FeatureTrend Watch 2020: A View Of Fine Watchmaking’s Evolution In The Year Ahead
With both the major annual watch fairs cancelled, it’s uncertain how and when all the exhibitors and other brands will showcase their new collections. We take a look at a few 2020 watches that have already been released, and we try to predict the trends that will emerge in fine watchmaking in the year ahead, even if we don't know exactly when. This is what we believe timekeeping in 2020 will look like
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Usually, by this time of the year, we’ve already seen a chunk of the annual new releases from the world of watchmaking, with the major watch fairs already underway. However, we now know that this year, there will be no SIHH and Baselworld. On Thursday, the FHH (Federation de la Haute Horlogerie) announced: ‘In view of the latest developments concerning the worldwide spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus […and…] in order to protect the health and wellbeing of all our guests, press, partners and teams, the decision has been taken to cancel the upcoming edition of Watches & Wonders Geneva (formerly known as the SIHH).’ And yesterday, Baselworld followed suit, with a press release stating: ‘For health safety reasons and in accordance with the precautionary principle following the bans of large-scale public and private events issued today by the Swiss federal and cantonal authorities, Baselworld announces that it has taken the decision to postpone the show to [January-February] 2021 … due to concerns related to COVID-19.’
Before the coronavirus threat, the move of the biggest trade events from January and March to April and May was in itself a whole conversation across the industry—to do with business, production schedules, marketing calendars, and so on. However, aside from that, the excessive anticipation of what the year 2020 will offer in terms of watchmaking really has taken some of us by surprise. This is true especially now since we don’t know for sure when and how most of the big names in luxury watches will launch their novelties. With all the uncertainty, one can only guess what the world of timekeeping will have to offer this year. Yet, thanks to the new releases that have already been announced, we aren’t completely unaware of what’s unfolding. One 2020 event that has taken place was the LVMH Watch Week in Dubai. It was an initiative by the LVMH Group most likely because it had become customary for them to show some of their new products at ‘Geneva Days’—an event they used to organise during SIHH every January.
A Strong Hold On Design And Integrated Bracelets
Most of the LVMH brands showed up at their Watch Week with novelty after interesting novelty, but one of the strongest new series, in my opinion, was the Big Bang Integral by Hublot. It was a watch with a bracelet strap from the manufacturer mostly known for using leather and rubber in their straps. Now, it’s not like they’ve never done bracelets before. They have, but not like this, and indeed not with an ‘integrated’ bracelet—one that is designed to appear as a natural extension of the case. In fact, with the Integral, the design is such that it appears as though the lugs themselves are the first links of the bracelet. And with the consistent bevelling and finishing seen throughout the case, lugs and bracelet links, the watch is quite a winner. Yet, this isn’t the first integrated bracelet we’ve seen this year, and certainly not the first in recent times. In January, H. Moser & Cie. unveiled their first 2020 novelty, the Streamliner Flyback Chronograph Automatic, which followed a similar integration of finishing on its case and bracelet, while they chose to go without lugs altogether. This is, in fact, more in line with what Audemars Piguet do with their iconic Royal Oak watches, a few of which will definitely be seen among their 2020 offerings as well.
Find out more about the H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Flyback Chronograph Automatic
On the other hand, Girard-Perregaux’s Laureato watches exemplify the integrated bracelet quite perfectly, with distinctive central links on the bracelet. We’ve already seen a new Laureato Absolute from Girard-Perregaux this year, and we’re most likely to see a few bracelet novelties as well. And coming back to LVMH, how can one forget one of the best-designed watches of our times—the Bulgari Octo Finissimo. With its beautifully chiselled structure, the seams and edges between various elements of the case and bracelet are hardly distinguishable. And somehow, the new satin finishing of the latest Octo Finissimo Automatic in steel breathes new life into the design. This new edition is a departure from the matte-grey look of the original titanium and subsequent sandblasted steel versions—almost making the watch more mainstream, which is something, I believe, we’ll see more of. It almost behoves manufacturers to bring iconic designs that have defined the landscape of contemporary watchmaking out of their mould and appeal to a wider audience, while hopefully retaining their essence.
Icons And Complications For Women
Bulgari truly lives by the philosophy of gradually but distinctly evolving their icons, keeping their DNA intact, as is evident from the smashing success of the ever-evolving Serpenti collection. Last year, they reinvented the serpentine influence with the exceptional Seduttori, and this year, they’ve even pushed technical boundaries with aplomb. Not only have they introduced the Seduttori with a mechanical movement but they’ve also thrown in a tourbillon! Fit inside a 34mm case, the calibre is reportedly the smallest tourbillon movement you can find today. It just goes to show that technically superior watchmaking—and prestige complications—are not just for men. And I think we’ll see more complications for women this year—tourbillons, minute repeaters and perhaps even perpetual calendars and world timers. And why not!
