Just as I am running out of the house in my usual whirlwind of activity to catch the train to Geneva, and the first day of the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, SIHH, the postman appears with a parcel to sign for. I hesitate, should I continue to rush for the train, or take a minute to reception this unexpected gift? Curiosity gets the better of me and I sign, grab the parcel and start to run.
On the train, I collapse into a seat, panting, and open the box. Inside is a brand new watch from Philip Stein for me to test. It couldn’t be better timing as a) in the hurry to get out of the house, I had completely forgotten to put on a watch and b) this is one of those watches that gives off magnetic frequencies to give you more energy, help sleep, reduce stress and help you recover from strenuous exercise – I put it on straight away; it is going to come in handy for a busy week at the watch shows.

From shopping to racing
The efficiency of the Swiss train system is, as always, irreproachable and I arrive in the coffee-coloured interior of the SIHH for what seems like a serious day of shopping at a high-class mall, not a day working at a trade show! But things were soon to change as my first appointment with Audemars Piguet entailed a Formula 1 racing experience in a simulator on the brand’s stand. With a 180-degree screen, headphones and moving seat I sat down, fingers crossed, hoping that I wouldn’t embarrass myself by being sick! It was one and a half minutes of flying around a racetrack so fast that I felt the G-force even if there wasn’t any. The racing experience was to highlight the new Grand Prix Royal Oak Offshore Collection that is going to be released on the tracks of the Formula 1 next season, starting in Bahrain in March 2010. A mix of racing inspired materials such as forged carbon, black ceramic, aluminium and sand-blasted titanium, along with an inverted tapisserie dial (with indented squares, instead of the usual chocolate chunks) that is reminiscent of a car’s cooling scoop, make this collection seriously sporty. This high-tech model is powered by Audemars Piguet’s proprietary 3126/3840 calibre, which is a self winding chronograph with 60-hour power reserve and shock resistance.




FRUITZ by Philip Stein
GRAND PRIX ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE Collection by Audemars Piguet


Richard Mille and the girls
In the racing mood, I decided to visit one of the newcomers to the fair this year, Richard Mille. The brand won the Best ladies’ Watch at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in Singapore, with its RM019 tourbillon. I didn’t really see the appeal of the timepiece at first, with its black onyx movement plate and interlaced diamond Celtic knot, but seeing the watch in the flesh was a whole different experience. In fact, I was to discover that Richard Mille has a selection of women’s pieces that combine all Mille’s strong design elements, without being overly masculine.
There is only one real test to know whether you really like a watch or not and that is, “Would you wear it?” And I was surprised to find myself saying “yes” to a whole wall of Mille’s RM007 ladies pieces.




RM007 by Richard Mille
PASHA SQUELETTE PANTHÈRE by Cartier


A dream job at Cartier
One of the highlights of this year’s show was meeting Mr. Pierre Rainero, Cartier’s Director for Style, Image and Heritage. This is the gentleman that has the mighty task of choosing which designs are in keeping with the Cartier style and which ones aren’t. In fact, every Friday all the brand’s designers present their work for his seal of approval. Quite the job, but don’t bother sending in your curriculum vitae, Mr. Rainero has 25 years of experience working in Cartier’s archives department and knows the brand better than anyone else.
He is a fascinating gentleman to talk with and his love for Cartier’s heritage is contagious. Did you know for example that Cartier has three centres of archives in Paris, London and New York and that they have kept everything from drawings, glass plates (over 45,000 in all), photographs (since 1906 every piece has been photographed life size), models, press clippings, catalogues and even films where Cartier is featured? I am trying very hard to get myself invited on a tour, but as jeweller to the world’s royalty and celebrities, you need special clearance.
Another interesting fact is that Cartier has a collection of over 1,360 pieces that it has bought back to complete the record of its history. “There is nothing better than an original piece to record Cartier’s work” explains Rainero. This collection of necklaces, tiaras, brooches, timepieces and clocks is enough to open a nice museum in Paris, but Rainero decided to go one better than that. “I was against creating a museum because it can only ever be in one place and a museum gives the notion of past versus present”. So instead he loans the collection to cultural organisations around the world. From locations such as Saint Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum to London’s British Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and most recently the Forbidden City in Beijing - which attracted over 100,000 visitors alone – the exhibitions are pulling in the crowds more than a museum ever could and as they present current pieces too, people can see that the story continues.
A couple of days later, when I was sitting in the Cartier press conference discovering all the latest pieces, I couldn’t help smile when thinking that all these pieces (and there were a ton, see Pierre Maillard’s report in this issue) had been approved by The Director of Style. As you will see he is a busy man!

Happy Birthday Baume & Mercier
One of the surprises at Baume & Mercier this year was that the company is celebrating its 180th anniversary. Like most people, I am sure, I had no idea that the brand had been around quite so long. The company has decided to focus on this history, and quite rightly so, as consumers are now feeling more reassured when purchasing from a company that has a solid and secure past.
If you are a Facebook fan, check out the company’s fan page where you will find short films of Mrs. Simone Gaudard, the great-grand daughter of Baume & Mercier’s founder, who recounts some beautiful tales from her watchmaking family. As for the brand’s new products, its offering is condensed and focused this year with emphasis on the Classima Executives Collection. Five new models join the line up with beautiful horological finishings such as ‘barleycorn’ guilloché, blued screws, open dials with views on the oscillating balance, exhibition case backs, Côtes de Genève decoration as well as circular grained bridges - all at extremely competitive prices.

