Watches inform us in regards to the current or the previous; the longer term is usually out of attain, besides at a good just like the not too long ago concluded Watches and Wonders Geneva. You may need caught a few of our favourites and highlights during the last week, and doubtless caught up on all of the information wherever you get your horological repair. So, what does all of it say in regards to the 12 months of watchmaking that’s to return? In 2024, the reply is easy: high-value treasured metallic fashions.
Gold is king at Watches and Wonders Geneva 2024 and right here we are going to danger repeating ourselves as a result of Rolex and Patek Philippe distinguished themselves with a major majority of novelties within the treasured stuff. If one provides platinum into the combination, then treasured metals dominate. The dominant market drive and probably the most outstanding status participant have however one new stainless-steel mannequin between them. We might by no means have imagined typing that sentence earlier than the honest began and it nonetheless feels unbelievable. And but it’s merely a truth. Make no mistake although, it’s nonetheless the period of sports activities class however maybe we are able to name this sports activities class elevated (SEE).
This isn’t solely in regards to the pink gold TAG Heuer Skipper, the complete gold Tudor Black Bay 58 and the Bell & Ross BR 05 Chrono Gray Metal and Gold but additionally the all-gold Parmigiani Fleurier Toric the place dials and calibres are additionally in gold. We may go on and checklist extra, and we are going to. Each of the novelties at A. Lange & Sohne are in treasured metals and so is the only real Ulysse Nardin Freak S Nomad, clearly. At IWC, the whole new Portogieser Horizon Blue variant is just in white gold whereas the brand new Duometre watches at Jaeger-LeCoultre are solely in gold, besides the stainless-steel Quatieme Lunaire. For sure, the Piaget Polo 79 is an enormous previous gold brick, whereas the vast majority of Cartier’s 66 novelties this 12 months are in treasured metals, and that goes as much as 100% at Van Cleef & Arpels.
In case your first thought in listening to all that is that issues are going to get costly, you’re in fact right. It isn’t a response to growing wealth on the planet. You may need observed from latest information reviews on Swiss watchmaking exports that issues are hardly wanting up. Fairly the alternative. It could be although that demand for the most costly kinds of watches is extra resilient (as historical past demonstrates), so the enchantment for watchmakers is obvious. As well as, margins are higher within the treasured metals recreation (although not essentially in issues however that’s one other matter) and firms resembling Rolex and Patek Philippe wish to reward their retail companions. Just a few that we spoke with agreed.
To make certain, that is one interpretation of the novelties of 2024 however we really feel assured that it’s a very apparent one. Additionally it is of apparent concern for collectors and fanatics, who’ve been primarily curious about metal watches – it’s downright ominous for followers of bronze and different novelty supplies. Rolex didn’t even introduce extra fashions in titanium however possibly it should dedicate a whole 12 months for this, simply because it did with treasured metals in 2024.
For extra on the posh watch reads and the newest in Watches and Wonders Geneva 2024, click on right here.