In this age of digital information, watch companies try to get ahead of the competition by releasing news on new timepieces ahead of the big watch fairs.
This year is no different, and in honor of the upcoming 29th edition of the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), which opens its doors on January 14, 2019, we present you with an overview of some of the new models that have been revealed already.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon Enamel
Issued in a limited series of 100 pieces, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s new Master Ultra Thin Moon Enamel proudly revisits the brand’s round dress watch by giving it a new character by means of a captivating hand-guilloche blue enamel dial, updated hour markers, a revised moon, and a new – and very attractive – engraved frame around the subdial housing the moon phase and seconds.
For more on this watch, please see Jaeger-LeCoultre’s New Master Ultra Thin Moon Enamel: Pure Lines And Perfect Proportions.
Quick Facts Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon Enamel
Case: white gold, 39 x 10.04 mm
Movement: automatic Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 925/2, 70-hour power reserve
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds; date, moon phase
Limitation: 100 pieces
Price: $35,800
Hermès Arceau 78
Even though this fresh model is quartz-driven it is a visually interesting variation on the classic Arceau, which made its debut in 1978 as one of the first lines of the then-newly founded La Montre Hermès in Switzerland. Though the line is 40 years old, this 40 mm Arceau version demonstrates that it has the ability to look as modern as any new watch.
For more on it, please see The New Hermès Arceau 78: Aesthetic, Modern, Understated . . . And Galloping.
Quick Facts Hermès Arceau 78
Case: stainless steel, 40 mm
Functions: hours, minutes; date
Movement: quartz
Price: $3,250/€2,700/CHF 3,150
Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Tourbillon Sky Chart
This one-of-a-kind Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers timepiece continues a line of recent offerings from this very traditional producer of unique pieces from the most demanding department in the factory. It follows in the wake of the Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication 3600, which took home the Mechanical Exception prize at the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, and the recent Mécaniques Sauvages collection of one-of-a-kind pieces.
Aside from its complicated mechanical capabilities, the visual aesthetics of this timepiece are powerful with a jet-black hand-guilloche dial, large tourbillon nestled within its Maltese cross-shaped carriage visible in the cutaway at 6 o’clock, and addition of sparkling (though understated) baguette-cut diamonds.
This unique-piece minute repeater remains so clean thanks to the astronomical functions being relegated to the case back, which is hand-engraved with a luminescent sky chart depicting the heavens over the Northern Hemisphere.
Quick Facts Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Tourbillon Sky Chart
Case: white gold, 45 x 15.1 mm, bezel and lugs set with 112 baguette-cut diamonds (approx. 5.8 ct), case back hand-engraved with luminescent sky chart
Dial: black hand-guilloche center segment, baguette-cut diamond hour markers
Movement: manually wound Caliber 2755 with one-minute tourbillon, approx. 58-hour power reserve, 18,000 vph/2.5 Hz frequency, Geneva Seal
Functions: hours, minutes; date, minute repeater; sidereal time, month, and sky chart on back
Limitation: one unique piece
Price: not disclosed
Montblanc Star Legacy Nicolas Rieussec
Montblanc releases two new chronograph variations in the attractive Nicolas Rieussec line that the brand established eleven years ago in 2008 (see more about this cool line in Montblanc: A Winner In 2014). It is a very recognizable model due to the dial’s pair of rotating, horizontally aligned disks lending the piece a distinct three-dimensional look; one counts the chronograph’s seconds, while the other totalizes minutes up to 30.
This new variation is available in both red gold and stainless steel, and both are outfitted with an anthracite-colored dial. Both also come with Sfumato alligator skin straps to match the dial made in Montblanc’s own Italian pelleteria.
Quick Facts Montblanc Star Legacy Nicolas Rieussec
Case: red gold and stainless steel, 44.8 x 15.02 mm
Movement: automatic Caliber MB R200, approx. 72-hour power reserve, 28,800 vph/4 Hz frequency
Functions: hours, minutes; date, second time zone with day/night indication, monopusher chronograph
Price: €7,450/$8,000 (stainless steel), €20,000/$21,080 (red gold)
Montblanc TimeWalker Manufacture Chronograph and Automatic Chronograph
Montblanc releases two new versions of its sporty TimeWalker chronograph with “reverse panda” dial colorways (meaning light-colored chronograph totalizers against a contrasting dark-colored dial background), making full use of the contemporary, sporty design introduced with the arrival of director of design and managing director of the watch division Davide Cerrato in 2015.
