Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie Genève, the first of the annual watch exhibitions, where many of the big brands will reveal their new timepieces for 2017, will get underway in Geneva this month. We bring you a preview of what to expect.

LANGE 1 MOON PHASE  

This new version of the famous Lange watch takes a more realistic approach when combining the display of the moon-phase display and day/night indicator. A separate solid-gold moon pursues its orbit in the foreground, while in the background, a celestial disc — also made of solid gold — performs exactly one revolution every 24 hours. On the disc, the different times of day are represented by varying blue hues caused by interference effects. During the day, it shows a bright sky without stars, while at night it depicts a dark sky with prominently contrasting laser-cut stars. Thus, the moon always orbits against a realistic background that doubles as a day/ night indicator when setting the watch. The 38.5 mm case comes in three versions — white gold, pink gold and platinum. With manually wound movement, it has a power reserve of 72 hours.

ROGER DUBUIS EXCALIBUR QUATUOR COBALT MICROMELT

Part of the striking new Excalibur line, the standout feature of this limited edition watch (8 pieces) is the gleaming cobalt chrome alloy that has been used for its 48 mm case, bezel, case-back and crown, produced using the exclusive MicroMelt technology that is usually associated with aeronautics and astronomy. It contrasts well with the blue PVDcoated movement barrel cage and bridges, as well as the dial, hour-marker and alligator leather strap. Red and white accents are provided by the printed speedometer-style minute track, the white gold skeleton hands with red tips, as well as the red strap stitching. The hand-wound mechanical movement has a power reserve of 40 hours.

HYT SKULL POCKET

This limited edition pocket watch (8 pieces) features two LEDs positioned beneath the rider at 6 o’clock. The generator that activates them nestles between 4 and 5 o’clock and works using a dynamo, converting mechanical power into light energy. Pressure on this same push-piece activates the two LEDs, which then bathe the watch in a soft blue light that lasts for five seconds, after which the mechanism needs to be reinitialized. No battery is needed for this process. It comes in a titanium and black DLC titanium case with a customizable cover and has a 65-hour power reserve.

AUDEMARS PIGUET ROYAL OAK FROSTED GOLD – 37 MM

This watch celebrates the 40th anniversary of the women’s Royal Oak. Its iconic design also honours the style and character of the female designers who have contributed to the Royal Oak legacy: from Jacqueline Dimier who reinterpreted Gérald Genta’s initial 1972 model and imagined the first Royal Oak for women in 1976, to Carolina Bucci today, the Florentine jewellery designer who collaborated on the new watch. The Florentine finish done by the latter involved beating the gold with a diamond tipped tool to create tiny indentations on the surface. It provides a sparkle effect similar to that of precious stones, like diamond dust. The white and pink gold cases come in two size cases — 37 mm and 33 mm.

ULYSSE NARDIN CLASSICO MANUFACTURE

This classical style watch in a 40 mm steel case highlights Ulysse Nardin’s expertise in the fine craft of enameling on its stunning blue dial. The hour and minute hands point to classic Roman numeral indexes, complete with a small seconds counter at 6 o’clock and a round date window. The self-winding Caliber UN-320 movement has a power reserve of 48 hours.

IWC DA VINCI PERPETUAL CALENDAR CHRONOGRAPH

This is the first IWC watch that combines a chronograph with the perpetual calendar’s moon phase display in a sub-dial at 12 o’clock. To achieve this, both the moon and the shadow of the earth are depicted on a single disc, and rotate beneath an aperture in the lower part of the sub-dial. It comes in a 43 mm case in two versions: 18k gold and steel. The redesigned automatic Calibre 89630 has a power reserve of 68 hours.

JAEGER-LECOULTRE RENDEZ-VOUS NIGHT & DAY LARGE

This watch is part of a new women’s collection that Jaeger-LeCoultre is introducing this year as part of its Rendez-Vous line, and bears all the hallmarks of its Métiers Rares (Rare Crafts) timepieces. It comes in three sizes and in a choice of materials including yellow gold. Rendez-Vous Night & Day Large comes in a 38.2 mm case, in steel and rose gold. The latter is set with brilliant cut diamonds. The automatic movement has a power reserve of 40 hours

MONTBLANC 1858 AUTOMATIC

Watches in this new collection echo the vintage style of the Montblanc 1858 Collection, their looks further enhanced by the introduction of bronze, with a design that harks back to the days of Minerva military wristwatches and pocket watches from the 1930s. The 44 mm case is in steel, while the bezel and crown are in bronze. The automatic Calibre MB 24.16 movement has a power reserve of 38 hours. It comes with an aged, cognac-coloured calfskin strap with beige stitching crafted by Montblanc Pelletteria in Florence.

VACHERON CONSTANTIN MÉTIERS D’ART

 

THE LEGEND OF THE CHINESE ZODIAC YEAR OF THE ROOSTER

This limited edition watch (12 pieces) celebrates the Year of the Rooster, which starts with the Chinese New Year on January 28. Much of the artistic work on it has been inspired by the Chinese papercutting technique known as Jianzhi. The foliage motif appearing on the dial, based on classic Chinese iconography, is etched directly on the metal. The pattern remains semi-embedded and stands out from its gold base by a subtle stagesetting of variously accentuating reliefs creating a depth effect. This makes the vegetation appear to be floating over the dial. Enamel is then applied in successive layers, enhancing the intensity of the blue or bronze-toned dial. The rooster, made of platinum or pink gold, is hand-engraved and delicately applied to the dial centre. The hands-free time display is achieved through four apertures showing the hours, minutes, days and dates. It comes in a platinum or 18k pink gold case. The mechanical, selfwinding movement has a power reserve of 40 hours.

PANERAI RADIOMIR 3 DAYS ACCIAIO -47 MM

This watch is part of two new special editions dedicated to a rare watch of the 1930s. It comes with a choice of an original shaded brown dial recalling the appearance of the vintage models transformed by time, or a black dial. It reproduces all the fundamental characteristics of the vintage watch including the 12-sided bezel in brushed steel, with smoothed, polished angles and the same engraving as the historic models, using the lettering of the time. The 47 mm steel case is also in the same classic size. The hand-wound mechanical movement has a power reserve of 72 hours.

PARMIGIANI TONDA MÉTROGRAPHE

This new Metrographe line features a more dynamic design along with new indication of the tachometer. The 40 mm polished steel case comes with a choice of two different dials – shiny white silver shade and a black oxidised tone. The hour and minute counters have been reworked for more effective reading of time. The PF315 self-winding movement has an additional chronograph module. The power reserve is of 42 hours.

BAUME & MERCIER CLIFTON GMT POWER RESERVE

Housed in a 43 mm steel case, this automatic watch features a deep blue dial that displays two time zones. The second date display is at 12 hours, the power reserve indicator at 6 hours, and the date display at 3 hours on a white background. It has a power reserve of 42 hours.

RICHARD MILLE AUTOMATIC RM 07-01 LADIES

PIAGET POLO TOURBILLON RELATIF 45 MM

This one-of-a-kind watch celebrates two occasions, the Chinese New Year and the 10th anniversary of the original Tourbillon Relatif movement. The ultra-thin carriage of the tourbillon makes a double evolution: one on itself every minute, and one around the dial every hour. The hours are indicated by the central disc, while the seconds are indicated by the carriage of the tourbillon.