Van Cleef & Arpels rocks the show
One of the questions that everyone asks each other during a trade show is “Have you seen anything interesting?” Journalists ask the retailers, the retailers ask the distributors, the brands ask the journalists. It’s a hot subject. And everyone was talking about Van Cleef & Arpels this year. The company really did outdo itself with dozens of new models that combine the best metiers d’arts around – enamelling, engraving, marquetry, mother-of-pearl work, stone setting – it was all there. The highlight had to be the Pont des Amoureux (featured in Europa Star’s last issue 6/2009) in contre jour enamel. Take a look at our report on enamel in this issue for some fantastic photography on the brands latest pieces.

Delaneau gets the investment it deserves
A few years ago, I remember visiting DeLaneau in its workshops under St. Pierre’s Cathedral in the old town of Geneva and receiving a hand made press kit. As the purse strings were tight, the DeLaneau team had spent hours photographing the timepieces, printing the pages and sewing burgundy ribbons onto the folders. It was beautiful, like everything else DeLaneau produces, but times were hard. This year’s visit to the company couldn’t have been more different. Firstly, I turn up at the company’s workshops, as in previous years, to find out that I am in the wrong place. I should be at the boutique! Boutique? Yes, DeLaneau has a new boutique in Geneva and there are plans for more, thanks to a new investor who has injected enough money to put this niche brand on the map. For years, DeLaneau has been creating incredible complications just for women, but they were making very small quantities and few people knew much about the company. But now, they will be able shout and sing from the rooftops to women the world over.




CLASSIMA EXECUTIVE collection by Baume & Mercier
ORBITAL TOURBILLON by Jean Dunand


Jean Dunand and the big secret
It is always a joy to see Thierry Oulevay, Jean Dunand’s Co-Founder (the other half being Christophe Claret, as you know) as he always has such sublime products on show. This year was no exception with trays of new Orbital Tourbillon dials in different exotic materials whose names are so rare that my dictionary doesn’t even know how to spell them. One was an opal that was so iridescent it made me wonder if Claret hadn’t installed a system of micro lights under the dial! Photographed here is a new model, with black diamonds and black baguettes. The big news is that a new collection is being released in Basel in March. Apparently, there was a prototype hidden in the drawer, but no amount of begging, even with bribes of Greubel Forsey chocolate, were going to get me access. So I guess I’m going to have to wait until Spring.




LYS by Delaneau
JUMPING HOURS by Bovet


Bovet – the ultimate accessory
It was no ordinary appointment at Bovet Fleurier as I was put straight to work disassembling the strap of the latest Amadeo model. Just a couple of manoeuvres and, hey presto, I had turned their Amadeo timepiece into a desk clock, another click and it became a pocket watch, without the use of any tools. However, it doesn’t stop there, the watch can also be converted into a pendant timepiece, a kimono watch, a brooch watch, a dashboard clock or even reversed to display a minature painting (with hour and minute hands) on the back. Bovet’s President and CEO, Pascal Raffy, has been working on the design for over seven years and the result is impressive. All Bovet Fleurier collections will be going convertible this year, including all the company’s complications.

Parmigiani’s Atelier Collection goes on the road
Passing the windows of Parmigiani’s booth, an unusual Kalparisima timepiece with a painted cloud dial caught my eye. Next to it was an equally unusual Kalpagraph with hand painted sub dials that looked like genuine leather. This is the Atelier Collection which tours the world at different Parmigiani events. None of the timepieces are available in the brand’s points of sale, so a visit to one of their events is the only way to procure one of these exquisite pieces. It is an interesting concept and is intended to highlight the brand’s amazing savoir-faire. The next event will be in Switzerland’s St Moritz for the White Turf horse racing on a frozen lake. Europa Star will be there to follow the event and see the Atelier Collection on tour, so stay tuned on www.europastar.com.





LA SYMBOLIQUE DES LAQUES collection by Vacheron Constantin


Vacheron Constantin and Japanese legends
Rumours have been circulating that one of the secrets in the making of maki-e Japanese lacquer dials is to put them on a small boat and send them out onto a lake to dry. We are obviously talking about a small Japanese mountain lake and not the Lac Léman! So when I had the opportunity to talk with Mr. Nishimura Hikobei, owner of the 350-year old Japanese lacquer workshop from Kyoto called Zôhiko that is making the new dials for Vacheron Constantin’s new Métiers d’art – La Symbolique des laques collection, I just had to ask him if it was true. Unfortunately, it is only a legend, although he did tell me that the whole family has to make themselves scarce when it is drying time, which is romantic in its own way. You can imagine the children knocking on the window “Can we come back in now, Dad?”
The timepieces are sublime. Three subjects explore the theme of ‘The Three Friends of Winter’: the pine tree and the crane; bamboo and the sparrow; and the plum tree and the nightingale. Like the Masques Collection, all three pieces are sold as a set with no more than 20 sets made of each.
When Vacheron Constantin’s CEO, Charles Torres, was asked which one he liked best, he answered “The next series!” These CEOs, they always know how to keep us wanting more, don’t they?




