EVERY YEAR WHEN IT’S TIME TO ROLL OUT
the watch special one can’t help but hark back to a time when watches were just that—watches. Keeping time and keeping it well is an art and the watch making industry, which has undergone a great deal of churn over the last few years has recognised the wisdom in becoming more nuanced, giving watch lovers and collectors room to be surprised by their innovations. While there is a sense that smart watches have dented the business, the mechanical watch still remains a coveted acquisition.
This year, the two key watch fairs, Baselworld and Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie SIHH, Geneva, shone the light on key trends. As the millennial spender took centrestage, the challenge was to create smart, savvy, complicated watches that didn’t cost as much and most brands rose to the task. The new Baume & Mercier’s Clifton Baumatic is one such example as it is tailored for the young corporate who wants to give time a rest on a Friday and have it spot-on on Monday when work calls. The brand introduced a five-day power reserve which ensures this takes place seamlessly. This is also the brand’s first in-house movement which is no easy achievement and catapults the brand to a new level.
Giving consumers an option of metal over gold is also a big trend this year. Watchmakers have realised that in order to be cost effective and compete with other products they need to be sensible, so brands like Vacheron Constantin, Jaeger-LeCoultre and even Cartier are now offering their newest models in stainless steel rather than just gold and rose gold. Watches are also being made in two tones to appeal to someone looking to wear them across events and times of day.
With the smartphone becoming a favoured timekeeper, this year, brands like Hublot decided to be different. With one single stroke, their new Big Bang Referee reached out to the young sport lover. The watch is a 2,018-piece limited edition for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and runs on Google’s Wear OS and also vibrates each time a goal is scored at the World Cup. How’s that for coolness? Similarly, TAG Heuer continues to draw the sport lovers in with its new models of the Carrera, which offers innovation at an affordable price.
From skeleton displays to a profusion of blue dials, and lighter slimmer watches from most brands, this year was all about getting a foot back in the door and reminding the consumer why the mechanical watch is still a prized possession in this digital age. Whether top watch brands succeed in doing so and boosting business remains to be seen though; only time will tell.
(Aroon Purie)