Watches and Wonders Geneva is upon us again as the city of Geneva hosts the premiere affair. The watch fair, which runs from 27 March to 2 April, will see media and trade partners jetting in from the world over as major luxury watch brands prepare to unveil vitrines filled with masterpieces and showstoppers.
A total of 48 Maisons will be exhibiting at Watches and Wonders Geneva, with the physical format now in its sophomore year this year after the pandemic years. We expect a much larger crowd than last year now that travel has more or less returned to normalcy. The introduction of public days will bring greater buzz to the fair and city as the last two days (1st and 2nd April) will let tourists and locals in on the action.
As with every impending watch fair, speculation about what the big boys will bring to the table is rife. Forums, Telegram groups, and Instagram comments sections will be buzzing with hopes and predictions (or even leaks, yikes!). Perhaps we will join in on the predictions, too, sans controversy.
A Year of Integration
Vacheron Constantin’s Overseas Chronograph with the highly popular panda dial and integrated bracelet
The integrated bracelet took the watch world by storm as watch brands from all rungs released pieces equipped with the bracelet. A seamless transition from the watch case makes the integrated bracelet a joy on the wrist, and we do not expect it to fizzle out anytime soon. Perhaps more experimentation on the bracelet material will come to the fore, and it is one we are hoping to see.
Colour Picker
Piaget and their new Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin
Forest, olive, emerald, and seafoam are just four of the many shades of green dials that took the market by storm not too long ago. And how can we forget the spillover effect of the eminent Tiffany blue? Predicting the next vogue dial colour was not a thing of the past, but we will throw our votes into the hat: purple. A deep shade of aubergine or grape will look classy, while lavender or lilac will instantly freshen up a women’s watch.
Blast from the Past
The Cartier Tank Française released earlier this year
Taking a leaf from archive records is always a good strategy when a brand wants to stay within its lanes while pushing boundaries at the same time. It offers brands a ready-made canvas instead starting from scratch. All that is left is refining ergonomics and dimensions to fit contemporary tastes, throw in a complication or two, and voila! A new novelty is born. Of course, it is not as straightforward as that, but you get the drift — dig deep into your historical records for interesting finds and breathe new life into them.
Chaotic Beauty
The highly complex Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Calibre 945
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder; at times, some revel in having two or more complications housed on the watch. While many brands exercise discernment and order to great effect, it becomes too overwhelming for viewers at some point. That is not to say such watches are not good because they display a Maison’s technicity and mastery, but it might not be everyone’s cup of tea. A perpetual calendar has a minimum of four sub-indicators to display the day, date, month, leap year, and moonphase; throw in a chronograph and a skeletonised dial, and suddenly a lot is going on. Who knows what this year brings, but one thing’s for sure, housing two or three complications will still be a thing.
Material Innovation
Hublot will be presenting another round of novelties after unveiling the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Tourbillon 5-Day Power Reserve Purple Sapphire at LVMH Watch Week 2023
Time and time material innovation is on the cards. With technology advancing at such a pace, watch brands are pushing the boundaries of what they can offer. Make no mistake, manufacturing facilities these days utilise state-of-the-art technology and machinery that rival even the best in class. Expect exotic composite cases or even game-changing alloys in watch calibres. This is a wide bet but one that will hit the bullseye no matter how poor your aim is.
Once you are done with this story on Watches and Wonders Geneva 2023: Preview and Predictions, click here to catch up with our March 2023 issue.
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