These additions mean that both of these chronographs are now available in a choice of 41 and 43 mm; the 41 mm size’s totalizers are found at 6 and 12 o’clock, while the counters of the 43 mm variations are at the classic 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions.
See more about this line in Montblanc’s 2017 TimeWalker And Bronze 1858 Watches: Sporty And Automotive With A Healthy Side Of Nostalgia and Competition Spurs Creativity: Montblanc TimeWalker Chronograph Rally Timer Counter Limited Edition 100.
Quick Facts Montblanc TimeWalker Manufacture Chronograph
Case: stainless steel with ceramic bezel, 43 x 15.2 mm
Movement: automatic Caliber MB 25.10 (base IWC 69370), approx. 46-hour power reserve, 28,800 vph/4 Hz frequency, column wheel chronograph
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds; date, tachymeter scale (on bezel), chronograph
€4,990, available June 2019
Quick Facts Montblanc TimeWalker Automatic Chronograph
Case: stainless steel with ceramic bezel, 41 x 14.54 mm
Movement: automatic Caliber MB 25.07 (base Sellita SW500), approx. 46-hour power reserve, 28,800 vph/4 Hz frequency
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds; date, tachymeter scale (on bezel), chronograph
Price: $3,370, available June 2019
Cartier Libre
In 2017, Cartier announced a new feminine collection aimed at Cartier aficionados comprising highly limited editions of creative, unusual ladies’ watches arising from the designers’ desire to play with some of the historic brand’s signature watch shapes with odd proportions and volumes (“libre” means “free” in French). Four more of these have been pre-announced for viewing at SIHH 2019.
Cartier Libre Tank Chinoise Red
A re-creation from 1921, the color and style are strongly symbolic of China as seen through the eyes of Cartier’s designers.
Case: white gold set with 164 brilliant-cut diamonds (1.12 ct) and rubies, black enamel
Dial: black lacquer
Movement: quartz
Functions: hours, minutes
Limitation: 100 pieces
Price: approx. €60,000
Cartier Libre Diagonale
Disrupting the classic Cartier watch style, the Diagonale has no historical precedent.
Case: white gold set with 70 brilliant-cut diamonds (0.9 ct), black and burgundy-colored enamel
Movement: quartz
Functions: hours, minutes
Limitation: 50 pieces
Price: approx. €35,000
Cartier Libre Baignoire Allongée Céladon and Black
Building 2017’s Baignoire Débordante model, this year’s Baignoire offerings playfully include interesting volumes and colored gemstones.
Case Baignoire Allongée Célandon: white gold set with 573 brilliant-cut diamonds (2.57 ct), emeralds, and Paraiba tourmalines
Case Baignoire Allongée Black: yellow gold set with 473 brilliant-cut diamonds (1.75 ct), black spinels, and yellow sapphires
Movement: manually wound Cartier Caliber 1917 MC
Functions: hours, minutes
Limitation: 50 pieces each
Price: approx. €60,000 (Baignoire Allongée Black) and approx. €70,000 (Baignoire Allongée Célandon)
Cartier Tonneau
This reboot of the classic Cartier Tonneau is an elegant and modern timepiece available in a limited-edition platinum case or a non-limited pink gold case.
Quick Facts Cartier Tonneau
Case: 46.1 x 26.2 x 8.8 mm, pink gold or platinum
Movement: hand-wound Caliber 1917 MC, 3.5 Hz/21,600 vph, 38-hour power reserve
Functions: hours, minutes
Limitation: 100 pieces for the platinum version; pink gold unlimited
Price: $22,400 (pink gold); $26,200 (platinum): preliminary prices, subject to change
Cartier Tonneau XL Skeleton Dual Time
Inspired by the Tonneau Dual Time from the 1990s, the new Tonneau XL Skeleton Dual Time is a technically advanced upgrade for aficionados of this brand.
See more on both of these new Cartier models in Cartier Revives The Age Of Elegance With The 2019 Tonneau Models.
