Before we get down to the important features of the SIHH such as what I had for lunch each day and who drank all the chardonnay, I’d like to point out a little niggly element that bothered me during this important event.
It concerns that unfathomable enigma that appears to be worrying all and sundry - the economic crisis and there seems to be no end to the harbingers of the doom and gloom syndrome. Although exhibitors acknowledged a cautious and subdued optimism at the SIHH, it was abundantly clear for any visitor roving around the elegantly designed Salon, that the only important ingredient missing to make the event a resounding success was people.
Over the four days that I attended, there were two days when I had difficulty finding a seat for lunch (a true gauge if ever there was one) and that was the second and third day of the SIHH when there were approximately one thousand two hundred journalists in attendance. Of course it may have been purely and simply the voracious appetite of the press, or the attraction of the culinary delights set out before us (creamy squash and chestnut soup, morel mushroom en croÛte, smoked salmon, Thai chicken salad, sushi (yuk) etc.) but the fact is that we the press far outnumbered buyers on those days.

Panic or pessimism?
Be that as it may, the SIHH was conceived as the perfect ambience for both buying and selling and for eighteen years that has proved to be the case. This, the nineteenth year however, despite what you may have read or heard from the organizers and exhibitors, was morose. Even before the SIHH had opened its doors, news was on the streets that Cartier had put one hundred and sixty of its employees in its Villars-sur-GlÂne site in Switzerland on partial unemployment (employees receive a percentage of their salary from the state, but have to make themselves available for other full-time employment). That step is usually taken when a long downturn in the economy is expected. Since then news has filtered through that both Ebel and Zenith also have laid off employees.
One of the arguments that the leading luxury brands such as Cartier normally come up with is that because of their vast worldwide distribution, if one continent is in meltdown it will be balanced out by another that has either a bullish economy or has turned the proverbial corner. What bothers me most is given that Cartier introduced a minimum of a score of new timepieces ranging from the simple elegance of the new Baignoire to its inspired tourbillon, is the brand simply panicking, being overly pessimistic, or are retailers so overstocked? One thing is for sure, we won’t learn much from the brands concerned, there appears to be a moratorium on pertinent information.
Much to its credit, the Swatch Group, via Nick Hayek, will not be firing staff, stating that the brands shouldn’t try to please the stock exchange all the time by starting to dismiss people because revenue is down after years of vast profits.




CHRONOGRAPH from the Ralph Lauren Sporting Collection. Stainless steel watch equipped with a mechanical self-winding Calibre RL750 Manufacture movement by Jaeger-LeCoultre for Ralph Lauren. Black mat varnished dial with white Roman numerals and a railroad minute track, sword-shaped hands with white Superluminova, hours, minutes, seconds sub-dial at 6 o’clock, central chronograph hand, 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, 12-hour counter at 9 o’clock and date at 6 o’clock. Power reserve of 48 hours, water-resistant to 50 metres, stainless steel bracelet.


In the beginning …
My week began the afternoon of the Sunday, the day before the SIHH opened. I was lucky enough to get a one-on-one interview with both Ralph Lauren of Polo Ralph Lauren fame and Johann Rupert, the Executive Chairman of the Richemont Group - Compagnie FinanciÈre Richemont. Given the importance of that interview, we will be including it in the next issue of Europa Star, however, suffice it to say that the launch of the Ralph Lauren brand is a fifty-fifty partnership between the two organizations, negotiated, nurtured and brought to fruition by the two men themselves. Ralph Lauren has put his heart and soul into creating his first ‘timeless’ collection of watches using the mechanical movements created by the brands within the Richemont Group. To keep you happy, here is a foretaste of what you’ll be seeing … the Chronograph from the Ralph Lauren Sporting Collection. In the evening, Ralph Lauren hosted a epicurean soiree for some three hundred people at the Grand ThÉÂtre de GenÈve and a good time was had by all.





