Time Watch

View from the Floor – BaselWorld and SIHH

The BaselWorld and SIHH shows were busier than ever, with both cities, Basel and Geneva, bursting at the seams with companies showing their product. It was hard narrowing down just a few companies to report on given all the great new watches featured at the spring shows, but some of them are included here.

>> Keith W. Strandberg, Watch Editor

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Victorinox Swiss Army
The name change is complete now. Swiss Army is officially Victorinox Swiss Army all over the world. One of the best looking new sports watches is the Victorinox Swiss Army Master 500 Dive Watch, available as a limited edition in titanium treated with black PVD. This robust watch is water resistant to 500 meters and features an automatic helium release valve and ETA mechanical movement visible through a screw-in exhibition back.

The Victorinox Swiss Army Alpnach is a great looking aeronautical watch with very useful features, including a chronograph, a tachymeter scale, and a Valjoux 7750 with 46-hour power reserve. Water resistant to 100 meters, the Alpnach is named after the Swiss Air Force's Cougar helicopter and features a unique four-bladed second hand indicator, reminiscent of a propeller.

Zenith
I don’t know how Zenith does it, but I’m sure glad they continue to do it. Just when you think they might have a down year, they come up with great designs and incredible watches.

Zenith's Defy Xtreme series continues to push sports watch specifications. These watches are meant to be used and abused, and two new watches showcase the brand’s competence. A limited edition Zenith Defy Xtreme Open Stealth opens up the dial and is available in two versions of 100 pieces each in black and gray, water resistant to 1,000 meters. In the Defy Classic series, all are water resistant to 300 meters, which makes them serious sports watches.

Then to SIHH
The SIHH is a decidedly different show than BaselWorld, relaxed and, you could say, more “civilized.” Here are my favorites from the SIHH.

Vacheron Constantin
Vacheron put everyone on notice that they were the brand to watch this show with the introduction of their “Les Masques” collection. These timepieces awed everyone. Hand-engraved and stunning reproductions of four primitive masks adorn each of the four dials, making the watches as much an objet d’art as a timepiece. They are only available in boxed sets of four pieces, which make up the complete set. They are a testament to the brand’s leadership in innovation.

JeanRichard
Cars have always been linked to watches and watch manufacturers have always come up with new and innovative ways to time them, provide time on the dashboard, and celebrate the watch-auto partnership. This year, however, motorcycles are on the forefront. At the lead is the partnership between JeanRichard and MV Agusta, announced during the SIHH. MV Agusta is a collector’s motorcycle, boasting the highest priced production motorcycle ever made (over $100,000). Collaborating with JeanRichard on a series of MV Agusta themed watches makes perfect sense.

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