SIHH 2015 day 4 round-up

The 25th Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie is over. The 16 exhibiting brands (13 owned by luxury group Richemont) showcased their finest new creations to the world’s press, but it wasn’t until the final day that some of the most prestigious brands including Cartier and IWC conducted their presentations. Here are our highlights of SIHH 2015 day 4…

AUDEMARS PIGUET

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There’s one watch that stood far and above the others at Audemars Piguet’s booth at SIHH this year. The Royal Oak Concept RD#1 is a monumental piece for AP, not least because it’s one of the most technologically advanced mechanical watches ever. Here the RD#1 in the metal is a strange sensation. Normally minute repeaters are subtle and quiet, yet this thing booms like nothing else – the chimes have been scientifically enhanced over an eight-year period with the aim of producing unrivalled sound quality.

Elsewhere at Audemars Piguet, we loved these skeletonised Royal Oaks…

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VAN CLEEF & ARPELS

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Whilst it may not have revved the engine of hard-nut watch enthusiasts, Van Cleef & Arpels collection at SIHH was mightily impressive. Among the many high-jewellery pieces, including hand-painted, ceramic dialled beauties, one watch stood out. The iconic Cadenas watch, famously adopted by the Duchess of Windsor, was rekindled. It’s unique design isn’t just a pretty one though, it’s functional just like many of the world’s most revered gent’s watches.

Originally made in the 1930s, the watch’s dial is discreet and angled in such a way that only the wearer can tell the time. This was because it was considered uncouth for a lady to wear a watch back in the day – it was considered that they shouldn’t need to tell the time as they had nowhere important to be. With a Cadenas watch they could secretly glance down to check the time, and as the overall design mimics that of a rather snazzy bracelet, nobody would know. The watch developed somewhat of a cult status with suffragettes and feminists over the years, and we’re pleased to see it’s still getting the attention it deserves.

Here’s a live picture of the Cadenas watch, sans diamonds…

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CARTIER

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One of the great things about SIHH is the diversity. Each watch brand that showcases at the fair offers something completely different, which is a refreshing notion. It also means that the number of releases vary between each brand, some unveiling just a couple whereas others offering vast new collections. Cartier were the leaders of the latter, showcasing more than 100 new watch references. At once inspiring and overwhelming, walking into their booth at SIHH is like walking into Hamleys as child. You don’t know where to start. Alongside their ‘regular’ consumer-based watches, Cartier unveiled a series of complicated pieces, including one of the most spectacular watches they’ve released in recent years. The Rotonde de Cartier Grand Complication boasts 3 of the most referred complications; a tourbillon, minute repeater and a perpetual calendar. It’s an astounding example of haute horology at its finest.

The Grand Comp is even more special in the metal…

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IWC

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Everyone seemed to be celebrating an anniversary this year at SIHH. Baume & Mercier are celebrating 185, A. Lange & Sohne 200 and Vacheron 260. IWC are in on the act too, as their famed Portuguese range is now 75 years old. To mark this occasion, Scaffhausen’s finest have re-named the collection and gone back to their roots in a big way. Now called the Portugieser family, the range includes a new Annual Calendar – IWC’s first – a perpetual calendar with date-month and the well-received Hand-Wound Eight Days Edition 75th Anniversary (pictured).

We can’t get enough of this piece…

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Live images by Charlie Thomas

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