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Photo courtesy of Baselworld
As Spring approaches, so does the anticipation for watch and jewelry brands worldwide. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the infamous Baselworld. The leading watch and jewelry show where key players in the industry showcase their new products. This year, the show will run from March 23-30.
The city of Basel, located west of Switzerland, is once again hosting this annual event. Brands such a Blancpain, Hamilton and Raymond Weil have prepared months in advance for this trade show; planning their booth and getting their pieces ready for the event.
Consumers attend year after year, making this a not-to-miss event. The luxury market for watches and jewelry has proven itself over the years, selling products now considered timeless pieces. However, one could wonder if in today’s world, overcome by technology and innovation, traditional, luxury pieces are still as popular as they used to be. Thankfully for Baselworld and its exhibitors, Lucrezia Buccellati, co-creative designer of Buccellati, confirms, “High-end inspirational watches are still performing well.”
Although these brands thrive on staying traditional, it is also important to stay current and grow the brand whenever possible. Every new collection showcases different and innovative designs to please customers and stay on top of the competition.
As the industry constantly evolves, Downtown were hoping to get an idea of what this year’s exhibitors have in store.
The following brands shared their latest designs with us.
Andersen Geneve showcases The Tempus Terrae, “a very sober and classy watch case in gold with aesthetic simplicity.”
Available for personalization, this updated version of one of the brand’s classic models is complete with a Red Gold case, 17 jewels, and a hand-stitched band. While speaking about this piece, the brand reiterated its high-end craftsmanship and confirmed that, “No compromise is made on quality.”
Blancpain revealed the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe, a vintage-inspired, 38 mm addition to the 2013 version of the model.
Having launched its Bathyscaphe diving watches in the late 1950s, Blancpain has since expanded the family. Water-resistant and powered by Caliber 1150, this new model has been improved with higher stability, precision, shock resistance, and a luminescent dot on the bezel, making it a perfect watch for any diver.
As 2017 began, Czapek & Cie introduced three new models to the market, including the Quai des Bergues N. 33s. Supposedly inspired by the original Francois Czapek pocket watch, this new model has been “adapted for finer wrists and to the taste of collectors seeking models that have journeyed through time and retained their elegance and can surprise the wearer by their harmoniousness.”
With a 5N Rose Gold case, this 38.5 diameter watch includes a Curved Sapphire Crystal, and an alligator strap with a 5N Red Gold buckle.
Eberhard & Co. showed us the Scafograf GMT, “an automatic steel model that maintains the same lines as its predecessor, the Scafograf 300, but has different technical features.”
Available in black or blue with a water-resistant feature, this new model is innovative and complete with its rotating, bidirectional bezel featuring luminescent applied indices.
Hamilton presented the Intra-Matic 68. CEO Sylvain Dolla spoke to us about this watch and explained why this particular model happens to be his favorite at the moment. “The Intra-Matic 68 has all the Hamilton ingredients: Heritage – inspired by the 1968 Chronograph B – and Strong Character – its design is sure to delight Hamilton aficionados and collectors alike,” he explained.
Raymond Weil stepped outside the norm with the Freelancer, a tribute to the infamous Les Paul Gibson guitar. This unconventional watch, inscribed with the Gibson logo, demonstrates the brand’s creativity and shows the importance of innovation within the company. When talking about his love for music and his inspiration for this special timepiece, Elie Ternheim, CEO of Raymond Weil declared, “Today, Gibson leads us into the best that rock has to offer and makes our watches hum to this legendary beat,”