We discuss the trade show which made it possible to look at luxury watches offline again.
The first real rather than virtual Geneva Watch Days (GWD) held in two years took place in Geneva from August 30 to September 3, 2021, where strict medical protocol was adhered to with no less than 25 participating brands.
The Founding Benefactor Brands included watchmaking's major maisons Bvlgari, Breitling, Girard-Perregaux, Parmigiani and Ulysse Nardin, as well as smaller elite brands De Bethune, Gérald Genta, Greubel Forsey, H. Moser & Cie., MB&F and Urwerk.
They formed a non-profit association alongside Associated Brands: Arnold & Son, Bianchet, Czapek, Doxa, Ferdinand Berthoud, Frederique Constant Group, Louis Erard, Maurice Lacroix, Parmigiani, Phillips, Oris and Reuge.
Ulysse Nardin's Anniversary Fleet
Ulysse Nardin continued its 175th anniversary celebrations by introducing an entire squadron of seven new Marine Torpilleur models at the GWD: the Marine Torpilleur Panda, Blue Enamel, the Moonphase with white and blue dial versions, the Annual Chronograph in white and blue, and the Tourbillon with a black Grand Feu enamel dial.
The model you could call a real novelty is the Marine Torpilleur Annual Chronograph, which has an annual calendar that only needs to be corrected once every year at the end of February.
It's been given a horizontal layout for the two counters, with the 30-minute chronograph counter positioned at 3 o'clock and the small seconds combined with the hand for indicating the month positioned at 9 o'clock. The result is an uncluttered, vintage-style watch.
The model has had the new automatic UN-153 movement specially designed for it (the annual calendar module developed by Ludwig Oeschlin added onto the old UN-150 chronography movement).
Its stainless steel case measures 44 mm in diameter. The two versions of the model with white and blue dials are presented on blue or brown alligator leather straps. This series is limited to 300 pieces, as are the Torpilleur Panda and Moonphase models. The chronograph is priced at CHF 11,500.
The models with Grand Feu enamel dials are intended for true collectors: the wristwatch chronometers with three hands and Marine Torpilleur Tourbillon with a black Grand Feu enamel dial. Each of these models has a case which is 42 mm in diameter (the chronometers have stainless-steel cases while the tourbillon case is in rose gold).
Overall, even the movements they house are more or less the same. We're talking about the automatic UN-118 base movement, as the UN-128 tourbillon movement is the same thing with the flying carousel rotating around its Silicium escapement. This simple and effective solution has actually made it possible to bring down the cost of this model.
You have to admit, an anniversary tourbillon by the famous Swiss brand which won the Tourbillon Prize at the 2015 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève is not something you see priced at CHF 45,900 very often. As for the price tag on the Marine Torpilleur Tourbillon, it's exactly CHF 10,900.
Flying Bridges by Girard-Perregaux
The combination of the words "flying" and "bridge" can leave fans of haute horlogerie somewhat dumbfounded. That's because what's known as a "flying tourbillon" doesn't have an upper bridge for the cage, and is only supported from below on the movement side.
And here we have flying bridges. That's why at first you might think the time-honored watchmaker Girard-Perregaux has decided to joke around by calling the new model "Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges".
Yet the architecture of the new automatic skeletonized GP09400-1273 manufacture movement actually defies this logic, which has bridges that do "fly", arching up from each side of the watch case. They support the entire geartrain in this delightful movement.
Moreover, the top side of the bridges are made of rose gold like the legendary iconic Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges model, while the other side is made of PVD-coated titanium.
This can be seen as the watchmaker's historical classic meeting its present and future in the Neo Bridges collection, which has been intensely promoted as of late. It also has to do with the anniversary with brand marking a round number at 230 years old.
The case which is 42 mm in diameter and 9.45 mm in height is made of rose gold. It comes with two straps: a "casual" black one made of alligator leather with a rubber look, and a formal one which is also made of black alligator leather but with a gold effect.
Perpetual Sport by Moser & Cie.
A brand from Schaffhausen which is growing rapidly by the name of Moser & Cie. also decided to create a fusion of two icons. The sensational Perpetual 1 was introduced in 2005 just after the company had been revived.
It was record-breaking in terms of how uncluttered the watch was for a perpetual calendar, with only three hands! The small central perpetual calendar hand completed one rotation every year and thus served to indicate the month.
The only function besides the calendar hand was the large date aperture (the power reserve indicator appeared slightly later). This construction didn't need any corrections and still doesn't. Moser & Cie. received an award for this ingenious solution at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) that same year.
Last year, the watch brand tried its luck in the highly trending sport de luxe watch market segment for the first time with the remarkably comfortable anatomical-fit Streamliner Flyback Chronograph model.
It was met with mixed reviews but everyone had something to say about it, and the watch picked up a few awards for its design. Now these icons of modern watch design have been merged in the new Moser & Cie. Streamliner Perpetual Calendar.
The new manual-winding caliber HMC 812 movement was developed for the novelty, which has a perpetual calendar module, a central second hand and a power reserve indication. The case measuring 42 mm in diameter is made of satin-brushed steel.
The watch has a black and gray gradient fumé dial with a sunburst pattern. Its anatomical bracelet which fits perfectly on the wrist remains the same. The perpetual calendar costs USD 54,900, which is 15,000 more expensive than the chronograph.