Committed and casual readers alike will have noticed that we skipped the traditional best-of list in our Festive issue; the team pivoted hard in that direction in 2018 and we did not change tacks on a whim. The field is simply too crowded, and the selection of superlative novelties feels tired, especially after a year of running curated lists that all but do the same thing. Instead, in this new transition issue - given the state of new releases and the dates of the (now cancelled) watch fairs - we want to celebrate watches we have not spent enough time with. Some are underdogs while others are simply slow-burners that will take years to light their own patch of horological space. Excluding Rolex and Patek Philippe, because nothing from these manufactures is really low-key, the following eight watches caught our eye as the unsung highlights of 2019.
Ok, that is a bit much, but some of these are really the sorts of watches that might do good business but that the news cycle will never return to. None of these will probably achieve the amazing success of the so-called Rainbow Daytona, which was a sleeper hit that continues to reverberate across watch brands at all levels. Our selection also excludes high complications because that would be too easy. Watches covered multiple times in 2019, as well as those playing significant roles elsewhere this issue are also excluded. These include the Roger Dubuis Blacklight and the Gucci Grip, both of which are doing a better job of promoting the idea of the unisex watch than certain other high-profile numbers from haute horlogerie royalty.
This story is from the Spring 2020 edition of World of Watches.
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This story is from the Spring 2020 edition of World of Watches.
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BRAND ELEVATION
On the sidelines of Geneva Watch Days, Bulgari CEO JeanChristophe Babin talks about the challenges of having one brand identity across all categories, and tells us what he really thinks of watch fairs.
EVEN MORE HANDS
For the third year in a row, the collective WOW team shares the watches we ponied up for. As always, we include a couple of fantasy pieces and more than a few fails.
CONCEPTS AND CONSEQUENCES
What is the legacy of concept watches? What happens when the show is over and it is time to actually manufacture them? How do these ticking research labs translate into actual, wearable timepieces...if they ever do?
THE QUESTION OF SUCCESSION
In the watchmaking industry, a company’s longevity is oftentimes measured not in decades but in centuries. What then happens to a brand beyond its founders? We speak to three CEOs to answer this question.
LEAPS AND BOUNDS
The quest to add one day to a month every four years may seem like a mundane task in the digital age, but achieving this mechanically is anything but.
FLIP SIDE
Omega celebrates the first human flight orbit the moon with a new Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon.
SNAPPING BACK
A powerful showcase for a one-of-a-kind constant force mechanism, the Girard Perregaux Neo Constant Escapement is now available for everyone.
GO FOR GOLD
Forty-five years after Piaget released its allgold Polo 79 luxury sports watch to critical acclaim, the maison revisits this iconic collection with a new ultra-thin movement.
CLEAR WINNER
Hublot's fourth collaboration with Takashi Murakami puts the artist's joyful flower motif at the centre of a bold new case design.
HISTORICAL TRIBUTE
Parmigiani Fleurier launches a new version of their Tonda PF Hijri Perpetual Calendar with a vivid green dial.