Quick Facts Cartier Tonneau XL Skeleton Dual Time
Case: 52.4 x 29.8 mm, pink gold or platinum
Movement: hand-wound Caliber 9919 MC, skeletonized, 4 Hz/28,800 vph, 60-hour power reserve
Functions: hours, minutes; second time zone
Limitation: 100 pieces of each version
Price: $68,500 (pink gold); $78,500 (platinum): preliminary prices, subject to change
Parmigiani Toric Capitole
This historical re-creation of a variation on the Star Wheel theme is a great way to showcase Parmigiani’s special brand of craftsmanship, its support of and by the Sandoz Family foundation, and Michel Parmigiani and his team’s restoration experience put to use in modern haute horlogerie.
The new Toric Capitole is a unique piece featuring a minute repeater on Cathedral gongs and a sector time display made possible by a rotary planetary gear with three arms, each outfitted with a disk with four numerals that rotate to indicate the hour. The visible plate serving as the dial is made of 18-karat gold: inspired by the Michelangelo-designed Capitolium in Rome, its repeating pattern has been hand-engraved by Eddy Jacquet.
Quick Facts Parmigiani Toric Capitole
Case: pink gold, 45 x 12.1 mm
Movement: manually wound Caliber PF321, approx. 40-hour power reserve, 18,000 vph/2.5 Hz frequency
Functions: wandering hours, minutes; minute repeater
Limitation: one unique piece
Price: not disclosed
Parmigiani Tonda Metropolitaine Selene Gold
Originally launched in 2016, Parmigiani announces two new pink gold variations of its Tonda Metropolitaine Selene for SIHH 2019: one on a beautiful light brown strap and one on an 18-karat pink gold bracelet for more jewelry effect.
This technical timepiece is made feminine thanks to its dial of white mother-of-pearl adorned with a stylized lotus flower cut from 18-karat pink gold. The beautiful moon phase subdial at 12 o’clock balances out the subdial for the date and small seconds across the way at 6 o’clock. The femininely sized 33.72 mm pink gold case features a bezel embellished with 76 brilliant-cut diamonds (.52 ct).
Quick Facts Parmigiani Tonda Metropolitaine Selene Rose Gold
Case: pink gold, 33.72 x 9.57 mm
Movement: automatic Caliber PF318, 50-hour power reserve, 28,800 vph/4 Hz frequency, two serially operating spring barrels
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds; date, moon phase
Price: $47,000 (bracelet). $32,000 (strap)
Roger Dubuis Excalibur Huracán Performante
Roger Dubuis seems to have found a great niche for itself within its partnership with Lamborghini, and as a result this new timepiece is just brimming with racing design codes, including its brand-new “engine”: Caliber RD630 includes a 12-degree inclined balance wheel.
Taking strong visual cues from the shapes found on the supercar, this timepiece gives pride of place to the hexagon. The half hexagon appearing on the louvered air intakes of the Lamborghini Huracán Performante are repeated as miniature versions visible through the openworked dial of the Excalibur Huracán Performante, which is decked out in “Technical Titan Grey” livery with bright yellow accents.
Quick Facts Roger Dubuis Excalibur Huracán Performante
Case: 45 x 13.3 mm, titanium
Movement: automatic Caliber RD630, 4 Hz/28,800 vph, 12-degree inclined balance wheel, 60-hour power reserve
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds; date
Limitation: 88 pieces, purchase of the timepiece includes a ride inside a Super Trofeo racecar
Price: $52,500
Piaget Three New Altiplano Models
Docking into 2018’s ultra-thin theme as well as the Altiplano anniversary celebrated in 2017, Piaget continues to introduce new variations on its Altiplano in 2019 utilizing a variety of reoccurring elements such as rare semiprecious stones and gem setting.
Piaget Altiplano High Jewellery
Using baguette-cut diamonds to frame the dial and as four hour markers (is this perhaps a new trend?), this High Jewellery model blends watchmaking and jewelry techniques to make a sparkling – and perhaps even unisex – beauty.
Quick Facts Piaget Altiplano High Jewellery
Case: 36 mm, white gold with baguette-cut diamond-set bezel
Movement: manually wound Caliber 430P, ultra thin, 2.1 mm height, power reserve approx. 43 hours
Functions: hours, minutes
Limitation: 88 pieces
Piaget Altiplano Tourbillon
An unusual blue meteorite dial distinguishes this Altiplano Tourbillon from others we’ve seen recently, including one featuring a green malachite dial shortlisted in the 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in the Artistic Crafts category.
