The Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) took place last week in Geneva. The annual watch fair exhibits new novelties from 16 Richemont watch maisons. We’re still working our way through the impressive showing, and will be highlight several standouts this week.
The unifying design motif this year from Cartier, Parmigiani Fleurier, and Vacheron Constantin was navy blue hues, but beyond that, these timepieces presented a host of unique and innovative details.
Vacheron Constantin’s Harmony Ultra Thin Split Seconds Chronograph
Cartier offered a revamped version of its classic Crash design, which originally came into being in 1967 after a client brought in a watch with a smashed face for repair. Cartier was inspired by the shape caused by the mishap, and created a new design that would become the organic, leaf-like face of the Crash watch. This year, released as part of the Mechanical Legends series, the Crash becomes the Crash Skeleton, which features skeletonized bridges that form the time-telling Roman numerals. It’s a clever trick of function and style.
Parmigiani Fleurier provided an otherworldly offering with the new special edition Tonda 1950. The design comes in dark blue and black, and features a dial made of meteorite. Yes, you read that right. The company has specially sourced meteor rock, and then treated it in a series of acid baths to reveal the crystalline structure that results from the rapid change in temperature as it soars through the atmosphere. The result is a rough, uneven herringbone-esque texture in a lovely matte finish.
Cartier Crash Skeleton
To ring in its 260th anniversary, Vacheron Constantin has released a series of seven watches under the moniker Harmony. The series was inspired by some of the brand’s first wrist-worn chronographs issued in 1928, and features blue numerals, hands, and strap, and a brand-new cushion shape. At once classic and modern, the collection is ideal for the discerning collector who goes for simplicity and style.
