Against the backdrop of Lake Leman and in sweltering weather, once again watch lovers from all over the world came together at Geneva Watch Days 2024 (GWD). Mostly populated by independent and micro brands, this year we saw mostly either sophisticated interpretations of models in existing collections or ingenious collaborations.
In terms of themes, there has been a lot of variety. Bulgari brought us a revival of the 1955 Pallini watch, Serpenti Pallini High Jewelry, diamond-set in white gold or in combination with rose or yellow gold, the scales are made of gold beads or brilliant-cut diamonds, each individually set on a gold mesh, using a technique from the 18th century that allows it to “rattle” on your wrist. The secret watch features Bulgari’s Piccolissimo movement – still the smallest round mechanical movement on the market – which can be easily removed or rotated. The green of the pear-cut emeralds use to make the serpent’s piercing eyes is matched by the finishing on the dial hands.
Left, Corum Golden Bridge Classic ‘Serpent’ in 5N rose gold. Right, Bulgari Serpenti Pallini High Jewelry secret watch all in white gold set with brilliant-cut diamonds.
Corum also chose the snake – symbol of rebirth and transformation – for its new watch, the Golden Bridge Classic ‘Serpent’. Limited to just one piece, the watch presents a vibrant jungle scene that took 100 hours to produce, from design to sculpting the gold snake that wraps around the movement and adding all the hand-painted details, including the foliage. All this carefully constructed wildness is housed in a tonneau case, with sapphire crystal in all sides but the lugs, to better appreciate not just the metiers d’art in the piece but also the details of the formidable CO 113 calibre.
Others found common ground on the heavens above us. With an aventurine dial resembling the night sky, Frederique Constant presented its Classic Tourbillon Manufacture. This is a seriously well-made watch. Housed in a white gold 39mm case, we find an elegant aventurine dial with an aperture at 6 o’clock displaying the maison’s signature tourbillon with its distinctive silicon escapement and asymmetric bridge. The seconds hand revolves within the tourbillon.
Left, Frederique Constant Classic Tourbillon Manufacture, limited to 36 pieces. Right, De Bethune DB28xs Aérolite, which combines the distinctive elements of the DB28XS Starry Seas and the DB28XP Météorite model.
Independent watchmaker De Bethune introduced its DB28XS Aérolite, lighter than its predecessor – the DB28XP Météorite – and with a miniaturised DB2005 calibre. Housed in a 39mm zirconium case, the Muoniolausta meteorite dial of the Aérolite dazzles with its random guilloché pattern.
Raketa, another independent watchmaker with roots in the Soviet Union, challenged our reading of time with its Russian Code 0302, a watch where the hands move anticlockwise. Why? Because this is the direction in which planets rotate around the sun. The dial depicts the constellations in the sky over their factory in St Petersburg on the day Yuri Gagarin flew into space (12th April 1961).
From the left, Raketa Russian Code 0302, SpaceOne x Perpétuel Limited Edition and SpaceOne Tellurium in black DLC titanium with onyx dial.
The kids from micro-brand SpaceOne brought along new iterations of their debut piece, SpaceOne – including the very limited Perpétuel Gallery Edition; and the Tellurium, one in a blue titanium case with aventurine dial and the other in a black DLC titanium case with onyx dial.
Closer to Earth but destined to travel across the sky, MB&F presented a new clock in collaboration with L’Epée 1839, the Albatross, designed by Erice Meyer after the airship in Jules Verne’s novel, Robur the Conqueror. From a horological point of view, the clock is a wonder of complexity, with more than 1,500 components, two separate movements (one for the time and one for the chimes) and three barrels.
Every hour, the Albatross comes alive with its chiming mechanism and prepares for take-off with its 32 rotating propellers that whirl for seven seconds.
After all this exploration of the heavens, it is time to turn our attention to the universe of sport watches, of which there were plenty at Geneva Watch Days 2024. Highlights include the HYT Millésime Edition, which celebrates the T1 Series collection with three new models in a close dial. As in all the watches from the T1 Series, the fluidic time display mechanism plates the hour indicator below the glass tube filled with liquids, with a 6 to 6-hour scale.
Gerald Charles joined forces with Ducati to produce the Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916. The watch is powered by a new proprietary jumping hours calibre, featuring the Gerald Charles movement, Ref. GCA 3002JH. In keeping with the maison’s key features, the watch is housed within the iconic Maestro case. On the dial, the numerals are made in the same style and red colour as in the speedometer of the motorbike. The Ducati insignia is engraved on the back. To finish the sporty look, three vulcanised exchangeable rubber straps in white, ruby red and dark red are available.