KALPAGRAPH SAVANE by Parmigiani
KING SQUARE COLLECTION by Roger Dubuis


Roger Dubuis, post-Dias
Since Carlos Dias left the Manufacture Roger Dubuis, things have been quietly subdued. This year saw a series of line extensions for the EasyDiver, Escaliber and King Square ranges with some nicely redesigned dials, but nothing crazy like in previous years.
Admittedly, the days of launching 16 movements in one show are over, but hopefully the new management will keep the cutting-edge style and design that is synonymous with the Roger Dubuis name alive. In any case, I bet the company’s designers just can’t wait to be let loose on the next adventure.

Lightening strikes the Geneva Time Exhibition
It was at the GTE that I met Yvan Arpa, ex-CEO of Romain Jérôme, for the very first time, tucking into the juiciest of oranges. After his famous Titanic watch, he now has two highly original projects on the go at the same time. The first is the Black Belt Watch, only available to martial art enthusiasts who have reached the level of black belt. (It is becoming so in demand that a company has sprung up on-line offering fake black belt certification!). The second project, Artya, is a collection of watches whose cases have been struck by lightening. Take a look at the film on http://artya.luxury-artpieces.com. Each piece is not only unique due to its particular reaction to the lightening, but the dials display original contemporary art created by Arpa’s wife Dominique Arpa-Cirkpa. Such originality is rare, I remind myself to eat more oranges!




COUP DE FOUDRE by Artya
BLACK BELT WATCH


Valbray interprets the camera aperture feature
The camera aperture feature isn’t new to watchmaking, in fact looking at Valbray’s V.01 collection makes you immediately think of de Grisogono’s Occhio minute repeater. But, all that aside, Valbray has done a rather nice job of keeping things simple with an opening and closing system that reveals and conceals a chronograph dial at the push of a button. The diaphragm feels perfectly smooth when manipulated and has apparently been put through more tests than a piece of Ikea furniture! This grade five titanium chronograph is based on the automatic Valjoux movement with a fully redesigned rotor with ceramic ball bearings and a 44-hour power reserve. Retailing for around 14,000 CHF, it is a touch cheaper than the Occhio too.

Steenman captures the crowds
There was a lot of buzz around the Steenman stand at the GTE as Dick Steenman (featured in Europa Star 6/2009) presented his trilogy of timepieces inspired by the sea. The collection of unique pieces christened Makai, which is Hawaiian for ‘towards the sea’, showcases the amazing crafts that Steenman has to offer. The Deep Blue piece with its engraved dial depicting a coral bed seemed to catch everyone’s eye. Steenman will be working on other collections this year that will be even more suited to retail distribution. We will keep you informed

Piaget and all that jazz
It is always a treat to visit Piaget’s stand during the SIHH with its mix of fine jewellery and beautiful horology. This year was no exception with a selection of timepieces and jewellery from the brand’s Jazz Collection and ultra-flat movements galore (See Europa Star 6/2009). Two Limelight Secret jewellery watches with designs based on piano keys were beautifully showcased between the brand’s jewellery collections (See our sister magazine Couture International Jewellery), but the star had to be the Limelight watch with its spinning diamond loops on the front of the dial that spun like fireworks at the flick of the wrist. The watch is equipped with a 56P quartz movement, which is ideal for ladies, but it would be cool if Piaget could turn it into a rotor for an automatic movement – just a thought.




JAZZ Collection by Piaget
MAKAI by Steenman


The return of the clock – Panerai
We have been infatuated with watches for the last thirty years now, but I think it is time for the good old clock to make a comeback too. With no limits on physical space, clocks can go places, do things, a watch never could. So what a joy it was to discover Panerai’s Jupiterium on the brand’s stand. This plan-etarium clock has the earth in the centre with the other celestial bodies moving around it in real time. The scene is enclosed in a glass globe, that itself is in a glass box, and is studded with SuperLuminova stars that shine at night. A clock is located in the mahogany base with hours, minutes, seconds, am/pm display and 40-hour power reserve indicator. With an incredible 1,476 parts, this extraordinary mechanical clock and planetarium highlight the technical skills of the Italian brand.

So as a busy week comes to a close, I am feeling on top form, positive and excited for part two of show season in Basel in March. Whether this is due to all the fantastic watches that I have just seen, the confidence the industry’s players have been sharing that things are on the upturn, or the super frequencies emitted from my Philip Stein watch, it is difficult to tell! One thing that is certain though, the watch industry is focused, it is alert and it is making better watches than it ever did and that is definitely a good thing.


Source: Europa Star February-March 2010 Magazine Issue