Now I’m going to be perfectly frank with you. I cannot for the life of me understand why Dunhill were at the SIHH. The first brand on the left after the entrance, the windows had nothing of interest except an old Dunhill Facet watch and the situation on the booth itself was no better since apart from the attractive, very British fixtures and fittings, there was an Alfred Dunhill Atmos Regulator Clock designed, manufactured and usually marketed by Jaeger-LeCoultre the manufacturer.
Having visited the stand in less time than it takes a mosquito to suck your blood, I asked the young lady at the booth’s reception desk if she had a press kit for the new watches. She looked rather blankly at me so I repeated my question. What I hadn’t realized was that she didn’t speak French, the language in which I asked the question. The second time around was not much better since not only were there no new watches, the only thing proffered was a single page of text within a Dunhill folder that informed me of the close liaison between Alfred Dunhill and Jaeger-LeCoultre entitled ‘Alfred Dunhill moves Timelessly.’
I’ll say it does, timelessly, silently and to all intents and purposes, hopelessly.
The contrary has to be said of Baume & Mercier. Once the sleeping giant of yore, the brand is right back on track, maintaining the dynamism that Michel Nieto and his team have brought to the brand – which includes a new bright and breezy reception area for their booth.
The press conference began with a film about the Hamptons, a summer resort on the far side of Long Island, which is a stone’s throw from Manhattan but a long swim if you’re coming from Europe. As charming as the film is, it is totally lost on a bunch of hard-nosed journalists, who, as a general rule, have editors’ deadlines looming. What we want to see are the watches, ideally in a very brief cinematic form then in a hands-on session.




CLASSIC XL OPEN BALANCE by Baume & Mercier


The raison d’Être for the Hamptons film is, as you are certainly aware, the Baume & Mercier collection of that name. One of the latest two handsome models is the Hampton Magnum XXL that checks in at 37.4 mm by a massive 48 mm and is equipped with an automatic ETA 7750 chronograph movement with a small seconds counter at 9 o’clock and a date aperture at 3 o’clock. The watch is in stainless steel and red gold, is water-resistant to 200 metres and has a ‘Soft Touch’ black alligator strap.
The other Hampton model is the Classic XL Open Balance, a stylish rectangular stainless steel watch powered by an automatic Soprod 2834-2BV movement. The XL size is in fact a comfortable 30 x 45.4 mm and the main feature of the model is the opening at 12 o’clock where the balance wheel can be seen working away to keep us informed about the time of day. However, the most interesting feature was the beautifully decorated opaline silvered dial with it’s lined guillochÉ dÉcor.
Frustratingly, the brand also showed us the new working models from the William Baume Collection which included an Ultra-thin (2.5 mm movement) model, a Retrograde seconds and Big Date watch, a single pushbutton chronograph and a Flying Tourbillon … none of which I can show you since photographs were not available.
The prices of these timepieces are all reasonable and my hunch is that Baume & Mercier will not be the worst affected sales-wise within the Richemont Group.




SPORT CHRONOGRAPH AUTOMATIC by Montblanc


Showtime
The reception area of the Montblanc booth was like a glittering show business venue, but the new collection of timepieces are what watchmaking is all about. The brand has come on leaps and bounds horologically in recent times.
In addition to the watches mentioned in the article ‘The SIHH during rough times’ by Pierre Maillard, if you’re into black, then the new Montblanc Sport Chronograph Automatic should give you a thrill. A no nonsense deep black look that will make you feel like an urban Rambo, this robust chronograph houses a Montblanc self-winding 4810/501 Calibre movement with a power reserve of 48 hours. For those of you who care about such things, the watch has 240 parts and probably has more moving parts than the latest Ferrari. There is a date window at 3 o’clock as well as 30-minute and 12-hour counters, small seconds at 9 o’clock and a central chronograph hand. The 44 mm diameter watch is in stainless steel with a black DLC coating and it is water-resistant to 200 metres.
The ladies haven’t been forgotten and the Star Eternal Lady in its various versions offers various diamond combinations that will leave your wife or mistress beaming with joy and her friends blinking from the glittering dials and diamond-set bezels. All in all, Montblanc was a feast for the eyes and a source of desire for the mechanical watch aficionado.