Quick Facts Piaget Altiplano Tourbillon
Case: 41 x 7.4 mm, pink gold with diamond-set bezel
Movement: manually wound Caliber 670P, ultra thin, 4.6 mm height, one-minute flying tourbillon, 48-hour power reserve, 3 Hz/21,600 vph frequency
Functions: hours, minutes
Limitation: 28 pieces
Price: €110,000
Piaget Altiplano Meteorite
A grey dial combined with a pink gold case is another stunning combination that we have seen a few examples of lately. It is enhanced here by the use of meteorite on the dial.
Quick Facts Piaget Altiplano Meteorite
Case: 40 mm, pink gold
Movement: automatic ultra-thin Caliber 1203P, 3 mm height, power reserve approx. 44 hours, 21,600 vph/3 Hz frequency
Functions: hours, minutes; date
Limitation: 300 pieces
Price: CHF 24,500
Girard-Perregaux Laureato Perpetual Calendar
The Laureato first appeared at Girard-Perregaux in 1975, and today the revamped classic continues to throw off a multitude of variations; it is the perpetual calendar’s turn at SIHH 2019.
Quite fairly priced, this stainless steel timepiece powered by an automatic GP manufacture movement is a sporty contrast to the classically designed quantième perpetuel of yesterday.
Quick Facts Girard-Perregaux Laureato Perpetual Calendar
Case: 42 x 11.84 mm, stainless steel
Movement: automatic Caliber GP01800-033, 4 Hz/28,800 vph frequency, 54 hours power reserve
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds; perpetual calendar with day, date, month, and leap year indicators
Price: $34,400
Three New Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Models
The oval Cat’s Eye returned to SIHH 2018 in several iterations outfitted with aventurine and diamonds. This trend continues at Girard-Perregaux for the 2019 edition of the fair with three new variations on the same sparkling theme.
See more on the history of aventurine and its use in the watch industry today in Aventurine: Sparkling, Glittering, Mysterious, And Placing A Galaxy Of Stars On Your Wrist.
Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Majestic
This new large-size vertical-oval Cat’s Eye reveals only the hours and minutes, but its sparkly aventurine dial and diamond accents provide lots of visual interest.
Quick Facts Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Majestic
Case: 40 x 34.7 mm, pink gold
Dial: aventurine
Gemstones: 60 brilliant-cut diamonds (1 ct) on case; 24 brilliant-cut diamonds (.075 ct) on dial; total 84 brilliant-cut diamonds (1.075 ct)
Movement: automatic Caliber GP0330-0121, 4 Hz/28,800 vph frequency, 46 hours power reserve
Functions: hours, minutes
Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Celestial
This variation on a timepiece that was even shortlisted by the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in the Ladies’ High-Mech category offers a large moon phase complication that is driven directly from the barrel. The magnificent moon is made of mother-of-pearl.
Quick Facts Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Celestial
Case: 35 x 30.4 mm, pink gold
Dial: aventurine
Gemstones: 62 brilliant-cut diamonds (.8 ct) on case; 33 brilliant-cut diamonds (.108 ct) on dial; total 95 brilliant-cut diamonds (.108 ct)
Movement: automatic Caliber GP0330-0125, 4 Hz/28,800 vph frequency, 46 hours power reserve
Functions: hours, minutes; moon phase indication
Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Tourbillon
Here the smaller case’s oval is turned so that it sits vertically on the wrist instead of the usual (for this line) horizontal direction. And that is not the only interesting element aside from the visible one-minute tourbillon: the six diamond “trails” representing shooting stars leading from the tourbillon cutaway are an amusing design choice.
As is the “ribbon” placed over the tourbillon cutaway – which I personally think is a bit too much. If the designers had left that off, this watch would be much more appealing. But taste is subjective, I guess.
Quick Facts Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Tourbillon
Case: 32 x 37 mm, white gold
Dial: aventurine
Gemstones: 54 baguette-cut diamonds (3.5 ct) on case; one diamond on crown (.2 ct); 36 baguette-cut diamonds (1.95 ct) on dial; 7 baguette-cut diamonds (.55 ct) on buckle; total 98 baguette-cut diamonds (6.2 ct)
Movement: manually wound Caliber GP09700-0015 with one-minute tourbillon, 3 Hz/21,600 vph frequency, 70 hours power reserve
Functions: hours, minutes, small seconds on tourbillon
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph Camouflage
At Audemars Piguet’s final showing at the SIHH – the brand will be leaving the fair after the 2019 edition – it announces three color variations of its camouflage-styled Royal Oak Offshore chronographs.
