The lately concluded fourth version of Watches and Wonders (previously Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie), an annual honest that showcases luxurious watches by prime manufacturers witnessed a file attendance of over 55,000 guests, together with 1,600 journalists. Held in early April in Geneva, at Palexpo, a 77,000-square-metre conference centre close to the airport, the occasion hosted almost 60 watch manufacturers, together with Bvlgari, which made a formidable debut with a 1,000-square-metre sales space.
Last 12 months, the watch trade noticed a fall of 3% in luxurious watch gross sales after two stupendous years of development led by submit pandemic revenge shopping for. Things are coming to normalcy with Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Richard Mille, Patek Philippe merchandise making their approach to the shops and these loopy premiums softening.
Last 12 months’s blip did not make manufacturers cautious. In truth, there have been extra gold watch instances and bracelets, clearly displaying luxurious watch manufacturers opting to be aggressive to develop once more in 2025. The superstar appearances continued unabated — sportspersons Carl Lewis and Usain Bolt, and French cooks Anne-Sophie Pic and Yannick Alléno for Hublot; actor Simone Ashley and musician Hans Zimmer at the IWC Schaffhausen sales space, and ace tennis participant Roger Federer at Rolex. The largest launch at the honest was clearly the Land-Dweller, a new line by Rolex because the Sky-Dweller in 2012.
Only one factor dampened the temper of the exhibiting manufacturers — the sudden announcement of 31% tariff on Swiss exports to the US, as introduced by President Trump. With US being the important thing marketplace for the Swiss watches for the previous three years, the priority was real. The motion on tariffs will proceed to play out within the coming days and form the enterprise within the quick and lengthy timelines.
Choosing the perfect six launches, like we do yearly, is a powerful ask. And we maintain it easy, the watches that touched our hearts and not merely chased data to be the perfect. Also, we imagine range inside this listing; from costly to affordable, for the boys and the ladies, technical in addition to creative is necessary.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater
The new Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater is powered by a model new motion, Calibre 953
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Special association
It’s a clearly the 12 months of the Reverso for Jaeger-LeCoultre. Amongst the a number of Reverso watches launched, the Tribute Minute Repeater is the grandest of the problems within the rectangular iconic twin face case of the Reverso. It is a restricted version of 30 items solely.
Born within the polo fields of Rajasthan in 1931, India has a particular relationship with the Reverso. Jaeger-LeCoultre launched excessive problems in Reverso in 1994 with its first Reverso Minute Repeater, fitted with the maison’s first rectangular minute repeater motion.
The new Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater is powered by a model new motion, Calibre 953, which includes the seven present patents that Reverso holds and now comes with an enhanced energy reserve of 48 hours. The watch is distinguished by a newly designed enamel dials. Both dials nonetheless are very totally different in character. The entrance dial showcases a radiant hand-guilloché barley-seed sample that creates an optical phantasm of motion because it permits catching of the sunshine from totally different angles. The guillochage is elevated by a number of layers of grand feu enamel in a new teal blue color. The reverse dial is open-worked, revealing the complicated functioning of the repeater and show of shifting components when the chiming is activated.
Price: ₹3.07 crore
Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon
Bvlgari’s new Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon is now the thinnest tourbillon watch ever
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Special association
Setting its tenth world file for ultra-thin watchmaking in virtually as a few years, Bvlgari integrates a skeleton tourbillon into the motion of a watch that measures just one.85 mm in thickness. The Octo Finissimo Tourbillon launched the model’s pursuit of excessive thinness in 2014, setting in movement a decade-long journey that has led to 60 worldwide awards, together with the distinguished Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix Aiguille d’Or.
With this timepiece, Bvlgari has created placing contrasts by way of various ornamental strategies utilized to key seen parts: the polished slope of the bezel flange, the rhodium-plated tourbillon stability, and the sunburst completed rhodium-plated tourbillon bridge.
Bvlgari’s new Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon is now the thinnest tourbillon watch ever. It is powered by the Bvlgari BVF 900 tourbillon calibre. This manually wound mechanical motion beats at a formidable 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz) and presents a 42-hour energy reserve.
