailing. They come packaged in a helmet box.

FOSSIL Q MODERN PURSUIT

This watch is part of the current line of hybrid smart watches that blend analog design with smart connectivity. It is compatible with Android 4.4 and higher, iOS 8.2 and higher, and features bold colours and graphic iconography that allow for easy reminders of texts, emails, and social media notifications. It comes with analog sports hands with slim tips and silicone straps.

GC CABLEFORCE

This watch, in a polished 44mm steel case, comes with a round bezel highlighted by a delicate wire cable, in silver or rose gold or blue PVD and four screws. It features handapplied baton indices and well-balanced chronograph counters. It is equipped with a Swiss chronograph movement, activated by two ergonomic pushers at 2 o’clock and 4 o’clock.

VICTORINOX I.N.O.X. CARBON

The 43mm case of this automatic watch is made from a carbon resin composite that has protected space shuttles from reentry temperatures in excess of 1,260°C. Extra shielding is provided by a translucent gray, removable bumper. The monobloc dial comes with stamped markers and digits to ensure shock resistance. A Naimakka paracord attachment is an alternative to the rubber strap, both in black.

GUCCI DIVE

The new Dive extensions offer an eccentric twist to Gucci’s most sporty timepiece. The extra-large 45mm variants are fitted with a Gucci web nylon strap in blue-and-red or green-and-red. The watch teems with detail, from the fine honeybee or tiger embroidery on the dial to the racer web stripes, black PVD case with unidirectional rotating bezel and luminous hands. The mood then changes with two 40mm yellow or all-black variants worked with rubber. It is powered by a Swiss-made quartz movement.