This approach was first seen at the 2018 edition of the fair – though its fashion-forward style wasn’t necessarily appreciated by classicists as you can read in SIHH 2018 Round Table: What We Liked, What We Didn’t Like, And What We Would Buy For Ourselves. Warning: Photo-Heavy Modem Burner!
However, I’m going to guess that it sold well since further variations are now being introduced.
Quick Facts Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph Camouflage
Case: 44 mm, pink gold or stainless steel with ceramic bezel, buttons, and screw-in crown
Dial: brown with Mega Tapisserie pattern and pink gold counters; blue with Mega Tapisserie pattern and rhodium-colored counters; khaki with Mega Tapisserie pattern and rhodium-colored counters
Movement: automatic Caliber 3126/3840, 3 Hz/21,600 vph frequency, 50-hour power reserve
Functions: hours, minutes, small seconds; date, chronograph
Price: not available until SIHH 2019
Remark: available with camouflage or solid-color rubber strap
IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Constant Force Tourbillon Edition Le Petit Prince
IWC has worked with the estate of French pilot and author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry since 2005, launching a number of special editions in his honor. At the SIHH 2019, the Schaffhausen-based manufacture will announce several exclusive models in this line, the first of which has already been revealed. This is the first pilot’s watch to (ever) include a constant force tourbillon. Above and beyond that, it is housed in a hardened red gold case.
Quick Facts IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Constant Force Tourbillon Edition Le Petit Prince
Case: 46.2 x 13.5 mm, hardened red gold
Movement: manually wound Caliber 94805 with patented constant force one-minute tourbillon, 2.5 Hz/18,000 vph frequency, 96-hour power reserve, double spring barrels
Functions: hours, minutes, hacking seconds; date, day, power reserve display, moon phase display
Limitation: 10 pieces
Price: CHF 235,000/€238,000
IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Spitfire
This watch represents the backbone of the new Spitfire line at IWC and contains two firsts: the first IWC Pilot powered by a movement from the 69000 caliber family introduced in 2016 and the first IWC Pilot in the smaller 41 mm case size.
Quick Facts IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Spitfire
Case: 41 x 15.3 mm, bronze with soft iron core for magnetic field protection, titanium case back
Movement: automatic Caliber 69380, 4 Hz/28,800 vph frequency, 46-hour power reserve
Functions: hours, minutes, hacking seconds; date, day
Price: €7,050
IWC Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph Top Gun Ceratanium
The IWC “Top Gun” line arrived in 2007, receiving its name from the Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor Program of the U.S. Navy.
This variation is the first IWC Pilot in “Jet Black” livery, possible thanks to IWC’s patented new case material Ceratanium, which unites the advantages of titanium and ceramic in one: it is as light and unbreakable as titanium and hard and scratch resistant as ceramic. Even the watch’s buttons and buckle are made of this material, allowing everything to be black.
Quick Facts IWC Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph Top Gun Ceratanium
Case: 44 x 16.8 mm, ceratanium with soft iron core for magnetic field protection
Movement: automatic Caliber 79230, 4 Hz/28,800 vph frequency, 44-hour power reserve, Pellaton winding
Functions: hours, minutes, hacking seconds; date, day, split-seconds chronograph (rattrapante)
Price: €14,400
IWC Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Spitfire Edition The Longest Flight
This model represents the first combination of the patented Timezoner mechanism (originally developed by independent watchmaker Thomas Prescher for the now-defunct Vogard) with an IWC manufacture automatic movement.
The edition is dedicated to the Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight project to accompany pilots Steve Boultbee Brooks and Matt Jones in their quest to fly around the world in a Spitfire. The watch’s color scheme was inspired by the cockpit of a Spitfire.
Quick Facts IWC Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Spitfire Edition The Longest Flight
Case: 46 x 15.2 mm, stainless steel
Movement: automatic Caliber 82760, 4 Hz/28,800 vph frequency, 60-hour power reserve, Pellaton winding
Functions: hours, minutes, hacking seconds; date, Timezoner time zone function, 24-hour display for world time function
Limitation: 250 pieces
Price: €14,100
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- 5 Of The Best Classic Three-Hand Timepieces With Date From SIHH 2018
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- SIHH 2018 Round Table: What We Liked, What We Didn’t Like, And What We Would Buy For Ourselves. Warning: Photo-Heavy Modem Burner!
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