Each January, watch lovers look to Geneva and the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), awaiting the latest timepiece launches from some of the world’s most fascinating watch luxury brands and independent watchmakers. The novelties introduced at SIHH define the horological trends for the year to come.
Stephen and Jared Silver make a pilgrimage to Switzerland every year to select new and rare timepieces for their high horology salon. Here are a few of the newest timepieces from Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry’s portfolio of featured watchmakers, launched this week to the world in Geneva, and coming soon to Silicon Valley.
Historic Maisons
The Historic Maisons corridor of SIHH houses some of the most storied brands in watchmaking history; however, their offerings for 2019 were anything but traditional. For 2019, these brands channeled the best of their heritage while pushing horology further with experimental new materials and clever complications.
BOVET Brainstorm® Chapter One
BOVET takes the inclined “writing slope” case design of the Brands GPHG award-winning Récital 22 timepiece, and translates the distinctive case shape in sapphire for its new Récital 26 Brainstorm® Chapter One. The inclined case crafted of light, ultra-transparent sapphire facilitates new perspectives and arrangements of its complex mechanisms and indicators, which include a flying tourbillon, three-dimensional moon phase, big date, and 10-day power reserve indicator.
Greubel Forsey Balancier Contemporain
Greubel Forsey unveiled the new Balancier Contemporain, the first timepiece by the brand that measures under 40mm. With 225 components, a 72 hour power reserve, and an unrivaled level of finishing, this is going to be one of the big winners from the show this year.
Hermès Arceau L’Heure De La Lune
The new Hermès Arceau L’Heure De La Lune retains the playful nature of Hermes’ flagship watch collection but introduces twin hemispheric moon phases. The dual moon phase indicators, beautifully crafted in mother-of-pearl, command full attention and rotate in an out of view behind lacquered date and time discs against a dial of meteorite or aventurine, all housed within a 43mm white gold case.
Carré des Horlogers and The Independents
The Carré des Horlogers and outlying independent brands, exhibiting elsewhere in Geneva during the show, did not disappoint in 2019. Their independent spirit and imagination were on full display this year, and these maverick watchmakers introduced some of the year’s most buzzworthy new timepieces, each more visually engaging and technically complex than the next.
MB&F HM6 Final Edition
MB&F announced its new HM6 Final Edition just before SIHH commenced, marking the latest and final chapter of one of the brand’s most successful and unconventional wristwatch series to date. The HM6 Final Edition has been updated with a rare stainless-steel case and a revised central dome, which allows an improved, panoramic view of its flying tourbillon.
HYT – H²0
HYT’s new H²0 bridges past and future with its mix of traditional elements like guilloche ornamented yellow gold and futuristic red fluid accents which transformed the brand’s signature production technique into an eye-catching design element.
Laurent Ferrier Galet Annual Calendar Montre Ecole
For 2019, independent watchmaker Laurent Ferrier updated his beloved Galet Annual Calendar Montre Ecole with a new movement, the LF126.01, and introduced a stunning blue dial. As always, Laurent Ferrier will issue this model in an extremely limited production.
Ressence Type 2
Ressence has set out to improve the mechanical watch in every way, and this year, the brand set out to design a smarter mechanical watch. The new Type 2 comes equipped with a unique power saving function, its e-Crown®, which will automatically hold the barrel of the mechanical movement if it sits idle for more than 12 hours. To resume timekeeping, the wearer need only double tap the sapphire e-Crown®. The e-Crown® can also register two time zones, set via a Bluetooth enabled smartphone app.
URWERK UR-105 CT Maverick
URWERK introduced the New UR-105 CT Maverick in a limited-edition of just 22 pieces. The brand designed the watch in honor of artists, eccentrics, inventors, and individualists who make their own colorful mark on the world. The hallmark of the UR-105 CT Maverick is its raw bronze bezel, whose rich patina will evolve and deepen the more it is worn.