The Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) has taken place in Geneva, Switzerland, each winter for the past 19 years. The world’s finest watch brands under the Richemont umbrella—Cartier, Montblanc, Piaget, Parmigiani, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Baume & Mercier, Vacheron Constantin, Van Cleef & Arpels, IWC, Roger Dubuis—as well as independent brands like Audemars Piguet, Girard-Perregaux, and Jean-Richard—exhibit here. Throughout the city, a host of other independent watchmakers also display.
In short, a true watch connoisseur can view the most significant watch trends to hit the global market. This year, look for increasingly impressive technological innovations in movements (lubricant-free parts and silicium; more advanced complications and grand complications; diamond timepieces; high-tech materials). The only drawback? Most of these watches won’t be available in stores until late summer or early fall. So be patient—but place your orders now.
The Cartier Santos 100 Skeleton (about $51,500) is crafted in palladium and houses the patented 9611 MC caliber consisting of 138 handmade components, including the bridges of the innovative skeleton movement. Available in September at Cartier, 653 Fifth Avenue, 212-753-0111; cartier.com.
Paying tribute to the inventor of the chronograph, Montblanc releases the 18k rose-gold Montblanc Star Nicolas Rieussec Monopusher Chronograph Open Date watch ($37,850) with a rotating date disk and power-reserve display. It houses the Montblanc-manufactured caliber MB R110, with 286 parts and 33 jewels. Available later this year at Montblanc, 598 Madison Avenue, 212-223-8888; montblanc.com.
From the Ralph Lauren Watch and Jewelry Co. come three collections of timepieces housing movements from Piaget, IWC, and Jaeger- LeCoultre, the result of a four-year collaboration with the Richemont Group. Shown here is the World Time watch ($26,000) from the Ralph Lauren Sporting collection. Crafted in 18k rose gold, it houses the mechanical self-winding RL939 Jaeger-LeCoultre movement and has date and dual-time functions, a city disk, and 40 hours of power reserve. Available at select Polo Ralph Lauren boutiques worldwide, 888-475-7674.
From Audemars Piguet, the platinum Jules Audemars watch (price on request) uses a lubricant-free Audemars Piguet escapement that was 10 years in the making. The 267-part caliber 2908 beats at 43,200 vibrations per hour and offers extreme accuracy. The watch features a three-dimensional dial and a sapphire back for viewing. Available later this year at Audemars Piguet Boutique, 40 East 57th Street, 888-214-6858; audemarspiguet.com.
