It's still only January but already the year feels like it's slipping from my grasp. Resolutions have been broken in record time and all attempts at improving myself have tragicomically ended in failure; if anything, I've actually gained weight and done even less exercise than before. And as if all that weren't bad enough, the pace of innovation in the world of horology seems only to mock my efforts - there's just no time stop and think anymore. Novelties, alas, wait for no man, so let's turn our attention to some new watches for 2014.

The first major watch show of the year, the Richemont-dominated Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), in Geneva, Switzerland, has already come and gone, and all the big releases, spectacular innovations and trendsetters for the year ahead are out there in the public domain. Among the early standouts is the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillon (below right), which looks like it came from the future. Building on the already iconic Royal Oak design, the Concept GMT Tourbillon is all about its materials and colour scheme: titanium grey case, white rubber strap and white ceramic bezel and bridge. The watch looks more like an Urwerk or Linde Werdelin than it does an AP, but, in fairness, the Concept series has been around for a few years now, so this edition is not a complete bolt from the blue. The 44mm case contains an in-house calibre 2930 movement that's a real powerhouse, its twin-barrel system affording 10 days of power reserve to a host of power-hungry features including the tourbillon, a day/night indicator and a second-time-zone display. Prices for the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillon have yet to be released but don't expect it to be cheap.

The next watch to catch my eye at SIHH was the Cartier Calibre de Cartier Diver (below right), another specimen that doesn't conform to the wider perception of the brand - after all, one wouldn't ordinarily think to go diving wearing a Cartier. Nevertheless, the luxury label is taking the diving thing seriously and this hi-tech watch features the standard diving functions of a unidirectional bezel and 300 metres of water resistance, as well as superluminova-treated hands and time indices and, of course, a rubber strap. The case itself is sized at 44mm and comes in steel, while the movement inside is the 1904 MC, which was first introduced in 2010 and is fast becoming the backbone of the maison's watches. Prices for the Calibre de Cartier Diver should be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Finally, we have something a little surprising and leftfield from SIHH, which ordinarily is a showcase for dedicated watch brands with decades upon decades - and in some cases, centuries - of experience. Ralph Lauren's watch division has only been around for a few years and, like other fashion brands, the company sees watches as a natural extension of its high-end clothes and life-style business. The people behind Ralph Lauren timepieces (it's a 50:50 joint venture with Richemont) know that to be taken seriously you have to offer a tourbillon - and for extra points a flying tourbillon. Building on the RL67 from last year, the Automotive Flying Tourbillon (top right) is inspired by Mr Lauren's 1938 Bugatti Atlantic Coupe, and you can see this in the wood-finish dial and dashboard design, which has a large number 12 dominating the top of the watch the same way the tourbillon does the bottom. Inside is an exclusive RL167 calibre movement. The case is black steel and measures 44.8mm and the watch comes with a black leather strap. Prices for the Ralph Lauren Automotive Flying Tourbillon will be released soon.