Highlights from Baselworld 2017.
Longines Flagship Heritage—60th Anniversary 1957-2017
Longines has created a limited anniversary version of the Flagship watch to mark the model’s 60th year. Brand ambassador Kate Winslet chose the face of the watch, inspired by a vintage piece displayed at the watchmaker’s Saint‑Imier headquarters. The timepiece comes in steel, yellow gold or rose gold.
Breguet Tradition Dame In Rose Gold
Breguet has steadily expanded its exceptional Tradition Dame collection since its launch two years ago. On this occasion, it adds a version in rose gold. Overlapping with its rose-engraved barrel at 12 o’clock is a mother-of-pearl dial adorned with clous de Paris engraving, and on its bezel are 68 brilliant-cut diamonds.
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Omega Speedmaster 38mm
There’s a new member in Omega’s much-loved Speedmaster collection, and it’s a looker.
The Speedmaster 38mm is more refined and has been given a nice cappuccino dial. Its case is made from a combination of stainless steel and 18K Sedna gold, complemented by a bezel of pave diamonds and a tachymeter scale. A taupe leather strap is the perfect finishing touch.
Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Tourbillon Mother-of-Pearl
This beautiful piece sees mother-of-pearl introduced to the Grand Seconde collection, an iconic line inspired by the pocket watch created by the brand’s founder, Pierre Jaquet-Droz, in 1784. The Grande Seconde Tourbillon Mother-of-Pearl timepiece comes with a 39mm red gold case set with diamonds, and promises an impressive seven days of power reserve.
(Related: Face To Watch: Jaquet Droz The Charming Bird)
Dior V111 Grand Bal Plissé Ruban
With a generous helping of white diamonds, a dash of pink and a metallic finish, the new 36mm Dior V111 Grand Bal Plissé Ruban is as delicate as it is edgy. Its automatic movement features a functional rotor that is placed on the dial instead of at the back. Every bit a Dior piece, the rotor has been set with yellow gold plates and diamonds to make it look like a pleated petticoat interlaced with a silky ribbon.
Chanel Première Camélia Skeleton
After presenting the Monsieur de Chanel, which houses the brand’s first manufacture movement, last year, the maison has put its second in-house calibre in a stunning women’s watch—the Première Camélia Skeleton. At 28.5 x 37mm, the sophisticated Première comes with a bezel set with 42 baguette and 52 brilliant-cut diamonds, and its skeletonised dial features 246 brilliant-cut diamonds.
(Related: Chanel To Open Ephemeral Boutique In Singapore)
Harry Winston Avenue Classic Cherry Blossom
Using diamonds and pink sapphires, Harry Winston captures the ephemeral beauty of cherry blossoms on the mother-of-pearl dial of its new Avenue Classic Cherry Blossom timepiece. The charming scene is framed by a diamond-set case whose shape is fashioned after the facade of the brand’s flagship salon on New York’s Fifth Avenue.
Hermès Cape Cod
Vibrancy has been added to the brand’s Cape Cod collection with new colours for its dial and leather straps. This year, the lacquered dials come in subtly graded shades of red and brown. Straps, on the other hand, are available in indigo blue, graphite matt or black matt alligator leather. At the heart of the piece is the manufacture Hermès H1912 movement.
Corum Golden Bridge Rectangle
Corum presents a more refined and design-oriented version of its classic Golden Bridge, with the dial and movement given a more geometric, art-deco vibe. Complementing the case and movement are elaborate gold microstructures in the form of Roman numerals that are suspended and sandwiched between Corum’s signature bridge movement.
Tudor Heritage Black Bay Steel
Tudor’s much-loved Heritage Black Bay dive watch now comes in an all-steel version, with the bezel insert in brushed steel. The lines and proportions of the original Black Bay are maintained, and the disc of the rotating bezel is machined from steel and given a circular satin-brushed treatment to achieve a matt appearance. Its manufacture movement has an added date function.
Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe
Blancpain presents a 38mm version of its Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe, which was introduced in 2013 to mark the 60th anniversary of the Fifty Fathoms dive watch. This year’s version comes in “abyss blue.” Its steel bezel features a blue ceramic insert, and its hour markers are in Liquidmetal. Designed to accompany you on those deep dives, the piece is water resistant to 300m.
Hublot Big Bang Unico GMT
Thanks to the re-engineered Unico movement that now integrates a GMT function, reading the home and second time zones has been made simpler with the Hublot Big Bang Unico GMT. The commanding piece comes with a 45mm case but is light on the wrist because it is made in titanium or carbon fibre. A ribbed black and blue rubber strap gives the watch a smart finish.
Chopard Happy Ocean
Chopard enriches its wildly successful Happy Sport collection with the Happy Ocean, a sporty but elegant piece that also happens to be a legitimate dive watch water resistant to 300m. Its 40mm steel case is fitted with a unidirectional two-toned rotating bezel in either blue and turquoise or blue and raspberry complementing the dial’s deep blue tone.
Zenith Pilot Extra Special Chronograph
With its aged-bronze case, wide ratcheted crown, sandblasted black dial, oversized numerals in Superluminova, and khaki green oily nubuck leather strap, the Pilot Extra Special Chronograph recalls the golden age of aviation. Driving this retro timepiece is the El Primero 4069 automatic movement, which promises 50 hours of power reserve.
Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon
Not quite content to hold the world record for the thinnest tourbillon, Bulgari has reduced the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon to its bare bones in a skeletonised version of the timepiece. Its 253-part movement measures a minuscule 32.6mm wide and 1.95mm thick, with a flying tourbillon that spins on ball bearings to reduce height and offer a secure, low-wear setting from the caseback.
Tag Heuer Carrera Heuer-01 Full Black Matte Ceramic
The rebellious member of the Tag Heuer family has arrived. Going fully black, skeletonised, completely ceramic (except for the movement), and with a more modern design overall, this year’s version of the Carrera Heuer-01 is unlike any of its brethren. At the heart of the piece, however, is the same powerhouse movement—the Tag calibre 01, a self-winding chronograph with a 50-hour power reserve.
Glashütte Original Senator Excellence Panorama Date
For those wanting a clean and classic timepiece, Glashütte Original’s Senator Excellence Panorama Date is the one to have. The softly rounded aperture that displays the date integrates the indication in an elegant manner, while its deep black printed numerals make the time completely legible against its ivory-coloured dial.
Breitling Colt Skyracer
Once again, Breitling is drawing the full attention of true-blue aviators or those into extreme sports with this tough timepiece. The Colt Skyracer features the brand’s new Breitlight carbon case, which promises comfort, durability and lightness, and a thermo-compensated Superquartz movement that guarantees extreme accuracy. If that’s not compelling enough, this rugged piece also has a battery life of up to eight years.
Fabergé Visionnaire Chronograph
This model picks up from the Visionnaire DTZ, displaying the indications centrally with concentric counters. It places the hour and minute hands along the circumference of the dial, and the complication in the centre. As a result, the time is very easy to read, in contrast to conventional chronographs. Who says complications always need to be complicated?
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