This handsome new line from Vacheron Constantin oozes classic mid-century charm, taking inspiration from a 1956 vintage model. For those looking to purchase a more entry-level timepiece from the high-end watchmaker, the good news is that alongside gold models, this collection is also, more unusually for the brand, available in steel too.
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Montblanc has introduced five new designs into its 1858 collection, taking cues from the vintage pocket watches and timepieces that came out of the Minerva manufacture in the early 20th century. Perhaps the boldest is the 1858 Geosphere, dedicated to the Seven Summits mountaineering challenge, featuring a world time complication indicated by two turning hemisphere globes on the dial.
This year is the 50th anniversary of the Memovox Polaris watch, and to mark the occasion Jaeger-LeCoultre has revisited this dive watch classic with a new assortment of sporty timepieces. The range of models includes a clean and simple automatic three-hander, a chronograph and chronographer world time, as well as a limited edition featuring the special alarm function made famous by the original.
Last year's SIHH saw the forward-thinking watchmaker release the bold InnoVision 2 concept watch. With the Freak Vision, it is taking many of the key innovations and translating them into a regular production timepiece. Counted among them are the incredibly light silicium balance wheel and stabilising micro-blades, designed to increase accuracy.
One of Baume & Mercier's most technically advanced watches to date, the Clifton Baumatic, packs in a number of innovations without compromising on the classic and sophisticated aesthetic for which the watchmaker is known. The new in-house movement offers a five-day power reserve, as well as taking advantage of new silicon technology developed by Richemont.
SIHH started as a showcase for luxury group Richemont's fine watch brands, but in recent years has welcomed an exclusive few from outside its main stable. The latest to defect from rival watch fair Baselworld is Hermes, which for 2018 has presented a new take on the Carre H, its distinctive square watch first created in collaboration with furniture designer Marc Berthier in 2010.
This is set to be a landmark year for IWC, as it celebrates its 150th birthday. The watchmaker has pulled out all the stops with its Jubilee collection, comprising 27 new limited-edition pieces that revisit some of its classic models. Standouts include the IWC Tribute to Pallweber Edition "150 Years", referencing its iconic pocket watches that display the hours and minutes in a digital format via large numerals on rotating discs.
One of the main attractions for visitors to this edition of SIHH is a dazzling display of 19 mystery clocks from Cartier, which appear to defy gravity with their floating hands. Taking inspiration from these creations is the brand's Rotonde Double Tourbillon Mysterieux Squelette, which ups the ante with a double tourbillon seemingly suspended in mid air.
Last year's SIHH was bittersweet for A Lange & Sohne as it saw the passing of Walter Lange, a figure responsible for not only reinvigorating the German brand following the fall of the Berlin wall, but also, in part, German watchmaking as a whole. This year sees a fitting tribute in the form of new additions to the handsome 1815 line, featuring a stoppable jumping seconds hand that references back to a 150-year-old invention from the company's founder, Ferdinand Adolph Lange.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Self-winding Chronograph
This tough and rugged alternative to Audemars Piguet's iconic Royal Oak is turning 25 this year. To celebrate, the brand is staying true to the design codes of the 1993 original – including signature blue dial complete with trademark petite tapisserie pattern – while inside is the thoroughly modern self-winding 3126/3840 calibre, encapsulating the technological advancements the brand has made in the decades since.
Richard Mille RM 53-01 Tourbillon Pablo Mac Donough
Predictably daring, this latest release from the boundary-pushing Richard Mille sees them team up with Argentinean polo player Pablo Mac Donough for a timepiece more than capable of withstanding the pressures of this fast-paced sport. The real eye-catcher is the cable-suspended movement, designed to mitigate the impact of shock on the tourbillon.
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