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SIHH 2019 wrap-up

Long days and late nights full of meetings, interviews and presentations have produced a buzz around many of the exhibiting maisons. Debbie Hathway reports from Geneva.
SIHH 2019 wrap-up

Everybody’s talking about the Panerai Submersible editions, especially those few pieces that come with exclusive experiences. The Submersible Mike Horn edition is made of EcoTitanium, a new material for watchmaking that comprises recycled titanium.

The bracelet is made of recycled plastic. Nineteen buyers of the 19 watches will get the chance to join Horn on his mission to preserve the Arctic.

The unusual shape of the limited edition Cartier Diagonale watch has also sparked a lot of interest. And the iconic panthère features once again in a collection that sees the beautiful beast take on an increasingly realistic look in all its reproductions.

The IWC booth is arguably the most memorable. A restored WWII spitfire due to be flown around the world by two ambitious pilots was the glorious centerpiece. It is the inspiration behind new additions to the Pilot line such as the Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Spitfire Edition “The Longest Flight”.

SIHH 2019 wrap-up

Jaeger-LeCoultre went back to nature, decorating their booth with spruces carefully transplanted from the Vallée de Joux and up for recycling when the fair is over. I loved the Master Ultra Thin Moon Enamel, a new design with a guilloché dial.

Roger Dubuis has more surprises in store for watch fans who share their passion for cars, the Lamborghini in particular. The Excalibur One-Off timepiece features a time display with only one hand for the minutes and a counter for the jumping hours. The design resembles the Lamborghini rev-counter, and uses the single hand to show the number of revolutions and a counter for the speed.

SIHH provided an immersive experience for delegates via several of the brands as well as SIHH Lab – an innovative, interactive and resolutely connected platform that included a chat with the charming Pepper the robot (he fist bumps and high fives too!).

Next year SIHH will move later in the year to be hosted back-to-back with Baselworld, the other major annual watch fair held in Basel, to make it easier for clients, retailers and journalists travelling the really long hauls from Australia, South Africa and the like to attend both events.

Look out for more stories on Private Edition during the year on the inspiration and craftsmanship behind the new reveals.

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