SJX
[Purist]
8540
SIHH 2011: A comprehensive PuristSPro Report on SIHH 2011
I present my comprehensive report on SIHH 2011 in Geneva. It covers 20 brands including nearly all the brands inside SIHH and a few notable brands outside of the fair.
This year I tried to condense the report a little, as I received feedback that last year’s was unwieldy. Aiming for quality over quantity this year, the 2011 edition of my report has only 523 photos and just under 10,000 words.
I cover approximately 80% of the novelties presented, those missing were either unavailable or I just plain forgot to photograph them. Also, watches still under embargo that were presented to me are also naturally omitted.
All text and photographs in this report are mine and so are all errors. Feedback and preferably lavish praise can be emailed to me by clicking here .
- SJX
This message has been edited by SJX on 2011-02-01 05:39:25 This message has been edited by MTF on 2011-02-22 02:59:20 This message has been edited by AnthonyTsai on 2011-03-21 13:16:13
SIHH 2011: A comprehensive PuristSPro Report on SIHH 2011
I present my comprehensive report on SIHH 2011 in Geneva. It covers 20 brands including nearly all the brands inside SIHH and a few notable brands outside of the fair. This year I tried to condense the report a little, as I received feedback that last yea...
*** SIHH 2011: A. Lange & Söhne ***
2011 is a year of the small and focused collection for Lange. At one end of the spectrum, the entire Saxonia range was revised with four new models joining the range. Like the Saxonia Annual Calendar of 2010, the new Saxonia models this year are commercia...
Is the Zeitwerk Striking Hour featured here a prototype?
Again, like I pointed out last year, the minute disc is NOT aligned...again. Best, Horo
Of course, everybody who attended the SIHH saw it and heard it.
I put a movie here: alang.watchprosite.com Fr.Xavier This message has been edited by foversta on 2011-01-30 10:16:04
*** SIHH 2011: Audemars Piguet ***
AP unveiled a collection that comprised mainly additions to the Jules Audemars and Royal Oak lines, along with several new Millenary, including the 4101 which was a crowd favourite. Starting with the simplest, the Jules Audemars Selfwinding. Measuring 39 ...
The millenary is a very attractive watch
Is it a regular production or a LE? If available, could you tell us the retail price for the steel and gold models? Thanks, Stewart
It is not an LE
Retail for the steel will likely be in the region of USD22-24k. That is a very rough estimate. - SJX
*** SIHH 2011: Baume & Mercier ***
Baume et Mercier came along with Piaget when the latter was bought by Vendome, and then B&M became the forgotten step child living under the stairs. But in 2011 B&M was one of the highlights of SIHH. Not because of the watches themselves, which were attra...
*** SIHH 2011: Cartier ***
Cartier had the largest collection at SIHH, even compared to previous years. In terms of breadth as well as individual complications Cartier presented one of the most impressive collections at the fair. It’s a long way to the end so we will start with the...
The Multiple TimeZones....
A lot more function for any real world daily sense I think BUT.... very interesting esepcially the indicators on the side. A mutual friend if you recall spoke with PSM about this. Definitely want to see it in the metal when it comes in. Looks a big and th...
Bad Cartier Good Cartier Ugly Cartier
SJX, Bad I agree that the Calibre de Cartier does not imbue a sense of 'Cartier-ness' like all the other Cartier watch shapes. When one looks at a Tortue, Santos, Rotonde, Tank, Pasha etc etc, one sees 'Cartier' in the balance and aesthetic. Good Grief! E...
I like ...
the bear, the monkey (without diamonds, I think the diamond add too much to the decoration), and the turtle (also without the diamond). Is the bear a lmited edition? cen@jkt
*** De Bethune ***
De Bethune unveiled three new models: the DB10, DB25T and DB28. With silver guilloche dial and blued steel hands, the DB10 is a look back at the first De Bethune models. It is also De Bethune new entry level piece, though it still features the in-house au...
The Beautiful DeBethunes!
The DB25 is really a Tourbi for the self assured. As for the DB28, apart from the movable lugs, how different is it from the DBS?
they are really wonderful creations. between DBS and DB28
What are major differences? Is there any material upgrade? Love the electric blue lugs version, goes really well with the electric blue hands. Best, Horo
*** Franck Muller ***
Over at Watchland Franck Muller had a lot to show though the highlights for me were a series of tourbillons including one with a 20 mm tourbillon cage. As usual there were plenty of jewelled watches, including a whopper completely set with baguettes. FM a...
Nice job on those movements. I like them.
