What to Expect at SIHH 2018

Those attending the 28th edition of the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) will see a larger and more diverse trade fair. Often billed as the most exclusive Swiss luxury watch fair, in recent years it has welcomed more exhibitors.

In 2017 it allowed a group of independent specialist watchmakers to exhibit, placing them in an area called the Carré des Horlogers. This year, six more watch companies are part of the group: DeWitt, Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud, Élégante by F.P.Journe and Romain Gauthier. In addition, Hermès is a new exhibitor this year, after leaving Baselworld.

These new additions bring the total number of exhibitors to 35, with 18 historic watch brands and 17 brands in the Carré des Horlogers.

Approximately 20,000 watch professionals and enthusiasts are expected to attend the fair that will run January 15 – 19.

The venue itself, the Palexpo, located near the Geneva airport, has undergone some changes with new spaces being incorporated into the floor plan of the fair. This starts with the entrance, which organizers say has been redesigned to better manage visitor flow. There’s also a new “communication hub” with a 100-seat auditorium, a reappointed and connected press club, a restaurant, and private lounges. In addition, the “Open Day,” which began last year, will return, allowing the general public to enter the fair on January 19.

Most of the brands at SIHH have already unveiled some of their watches that will be on display at the fair. A few have been written about on Haute Time, such as Cartier, Montblanc, Piaget, Ulysse Nardin and IWC. Below is a listing of some more standout SIHH releases.

Audemars Piguet is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its iconic Royal Oak Offshore, which first launched in 1993. For SIHH, the Swiss watchmaker is presenting three new versions of the iconic sports watch: a re-edition of the original 42 mm Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph; and a new 45 mm Royal Oak Offshore Tourbillon Chronograph with a contemporary dial design in stainless steel and pink gold (pictured).

H. Moser & Cie., known for their minimalistic dial designs that often conceal complex movements, is unveiling the Endeavour Tourbillon Concept with a flying tourbillon positioned at 6 o’clock on a “funky blue” fume dial, stripped of any markings.

Jaeger-LeCoultre has created a limited edition of the Reverso Tribute Duoface on a pink gold case with a two-tone cordovan leather strap crafted by celebrated Argentinean boot makers, Casa Fagliano. The watch offers two contrasting dials. A slate grey sunray dial with hand-applied hour markers that echo its Dauphine hands and small seconds dial in a round minute track brings. On the other side of the local time is displayed on a silvered dial with two finishes – a Clous de Paris guilloché on the background, and an opaline finish in the centre with a day/night indicator. It’s a boutique exclusive limited to 100 pieces.

Romain Gauthier will use SIHH to unveil its first women’s watch, the “Insight Micro-Rotor Lady,” that combines a beautiful exterior with a powerful and complex in-house movement. The hour-minute and small seconds subdials are crafted from mother of pearl with an iridescent sheen. The watch is powered by an in-house caliber that boasts a bidirectional micro-rotor made from 22k gold. The front of this oscillating weight is decorated with brilliant-cut diamonds of varying sizes.

There will be many more new luxury watches being unveiled next week at a bigger, and hopefully better, SIHH.