Price: ₹8 crore; €800,000 (roughly)
Grand Seiko Spring Drive UFA
The computerized UFA motion has an astounding annual accuracy price of ±20 seconds
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The iconic Spring Drive motion began within the late Nineteen Seventies, with an intention to seamlessly mix the standard vitality of a mainspring with state-of-the-art digital watchmaking capabilities. In 2004, Grand Seiko launched the Spring Drive calibre 9R65, which paired computerized winding and 72 hours of energy reserve with a month-to-month accuracy of ±15 seconds, setting a new customary amongst actions powered by a mainspring.
Today, this legacy of accuracy in watchmaking reaches new heights with the announcement of the Spring Drive Calibre 9RB2, which receives the new UFA or “Ultra Fine Accuracy” designation. It modifications the narrative of precision timekeeping by measuring accuracy over a 12 months. The computerized UFA motion has an astounding annual accuracy price of ±20 seconds, making it probably the most correct wristwatch motion powered by a mainspring right this moment. Thanks to the motion’s compact design, the new watches have a case diameter of simply 37mm, making them the smallest fashions powered by the 9R collection up to now.
Price: ₹10 lakh
Hermès Cut Le Temps Suspendu
Hermès has redesigned this singular complication on two fashions
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Special association
Time suspended, a playful expression of Hermès time, first launched by the model in 2011, returns with new expressions.
Hermès has redesigned this singular complication on two fashions, the Arceau and for the primary time, within the Hermès Cut assortment. Launched final 12 months, the Hermès Cut assortment is now endowed with the model’s iconic complication. The Manufacture Hermès H1912 motion fitted with the time suspended module powers the 39 mm rose gold case of Hermès Cut, identified for its sharp traces and daring geometry.
At the press of a button, the hour and the minute fingers transfer into V form surrounding the 12 o’ clock numeral, eradicating the distraction of time. And a second press restores them to the present time.
Available in a number of variations, the Hermès Cut Le Temps Suspendu watch is designed to disrupt for being daring, quirky and revolutionary.
Price: The Hermès Cut Le Temps Suspendu in rose gold with a silver or pink dial prices roughly €28,000 (₹28 lakh) with the rubber strap and €43,000 (₹43 lakh) with the rose gold bracelet.
Cartier Tressage
On this watch, two twists of gold and diamonds encompass a rectangular dial paved with snow-set diamonds
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Special association
(*13*)
Cartier dazzles us with the Tressage enjoying with valuable metals like gold, diamonds and stones, to permit a dynamic interaction of textures and colors that evoke sensuality. Drawing inspirations from its personal repertoire of stunning watches from Maillon, Coussin and Reflection collections, the Tressage is inventive and valuable to the core.
On this watch, two twists of gold and diamonds encompass a rectangular dial paved with snow-set diamonds. On one facet, the sleek roundness of yellow gold alternates with pavé diamonds, whereas on the opposite, the daring, sharp traces of vertical brancards present sharp distinction. The shiny leather-based strap continues this interaction of supplies.
In one model, that includes a deep blue strap, the twists and dial are paved with snow-set diamonds. Through these creations, Cartier honours the legacy of Jeanne Toussaint, the primary feminine inventive director at Cartier, appointed in 1933.
Price: ₹1.34 crore
Rolex Land-Dweller
Oyster Perpetual Land-Dweller 40
| Photo Credit:
Florian Joye
A new line by the most important watchmaker on the planet, after 13 lengthy years, is a huge deal. The Land-Dweller has a pathbreaking motion inside an built-in bracelet mannequin with a honeycomb dial. Rolex introduces the calibre 7135, thinner than the bulk of the model’s actions, operates at a excessive frequency of 5Hz, delivering the very best high quality efficiency.
Calibre 7135’s Dynapulse escapement is a revolutionary different to the standard Swiss lever escapement. In this sequential distribution escapement, vitality is transmitted by rolling the place a transmission wheel, linked to the barrel, drives two uniquely designed distribution wheels, which in flip activate an impulse rocker that retains the stability wheel oscillating. The Dynapulse escapement is extraordinarily light-weight, unaffected to magnetic fields and extra energy-efficient than a conventional escapement due to make use of of silicon parts and an revolutionary structure.
The gold and metal fashions have a satin end over the extreme white color and the platinum version has a sunray end over its ice blue dial. On the index hour markers, the luminescent materials extends the complete size of the component. The distinctive fingers, specifically created for this watch, are completely rectilinear.
Price of 40-mm watch: ₹13.42 lakh for metal, ₹41.47 lakh for Everose gold and ₹56.11 lakh for platinum
Published – April 11, 2025 04:00 pm IST
