Top Watch Trends 2019
Musical chairs was the main theme of the Swiss watch fairs this year, but despite the changes there was plenty to see. From retro military styles to high-performance technology, new-age materials, eco credentials and cool colours, this year promises somet
Traditionally, watch brands from the Richemont Group exhibit at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) in January and everyone else exhibits at Baselworld in the spring, but this year has seen an interesting game of musical chairs with SIHH expanding its exhibition space to accommodate more independent brands and
Baselworld reducing its space as many of its brands have given up on the trade fair game.
The Swatch Group dramatically pulled all its brands out of Baselworld last year, while Breitling has announced it will not be attending in 2020. The SIHH is also seeing departures with Audemars Piguet and Richard Mille leaving next year. Many cite
astronomical expenses attached to attending trade shows, while others say that the trade show model is outdated and no longer serves their purpose.
The LVMH Group is staying at Basel, but has said that it will be doing its own show next year too. This is due to the fact that the two shows will be synchronising their dates next year with the SIHH being held from April 26 to 29 April and Baselworld from April 30 to May 5. These new dates have not been well received as they are so late in the year. But despite the many changes, the Swiss Spring 2019 shows remain the best place to see what the world’s best dressed wrists will be wearing this year.
The vintage trend has been gathering momentum over the last few years and this year it remains strong with many brands offering almost exact re-editions of their historic timepieces. The watches look the same, but feature modern-day movements, uniting the best of retro design with the latest technology. Look out for vintage pilots’ watches with their bold faces, old-fashioned typography and beige SuperLumiNova, salmon-coloured dials inspired from the 1940s and ‘50s, domed and boxed crystals and smaller case sizes.
On the technology side, there is nothing like a new horological innovation to grab attention and this year there were some particularly interesting advances.
Colours are always a big topic when talking about trends and this year saw a continued love for green and blue dials. But watchmakers are also becoming more and more adventurous with colours.
Vacheron Constantin introduced its Traditionelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar that has a stand-by mode for when the watch isn’t being worn, so it can run for 65 days without interruption, and Zenith unveiled its new Defy Inventor, a timepiece that features a unique silicon oscillator with outstanding precision.
Another popular trend involved watch brands joining forces with different environmental projects related to saving our oceans. Breguet is supporting an effort to transform plastic ocean waste into energy while Carl. F. Bucherer continues its support to conserve the habitat of endangered manta rays. Experimenting with different materials and alloys helps to improve weight, strength and aesthetics of timepieces; this year saw the arrival of Panerai’s BMG-Tech which is highly-resistant to corrosion, external shocks and magnetic fields. Ulysse Nardin unveiled its Carbonium case composed of aeronautical-grade carbon fibre.
Colours were big this year with a continued love for green and blue dials, and more adventurous colours such as Hublot’s turquoise Paraîba Tourmaline Collection for men and women and Richard Mille’s ladies’ collection inspired by the world of candy with colours that remind us of marshmallows, gumdrops and liquorice. No matter the machinations behind the scenes, the beauty of the watch industry is that there are so many different styles and trends, offering something for everyone.