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Round-UpThe Year 2024 In Review: Some Of The Biggest Stories From The Year Gone By

The year 2024 has been a mixed bag for some, but the watch industry has seen some major updates from brands and groups. Here’s a look back at some of the biggest stories of the year ending today

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Year 2024 review top stories watch industry LVMH Richemont IWC Patek Philippe Jacob & Co Favre Leuba perpetual calendar watches IWC
IWC’s Portugieser Eternal Calendar won the ‘Grand Prix’ at the 2024 GPHGs. This is equivalent to being named the best watch of the year

Management Shake-Up At The LVMH Group In The Year 2024

Early in the year, there were some major changes in top management at the watch brands of the LVMH Group, the world’s largest luxury conglomerate. It was announced that Frédéric Arnault, who was the CEO of TAG Heuer, would be elevated to the position of CEO, LVMH Watches. Taking his place at TAG was Julien Tornare, who was the CEO of Zenith. Meanwhile, replacing Tornare at Zenith was Benoit de Clerck. On the other hand, former head of Bulgari watches, Antoine Pin, took on the role of Hublot CEO, replacing Ricardo Guadalupe, who took a step back from operational management, becoming Hublot’s honorary president. This shake-up was a significant story from the world of watches right at the beginning of the year 2024.

The Watch Guide

Top to bottom: Ricardo Guadalupe, Anoine Pin, Julien Tornare

The Watch Guide

Left to right: Benoit de Clerck, Julien Tornare, Frédéric Arnault, Jean Christophe Babin (Bulgari's CEO), Jean Arnault (Louis Vuitton), and Ricardo Guadalupe

Read our interview with Benoit de Clerck, CEO, Zenith, here

The IWC Portugieser Eternal Calendar Was Launched in The Year 2024

In April, in the year 2024, IWC unveiled their new Portugieser Eternal Calendar, which elevated their signature perpetual calendar to become an advanced complication that was rather groundbreaking. The watch that would go on to win the top prize at the prestigious GPHGs—the watch industry’s most coveted awards—boasts of the ability to account for the Gregorian calendar’s exceptions. It makes up for the exceptional non-leap years, including 2100, 2200, 2300, and is correct with this indication right up until 2400, which will be a leap year. Additionally, the moon phase indicator will remain accurate for a staggering 45 million years. While this stellar new watch is baffling in terms of its features, it is equally stunning to look at, with a sublime, translucent white dial, which gives the various displays added visual depth.

The Watch Guide
The IWC Portugieser Eternal Calendar boasts of the ability to account for the Gregorian calendar’s exceptions. It makes up for the exceptional non-leap years, including 2100, 2200, 2300, and is correct with this indication right up until 2400

Favre Leuba Returns In The Year 2024

The world’s second-oldest Swiss watch brand, which has completed 287 years since it was founded—was relaunched in the year 2024. Out of commission for the past few years, Favre Leuba’s relaunch—at Geneva Watch Days this August—was awaited by many long-term fans of the brand. While their most impressive new models were the Deep Blue Revival and Renaissance, another reissue was the stellar new Sea Sky Revival—a chronograph timekeeper. Also with a chronograph function was the Chief Chronograph, which was launched with the Chief Date—borrowing the ‘Chief’ name from older collections of the brand.

  • The Watch Guide

    The world’s second-oldest Swiss watch brand, which has completed 287 years since it was founded—was relaunched in the year 2024. This here is the Deep Blue Revival

    ₹2,20,000
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  • The Watch Guide

    Seen here is the new Favre Leuba Chief Date

    ₹2,30,000
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  • The Watch Guide

    Another reissue was the stellar new Sea Sky Revival—a chronograph timekeeper

    ₹3,80,000
    Pre Book Now
  • The Watch Guide

    Also with a chronograph function was the Chief Chronograph, which was launched with the Chief Date—borrowing the ‘Chief’ name from older collections of the brand

    ₹4,19,000
    Pre Book Now
  • The Watch Guide

    Seen here is the Deep Blue Renaissance

    ₹2,25,000
    Pre Book Now

We spoke to the CEO of the revived brand, Patrik Hofmann earlier this year. Here’s our conversation with Patrik Hofmann—who was formerly the CEO of Ulysse Nardin

The Patek Philippe Cubitus Is Born In The Year 2024

One of the most polarising new launches of recent times was the year 2024’s Patek Philippe Cubitus—a square take of their signature Nautilus—one of the most coveted collections in watchmaking. Unveiled in October 2024, this new announcement took the industry by storm, with some collectors already adding it to their wish-list, while many others couldn’t resist but criticise how similar it was to the Nautilus. This was especially a contention for those who might have expected something far more innovative and fresh from Patek Philippe’s first new collection in 25 years—that too one that reportedly took almost a decade in development.