Not a fan of FM watches, but this year novelties have some nice work done on the movements IMO, and I had to comment it. Thanks. Vte
SJX, can you share some details on the escapement of some of the tourbillons?
the teeth of the escape wheel look quite spectacular and different from the 'normal Swiss lever escapement tourbillons'. I am referren, for example, to this: Or am I just fooled by the special spoke design? Thanks, Magnus...
beautiful Watches
i'm surprised that FM Watches are not Well appreciated.and ofter are looked over.!
*** SIHH 2011: Girard Perregaux ***
Girard Perregaux presented a fairly small collection this year with all the models being variants of existing models or calibres. As usual the highlights were variations of the GP tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges. Several new models in the slim, round V...
*** SIHH 2011: Greubel Forsey ***
Greubel Forsey showed two new models this year, the Invention Piece 2 and the Double Tourbillon 30 ° Technique. As is tradition at GF, both are enormously complex watches that are finished to the highest standard throughout. I especially like the stu...
*** SIHH 2011: IWC ***
IWC presented a small range this year, with majority of the new models being the revamped Portofino range. For the longest time the Portofino was almost an afterthought but now it has turned serious. The flagship of the new Portofino line is the Hand-Woun...
Sorry mate...another disappointing year IMHO for IWC lovers like me
The regig of the Portofino is such a obvious marketing department job that you can literally smell them trying to inject a dose of Dolce Vita that is actually smacking of Artificiosa Vita. Comeon IWC, reinvent the wheel if you have to, stop mucking around...
Both Portofino are new movements but...
though similar to the cal. 5000 automatic the new hand-wind is entirely different, it is not merely the cal. 5000 with automatic winding mechanism removed. While I wouldn't go so far as to call them disappointing, they are fairly commercial pieces, i.e. d...
*** SIHH 2011: Jaeger-LeCoultre ***
2011 is the anniversary of the Reverso so naturally there were several new Reverso models. But they were not the only novelties; JLC had one of the larger collections at the fair. The headline Reverso for 2011 is the minuter repeater at the high-end but I...
Not faux antique luminova, on the TT 1931 RG, SJX.
The dial is not glowing at all. It is not luminous, but paint. Best, Nicolas.
Ha! ANother MR in Titanium!
Now this looks like a contender for a space in my watch case! We'll have to see! Cheers Stephen
Great Report
Not only was it concise but the words covered what was more relevant and worth noting for, not to mention your pics. Thank you!
*** MB&F ***
MB&F presented the final editions of the HM2, 18 pieces each of the red and black SV (‘Sapphire Vision’). Both have sapphire top plates, while the case back of the red SV is rose gold while the black SV is PVD coated titanium. When I first saw images I ha...
*** SIHH 2011: Montblanc ***
Montblanc grew its key model lines incrementally this year, starting with the Rieussec. 2011 is the 190 th anniversary of Rieussec’s first stop watch, so naturally an anniversary Rieussec is mandatory. Available in platinum, rose or white gold, the Rieuss...
Excellent Bi-Cylindrique pics.
That double hairspring looks fascinatingly beautiful and you captured it perfectly. Nice pics. Thanks. Vte
*** SIHH 2011: Panerai ***
Panerai’s 2011 collection continues to do what it does very well, a solid dose of retro inspiration, a dash of in-house movement credibility and dastardly limited numbers of everything. A key tactic of Panerai, if I may venture a guess, is to take o...
*** SIHH 2011: Parmigiani ***
Parmigiani had two new wristwatch models for 2011. The simpler of the two is the Tonda 1950, an ultra-slim automatic in gold, with 1950 being the year of Michel Parmigiani’s birth. At 39 mm and 7.8 mm high, this is a slim and elegant watch. Inside sits th...
Beautiful movements.
I like those movements. Very nice finishing, and the one in the Bugatti looks very different and interesting. A piece of art. Thanks. Vte
*** SIHH 2011: Piaget ***
Piaget’s flagship complication for 2011 is not unexpectedly, an ultra-slim, flying tourbillon. The Emperador Coussin Tourbillon Ultra-Thin is only 5.35 mm thick and square, making it unusual for its slimness and its shape. Aesthetically it is a significan...
The Emperador Coussin Tourbillon Ultra-Thin looks most interesting to me
Care to share your detailed thoughts on it?
Piaget Polo FortyFive Perpetual Calendar
SJX, I agree that the new Polo FortyFive Perpetual Calendar is attractive. It is not just the two-tone Ti/Rose Gold look but also that the slim perpetual calendar movement (a novelty 2 years ago) is now in a sensible Polo case. Very useable and sensible d...
*** SIHH 2011: Richard Mille ***
With the exception of one watch the novelties from Richard Mille all took the familiar tonneau form. The top of the line addition to the collection is the RM038 Bubba Watson. Mr Watson, whose real name is a much less memorable Gerry, is a pro golfer who h...
