Written by Bérengère Treussard - Wednesday, February 13, 2019
The zeitgeist is changing and becoming feminine... What happiness! This 29th edition of SIHH (Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie) is placed under the sign of femininity, gems and jewelry. Amazed to go through the new collections of these watchmakers and discover in most distinguished feminine models, heightened with a jewelry appeal.
The 2019 SIHH is feminine and bejeweled, a probably consequence of the repositioning of certain brands who have come to discover the purchasing power of women and their appeal for watches; provided they are beautiful, glamorous and bejeweled.
Time is bejeweled; the bezels are adorned in rose gold and diamonds, mother-of-pearl, opal and other fine and precious stones invite themselves for a moment of softness and femininity.
Time is inevitably a jewel with Cartier and its famous Revelation Panther, which this year substituted diamonds for gold beads to revel the head of a panther with a twist of the wrist. Truly a fabulous watch!
The watch is one moment a bracelet, the next a cuff bangle transforming the panther from something rather flat into a time-telling bracelet.
We also like the new version of the tub watches which take an iconic 1968 model, worn by celebrities such as Romy Shneider and Catherine Deneuve. Adorned with diamonds or gems and with elongated dials are our absolute favorites.
In high jewelry, we particularly noted the secrets watches in opal or with a tourmaline cabochon like a jeweled candy worn on the wrist.
The Maison Jaeger-Lecoultre added diamonds to the Rendez-Vous Watch which became « dazzling » it shines so much when worn.
Heartthrob for the new Reverso with its super-chic and trendy burgundy bracelet.
The Maison Piaget takes us back to the "Sunny Side of life" with an increasingly important gold work both in the high jewelry version with an opal cuff, as on the Extremely Lady designed with a new gold engraving with reptilian chic.
We love the Possession watches, who adorn themselves with more and more diamonds that spin and make your way shine! Especially the pink one very Like a b!
The Maison Audemars Piguet designed a variant to the Millenary presented last year and the Royal Oak's limited edition version is paved with diamonds or with a "rainbow" entourage of sapphire baguettes to color life!
But the ultimate newness is the Code 11.59.
On the high jewelry scene it was the Sapphire Orb elected as the « masterpiece » of the fair this year. Flat, in blue or orange sapphires, it hugs the wrist and imitates a trickling stream of water, running over the wrist; a source of life but also homage to the river that flows at the bottom of the workshop where it is manufactured.
The Maison Bovet always surprises us a little ore with unique pieces and sensational crafts, such as with this watch that can be worn as a pocket watch, set on a counter top, but also worn strapped around the wrist.
We also really lover the lunar phase watch Recital 23 which is the first timepiece intended for women to be adorned with a writing case whose bezel is tilted at 6 o'clock, very original and comfortable.
A collection that draws attention; regressive and surprising, the Maison Richard Mille's Bonbon collection, designed by his daughter, is a colorful and fruity design where we are not sure whether to eat or wear! 30 pieces per model of astonishing craftsmanship and know-how: "grand feu" enamel, titanium and quartz.
We adored the new subversive collection from Ulysse Nardin who collaborated with the comic strip artist Manara, for a series of unique, daring and naughty art watches that are somewhat X-rated; a theme the brand has been working on for the past year. We adore!
The arts and crafts watches by the Maison Vacheron Constantin and their cute little pandas in wood marquetry are simply adorable.
Hermès released a new ladies watch Gallop which is adorned with diamonds, and if desired, with a caliper reworked by the designer Ini Archilbong who imagined a watch that be worn by the greatest number of women.
The Maison Baume & Mercier and their two Classica models are sublime now available set in diamonds.
The Maison Parmigiani Fleurier with its Tonda 1950 Rainbow and Kalparisma Nova, though we definitely have a slight preference for the very bejeweled Boa.
Girard-Perregaux revisted the Cats’ Eye Plum Blossom that we particularly love set in diamonds and with a pink strap - of course!
The Maison Lange & Söhne remained very masculine, but we want to wear the elegant and chic watches, especially the Richard Lange with the jumping seconds.
Finally, we love the Medusa with the Murano MB&F glass in pink, a collector's item to be placed on a ladies desk... of course...
A natural green state of mind can also be worn around the wrist; cultivating your garden and reading the time; a whole program offered by Moser & Cie that caused a buzz at the show!
The effervescence and the spectacular of the Maison Van Cleef & Arpels went amiss in this edition, which normally are ultra feminine. In the absence of this great master, did the other brands dare to take initiative and add a little poetry to their collections? I doubt it because the collections are prepared a long time in advance and conclusion comes down more to say that the zeitgeist is definitely trending to be more feminine...
Keep in mind that the watches on display at SIHH are not available immediately in store, but will become available as the year progresses. This does not prevent you from booking!
Next year we will meet again in April because the SIHH will be aligning with the Baselworld show dates, to our greatest pleasure. Always more watches and jewelry!