Haute Time’s Favorite Watches Of SIHH 2018

The Salon Internationale de Haute Horlogerie, or SIHH, featured this year again a stunning line-up of the most beautiful watches. More then recent years the brands seem to be in touch with their own DNA, which resulted in a very pure watches that truly represented their brand, rather than just a trend. In such a company it is hard to call favorites, yet there where still some watches that grabbed our attention just a bit more than others.

Santos de Cartier
Cartier brought back the Santos is a full-line up that included a full gold, steel-gold, and all steel model of this legendary watch. Notable differences are the newly shaped bezel, and the ability to switch easily between bracelet and straps. While the bracelet is very comfortable to wear, and can even be shortened in size by the owner without tools, the strap seems to be a better combination with the newly designed look of the icon. The cherry on top was the skeleton version that Cartier also introduced of the Santos.

IWC Tribute to Pallweber
To celebrate their 150th anniversary, IWC launched a large range of beautiful limited editions, yet the “Tribute to Pallweber” was the one that stood out. With its jump hour and jump minutes complication, it stayed very close to the design of the pocket watch it is based on. Combined with that typical clean design for which IWC is so well known, it is an eye-catcher for sure, yet one that is bound to keep your attention!

Roger Dubuis Spider Pirelli Aventador S
Of course, we already knew the Aventador S, the watch with which Roger Dubuis marked the beginning of its partnership with Lamborghini. However, the two new varieties that the brand introduced at the SIHH proof once again what a difference color and material choices can make. Especially the pink gold version appealed to us, as it combines the sporty character of the carbon case with the rich look of the pink gold, giving it a distinct contrast.

Baume et Mercier Baumatic
Manufacture movement, 5-day power reserve, and very competitively priced at $2.500,-: the Baume et Mercier Baumatic was one of the most talked about watches of the 2018-edition of the SIHH. It is also an important watch, not only for Baume et Mercier but also for the watch world as a whole, as for many people, a watch like this can serve as an entry point into the world of the Haute Horlogerie.

Piaget Altiplano Ultimate 910P
With the Altiplano Ultimate 910P does Piaget hold once more the record for the slimmest automatic watch in the world. With a thickness of only 4.3mm, it is indeed a mechanical marvel, one that is realized thanks to its peripheral rotor. Quite an achievement as the difference with the previous record holder, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo automatic, which was introduced last year, is an impressive 0.85mm. On the wrist the watch feels light and is very comfortable, while the majority of its components can be admired from the dial side.

Richard Mille RM 53-01 Tourbillon Pablo Mac Donough
The RM 53-02 already astonished us as soon as we got the press release but in real life the watch is even more captivating. While it looks rather delicate, with its vertical movement, secured by tiny steel cables, it is one of the most robust watches around. Robust enough to go into a polo match on the wrist of Pablo Mac Donough, a man who has broken nearly every bone in his body in the pursuit of his sport!

Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Chronograph World-Time
Jaeger-LeCoultre reintroduced the Polaris, and we were especially taken by the World-Time. In a classic yet sportive look, it offers two of our favorite complications: a chronograph and a world-time complication. This makes it the perfect watch to travel with, while our sense for Haute Horlogerie is satisfied by the automatic manufacture caliber that beats inside.

Vacheron Constantin FiftySix
The FiftySix-collection by Vacheron Constantin is not only visually very pleasing, but it also expands the brand’s offerings in steel. It was the day-date with power reserve that caught our eye, as it combined that typical classic, yet slightly non-conformist Vacheron Constantin look, with a beautifully shaped case. The crown is recessed into the case, making it well protected, functional, and a stunning Vacheron Constantin for daily wear!

A. Lange & Söhne Triple Split
It is hard not to fall in awe for the A. Lange & Söhne. It was to be expected that the master-watchmakers of the German brand wanted to outdo themselves after the Double Split from 2004, but when that would be was always unclear. A technical marvel, the watch can count two times simultaneously in both seconds, minutes and hours, and also offers a flyback function on all of them as well. Next to that are even the smallest parts finished to perfection, as is to be expected of this esteemed brand!

Panerai L’Astronomo
Panerai has never been a brand of complications, yet alone watches that combine multiple complications in a single watch. This is perhaps why we always like it when they do. Such is also the case with the new Panerai L’Astronomo. This is a 50mm titanium Luminor 1950, with inside a GMT, tourbillon, moon phases and the equation of time. Despite the skeletonized dial, is the watch very easy to read, while maintaining that typical Panerai look-and-feel!