2012 - for Ulysse Nardin this is the first Basel fair without its energetic and charismatic leader Rolf Schnyder, who had passed away so suddenly in April 2011. As a consequence, many were uncertain about the company’s new course, some even predicted a decrease of impetus and innovation.Gladly, this year’s fair demonstrate the opposite: Aside personal loss and grief, nothing seems to have changed, regarding Ulysse Nardin’s energy devoted to innovative technologies, the presentation ... more

 Check out the report at this (click) link:   basel.watchprosite.com ... more

by foverstaA visit at the Breguet booth is a must-do for me at the Baselworld Fair. Year after year, it makes me understand the strategy of Swatch Group with its most prestigious brand and I can feel now the strong ambition behind. Several years ago, I had some difficulties to feel what was the global direction behind the projects but now, things are much clearer to my mind. The will from Swatch Group is to build with Breguet a strong watchmaking excellence pole involved in innovation and taking advan... more

by foverstaThe 2012 edition of Baselworld was very active for Bell & Ross, so active that the fuses had just been blown when I visited the booth. Hopefully, we could find a place with lights in order to be able to shoot pics of this new collection.We can split it into 4 parts:- Flight instruments- Military- Complications- Slight evolutions of existing models.Let's start with the flight instruments.These watches follow the same footprints than the Radar did before: they are inspired by flight in... more

by foverstaAfter 4 days in Basel, I'm very happy to propose you my Harry Winston report. This report is a wrap-up of the novelties which were unveiled during the Fair but of course, I will come back to these watches later with dedicated posts.The good point about Harry Winston is the yearly presence in the collection of one of the most awaited watches: Opus. But we don't have to forget that the new collection offers us a wide range of novelties with more affordable prices or playing a different tune.... more

So the wait is over and all the 2012 novelties are revealed. Patek Philippe plays a very conservative card this year, but offers several very appealing new models. I'll come back later and in greater depth to the Patek Philippe novelty of the year, the 5204 split seconds perpetual calendar chronograph. For the time being let's have a rapid look at the new watches.   So first is below the new 5204. The dial seems to be very white on the pics but it is supposed to be of silvery opaline colo... more

A sneak peek of some of the BaselWorld 2012 Collections prototypes ... To view more, please proceed to: basel.watchprosite.com   ... more

Laurent Ferrier doesn't show his watches at the SIHH, but spending a few days in Geneva was a nice opportunity to visit the Laurent Ferrier workshop there and meet again the men behind this recently launched yet very respected brand.   I had met already both Laurent Ferrier the man and the company at BaselWorld nearly two years ago. I had been largely impressed by the Laurent Ferrier Galet Classic Tourbillon Double Spiral at that time.   I can easily say that Laurent Ferrier's tast... more

There was one very bad piece of news this year at the SIHH. Girard-Perregaux will leave the SIHH in 2013 and will join Baselworld. At least we had marvellous watches to discover and try to forget!   The most striking watch (IMVHO) proposed this year is a Laureato tourbillon with three bridges. We have already seen this straight bridges titanium a few years back. At that time the bridges were made in sapphire glass. The watch has been quite successful. This year the 10 piece limited editio... more

My SIHH 2012 report is out. Take a look. - SJX ... more

It was this year my 6th SIHH since I became a moderator and this year as every year as soon as I arrived at the SIHH I directly walked to the exterior windows of the Jaeger-LeCoultre exhibition to look at the novelties. I was very pleased with what I saw. I later realized that the two most appealing (to me) novelties where not even shown out there. I yet had to see them, or nearly.   Nearly because the most important new watch for Jaeger-LeCoultre this year, not in volume of producti... more

This year Patek Philippe presented two new references of minute repeater wristwatch on top of the complicated 5208.   It's time to order now, so have a look.   Here they are : http://patek.watchprosite.com/show-forumpost/fi-11/pi-4581448/ti-706748/s-0/     ... more

Obviously many here and myself first may wonder if we will ever see this watch out of the Patek Philippe window at Baselworld or the Geneva boutique. Those who may not wonder such question may answer "why bother?". I've read your many answers complaining in some way about so many "Grande complication" watches in this year's novelties from Patek Philippe. Well if that's really that much a problem for you you can have a look there:  http://patek.watchprosite.com/show-forumpost/fi-11/pi-4519... more

I've given my opinion about the watch I see as the most important new watch for the Patek Philippe range at Baselworld 2011, namely the 5270G. I'll give ASAP some information about the Patek Philippe 5208 as it is a premiere for Patek Philippe and  a watch that will stand among few others at the top of the (wristwatch) horological summit. But I can't wait more to post here the only pic I have of my favourite new watch in the Patek Philippe range for 2011. In the past the 5053G has long ... more

We won't have had to wait too much to see a new perpetual calendar manual wind chronograph appear from Patek Philippe' s novelties. Just two years after the Patek Philippe 5970P, the  Patek Philippe 5270G is taking the glorious path of its ancestors. The new chapter opened today is significant also because the Patek Philippe 5270G is the first ever (non split second) wrist chronograph with perpetual calendar equipped with a manufacture calibre from Patek Philippe.   If the refe... more

Girard-Perregaux is celebrating its 220th anniversary this year. The year is just beginning and they are quite discreet so far but this year of celebration begins with several new watches presented at the SIHH. I can say to begin that I'm quite appealed by many of those. Several were pre-launched in the winter and it was the first opportunity to see them. The jewel of the crown was a surprise. My visit to Girard-Perregaux at the SIHH was also the opportunity to see again some already known ver... more