From the left, HYT T1 Series Millésime Edition Titanium Chocolate in 5N rose gold; Gerald Charles Maestro 4.0 Ducati 30° Anniversario 916; and Jacob & Co Bugatti Tourbillon.
Increasing the revs, the Jacob & Co Bugatti Tourbillon was making its debut in the flesh, after being announced earlier this summer. The watch is the horological interpretation of Bugatti’s latest hyper sports car of the same name. Undoubtedly a statement watch, the Bugatti Tourbillon features a V16 engine block automation, a 30-second flying tourbillon, and a twin power reserve. As a first in the industry, the design includes a retrograde hours and minutes that start at zero to mimic an RPM counter.
With contracts with military units and first responders from all over the world, the young team from the micro-brand MicromilSpec presented at Geneva Watch Days 2024 the Milgraph, their first watch that combines a GMT and chronograph movement. Originally commissioned by Special Operations Forces, this left-hand chronograph features a swapped crown position for extra comfort and its new proprietary QuadGrip bezel designed with four deep indentations, which makes it really easy to operate even when wearing gloves. Housed in a microblasted titanium case, each chronograph sub-dial is distinctly labelled for hours, minutes, and seconds.
From the left, MicromilSpec Milgraph; Oris x LFP Divers Sixty-Five; and Alpiner Extreme Skeleton Automatic.
Deepening their relationship with France’s Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), Oris presented the Oris x LFP Divers Sixty-Five, in support of LFP’s charity partner CNAPE, the country’s National Convention of Child Protection Associations. Limited to 1,000 pieces, the watch features a special script typeface mimicking a child’s handwriting. The script is used in all the dial writing, including the Oris logo.
Alpina introduced its Alpiner Extreme Skeleton Automatic, with its cushioned case slightly smaller than previous versions (39mm x 40.55mm) featuring alternating polished and satin-finished surfaces and a new steel bracelet with the same treatment (plus a navy blue rubber alternative). The sharp lines of the shape are offset by the curves of the barrel spring, the volutes of the wheel train and the shift of the escapement visible at midday. A large part of the calibre is deliberately skeletonised between 8 and 1 o’clock to let the light through the movement.
There was also quietness at Geneva Watch Days 2024. Independent watchmaker Trilobe introduced two interpretations of La Nuit Fantastique, Ombre et Lumière, with the familiar grained dial of this model adorned with two contrasting shades: black and white. Very sober, very sophisticated.
Left, Trilobe La Nuite Fantastique Lumière et Ombre. Right, Vianney Halter x Alexandre Beauregard Ulysse Limited Edition.
In elegant azure, the Vianney Halter x Alexandre Beauregard Ulysse Limited Edition, which has finally gone into production after a slight styling change. The outer ring on the dial has been removed to allow for a better expression of the geometric pattern made of individual aquamarine pieces encase in gold lace. Halter’s movement is beautiful. From the shape of the bridges – that remind of the movement of the tides – to the sharpness of the corners and the softness provided by the beveling in each wheel.
If brightness is what you are after, go no further than the H. Moser & Cie. x Studio Underd0g collaboration, which resulted in one timepiece by each watchmaker, from the same brief: “It’s about passion… fruit.” They come as a pair and are limited to 100 sets. Both show the acid colours of the tropical fruit on the dial – even the green of the seeds. The Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Passion Fruit by H. Moser & Cie. feature a combination of a purple lacquered sunburst finished with a Maracuja “Grand Feu” enamel dial on a yellow gold base hammered with three different pigments to achieve the desire finish. On the 03Series Passi0n Fruit by Studio Underd0g we see a coarse dégradé amber and purple multilayer dial, striking a perfect balance between elegance and exuberance.
03Series Passion Fruit by Studio Underd0g AND Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Passion Fruit by H. Moser & Cie.
The Albishorn x Massena Lab Maxigraph is a 39mm monopusher chronograph with a patented ten-minute retrograde regatta countdown.
To finish, a watch with the most original story of them all. Sébastien Chaulmontent had the idea of creating vintage watches that never existed (think Atlas of Imaginary Places but for the horological world) has materialised in the very first Albishorn x Massena Lab watch. The debut model for this micro-brand – the Maxigraph – is an imaginary regatta chrono from 1939, the year of the first Le Bol d’Or race on Lac Léman. The Maxigraph would have been commissioned by the owner of the sailboat that won, helping the crew in the crucial countdown to start.
While there were many other timepieces that would deserve a mention, I had to think on how much time you, our dear readers, could dedicate to the highlights of Geneva Watch Days 2024. I hope my selection will help you enhance your watch collection.
Author: Julia Pasarón
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