Imagine these words in the booming intonation of a sportscaster at the Superbowl: “Ladies and gentlemen, buckle up! Baselworld is officcialy here!”
While it may not represent quite the same scale as the Superbowl, BaselWorld is, for all intents and purposes, the apex of the year for the watch industry. The show, which will run from March 19 – 26, sees exhibitions from some 1,500 brands, and attracts more than 150,000 attendees.
While we’ll be bringing you news live from the show this week, today we’re looking ahead to the most anticipated trends with a look at some early releases.
Tradition On Display
BaselWorld is, in many ways, a microcosm, which means that haute horlogerie’s biggest brands will no doubt be seeking to distinguish themselves. Among those who will be extolling their merits with watches that convey a mastery of traditional watchmaking skills is Chopard. The brand’s new L.U.C Regulator is a reinterpretation of one of Chopard’s classic models. This 43mm timepiece bears the inscription ‘Chronometer’ on its dial, proving that the L.U.C 98.02-L movement at its heart lives up to the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute’s rigorous standards for chronometric precision. It also boasts the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark.
Chopard L.U.C Regulator
_______________________________________________________________________________________
You may also like to see: COUNTDOWN TO THE WORLD’S MOST IMPORTANT TRENDSETTING SHOW – BASEL WORLD 2015
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Lovely Ladies’ Pieces
Since BaselWorld not only houses watch but also jewelry exhibitions, attendees can look forward to seeing more offerings for women. While there will be serious pieces for the ladies, there will also be whimsical creations on display, such as Fendi’s new limited edition My Way timepiece. Limited to just 50 pieces, this ultra-feminine model pulls out all the stops, with diamond-clad case and a removable fur collar in blue, green, orange, or yellow. The dial is also paved with diamonds. A snakeskin strap from the Fendi atelier, in a colour to match the collar, will complete the My Way.
Fendi My Way Limited Editions
Smart Watches
Love it or hate it, the ‘smartwatch’ is here to stay. Apple made a huge splash with this month’s release of the iWatch. However, plenty of watch brands are also looking to incorporate new technology into their designs, including Tissot. The brand’s T-Touch Expert Solar Extension may not allow you to place a phone call, but it does just about everything else. Functions on this model, which is the first solar-powered watch, include hours and minutes, day and week displays, two alarms, a dual time function, weather and air pressure indications, an altimeter, a chronograph with lap and split-time functions, a logbook, a compass, a timer and a regatta countdown.