Swatch Group’s exit from Baselworld darkens mood but these three watches provide a ray of much-needed sunshine

We are deep into February, and usually this would be a busy time for watch columnists as we are in the “pre-Basel” period, that is, the weeks leading up to the world’s biggest annual watch fair, which takes place in Switzerland in March. Ordinarily around this time, brands would be inundating my inbox, teasing new releases and trying to grab my attention with subject lines such as “CLICK FOR SEXY SWISS WATCHES BIG BOY” and “NAUGHTY MOVEMENTS RIGHT HERE”.

Alas, if you didn’t already know, it’s all gone a bit Pete Tong for Baselworld. The fair has been losing brands for years now as the high cost to exhibit and seeming redundancy of a Swiss-based event in a globalised economy have made an impact. The trickle of those leaving is now a gushing river as Swatch Group (owner of 18 top watch brands including Omega, Blancpain, Tissot and Longines) has pulled out. But there are still some clinging on, not least Rolex, Chopard and Patek Philippe. How much longer will Baselworld be a thing? Who knows, but this week I’ll run through “pre-Basel” pieces from brands that successfully tricked me into opening the emails they sent.

OK, big caveat, I haven’t seen this watch in person, but with my trusty eye and deep knowledge, ahem, I’m taken by the new Romain Gauthier Prestige HMS Stainless Steel (above). Aside from the great colour scheme – who doesn’t like the cold, metallic look of industrial grey? – this is a unique watch in that the dial is made from a meteorite. That’s right, this watch is literally out of this world.

The meteorite in question was found in 1931 in Henbury, in the Northern Territory of Australia, and is made of octahedrite, which gives it the distinctive shimmer. The 43mm stainless-steel case houses an in-house Calibre 2206 HMS movement with 60 hours of power reserve.

Features are simple with only a small seconds dial. The Prestige HMS Stainless Steel is limited to 10 pieces with prices to come soon.