Baselworld 2016: Swatch Group redoes its classics
From its dominant position in the central section of Hall 1 at Baselworld, Swatch Group is, de facto, omnipresent. From passing by their booths repeatedly, one can see the novelties some of which have connections with the past.
By Vincent Daveau
Contributor
Of all the watchmaking trends, "vintage” is the one that seems to draw European consumers the most. The brands of the Swatch Group seem to have understood this very well and so they have been digging into their rich past to find certain timepieces that they have then remodeled to adapt to the tastes and fashions of today. They are liable to quickly seduce those who love beautiful mechanics designed to have timeless lines.
Retro-futurism
The timepieces in Breguet’s Tradition collection have a new companion that will leave no one cold. Named Breguet Tradition Répétition Minutes Tourbillon 7087, this gorgeous watch measures 44 millimeters across. It was first presented last year as a pre-premiere. Now, in 2016, it has been completed and should be available by the end of the year to its happy buyers who, as music lovers, will have noted the outstanding quality of its sonority and its unique looks. They will also be aware of what it really stands for: Behind its exteriors, which are inspired from the past, one finds a veritable concentrate of technologies, including an acoustic chamber known as the Helmoltz cavity, whose function is to increase the sound level of the minute repeater, while filtering out the parasitic sounds coming from the mechanism.
Water-resistant to age
The Hamilton Frogman was relaunched for the pleasure of watch enthusiasts with unusual tastes. And it’s bound to be a sensation, because its price is making it a serious competitor among the timepieces sailing in the same segment. It draws its inspiration from a piece dating to 1951. This watch, with its powerful design, is coming back with a vengeance in 2016 with two versions for the fan of very technical watches. The first (priced at 1,395 Swiss francs) comes with an automatically-wound caliber in a remarkably light 46-millimeter titanium case that is water-resistant to a stunning 1,000 meters (100 atm). The second model is also an automatic, but comes in a 42-millimeter steel case, water-resistant to 300 meters (30 atm). It will definitely find its place in summer adventures and among those who go for masculine products at affordable prices (1,050 Swiss francs).
Another dimension for annual calendars
Omega’s Globemaster Annual Calendar has been designed for urbanites seeking a device with all the qualities of a contemporary watch with a slightly vintage look. And if you are a fan of calendar information, it may be important to know that this particular piece, which is in a 41-millimeter steel case, in contrast to the original 39-millimeter case, is driven by a Co-Axial Master Chronometer 8922 movement that has been certified as a “Master Chronometer” by Metas, Switzerland’s federal institute of metrology. It’s a wonderful timepiece, especially its “pie pan” dial inherited from the famous chronometer collection the brand launched in 1952 that went by the name Constellation. The names of the months are written in a handwriting font on the interval between the numerals. The hand pointing to the month jumps from one month to the next at the end of each month.
Keeping up the legend
For the 2016 fair, Longines has re-interpreted a watch that dates back to the year 1918. The Longines Heritage 1918 pays homage to its long watchmaking tradition, while remaining true to the timepieces it has relaunched these past years. The vintage esthetics and the overall view are, in fact, a real achievement. It comes in two sizes, 38. 5 millimeters, or 41 millimeters. This steel watch has an expressive dial bearing numerals in a burnt orange(the original models were coated with radium paint) that recalls the color used on the original models. The hands of the watch are special: blued steel framing a honey-colored varnish for the hours and minutes on the backdrop of a white lacquered and polished dial. They contrast with the hand on the subsidiary seconds dial at 6 o'clock, which is in Longines-blue. The overall look is very well balanced. The watch is driven by the automatic caliber number L615. For those who seek a partner look, the watch also comes in a sparkling version with a bezel set with diamonds that enhances the sophisticated look of this timeless timepiece.
Baselworld 2016: realities and outlook
By Vincent Daveau
, Contributor
Baselworld has just closed on a somewhat somber note due to the recent events in Belgium, and with the distinct sense of having not met all expectations....