The Watch Guide
One of the most polarising new launches of recent times was the year 2024's Patek Philippe Cubitus—a square take of their signature Nautilus

Salman Khan For Jacob & Co In The Year 2024

Indian superstar Salman Khan has been a friend of the Jacob & Co brand for quite some time, also being a close personal friend of the brand’s founder and CEO, Jacob Arabo. This year though, Arabo announced an extension of their collaboration, by revealing that the brand would soon unveil a Salman Khan edition.

Year 2024 review top stories watch industry LVMH Richemont IWC Patek Philippe Jacob & Co Favre Leuba gold watches salman khan
This year, Jacob Arabo announced an extension of their collaboration, by revealing that the brand would soon unveil a Salman Khan edition

Since he made this Salman Khan announcement on his Instagram page in July this year, many have been waiting with bated breath for this new special edition. If it’ll be as special as Jacob & Co’s other special editions, such as the Epic X CR7—in collaboration with football star Christiano Ronaldo—it should certainly be an exciting watch to look out for.

The Watch Guide

Earlier this year, at the famous Ambani wedding, Khan was spotted wearing the Jacob & Co Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon

The Watch Guide

Sized at 44mm, this rose gold novelty features a tourbillon complication, and has sapphire crystal on the casebands, allowing for a view of the open-worked mechanism inside, in addition to the sapphire crystal caseback, which offers even more to see

Jacob & Co. Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon
Jacob & Co. Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon
₹4,16,00,000
Check Our Selling Price

New World Records In Slimness In The Year 2024

Leaders in slim mechanical watchmaking, Bulgari reclaimed the record in slimness, with their latest Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC, in April this year. This was before the slimmest mechanical watch was the Richard Mille RM UP-01 Ferrari. However, in August-September, Russian watchmaker Konstantin Chaykin claimed the record for himself, with the new ThinKing. At a baffling thickness of a mere 1.65mm—down from the Octo Finissimo Ultra’s 1.7mm—the ThinKing is awe-inspiring. However, it is merely a prototype, as compared with the Ultra COSC, which is a 20-piece edition, which also carries a chronometer rating for its accuracy.

The Watch Guide

Bulgari reclaimed the record in slimness, with their latest Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC, in April this year. This was before the slimmest mechanical watch was the Richard Mille RM UP-01 Ferrari

The Watch Guide

The Ultra COSC, which is a 20-piece edition, which also carries a chronometer rating for its accuracy

Brand Collaborations Continue In The Year 2024

In the year 2022, Manuel Emch of Louis Erard told us in an interview that collaborative limited editions add value for those who invest in such pieces, which are likely to appreciate in value. With special elements that are unlikely to be repeated in the same way again, they become coveted new releases. This year, Louis Erard continued their streak of collaborations, with editions such as the Le Régulateur Louis Erard X Vianney Halter II. With a diagonalised regulator display, this is their second watch in partnership with Halter, an artist who specialises in horlogerie. Hublot continued their collaborations with their latest Sang Bleu watch, in partnership with Sang Bleu, the creative agency known for their geometrical tattoo designs—seen on the faces of these Hublot watches. While there were many other collaborative pieces this year, the standout watches were those that came out of the new partnership between Swiss brand H. Moser & Cie. and British brand Studio Underdog. Only available as a pair, these passion fruit-themed watches present a quirky spirit with their bold colours drawn from the passion fruit.

The Watch Guide

While there were many other collaborative pieces this year, the standout watches were those that came out of the new partnership between Swiss brand H. Moser & Cie. and British brand Studio Underdog

The Watch Guide

This year, Louis Erard continued their streak of collaborations, with editions such as the Le Régulateur Louis Erard X Vianney Halter II, with a diagonalised regulator display

The Watch Guide

Hublot continued their collaborations with their latest Sang Bleu watch, in partnership with Sang Bleu, the creative agency known for their geometrical tattoo designs

Management Shake-Up At Richemont In The Year 2025

Earlier this year, another luxury conglomerate—Richemont announced changes in key top positions of some of their brands. Most of these changes effective from tomorrow, January 1, 2025, this shake-up has included CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels, Nicholas Bos being elevated to CEO of Richemont. Taking over leadership at Van Cleef will be Catherine Renier, who’s been Jaeger-LeCoultre’s CEO for quite a few years. A predecessor of hers, Jérôme Lambert will return as Jaeger-LeCoultre CEO after 2013, when he left the brand to be with Richemont’s Montblanc. Also part of what’s changing is Louis Ferla, who’s been the head of Vacheron Constantin, will take over as CEO of Cartier, while Laurent Perves, will become the new CEO of Vacheron Constantin, after having served as CCO and CMO at the brand.

The Watch Guide

Jérôme Lambert, who is returning as Jaeger-LeCoultre's CEO

The Watch Guide

Louis Ferla (the new CEO of Cartier), Laurent Perves, (the new CEO of Vacheron Constantin))

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