I'm back after 4 days spent in Geneva in the context of the Geneva Watch Days. This event was organized to give an opportunity to the brands to physically present novelties to the press (and the public during the last day) able to travel to Geneva. Jean-Christophe Babin was very instrumental in this organization and for him, it was very important to show that business remains active even during the Covid-19 pandemia. I can't agree more. Every attendee was very happy to meet again the teams, the friends with the ability to touch, handle, test the watches. It was for me the first significant event since Basel 2019. One year and half! And to be honest, due to the latest figures we don't know if we will have such opportunity again in a short timeframe. Anyway, zoom meetings were useful, Instagram lives were sometimes interesting but nothing replaces this kind of fair. I was very happy to be in Geneva and I enjoyed a lot my stay.
Here are some wristshots I took during the event with brands officially in the organization and some peripheral ones. Please note that I can't show you everything because some novelties are still under embargo.
It was for me a true pleasure to meet Remy Cools and to see the Tourbillon Souscription which is very different from the prototype I saw two years ago:
When in Geneva, a visit to the MAD Gallery is always mandatory, even more when you need to see some pieces you haven't had the chance to see previously... like the HM10 Bulldog:
I spent time with the Breitling team. The gold version of the reedidition of the AVI 1953 is beautiful:
But the objective was to discover the new Endurance Pro with a Breitlight case and a superquartz movement. Several colors are available. I find it very apprealing in this "professional" field.
Artya has launched the Historic line. It is a quite funny approach since it gives the feeling that the brand offers reeditions from the past. But it is in the end a new approach which gives a classic and traditional background.
I visited the Salon des Horlogers which is a boutique - gallery fully dedicated to independent watchmaking. And I found some treasures there!
Romain Gauthier Insight Micro-Rotor Squelette Carbonium:
Ludovic Ballouard Upside Down:
David Candaux DC6 Half Hunter:
When Kari Voutilainen offers a watch with a central hand:
Laurent Ferrier Classic Ecole Origine Opaline:
Vianney Halter Deep Space:
Tome was coming to reach the Hotel Beau-Rivage in which several indepedent brands were exhibiting:
Urwerk was presenting the UR-100 Gold and I love it...
When Urwerk clients & fans meet!
The amazing UR-T8 Raptor engraved by Johnny Dowell:
One of the key pieces of the event, the De Bethune Stell Wheels Sapphire Tourbillon, a luminous watch.
I own the white version of the Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein Regulator, the black version is also very appealing and is maybe more "Silberstein".
Congrats to Leeds which will play in the Premiership League this year!
Another star of the show is the three hand Streamliner from Moser. The dial which offers a wide range of colors from green to bronze is mesmerizing.
Bovet was among the significant exhibitors.
New version of the 19 Thirty:
The Recital 29
And the Chapter Two of the Virtuoso VIII:
I was very happy to meet Adrian to discover his Pedrozo & Piriz project featuring two flying tourbillons and a very architectural design:
Girard-Perregaux presented a quite wide range of novelties like:
The Cosmos Infinity:
The Free Bridge which is a very important watch in the brand's strategy:
The Infinity version of the Free Bridge:
The Laureato Absolute Light:
The Ferdinand Berthoud Chapter Two (aka the FB 2RE) is an amazing piece with a more consensual design approach:
Panerai was out of the context of the Geneva Watch Days but presented some novelties in Geneva highlighting the use of new materials like Fibrotech or Carbotech:
Ulysse Nardin presented the Executive Tourbillon Blast available in different versions:
But I also had the wish to see again some beauties from the past...
Raketa was present at the Beau-Rivage to keep building its credibility on the western Europe market:
The most impressive piece from the technical stand point was the Central Impulse Chronometer by Bernhard Lederer. I will try to come back to it to explain you with details its features. Just want to say that thanks to its specific system, the movement has a 3hz frequency without any "shock":
The movement is a true masterpiece:
I met Federico who presides over the destiny of the brand Gérald Charles (the two first name of Gérald Genta) and I could see the lovely Maestro anniversary watch:
Czapek is currently a very active brand. It also contributed to the casual chic trend thanks to the Antartique collection:
I like a lot the California Dreamin' version of the Faubourg de Cracovie:
Louis Moinet unveiled a large selection of new and unique pieces inspired by different cinema worlds...
Cosmic Art Space Revolution Double Tourbillon:
Tourbillon T-Rex:
What a pleasure to meet Chantal from Schwarz-Etienne to discover the already famous Roma created with Kari Voutilainen:
New owner and new ambition for Purnell. I was not disappointed but the pictures don't give justice to these watches which require videos to be fully appreciated.
Bulgari was of course, under the leadership of Jean-Christophe Babin the "big" company of the Geneva Watch Days.
6th record in a row with the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Chronograph. An impressive piece.
And in the other side of the collection, Bulgari offers at the same time a casual collection with fair prices, the Aluminium which is back with a redesigned approach.
The new versions of the Octo Finissimo are for me gorgeous:
I have a soft spot for this Bi-Retro... back to the old days when I was moderator for the official Gérald Genta forum in PuristSPro!
The Damascene Titanium case of the new Genus watch is beautiful:
I was very happy too to meet Stephen Forsey and I like the trend toward more casual and easier to live pieces.
But it is the hand made which created me the highest emotions:
Carl F Bucherer presented the Heritage Tourbillon Double Peripheral:
The Patravi TravelTec Color Edition is available in 4 colors, each of one representing a season (the light blue symbolizes winter):
My fav piece from Carl F Bucherer is the Manero Flyback:
A quick visit at the Jacob & Co boutique to discover the latest Astronomia Sky Phoenix:
And the Bugatti Chiron... when you have the feeling to have a true engine on the wrist:
A good fair in Geneva always ends at the F.P. Journe manufacture in which I had the surprise and pleasure to meet Christian.
The new Resonance in RD:
And the new dial of the Octa Perpetual:
I will try in the coming weeks to come back with details on some of these pieces. And don't forget that some pics are yet to come for embargo reasons.
Fr.Xavier
