Launched in 2020 on the top of the pandemic, Geneva Watch Days (4-7 September) was the brainchild of Bulgari’s Jean-Christophe Babin, with early backing from Breitling, Bulgari and independents like MB&F. Conceived as an agile, open-air response to the dying behemoth Baselworld, it remodeled the town right into a stage, scattering launches throughout inns, boutiques and galleries. What started as a necessity has set the tone for a decentralised, collaborative, and refreshingly open occasion.
Now in its fifth yr, the roster has swelled to incorporate each heavyweight maisons and area of interest indies, in addition to the founding independents. This yr, newcomers like TAG Heuer and Bremont share the highlight with acclaimed independents resembling H. Moser & Cie, Ulysse Nardin and Czapek. The result’s a singular alchemy of worldwide giants, avant-garde independents and enthusiastic collectors.
From basic to avant-garde: 5 highlights from Geneva Watch Days
Zenith x USM Chronomaster Revival
Zenith x USM Chronomaster Revival
(Picture credit score: Courtesy of name)
Zenith has collaborated with modular furnishings model USM on the Zenith x USM Chronomaster Revival. The corporate launched its distinctive Haller system, utilizing a ball-joint connector, in 1965, the identical yr because the El Primero motion was unveiled. It’s a shared historical past acknowledged in retro particulars together with the nice and cozy yellow dial and a powerful, graphic silhouette.
zenithwatches.com
Renaud Tixier Monday Organica
(Picture credit score: Courtesy of name)
Dominique Renaud is named an alchemist of horology; an inventor, relatively than a watchmaker, demonstrated within the debut watch from his model, Renaud Tixier. The Monday Organica gives a duality of mechanical craft and métiers d’artwork. Powered by Renaud’s RVI2023 Calibre, a extremely revolutionary micro-rotor motion, the 7 items that shall be produced all function an intricate dial with blue tones by Olivier Vaucher. Every dial is the results of 112 hours of labor that mixes multi-level hand engraving, grand feu enamel, and textural results that remodel the floor right into a miniature panorama. The enigmatic dial is housed in a hand-engraved scalloped 40.8mm platinum case with a thickness of 12.6mm, together with a domed sapphire crystal.
renaudtixier.com
Ulysse Nardin Freak X Crystalium
(Picture credit score: Courtesy of name)
The Freak watch is 24 years outdated this yr, and Ulysse Nardin marks the anniversary with an embrace of glittering ornamental arts. Framed in a black DLC swimsuit, on the core of the Crystalium disc is ruthenium, a platinum-group steel which over days undergoes a sluggish, managed vapour-deposition crystallisation course of. The Crystalium hour disc, with its pointer positioned beneath the motion, serves because the hour hand, a refined, steady movement that fuses engineering and aesthetics. Due do the complexity of the Crystalium manufacturing course of, it is just made in an version of fifty watches.
ulysse-nardin.com
Laurent Ferrier Basic Tourbillon Teal Serie Atelier
(Picture credit score: Courtesy of name)
Laurent Ferrier is the epitome of quietly spoken classicism, with no blustering or avant-garde flash. As an alternative, Laurent and a crew that features his son, Christian, have fastidiously honed a model that represents a minimalist purity. Every case within the Basic assortment is as easy – and reveals the identical natural stability – because the pebble it takes inspiration from, this time rendered in 950 platinum. The distinctive lustre of weighty platinum frames a darkish teal dial in grand feu enamel on a white gold base with the slimmest of Roman numeral markers. Solely 5 items shall be made, that includes the identical LF619.01 calibre that gained Laurent Ferrier a GPHG on its debut again in 2010, right here in a extra modern end, with its beguiling tourbillon seen solely to the proprietor.
laurentferrier.ch.
Furlan Marri Disco Volante Onyx
(Picture credit score: Courtesy of name)
A spotlight of Geneva Watch Days is the possibility to find small manufacturers like Furlan Marri, know for his or her sub-£1K watches. The massive retro wave may be much less of a tsunami than 5 years in the past, however final yr’s pattern of stone dials and formed circumstances stay robust. Furlan Marri’s new Disco Volante takes its cues from Audemars Piguet UFO-shaped watches of the Fifties, with an organically layered look that frames a elegant black Onyx dial. Underlining its dressy nature are baguette-cut lab grown diamonds for markers, and the slinky weave of a milanaise bracelet.
furlanmarri.com=
Geneva Watch Days from 4-7 September
Supply: Wallpaper