JARDIN ROMANTIQUE ANGLAIS by Van Cleef & Arpels
MIDNIGHT TOURBILLON ITALIEN DE LA RENAISSANCE by Van Cleef & Arpels


Poetry in motion
Now for something completely different: the poetic creations of Van Cleef & Arpels. In the last issue of Europa Star (6/2008) we heralded the arrival of the Une JournÉe À Paris watch. To this we now have to add four colourful ‘Jardin’ timepieces entitled Jardin À la FranÇaise, Jardin romantique Anglais, Jardin d’ExtrÉme-Orient and Jardin Italien de la Renaissance. These emblematic timepieces have a white gold case set with a diamond-set bezel, a grand feu enamel and mother-of-pearl dial depicting the various gardens and a mechanical quantiÈme movement that turns the botanically inspired disc full circle over 365 days.
In addition there is a collection of Midnight tourbillons that Van Cleef & Arpels claims Scott Fitzgerald’s fictional character The Great Gatsby would have worn. They may be right, but there’s nothing fictional about the imaginatively conceived dials that make these tourbillons different from all others. Without question, the brand will win over many friends with these creative watches aimed at both the ladies and the men.




ROTONDE SINGLE PUSH-PIECE TOURBILLON CHRONOGRAPH & DIAMOND-SET BAIGNOIRE by Cartier


You can always count on Cartier to produce some remarkable timepieces and this year was no different even if there is an air of gloom hanging over the employees at the Manufacture, and the word ‘Manufacture’ is an important one now since the brand is developing and manufacturing more of its own movements. This year’s collection was aimed mainly at the male of the species with more modern and ‘macho’ numbered watches of which my personal favourite is the Rotonde de Cartier single push-piece tourbillon chronograph with a 9431 MC caliber movement.
This particular movement however, was developed for Cartier by Renaud & Papi in 2005, but what a movement it is: dimensions: 11 1/2’’’ x 13 1/4’’’ (26.1 x 29.9 mm), thickness: 7.65 mm; number of jewels: 25; number of parts: 253; balance: 21,600 vibrations per hour and a 72-hour power reserve. All this comes in a platinum case with a circular-grained crown decorated with a cabochon sapphire and sapphire crystals front and back.
In stark contrast to the mechanical brilliance of the Rotonde, we have the stylish curved purity of the Baignoire watch. The simplest of the collection is in 18 carat yellow gold with a broad bezel, a silvered dial with sunray decoration, Roman numerals, a mauve brushed canvas strap and a quartz movement. The most sparkling model and perhaps the highlight of the collection is the large Baignoire in 18 carat white gold with 6.84 carats of diamonds spread around the bezel, dial and white gold bracelet. This stunning gem is equipped with a hand-wound mechanical Calibre 430 MC movement.
There are additional timepieces in the ladies’ collection with beautifully created animals as major elements superimposed on the bezel and dial as well as a new Santos Triple 100 (that’s the one where you turn the crown to change the dial), which has three possible combinations for the dial: an eagle’s head, a normal oversized Tank dial (white with black Roman numerals) and alternating lines of black and white diamonds. It looks far more interesting than the description, but I’m afraid the photo was not available at the time of going to press.




