The year 2020 will be remembered as the year of the coronavirus pandemic, which has had an extremely negative impact on both everyday life and business, including the watch industry.
Nevertheless, the year got off to a good start. According to Swiss export statistics published by the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FH), moderate growth in exports was recorded over the first three months of the year. There were hopes that the global watch market wouldn't respond too adversely as the bad news broke of the epidemic spreading throughout China and further afield in other countries.
However, these hopes were dashed, as total watch exports dropped by 23.5% over 11 months. The poor performance recorded across the majority of major markets by the end of the year was partially compensated by an increase in exports to China.
This is one of the consequences of the dramatic drop in Chinese tourists traveling abroad, who would have spent a lot of money on their overseas trips, which has been redirected back into the domestic market.
China has come out on top as a result, and watch brands with a firm foothold in the Chinese market have breathed a sigh of relief. Swiss exports seem to have plateaued in October and November, which offers us some hope that things won't be getting any worse.
Watch buyers had to contend with the restrictions on movement imposed by the authorities, and watch shops remained shut for several months in a number of countries. All of this inevitably catalyzed watch sales over the internet, and watch companies ramped up their online sales. There was also a increase in activity in the secondhand market, mostly via online platforms, which the enduring popularity of vintage watches has also contributed to.
One of the industry's most important haute horlogerie events was held online for the very first time — the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève GPHG 2020. Another consequence of the pandemic was the cancellation of mass-gathering events all over the world, including trade shows, which had been one of the industry's most important drivers up to that point. The Geneva SIHH 2020 exhibition was held virtually.
One of the industry's most important haute horlogerie events was held online for the very first time — the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève GPHG 2020
Baselworld 2020 was called off completely, and the invitation to participate in it in the future was turned down by Breitling, Bvlgari, Chopard, Hublot, Patek Philippe, Rolex, TAG Heuer, Tudor and Zenith. This was the final nail in the coffin for the industry's oldest exhibition, with more than a century of history.
The organizers of the Baselworld exhibition then attempted to rescue the landmark event by restructuring it, and decided to change the concept and give it a new name for good measure. If the exhibition does go ahead in the future, it will be called HourUniverse.
Even though the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH) which organizes the SIHH didn't loose its main exhibitors, the foundation has also decided to rename the Geneva exhibition, which is now called Watches & Wonders (regional exhibitions organized by the FHH used to use this name).
The only forums representative of the industry that were held in 2020 were two exhibitions organized by the watch Watches & Jewelry Division of the LVMH Group. The first was LVMH Watch Week 2020 (Dubai, January), where the brands Bvlgari, Hublot, TAG Heuer and Zenith took part, followed by the Geneva Watch Days 2020 (Geneva, August), where the brands Artya, Bovet, Breitling, Bvlgari, Czapek, De Bethune, Ferdinand Berthoud, Gerald Genta, Girard-Perregaux, H.Moser & Cie., Louis Moinet, Maurice Lacroix, MB&F, Ulysse Nardin and Urwerk participated. Meanwhile, private exhibitions were held by the Carl F. Bucherer watch company and independent watchmakers Romain Gauthier, Ludovic Ballouard, Kari Voutilainen and Laurent Ferrier.
Given that there were more closed borders than borders that were open at the time, live exhibition events were mainly held for representatives of local Swiss businesses and reporters, while the rest was online for everyone else.
The only forums representative of the industry that were held in 2020 were two exhibitions organized by the watch Watches & Jewelry Division of the LVMH Group
Yet despite all the problems, almost all of the big market players came to their senses after what had been the hardest spring months, and actively began sharing information about the novelties manufactured they had in advance for this year's premiere.
Overall at the end of 2020, the year doesn't look like a complete write-off, the situation actually seems completely normal. Our archive has filled up with information about a whole array of new watches, and we've put together a list of the most interesting ones to bring you a selection of the best watches of 2020.
A. Lange & Söhne – 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold “Homage to F. A. Lange”
The company A. Lange & Söhne marked their 175th anniversary this year by releasing a commemorative trilogy of timepieces in cases made of the brand's patented Honey Gold. The 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold “Homage to F. A. Lange” is the only watch model in the anniversary collection which has had a new movement specifically designed for it, which is why we're mentioning this particular model.
The 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold is the first "pure" split-seconds chronograph wristwatch in the brand's collection. In other words, this watch doesn't have any other functions apart form the split-seconds chronograph, thanks to which all of our attention is focused on the very beautiful and complicated construction of the chronograph movement.
Audemars Piguet – Code 11.59 Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie & [Re]master01 Selfwinding Chronograph
There's only a handful of Swiss watch companies that manufacture watches with the function of a grande sonnerie striking mechanism. Audemars Piguet is one of them, and this year the brand unveiled the Code 11.59 Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie model with its Grande Sonnerie striking mechanism complemented by the sonorous acoustics of the patented Supersonnerie. Those who appreciate decorative watch designs will like the unusual spangled enamel dial (“paillons” in French), created by renowned master enamelist Anita Porchet.
The chronograph was one of few rare occasions when Audemars Piguet looked to the fashionable vintage genre for inspiration. The rare Ref. 1533 wristwatch produced in 1943 served as the prototype for this model. The new watch has held onto the two-tone case design (stainless steel and pink gold), along with the teardrop-shaped lugs fixing the strap and the superb gold dial.
However, the case size has been adjusted to cater to the taste of modern watch enthusiasts, which has been enlarged from the original 36 mm to 40 mm.
Bernhard Lederer – Central Impulse Chronometer
Independent watchmaker Bernhard Lederer introduced the Central Impulse Chronometer watch this year, in which he has achieved his own version of natural escapement with lubricant-free escapement wheels based on the idea of its inventor Abraham-Louis Breguet.
Lederer created a rather complicated movement, where each of the two impulse-transmitting escapement wheels receives energy from its own mainspring barrel via its independent gear train, which is equipped with a 10-second constant-force mechanism.
Breguet – Tradition Quantième Rétrograde 7597
This year, Breguet introduced a new version of its Tradition watches which have the movement's main plate turned upside down. Apart from the hour and minute hands, the Tradition Quantième Rétrograde 7597 model has another hand to indicate the date on its retrograde date sector dial.
Bvlgari – Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Chronograph Skeleton Automatic & Serpenti Seduttori Tourbillon
Bvlgari is a master at setting world records when it comes to ultra-thin watches. The brand achieved its sixth world record this year when it unveiled the thinnest automatic tourbillon chronograph — the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Chronograph Skeleton Automatic. Both the watch itself and its movement have have record-breaking specs: the titanium watch case is just 7.40 mm thick, housing a 3.50 mm movement.
The second example is the first very successful attempt to create a tourbillon movement intended only to be used in women's watches. That's why the movement has been given an unusual elongated shape, making it a perfect fit for the watch cases in the Serpenti collection, which were the first watches to house this movement.
Chanel – J12 Paradoxe
Chanel's watchmaking division has prepared an anniversary series to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the flagship J12 sports collection. The J12 Paradoxe features a paradoxical design which lives up to its name.
The case finishing is a two-tone asymmetry of white and black ceramic, which has been executed in such a way that when you look at it, you get the impression that two different watches have been fused together — one black and one white — to create the J12 Paradoxe. A truly paradoxical sensation.