Enjoying Flowers In The Mist——SIHH/BASEL of 2008
Every year we have BASEL/SIHH, as for watches presenting on these two exhibitions, each one is a rare flower. SIHH/BASEL of 2008 were still with features of complex functions and jewelry. There were more sports watch editions than last year. A perfect combination of mechanics and jewelry, the R&D of movements with complex functions, an integration of multi materials, magic semblance design with high-tech movement, all of which are just so flourishing that you cannot stop walking towards to them.
However, when it came to an end and you sat down to have an overview, you would find that most of them seem to be quite familiar and just as what you saw yesterday. Comparing with last year, what made us impressive is that there are fewer new designs and new products. 2008 still followed the same way as 2007—classical, although some brands enriched their products by creating new series, most of which just changed the semblance. Maybe explanations from SIHH will attract you: the R&D of parts of products have not been finished yet, plus that the holding time of SIHH will be changed to January, when there will be a perfect show. Such expectations will make you pleased to wait for the perfect moment and neglect what we have currently.
In recent years, the international watch market has experienced a rapid development, making high-end watch demand so prosperous. The R&D groups under cultivation and development of every watch manufacturer have to spend more time than before to complete the current orders, and it gets in the way of the R&D of new products, which maybe one reason for few new products from every watch manufacture these years.
SIHH/BASEL of 2008 seems to be middle-of-road, but they foretell the trend of watch market in future years from another point of view. Because of the well-known movement supply problem, numerous watch manufactures will adjust their business strategies in the future, and it is the trend that they will work on transformation successively. Plus the impacts of increasing exchange rate of Euro and depreciation of USD on watch markets, it is inevitable that the price of watch will go up. Let us wait and see how these things will affect the current watch markets.
Things happen tomorrow can be only known tomorrow. At this moment, let go back to what we got here and have a look at what is new in SIHH/BASEL of 2008.
SIHH
IWC
Jaeger-LeCoultre
Reverso Gyrotourbillon 2
Jaeger-LeCoultre will never make you disappointed. No matter how the watch markets change, Jaeger-LeCoultre has been always focusing on what he likes without any hesitance. The less gorgeous SIHH/BASEL of 2008 was not so dull just because they had Reverso Gyrotourbillon 2.
Four years ago, Gyrotourbillon came to meet with us, which completely overthrew the assemble rule of watch mechanics, surprising the whole world. Today, four years later, the great watch makers from Jaeger-LeCoultre chose the rotary case of Reverso to carry this high-tech innovation. Gyrotourbillon 2 has the big size golden balance wheel which can anti shake, the inertia of which could reach 12.5 mgxcm2 and the frequency for that is 28,800times per hour, thus reducing the displacement error caused by impact on movement more accurately. They added hot coating to curved round spring at the end, making it own the blue steel color as minute and hand second and dynamic storage hand. In addition, accurate hollow out design is used on swinging mounting, which is not only elegant but also reducing weight, consisting with the capability and beauty which Jaeger-LeCoultre always insist in. the reversible case and rotary tourbillion perform the techincs of watch making quite well.
Panerai
Luminor 1950 Chrono Monopulsante
the Panerai Luminor 1950 Titanium
The Luminor 1950 Chrono Monopulsante presented by Panerai this year uses the classical Luminor 1950 case of 44mm diameter, assembling with self-made and complex mechanical movement P.2004. The material for case is titanium alloy of V level, which is the most difficult metal to mold and polish, and it is slight, strong and with low sensitivity.
P.2004 is the first Chrono movement which designed and produced by factory of Panerai in Neuchatel. With the 8 days dynamic storage manual winding movement, the linear indicator which can show left running time, the second timezone indicator of 24hours, Zero-Setting Mechanism, and Chrono Monopoussoir with Column wheel and friction clutch.
The distinctive feature of this edition is the second hand, different from most chronometers nowadays, this edition does not use two buttons, but only one. You can start, stop and reset the central hand just by press continually.
This edition becomes more practical combining with the function of dual time. And the traditional sandwich dial has become the symbol for Panerai. The brown dial looks peaceful and elegant, giving you a kind and comfortable feeling.
Audemars Piguet
Millenary Black White
There are two new members from Audemars Piguet Millenary series in 2008. The use of high quality steel and black and white makes it get rid of proud and becomes so modern. the combination of Arabic Numbers and markers of Roman numerals on the non-central dial is not immethodical at all, but the markers of Arabic numbers of different sizes makes the dial more vividly.
Audemars Piguet Millenary Black & White Ladies Watches
Baume&Mercier
Iléa
Iléa is the new edition from Baume & Mercier this year, meaning the circulation of time. Sensible and round case reflects the charming time with soft styling. The name of Iléa has contained the soul of watch, gathering kindness, noble, elegance and dynamic. And it also displays time in a soft and graceful way, which means that female can also control their time. Regardless of diamond setting or steel shell editions, they are all with fragrance and elegance. Just like flowers blossoming brilliantly, what new Iléa pays a tribute to is the magnificent and perpetual female softness.
BASEL
Maurice Lacroix
Mémoire 1
Maurice Lacroix surprised us a lot this year. The innovate R&D centre consisting of talents showed the world a masterpiece just at the beginning of 2008—
Mémoire 1, which was under development for two years. This is the first mechanical watch owning the function of memory in the world, therefore, the time can be memorized in a mechanical way. Maurice Lacroix set up a landmark in the Swiss watch development course with this edition.
The functions of showing time and chrono are together, and the switch button can help you realize them. The display setting which is at “3”reveals the secret for us: as long as you press the button embedded in the head, the watch will change from “time” to “chrono”, and the hands and 24 hour Rotating dial will change into “chrono” accordingly and start to work. If you press it again, the hands and the rotating dial will return to “time” and continue with the work. But meanwhile, the “chrono” is still going on, and keep record of the time you need. During the process, you can feel free to change these two working models again and again and neither of them will be affected. Regardless of showing time or chrono, either of them can guarantee the accuracy.
One thing I need to mention here is that, Mémoire 1 only have two hands, just for minute and second, and the rotating dial can work as hour hand. From the outside, you can see the design is quite simple, but actually its movement consists of 537 spare parts and the structure is very complex. Simple display setting together with complex functions is what the R&D development center wanted originally. Science and technology can not only simplify our life but also bring us more convenience. One can’t have one’s cake and eat it, too? Is it the truth when it comes to Mémoire 1?
Movado
This year, Movado will present a brand new series——Red Label. To celebrate the birth of this series, Movado specially presented three editions of Red Label mechanical watch, which are with a special pattern and rare watch cases treasured up in the museum: Museum Tourbillon, Museum Minute Repeater and Museum Tourbillon Retrograde. They all keep the art elements of Museum watch case, which are round spot at 12 o’clock position, delicate and parallel hands and exquisite red markers. The new add of these three editions has brought more complex functions to Movado.
Tags: BASEL, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Panerai, SIHH