The 2019 SIHH only finished a few days ago, but it already feels long gone: there is no “post-SIHH,” the transition is directly from SIHH to pre-Baselworld.

During the fairs I spend the majority of my day shooting watches in a small light tent where my total concentration is on “frame, focus, reflections.” Repeat if necessary. Next shot, next watch. And too infrequently remember my colleague Joshua Munchow, who patiently holds his arm in uncomfortable positions for long hours while I um and ah about taking just one more shot (but then who wouldn’t for the chance to wear watches like these!).

I usually don’t have time to look at my photos on a screen until well after the fair. And it’s after the fair now, so here are my Top 5 wristshots from SIHH 2019.

Plus five more I felt well deserving.

And then one more I just couldn’t let go.

Armin Strom Dual Time Resonance Sapphire

Armin Strom Dual Time Resonance Sapphire

The Armin Strom Dual Time Resonance Sapphire was one of the first watches I shot at the 2019 SIHH and even on my tiny camera display this looked like it might be a nice shot. I didn’t expect the sapphire crystal to look so good under the flash, and it put me in a good mood for the day (I set the bar low so am easily pleased).

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Quick Facts Armin Strom Dual Time Resonance Sapphire
Case: 59 x 43.4 x 13 mm, sapphire crystal
Movement: manual winding Armin Strom Caliber ARF17 with two resonant movements; 25,200 vph frequency, 110-hour power reserve
Functions: hours, minutes; second time zone, 24-hour indicator, double power reserve
Limitation: 8 pieces
Price: CHF 280,000/$268,000

Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon

Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon

Oh that blue. I had no idea if, let alone how, that blue on this Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon might look in photos and was pleased with how this first tourbillon in the Overseas collection turned out. The color of the dial makes this watch.

For more information, please visit www.vacheron-constantin.com/en/watches/overseas/overseas-tourbillon.

Quick Facts Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon
Case: 42.5 x 10.39 mm, stainless steel
Movement: automatic Caliber 2160 with one-minute tourbillon, ultra-thin, peripheral rotor, 80-hour power reserve, 2.5 Hz/18,000 vph frequency, Geneva Seal
Functions: hours, minutes, small seconds on tourbillon cage
Price: €112,000 (with tax)/$92,500 (excluding tax)
Remarks: delivered with interchangeable stainless steel bracelet, rubber strap, and alligator skin strap

Greubel Forsey Balancier Contemporain

Greubel Forsey Balancier Contemporain

The Greubel Forsey Balancier Contemporain was my pick of the 2019 SIHH, largely because when I was shooting the watch on Joshua’s wrist I was imagining it on my own.

For more information, please visit www.greubelforsey.com/en/collection/balancier-contemporain.

Quick Facts Greubel Forsey Balancier Contemporain
Case: 39.6 x 12.21 mm, white gold
Movement: manual winding, 72-hour power reserve, twin serially operating fast-rotating spring barrels, 3 Hz/21,600 vph frequency, frosted titanium main plates, frosted German silver bridges
Functions: hours, minutes, hacking small seconds; power reserve display
Price: 195,000 Swiss francs

Armin Strom Pure Resonance Fire

Armin Strom Pure Resonance Fire

Quill & Pad editor-in-chief Elizabeth Doerr borrowed this Armin Strom Pure Resonance Fire for the duration of the fair week and while it’s not an obvious choice for a woman, I thought it looked pretty good on her.

You might also enjoy Armin Strom Pure Resonance: Less Really Is More And That Resonates.

For more information, please visit www.arminstrom.com/en/collection/pure-resonance-fire.

Quick Facts Armin Strom Pure Resonance Fire
Case: 42 x 12 mm, pink gold
Movement: manual winding Armin Strom Caliber ARF16 with two resonant symmetrically mirrored regulators connected by the Resonant Clutch Spring; 25,200 vph frequency, 48-hour power reserve
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds
Price: $65,950 / 62,000 Swiss francs

Hermès Arceau L’Heure de la Lune

Hermès Arceau L’Heure de la Lune

While I was pleased to learn that the Hermès Arceau L’Heure de la Lune was relatively easy to shoot, it was how it held its own against quite an eye-catching backdrop that impressed me with this shot.

You might also enjoy Hermès Arceau L’Heure De La Lune: And Pegasus Flies On The Moon.

Quick Facts Hermès Arceau L’Heure de la Lune
Case: white gold, 43 x 17 mm
Dial: aventurine with white lacquered subdials and mother-of-pearl moons
Movement: automatic Hermès Caliber H1837 with Chronode module; 4 Hz/28,800 vph frequency
Functions: hours, minutes; date, double moon phase as seen from both the northern and southern hemispheres
Limitation: 100 pieces
Price: 26,000 Swiss francs, delivery spring 2019

Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat

Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat

Sometimes you just get lucky. I had no idea what watch Vacheron Constantin Heritage and Style Director Christian Selmoni had on his wrist when I set myself up to shoot if/when he uncovered it. And out pops the most talked about watch of the fair: the Traditionnelle Twin Beat.