RADIOMIR TOUBILLON GMT by Panerai
LUMINOR CHRONO DAYLIGHT by Panerai


Lo spirito italiano
I have to admit that I have a soft spot for Panerai watches. Since the time it came onto the international watch scene with its big, bold, bravado look, it has changed the face (in this case not the dial but the horological landscape) of watchmaking to the point where most of the leading brands, and especially those at the SIHH, have a large, if not oversized model in their collections.
Some ten or so years ago, I wrote an article about Panerai called ‘Big is Beautiful’ in Europa Star. For once I wasn’t wrong and the company has continued successfully along its now well-established strategic path as far as their Luminor and Radiomir collections are concerned.
I asked Angelo Bonati, the brand’s CEO, how Panerai was coping with the current uncertainties and with a smile and a shrug replied, “We don’t really know. Luxury is democratic and therefore extensive. We’re paying this democracy and everybody has to pay something. As far as Panerai is concerned, we’re maintaining our established strategy because that way you pay less and take advantage of the positive situation. And we have an advantage because of our controlled production: the demand for our timepieces continues to be higher than our production.
“Our strategy,” Bonati continued, “is to follow our own path and not try to look for new opportunities such as diamond-set watches. We have one of the most beautiful products on the market, so why change?” And who’s going to argue with that?
Checking the latest available C.O.S.C figures (2007), they gave production statistics for Panerai at just over 43,000 timepieces. So if we make a calculated guesstimate, which has to take into consideration the fact that the brand is now effectively a Manufacture, then Panerai is probably producing today somewhere around fifty thousand timepieces a year. Which isn’t bad considering that the brand manufactures the movement to fit the cases, unlike many who make the watch to fit the movement. Panerai also manufactures the Ferrari watches – so their production figures would be augmented by those sales.
There is a new Luminor Marina Automatic 44mm in titanium and a Luminor 1959 Regatta Rattrapante 44mm that has been designed especially for the 2009 Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge. But the two that really caught my eye were the Lumino Chrono Daylight (44 mm) in titanium and the Radiomir Tourbillon GMT (48 mm) in 18 carat pink gold.
The Luminor Chrono Daylight has that typically solid Panerai look, yet it is relatively light since it is made from titanium. It has a pleasing blue dial with readable chronograph functions with an anti-reflective coating on the sapphire crystal. It is equipped with an automatic mechanical Panerai OP XII Calibre movement with a 46-hour power reserve, has water-resistance to 100 metres and comes with a blue alligator strap as in the photo or with a titanium bracelet. The Radiomir Tourbillon GMT in pink gold has a gloriously luxurious appearance but it is sturdy and sports an anti-shock device around its hand-wound mechanical Panerai P2005 Calibre movement. Hours, minutes, small seconds, second time zone and 24-hour indicator are seen through an anti-reflective 1.9 mm thick currundum crystal and the tourbillon is visible through the sapphire crystal caseback. Water-resistant to 100 metres if you do immerse yourself wearing a gold watch, it comes with an alligator strap. If you’ve got the pennies, go for it. Personally, I’m still trying to get a discount somewhere.
The Leonardo da Vinci name has been frequently in the news in recent years (book and film) and the Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar should ensure that the new timepiece by IWC keeps it there. This model is the first perpetual calendar and flyback chronograph that displays date and month in digital displays in apertures just above the 9 and 3 o’clock positions, There is also a leap year indicator. Available in platinum or 18 carat rose gold (44 x 52.8 mm), the watch is equipped with the new 89800 Calibre automatic movement comprising 474 components giving a power reserve of 68 hours. The energy for the automatic winding of the month and date discs is simultaneously accumulated in a spring using a specially developed ‘quick-action’ switch. The result is that at the end of the month when the spring is at maximum tension, the switch jumps back and advances the display discs – including the leap year if necessary. Needless to say, the chronograph functions without affecting the watch’s rate.




AQUATIMER CHRONOGRAPH EDITION GALAPAGOS ISLANDS (red gold) by IWC


IWC’s Aquatimer, first introduced in 1967, has taken on a new look and goes to new depths – one of the models has been tested to a depth of 2000 metres. The new models are the Aquatimer 2000, Aquatimer Deep two, the Aquatimer Chronograph, the Aquatimer Chronograph Edition Galapagos Islands, and for the diver who has everything he requires but wants to impress the aquatic vertebrates, there’s an 18 carat red gold version that may also help to keep the loan sharks at bay.
Remarkably virile, these timepieces are directed at the genuine underwater professionals and those fanatics that like to film fish instead of eating them. They all have rotating bezels for deep-diving timing, automatic movements and luminescent coatings for good underwater reading.
A final point that can’t be praised highly enough, IWC give part of the proceeds of sales of the Aquatimer Chronograph Edition Galapagos Islands goes to the Charles Darwin Foundation on the Galapagos Islands.