*** SIHH 2011: Roger Dubuis ***
Roger Dubuis, along with Baume et Mercier, is one of the turnaround stories of SIHH. Management spent the last couple of years since the Richemont acquisition tightening up the production processes. Now with that done the collection will be rebuilt in a m...
Some thoughts and questions
Chrono inspired by roulette is so passé and gimmicky, more like something the previous owner of RD would do. The more traditional chrono is very nice, bar the 100% Swiss made, which can be quite comforting actually. How many manufacturers dare claim that!...
No thoughts but answers
RD will continue to make jewellery for ladies, but I recall it is not made in-house in Geneva. I am not sure if the manufacturer that makes it is a part of Richemont or an external contractor. As for the watches, all are prototypes. - SJX
*** Urwerk ***
Succeeding the Urwerk 103, the 110 tells the time on rotating cubes for the hours and a pointer indicating the minutes. Each cube is fixed to a minute hand that travels the 60 minute arc on the right. There are three of these satellites, each fixed to a c...
For some reason, this is really uber-cool
And I have never been attracted to urwerks before...till this. And what a worthy successor to the 103. Wonder how the roe gold version would look like. And this version, one can see the satellite rotating system in it's full glory. Well done Urwerk!! Best...
NICE! What is the size from lug to lug?
Are the lugs curved in? It looks like it wears big.
*** SIHH 2011: Vacheron Constantin ***
Vacheron Constantin unveiled a collection that was noticeably devoid of big complications but is nevertheless excellent. The Les Historiques 1954 Aronde follows the successful Americaine 1921 as another re-edition of a vintage form watch. This has an eleg...
Awesome pictures....
These pictures are awesome. What kind of lighting are you using? Is this from a full-frame camera?
Hey, I went to UCLA . . .
. . . and never knew we had our own time zone!! Eucla is the French spelling of UCLA, right? . . .
*** SIHH 2011: Van Cleef & Arpels ***
As with recent years Van Cleef et Arpels flagship Poetic Complications for the year is a double retrograde created by Jean-Marc Wiederrecht. The Five Weeks in a Balloon depicts a hot air balloon in enamel lifting off from Zanzibar, inspired by Jules Verne...
I just finished reading "From the Earth to the Moon" last night
and I like their dial better than the covers of most of the versions! Thanks for the tremendous report. And for holding back the words to 10,000 The editor, Cazalea
An awesome job SJX
I will come back very often to each part of your report of course! Thanks a lot and congrats ! Fr.Xavier
Let me first to congratulate you on this mega report
And reading material for next few days for me, and surely for many others too. Best, Horo
WOW thank you for the wonderful reports.
It is realy comprehensive. I like the GP world time a lot! Br, Dirk
COMPLETE and concise...
awesome reporting and love the format... short and sweet commentary on the various pieces... THANK YOU so much!
Bravo is right! I thought I saw the show until
I read this report. Nice work SJX and the photographs are excellent. Many thanks and it was worth waiting for this work. Best to all, Tim
SJX, thank you...
for your herculean effort and photographs that put the overproduced "pictures" released by the manufacturers to shame. I know there is very little time and much to see, but if you have some shots of the new Jean Richard models, I would love to see those. ...
Nice work SJX...You're out of the dog house!
Wonderful presentation SJX. Many Thanks for your always superb work. Best, -- Richard.
You are my hero SJX
I thought SIHH 2011 was boring until I saw your report. Your pictures have made the timepieces so much more desirable. I particularly like the novelties from GP, Richard Mille, IWC and de Bethune. This report is even better than last year's, which I thoug...
Have you been hiding under my bed Horogasm?
I was watching "Shall We Dance?" a few times today (for lack of something better to do) and Bette Midler co-starred in that movie.... KXFC Sam
I come clean, was in your watch strongroom....
When you started humming the Bette Midler song....darn now I can't get it outta my head. Kong Hei Fatt Choy Horo
This is not good
now I'll have to spent 2-3 more hours on PPro my wife will kill me :0)) Thank you so so much for bringing all this to us who can't be there Chapeau & Kudos Best Damjan
Wow wow wow!
SJX, you've really done it here! A wonderful overview of a very big week -- and you still had time to talk with me... Wonderful stuff! All the best, Gary G
Fantastic job SJX!!
I have been waiting for your exclusive and detailed report and photos this SIHH! Thank you for sharing with us! Best, Sam
A splendid walk through all the novelties!
Thank you SJX! Bravo, just brilliant! Stephen
Let me applaud ...
for that great job you did for us. The way you worked out some interesting details in your pictures and your kind of subtle notes are very well done. Thanks, SJX! Oliver
Outstanding report; brilliant photos, and completed before
the end of the 2 weeks after SIHH. Stunned and you can still see straight? Thanks for bringing us all the news and views. Great report. Andrew H