You might also enjoy Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat: User-Controlled Dual Frequency Offers Greater Precision, Less Wear, And Option Of Two-Month Power Reserve.

Quick Facts Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat
Case: 42 x 12.3 mm, platinum
Movement: manually wound Caliber 3610QP with user-controlled dual-frequency capability; 5 Hz/1.2 Hz frequency; up to 65-day power reserve at 1.2 Hz and four days at 5 Hz; two balances and gear trains; 480 components, Geneva Seal
Functions: hours, minutes; power reserve indication; date, perpetual calendar with date, month, leap year; frequency mode
Price: €210,000, boutique edition only

MB&F Horological Machine N°6 Final Edition

MB&F Horological Machine N°6 Final Edition

I’ve always liked the soft curves of the MB&F HM6 and it is surprisingly comfortable on the wrist. HM6 is the Horological Machine I would be happy to wear.

You might also enjoy MB&F Horological Machine No 6 Final Edition: The Last HM6, But Not The Best.

For more information, please visit www.mbandf.com/en/machines/horological-machines/hm6.

Quick Facts MB&F Horological Machine N°6 Final Edition
Case: 49.5 x 52.3 x 20.4 mm, stainless steel
Movement: automatic three-dimensional movement developed exclusively for MB&F by David Candaux, 60-second flying tourbillon with retractable shield, twin aluminum turbines driven by rotor, power reserve 72 hours, 18,000 vph/2.5Hz frequency
Functions: hours, minutes
Limitation: 8 pieces
Price: $215,000/CHF 210,000 plus applicable taxes

A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Time Zone

A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Time Zone

This was another opportunistic shot that I set up before knowing what watch she was wearing. I hope I did not break any privacy guidelines (peeking out from under the A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Time Zone).

For more information, please visit www.alange-soehne.com/en/timepieces/lange1-timezone.

Quick Facts A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Time Zone
Case: 41.9 x 11 mm, pink gold
Dial: solid silver, argenté
Movement: manual winding Caliber L031.1, 72-hour power reserve, twin spring barrels, 3 Hz/21,600 vph frequency, German silver plates and bridges
Functions: hours, minutes, hacking small seconds; large date; power reserve display, second time zone/world time display with city reference, day/night indicator for both time zones
Price: €46,000

IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Spitfire

IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Spitfire

When I was shooting the new watches at IWC, this one looked far too big to be worn on any normal-sized wrist, but once again Joshua makes it look easy.

For more information, please visit www.iwc.com/ch/de/watch-collections/pilot-watches/iw503601-big-pilots-watch-perpetual-calendar-spitfire.

Quick Facts IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Spitfire Ref. IW503601
Case: 46.2 x 15.3 mm, bronze with titanium case back
Movement: automatic Caliber 52615, 7-day power reserve, Pellaton winding, 4 Hz/28,800 vph frequency
Functions: hours, minutes, hacking small seconds; perpetual calendar with day, date, month, year in four digits, and double moon phases (northern and southern hemispheres)
Limitation: 250 pieces
Price: 30,500 Swiss francs

Girard-Perregaux Bridges Cosmos

Girard-Perregaux Bridges Cosmos

The Girard-Perregaux Bridges Cosmos is a seriously interesting timepiece, but we couldn’t help wonder if its height was an issue. This shot shows just how much vertical real estate this watch, which has no crown and is adjusted on the back, occupies.

For more information, please visit www.girard-perregaux.com.

Quick Facts Girard-Perregaux Bridges Cosmos
Case: 48 x 22.35 mm, titanium
Movement: manual winding Caliber GP09320-1098 with one-minute titanium tourbillon, 60-hour power reserve, 3 Hz/21,600 vph frequency
Functions: hours, minutes; second time zone with day/night indication, indication of constellations
Price: 345,000 Swiss francs
Remarks: this is a prototype; launch expected end of 2019

Special bonus: fully diamond-set Cartier Baignoire

The fully set Cartier Baignoire looking sharp on the wrist of Martin Green

When I asked Martin Green to strap on this fully diamond-set Cartier Baignoire I don’t think that either of us knew how good it would look.

And just one more: the Richard Mille Bonbon collection RM 37-01 Kiwi

Richard Mille Bonbon collection RM 37-01 Kiwi

There were at least 30 wristshots that I wanted to include in my Top 5 but couldn’t (even in a Top 10!). However, a day after setting this article up I decided that I just had to include a wristshot of a Richard Mille Bonbon as these were just about the most talked about watches of the fair, exciting polarizing opinions.

For more on what the Quill & Pad team thought of them (and all the others), please see SIHH 2019 Round Table: What We Liked, What We Didn’t Like, And What We Would Buy For Ourselves. Warning: Heavy Photo Fest And Sexually Graphic Images.

For more information, please visit www.richardmille.com/en/magazine/collection-richard-mille-bonbon.

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