LIMELIGHT ‘SECRET’ WATCH by Piaget
PIAGET POLO TOURBILLON RELATIF by Piaget


Shopping in Paradise
As has become the custom, Piaget introduced a fine selection of new watches for both the ladies and the men and when the ladies’ watches were not in their showcases, they could be found on the wrists of a couple of exquisite models who created a desire that went far beyond pure horology.
In the new Limelight Paradise Collection, in which Piaget aims to create ‘A desire to set off towards far horizons, to dip into the deep blue of Southern seas and to prove that emotions are much more than skin deep …’ we discover the Limelight ‘Secret’ watch in 18 carat white gold with a swivelling top decorated with mother-of-pearl, brilliant-cut yellow sapphires and diamonds and opens up to reveal a neat diamond-set dial surrounded by a sea of mother-of-pearl. Equipped with a Piaget 56P quartz movement, this exotic timepiece comes with a white satin strap and an 18 carat white gold pin buckle set with 51 brilliant-cut diamonds.
Having spent a small fortune on that piece, the man would probably go for the yachting-inspired Piaget Polo Tourbillon Relatif in 18 carat white gold, grand feu enamelling with engraved sailing boats as its decorative feature. Equipped with a Piaget 608P mechanical hand-wound flying tourbillon movement, the minute hand, which obviously completes one rotation in an hour, has the tourbillon carriage suspended from it which spins once per minute on its own axis.
This Limited Edition of a mere three pieces has a very nautical dial on which the four cardinal points of the compass appear in place of the 3, 6, 9 and 12 Roman numerals.
To celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of Piaget’s sporty Polo collection the brand has revamped its appearance with the FortyFive Collection which has four models in titanium and uses the brand’s manufacture-made Calibres 800P and 880P. The FortyFive chronograph with large date at 12 o’clock and a crown, pushpieces and strap combining titanium and black rubber, give the timepieces a trendy yet subtle modern appearance.
There are several new watches in the mechanical watches collection, but the outstanding model has to be the Piaget Emperador cousin regulator. A dashing combination of 18 carat pink gold and blue dial with a retrograde seconds counter at 12 o’clock, hour sub-dial at 6 o’clock and a central minute hand gives the watch both a busy, yet elegant appearance. The watch is equipped with a Manufacture 835P mechanical hand-wound movement with a 65-hour power reserve. It’s going to be a very good year for Piaget.




LADY KALLA FLAME by Vacheron Constantin


Diamond mine for sale
Finally, a watch that will bring tears to the envious eyes of lapidaries and create echos within the empty safes of investment bankers: the Lady Kalla Flame by Vacheron Constantin. Using a newly created cut for a diamond (the first for around twenty years) the ‘Flame Cut’, the voluptuous stone with non-parallel curves has 57 facets and creates a magnificent spectacle of lustrous luminosity and shimmering movement worthy of it’s reasonable price of just over half a million euros.
However, and it’s a big however, this all pales alongside Vacheron’s MÉtiers d'Art Kallania, a white gold watch set with 186 emerald cut diamonds (approximately 170 carats, making it the watch with the highest diamond caratage ever made) and equipped with a Calibre 1003, manual winding movement showing hours and minutes.
As they say, if you have to ask the price, you can’t afford it and since I knew I couldn’t, I did, if you follow my drift: The Kallania goes for a cool 5 millions euros. You could probably buy Iceland for less.


Source: Europa Star February-March 2009 Magazine Issue