Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Planétarium

It’s one thing to get excited about a watch on paper, and another to see a watch in the metal. The Lady Arpels Planétarium is the follow up to the Midnight Planétarium, but has a new dial, new case and a completely new movement. What’s most fascinating about the timepiece is that the movement of the planets on the dial corresponds exactly to the movement of the actual planets they represent. You can read more about Van Cleef & Aprels’ SIHH 2018 release here.

Greubel Forsey Différential d’Égalité

Our romantic start to our second day at SIHH takes a technical turn at our next stop: Greubel Forsey. The brand most well-known for their inclined balance wheels and multiple tourbillons, debuted the Différential d’Égalité, a timepiece that features the company’s proprietary constant force mechanism with, for the first time ever, a deadbeat seconds complication. The spherical différential d’égalité is an idea Greubel Forsey first presented at 2008 Baselworld and took ten years to develop into the timepiece we see today. 

Vacheron Constantin Fifty-Six Day-Date

Over at Vacheron Constantin, we’re introduced to a completely new line of dress watches called the Fifty-Six Collection, intended to be the brand’s entry-level line of timepieces. The new line is inspired by a watch with the reference 6073 that was launched in 1956, hence the name of the collection. There are three models in the range, with each model available in gold and stainless steel versions. There’s a complete calendar, a three-hand automatic, and this one shown here, a day-date. The sub-dials indicate the day and date, while a power reserve indicator is positioned at 6 o’clock. 

Montblanc 1858 Geosphere

Heritage inspired timepieces seem to be the common thread in many of the brands at SIHH this year, and Montblanc too, is debuting their new 1858 collection, which highlights its watchmaking heritage at Minerva. The Montblanc 1858 Geosphere is one of the bolder options and a major talking point at the fair. The Geosphere combines a dual timezone display with a worldtime complication displayed through the two hemispheres shown at 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock. World time is set using the white line on the two larger sub-dials, which the smaller sub-dial at 9 o’clock displays the home time. The rotating bezel is further marked out like a compass, making it the perfect tool for mountain exploration. The watch comes in two versions, a stainless steel version, and a bronze version limited edition.

Hermès Carré H

We were also very excited to see what Hérmes had in store for us, as they exhibit for the first time at SIHH. Hérmes knows it’s not a brand born from watchmaking, but in the last 15 years the brand has invested heavily in their watch department, resulting in the fact that they can now proudly say that up to 90 per cent of their watch components are made internally through its subsidiaries and manufactures. Design is always at the forefront for the French luxury brand, and the Carré H, first launched in 2010, is a major highlight. The special dial, designed by architect and designer Marc Berthier, shows a circle nested in a square, and is very much an architecture’s watch.

Baume & Mercier Clifton Baumatic

And last but not least, we end our day with Baume & Mercier, who has been making waves with the newly debuted Clifton Baumatic, a watch fitted with the new Twinspir three-layer silicon balance spring and a new movement. Baume & Mercier is one of the first Richemont Group brands to utilise the silicon balance spring. The new technology from Richemont took years in research and development, and is designed to be more reliable, more durable and anti-magnetic, while being offered at a very attractive price point. 

Stay tuned for more updates on SIHH 2018, and head to our Instagram stories (@hashtag_legend) to see the all the latest novelties.