Horological Meandering

tony p
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Your predictions for watch trends in 2010?

Mine are:

- Finally, a reversal (of sorts) to the ever-bigger-watch madness. Oh, there will still be some humungous great Sten-gun-style monstrosities, all poked through with holes and menacingly coated with PVD. But this year's overall zeitgeist demands a slightly more discreet timepiece diameter, around the 41-43mm mark. In 2010, the only people who can look cool with a 47mm behemoth on their wrists are petite ladies.

- The resurgence of yellow gold as a case metal. However, these housings will be a little more massive and squared-off than we might be used to expect in this metal; the new yellow-gold watches will not be for wearing to opening night at the ballet. They will be bold and CEO-friendly.

- Far-out dials. With a reduction in case size, extroverts will naturally seek out more subtle outlets for their louche tendencies. Multi-layered dials in contrasting materials and unusual, attention-grabbing surface treatments will therefore feature in all the major brands' launches this year. We'll still see plenty of open-worked dials, although I think this trend is already on the ebb. Brown dials will continue to be popular. We may see some detailing in silicium. And enamel will continue to storm back into style (but not cloisonné...not yet...)

- Amalgamations, buy-outs and quiet disappearances. Many brands are hurting. It's time for the grand industry clean-out so many have been predicting since, oh, about October 2008. The big boys have already, for some time, been quietly snapping up struggling cabinotier-style suppliers whose particular secrets they have long coveted. In the coming months we will see one or two major players fall over. Their names will survive, for the moment - but will their reputations?

OK, that's me all done. How about it, boys and girls? What do y'all think? Which mechanical complications will go large in 2010? Will mesh bracelets storm back into fashion, riding on the popularity of Omega's Ploprof re-issue? What about plain metal casebacks? Is a mecaquartz revival on the horizon? Are historic re-releases on the wax or on the wane? It's over to you...

Cheers
Tony P