Diversity In Complications
Less unpredictable though is the ‘poetic’ moon phase indicator, which isn’t uncommon in ladies’ watches. Yet, there are new Zenith Elite watches with moon phase displays even for men. And it’s not only because of this that I believe we will see more moon phases for men—with or without a perpetual calendar even. Moon phase displays have generally been sneaking into a number of watches lately, and not everyone has taken notice. IWC have done a number of moon phase watches for men in the past, as have Jaeger-LeCoultre and Girard-Perregaux, and there’s nothing too feminine about any of them. Moreover, with advanced moon phase indicators, such as H. Moser & Cie.’s Perpetual Moon—which is accurate up to a deviation of just one day in 1,027 years—there is scope for crazy innovation as well.
Complications, in general, won’t be too few this year, going by the gradual re-emergence of the prestige variety. Of course, we’ll see plenty of chronographs—as we always do—and other ‘useful’ complications, such as world timers or GMTs, which have been quite prominent in recent times. Yet, I believe watch manufacturers are becoming less conservative, in that they’re not sticking to watches that are simple and elegant, or standard and sporty. Brands are not shying away from going all out with high-complication pieces that push the boundaries of innovation. I’ll go so far as to say that we will see more pieces like the Girard-Perregaux Bridges Cosmos, or the Jaeger-LeCoultre Westminster Perpétuel this year. This is in a big way because the perceived threat that the smartwatch posed for the mechanical watch industry is somewhat subdued now. Of course one can’t deny that the Apple Watch becoming the highest-selling watch in the world hasn’t eaten into the traditional watch industry’s market share. Yet, it’s also pushed the traditional watch industry to really embrace who they are, without trying to compete. Just like a mechanical watch can’t be a gadget like a smartwatch, even the latter can’t offer the craftsmanship, longevity and everything else a fine timepiece can. In fact, questions of one competing with the other are all but laughed at now, which wasn’t the case a few years ago.
Less Conservative Watchmaking
In that spirit, mechanical watchmaking advancement will continue this year, and not just with complications, but with resilience. Proprietary materials will reinforce not just the timepieces they are used in, but also the innovative spirit of their makers. Diver’s watches will continue to push depths of resistance, remaining high on popularity among timepieces of the professional variety, while the aviation side of things will also be strong this year, even if it is more from a heritage standpoint. In fact, it’s crucial for watch manufacturers to remind the world of their legacies, especially now that they’ve decided to play to their strengths. Vintage inspirations have been strong lately and will grow even further, as we will continue to see re-editions and revivals galore. Breitling have already released their big one for the year: the AVI 765, a re-edition of one of their 1953 classics—unsurprisingly, an aviation piece. Zenith continues to release re-editions of historical El Primero watches even though the 50th anniversary of the El Primero was last year’s story. Even Rado continues to celebrate the revived Captain Cook range—introduced this year in bronze, the hugely popular alloy that we will most definitely see more of this year.
Take a look at all of Rado’s 2020 releases here
Revivals And Variations
Keeping revivals alive, several heritage watches will be released in new editions this year. I won’t be surprised if even Carl F. Bucherer writes the next chapter of their 2019 revival success story, with brand new editions of the Heritage BiCompax Annual. After all, they can’t seem to get enough of their successful watches such as the Manero Flyback. Similarly, Oris will continue to ride on the success of last year’s Big Crown ProPilot X Calibre 115, probably with a new Calibre 116 in-house movement equipped with a chronograph or power reserve indicator in a next-generation ProPilot X. Of course, a lot of the new models we’ll see will only be variations with different dial colours or straps, which, understandably, speaks to the commercial aspects of the industry, as it caters to the demands of the mainstream market. And when it comes to hues, the evergreen blue, which has been particularly popular lately, will continue to dominate the colour palette. Though I suspect we’ll see blue dials not just with different finishes, but also materials such as aventurine. A lot of brands have been opting for the special ‘starlit’ glass lately, including Omega and Parmigiani, and Girard-Perregaux especially, with this year’s Orion Trilogy from their 1966 collection.
Sustainability Stays Strong
New dials and colours are often executed with a lot of weight behind them—something that Oris has mastered with their watches for causes. We’ve already seen their new Aquis Lake Baikal Edition this year, and something tells me that we’ll see a lot more watches from various manufacturers in support of the environment and natural resources. Sustainability will continue to be a buzzword, and we will see more straps and even cases made of recycled materials—definitely from the likes of Breitling and Panerai.
Read more about the Oris Lake Baikal Edition here
When we’ll see a lot of these new releases continues to be a question mark though. Even to begin with, brands were dropping from the watch fairs like flies, following which, independent events, such as Swatch Group’s ‘Time To Move’ in Zurich and the Grand Seiko Summit in Japan, were cancelled due to the coronavirus threat. With Watches & Wonders and Baselworld also cancelled, the watch industry’s launch plans continue to be trampled upon.
As and when all the brands do launch their new novelties for the year, we will report back with just how much of this guessing is going to turn out to be true.
Shop The Story
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H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner
6902-1200
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Girard-Perregaux Laureato
81060-21-692-FH6A
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Girard-Perregaux 1966
49555-52-431-BB4A
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Girard-Perregaux 1966
49555-11-435-BB4A
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Oris Diving
01 733 7730 4175-Set
