The best of the best from SIHH are turning heads in Aspen.
THE BEST OF THE BEST FROM SIHH ARE TURNING HEADS IN ASPEN.
This year’s Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie brought more than 15,000 visitors to Geneva to experience the latest, most lavish timepieces from 30 of the world’s finest watchmakers. With Richemont, the owner of a dozen luxury watch brands, reporting a 12 percent rise in sales in the fourth quarter of 2016, a strong sense of optimism pervaded the fair, which saw a number of watches boasting high-tech materials and engineering, as well as high styling, to satisfy lovers of haute horology— apropos in Aspen, a town whose residents expect the best.
For more watch features and expanded coverage, go to aspenpeak-magazine.com/ watches-and-jewelry. .
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:
At SIHH, IWC Schaffhausen,a house that has long embraced male customers, premiered an update to its classic Da Vinci line featuring remarkably strong watches for women, including three glittering variations on the Da Vinci Automatic Moon Phase 36: red gold, stainless steel, and stainless steel with 54 diamonds embedded in the bezel (PICTURED HERE, $13,900). All three feature a visually arresting moon-phase complication, an elegant complement to the brand’s engineering excellence. Meridian Jewelers, 525 E. Cooper Ave., 970-925-3833; iwc.com
Technical innovation and novel materials abound in the Lab-ID Luminor 1950 Carbotech 3 Days ($51,300) from Officine Panerai. Carbotech, a carbon fiber composite used in automotive engineering, makes the 49mm case extremely light. A carbon nanotube coating on the dial allows it to absorb light, lending depth to the black coloring, a contrast heightened by the blue Super-LumiNova pigment. Carbotech construction and the fact that no oils or liquid lubricants are used in the movement means this piece has an unprecedented 50-year warranty. 400 E. Hyman Ave., 970-544-1868; panerai.com
Richard Mille produced its RM 50-03 Tourbillon Split Seconds Chronograph Ultralight McLaren F1 ($1,000,000) in collaboration with Formula 1 powerhouse McLaren-Honda. Constructed of ultra-high-tech materials, including Graph TPT Carbon, a proprietary composite made by injecting a graphene-heavy resin into layers of carbon fibers, this standout edition, limited to 75 pieces, weighs a mere 38 grams, making it the lightest split-second tourbillon chronograph in the world. 315 E. Dean St., 970-3003318; richardmille.com
A. Lange & Söhne takes the moon-phase indicator to new heights in its Lange 1 Moon Phase ($54,700), which is available in three dial and case variations. Two gold discs mark the movement of the moon: One rotates every 24 hours, presenting transitioning shades of blue and white to represent night and day, while a second disc in front carries the moon across the sky in its monthly phases. The made-in-house, manually wound caliber L 121.3 offers a 72-hour power reserve. Meridian Jewelers, 525 E. Cooper Ave., 970-925-3833; alange-soehne.com
According to legend, the original Cadenas watch was created by Van Cleef & Arpels for the Duchess of Windsor so she could check the time without appearing to. This year, the brand introduces the Ruby Cadenas (price on request), the latest exquisite example from this royal line. A beautiful blend of fine watchmaking and haute joaillerie, this timepiece doubles as a statement accessory—and allows only the wearer to tell the time. The pink gold of the bracelet and case are set with princess-cut rubies. 400 E. Hyman Ave., 888-984-4822; vancleefarpels.com