Watches & Wonders, inaugurated three years ago as an Asian version of the SIHH, has evolved into an important horological exhibition for local press and watch aficionados thanks to its strategic location in Hong Kong. Here we bring you an overview of 12 interesting timepieces launched at this prestigious fair.
Welcome to the 2015 edition of Quill & Pad’s early Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) predictions in which we pick our favorites and explain why. The six pre-selected finalists in the Chronograph category are: Louis Moinet Memoris, Montblanc Heritage Chronométrie ExoTourbillon Minute Chronograph Vasco da Gama, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher, Longines Column-Wheel Single Push-Piece Chronograph, Piaget Altiplano Chrono, and the TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 18 Chronograph.
There’s no doubt that the M is a Montblanc pen, due in part to its glossy black body and crowning snowcap. But the similarity ends where the transcendence begins, thanks to Australian designer Marc Newson’s signature biomorphic style. For the first time in Montblanc’s history, a fountain pen’s gold nib is plated in two tones using rhodium and ruthenium. But that’s not all.
The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) has just published the list of 2015’s pre-selected watches in the run-up to the big red carpet event in Geneva on October 29. The pre-selected watches will go on a world tour that includes stops in Hong Kong, Seoul, Dubai, Geneva, and London in October and November. But enough preamble, let’s have a look at the watches that are now in serious contention to take home big prizes this year.
The Tourbillon Cylindrique Geosphères Vasco da Gama is an insanely awesome watch style-wise, and the movement mechanics prove to be equally interesting to the WIS in all of us. It features two sapphire crystal half spheres painted to look like the northern and southern hemispheres side by side. Twenty-four lines of latitude and longitude indicating time zones are debossed on these tiny half globes. And that’s not all!
As the SIHH celebrated its 25th anniversary, other milestones were also taking place. IWC celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Portugieser, Vacheron Constantin celebrates its 260th anniversary, and A. Lange & Söhne respects the 200th anniversary of founder Ferdinand Adolph Lange with models including the amazing Zeitwerk Minute Repeater.
Montblanc’s watch division was motivated by Vasco De Gama, a Portuguese navigator, to write a horologically inspirational tale of pioneering spirit by creating a line of special edition watches accompanying the new Heritage Chronométrie collection.
Monday is usually a fairly easy day at the SIHH as the press conferences start later to allow visitors time to check in and get badges, etc. The Quill & Pad team kicked off SIHH 2015 with the Ralph Lauren, Richard Mille, and Montblanc press conferences.
You may be familiar with the old Christmas diddy “The Twelve Days Of Christmas.” Let me sing you the final verse of this song, including what my true love gave to me on the twelfth and final day, in horological terms…
In this age of digital information, watch companies try to get ahead of the competition by releasing news on their new timepieces ahead of the big watch fairs. This year is no different, and in honor of the upcoming 25th edition of the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), we present you with an overview of some of the new models that have already been revealed.