Very best of both worlds
Prestige and functionality are now playing a key role in the industry, writes Carl S. Cunanan
Four or five years ago, visitors to watch industry shows would be immersed in the spectacular.
Groundbreaking new technologies, daring uses of material, increasing appearances of precious stones and even higher price tags were the norm, and show attendees would come home gushing about the latest and the greatest. More recent showed have brought things to a more sustainable level of grandeur. Unique pieces and highlights would share the limelight with watches that were much more likely to appear in showroom displays.
This year's Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) shows us the best of different worlds. This year, the support for general watchmaking fell by the wayside as the lure of big money attracted most attention.
Many pieces will attract newer enthusiasts, first-time buyers and even the more sophisticated looking for something more basic. The heralding of brand history continues with some special heritage pieces, but there is a good amount of focus on elements that help retail sellers keep their consumers happy. At the same time, watchmaking continues to push the envelope, either for the industry or within a respective organisation. These special editions no longer dominate but, rather, take their place as a front for the brands.
Officine Panerai offers an excellent look into how a traditional watchmaking company is preparing for the future, while handling the present and making the most but not too much of the past.
Panerai made its mark with Italian navy divers, and this year it highlights its heritage of submersible watches with the new Special Edition Luminor Submersible 1950s models, available in titanium and ceramic, as well as its second use of bronze. These watches celebrate its history, but advance its in-house movements.
