It is January, the beginning of a new year, and that can only mean one thing for us watch enthusiasts: SIHH! It is hard to find an overarching theme for this year’s show, but there seems to be something for everybody. There are lots of new high-end watches, such as the A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk Minute Repeater and the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication. But there are also an equal number of more affordable pieces, especially from Montblanc, such as the Meisterstuck Heritage Chronometrie and Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum. Join us as we take a look at some of the interesting pieces that debuted at this year’s SIHH.
SIHH aside, another thing that was on the mind of many is the sudden removal of the cap of the Swiss Franc’s value against the Euro. This took everyone by surprise and led to a surge in the value of the Swiss Franc – which should, theoretically, hurt exports. Considering the general haziness and uncertainty surrounding the industry, it remains to be seen how brands would react to this and what effect it will have on the industry as a whole and in the long term.
1. Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication Watch For 2015 Hands-On
Jaeger-LeCoultre, also fondly referred to as La Grande Maison, is capable of some extraordinary feats of horology. This year they presented one of them in their updated Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication watch, now in pink gold and a new dial design. The Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication features a flying tourbillon that makes one revolution of the dial every sidereal day, a minute repeater, and a sky chart. It’s technical, beautiful, and romantic all at once – see our hands-on for more details.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
2. Unexpected Benefits Of Buying Watches From Authorized Dealers And Brand Boutiques
Consumers like to get the most out of their money, and for many watch collectors, this means getting their pieces from the grey market and not brand boutiques or authorized dealers. If we are just looking at pure prices, it is hard to beat the grey market dealers. The reasons are numerous and have been covered elsewhere on this blog. But did you know that there are some unexpected benefits of buying from authorized dealers and brand boutiques, apart from having peace of mind and the sheer experience? We tell you what some of these perks are.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
3. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15400SR Two-Tone Watch Hands-On
Last year, Audemars Piguet debuted its totally revamped Royal Oak Offshore watches (hands-on here). This year, the brand is turning its attention back to the Royal Oak and giving it the two-tone treatment. New for this year, the larger 41mm Reference 15400 will now be offered in steel and pink gold, which gives it a very bold look that is unlike any modern Royal Oak. I didn’t quite like it at first, but I think it grows on you. Take a look at it here.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
4. Girard-Perregaux Tri-Axial Tourbillon In White Gold Hands-On
One of the most impressive pieces that we have seen at SIHH 2015 is Girard-Perregaux’s Tri-Axial Tourbillon. This is not a brand new watch, however. It was actually launched last year, but Girard-Perregaux has updated that model and is now available in white gold and has a newly designed dial. The end result is a very technical looking watch – it looks as if it was designed to be worn by men in white lab coats. Even though it is not new, the tri-axial tourbillon, which rotates at three different speeds, is still a grand feat in watchmaking.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
5. Richard Mille RM 19-02 Tourbillon Fleur Watch Hands-On
Richard Mille makes some of the craziest watches, the RM 35-01 Rafael Nadal NTPT Carbon watch is a good example of what can happen when Richard Mille takes things to the most extreme. And one of their standout pieces at SIHH 2015 is actually a woman’s watch. I’m referring to the RM 19-02 Tourbillon Fleur. Sure, the diamonds might not be to everyone’s tastes, but that tourbillon and that opening magnolia is just mesmerizing to behold.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
6. TOP 10 Watches Of SIHH 2015
SIHH 2015 saw 16 brands exhibit their newest and latest watches of the year. Understandably, trying to keep track of all the new releases is tough, so to help you keep up to date with all the latest happenings, here is our pick of the top 10 watches from this year’s show.
Source: aBlogtoWatch