For over 500 years, Geneva, Switzerland has been the center of precision time keeping. Located at the Southern tip of Lake Geneva and surrounded by the Alps and Jura Mountains, Geneva is home to some of the world’s most prestigious watch makers. With added safety and sanitary measures due to the spread of COVID-19, Geneva Watch Days were still able to take place during the end of August. Here are three key takeaways from the four day event.
1. Ultra-thin Watches Make A Statement
Originally launched in 2014, Bulgari’s Octo watch is a modern-day classic with “groundbreaking thinness.” At Geneva Watch Days 2020, Bulgari impressed with the ultra-thin Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Chronograph Skeleton Automatic Watch. The mechanical movement of the watch is a skeleton movement with automatic winding and a chronograph single-push and tourbillon. The watch is housed in an ultra-thin case at 7.40mm thick. The skeleton watch allows wearers and viewers alike to admire the interior workings of the piece. Additionally, the Octo looks like its namesake; the eight sided watch adds subtle geometric touches, which make this piece a blend of timeless and modern. The Octo Finissimo comes in a wide range of colorways, from black sandblasted ceramic, extra-thin sandblasted 18 kt rose gold, satin-polished stainless steel, and titanium.
Another stunningly thin watch is Ferdinand Berthoud’s Chronomètre FB 2RE, with an 18 kt white-gold case 44mm thick. The COSC-certified chronometer watch has a mechanical movement with manual winding, constant force with fusee-and-chain transmission and remontoir d’égalité. Ferdinand Berthoud was founded as a marine-clock maker and today the watches pay homage to their 18th century heritage. The shape of the watch mirrors the marine clocks and comes with an alligator leather strap.
2) Limited Run Art-Time Pieces
Moinet’s Space Revolution piece looks like it belongs in a museum exhibition. The watch features two titanium spaceships that look straight out of Star Wars set right on the face of the piece. The watch has either a Mars meteorite or lunar meteorite, depending on the model. Not just an eye-candy piece, the watch has impressive mechanics as well. The flying doubles tourbillon rotates above the face and the watch is 43.5mm thick. 18 times an hour the titanium spaceships on the face of the watch battle. Each ship rotate in opposite directions. Strictly a limited run, Moinet will only create 8 of each model, making 16 in total.
Similarly, De Bethune unveiled an art-piece watch. A limited run of 10 pieces, the DB28 Steel Wheel Sapphire Tourbillon is a 10th anniversary edition of the successful DB28. The DB28 has an unmistakable shape and precision movement, with a titanium balance and a pattered De Bethune “pare shock” antishock system. The avant-garde design on the face certainly will turn heads and makes a bold, modern statement. The watches are completely crafted by hand in De Bethune’s workshop.
3) Athleisure Watches Hit the Scene
Breitling launched its Endurance Pro Collection, combining athletic practicality and comfort with luxury, design, and precision. Built for an “active lifestyle”, this unique collection comes with a rubber strap, ideal for athletes and people with active lifestyles. The ultra-light watch is resistant to scratches, corrosion, and traction, making it ideal for a physically active wearer. Not short on style, the colorful rubber dial watch-face has bold, large Arabic numeral hour markers and a bi-directional compass scale. The Endurance Pro is powered by Breitling’s Caliber 82, a COSC-certified SuperQuartz.
During COVID-19 confinements this spring, Czapek launched a luxury sports watch Antarctique. During Geneva Watch Days, they released a limited edition Antarctique, complete with a hand-painted blue lacquered dial called Abyss. Only 10 of these stunning pieces will be made and are already sold out, according to the Czapek website. Each watch face is unique and the watch comes with a stainless steel bracelet as well as a rubber strap. Similar to the Breitling Endurance Pro Collection, the rubber strap is ideal for a more active wearer and giving the watch a more sporty feel. Abyss uses Czapek’s in-house self-winding mechanical movement and the power winding system is a micro rotor with an 18K recycled gold mass.
Featured Image Credit: Bulgari
