About time: show stoppers

So we've had a few more weeks to digest the news out of this year's Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) and, truth be told, the event lacked a bit of oomph. The celebrity count was down, the gimmicky events seemed less gimmicky than usual and it appeared less populated. Sure, there were half a dozen or more watches that had the "wow" factor but, in general, the event seemed a bit subdued, perhaps due to a more cautious outlook from watchmakers - or perhaps because they were holding back their blockbuster pieces for the Watches & Wonders show in Hong Kong this autumn. We can only hope that's the case but, nevertheless, this week we'll take a look at three more watches that stood out in Geneva.

First up is the Piaget Altiplano Ultra-Thin 900P (right). Now, even the casual watch fan will know that Piaget has a lock on thinness; indeed, it wouldn't be a stretch to say the brand is singularly obsessed with maintaining its edge in that department, but the 900P is really worth crowing about. Taking the record down to 3.65mm - yes, that's total thickness, including case and movement - Piaget has broken new ground, shaving off millimetres by fusing the movement onto the caseback. That's a lot more difficult than it sounds, and the result of almost three years' work and a whole host of patents pending are testament to what it has achieved. To accommodate the innovative movement, Piaget has off-centred the dial at the 10 o'clock position and revealed the movement underneath in a pleasing crescent shape. Sized at 38mm and coming in an 18-carat white-gold case, the watch's aesthetics are classical, offering a nice contrast to all the innovation. Features are kept to a minimum as thinness is the focus here, but power reserve is a healthy 48 hours and the watch comes with a black alligator-leather strap. Prices for the Piaget Altiplano Ultra-Thin 900P have yet to be released.

Next up is a young brand that frequently divides opinion. Richard Mille has its fans and they're a loyal bunch but the watchmaker's novelties at this year's SIHH were somewhat underwhelming (perhaps Mr Mille is keeping a rabbit or two up his sleeve for Watches & Wonders). One standout, though, was the RM 011 Carbon NTPT Automatic (top), and the reason is all to do with the NTPT bit. North Thin Ply Technology carbon sounds kind of made up, but the basic process is that layered sheets of carbon are cut through in cross section to form the case, creating a wood-grain effect - and meaning no two RM 011 watches are ever the same.

As to the particulars of the watch, the case is in the iconic Richard Mille tonneau shape and has the brand's inherent masculinity and a bit of sportiness about it. There is a large date window at the 12 o'clock position, a month display between the four and five o'clock positions and a nifty flyback chronograph complete with three subdials. Another nice feature is that the movement, an RMAC1 automatic calibre, is made entirely of titanium. Prices for the Richard Mille RM 011 Carbon NTPT have not yet been released.

Finally, we have something familiar - something that just gets better with age and the occasional tweak. The Vacheron Constantin Malte Tourbillon Excellence Platine (top) is the platinum version of a watch first released in 2012; nothing particularly new in and of itself, then, but rather an excuse to talk about a simply gorgeous watch again.

The platinum case measures 38mm by 48.24mm and features a dial that is dominated by a wonderfully finished tourbillon. Inside ticks an in-house 2795 calibre movement and the watch has the Hallmark of Geneva, confirming that the finishing is of the highest quality. There's so much to like about this watch that it's difficult to rein in my enthusiasm, but I'll end by saying that it's limited to 50 pieces and if they're not sold out immediately, I'd be astonished. Prices for the Vacheron Constantin Malte Tourbillon Excellence Platine will be released soon.