Originally an initiative started by prominent brands located within the Fleurier area of Switzerland, following the withdrawal of those brands from the Fondation Qualite Fleurier, Chopard remains the sole custodian of the foundation since 2022, and continues to issue Qualite Fleurier certifications according to the strict criteria outlined by the founders to this day. Five key criteria govern the Qualite Fleurier:

• 100% Swiss Made – The entirety of the watch head must be constructed in Switzerland, which includes the manufacturing of movement blanks, PVD/Coating processes, jewel setting and prototyping.
• Quality of Finish – Finishing and decoration of the watch must be rigorous and applied to Haute Horlogerie standards – processes such as anglage and polishing must be applied to shaped parts, and if possible, must have drawn lines on the component (brushed finishing).
• Chronometry (COSC Certification) – All watches undergoing the Qualite Fleurier certification must also pass COSC certification for timekeeping.
• Chronofiable Test – A test of simulated ageing on the watch, a set number of watches are pulled from production to test elements such as pusher activation, crown push and pull actions, magnetic field, shock and water resistance.
• Fleuritest Precision – The final watch is put through a 24 hour testing cycle that simulates daily wear. The watch must fall within 0 to +5 seconds per day through this test.

Passing all of these five areas qualifies a watch to be Qualite Fleurier certified. 

The first Qualite Fleurier watch from Chopard to be housed within a 39mm Lucent Steel case (a material exclusive to Chopard that is made of recycled steel), the watch presents in a classical manner with a silver sector-style dial with hour markers and a small seconds indicator at 6 o’clock. With a slimness of 8.92mm, the watch is firmly styled as a dress watch, which is further reinforced by its lug design – similar to that of watches from the 50s and 60s. The watch is delivered on a calf leather strap with vintage style stitching details, and on a L.U.C stainless steel pin buckle.

The magic of this watch is located on the rear, visible through a sapphire crystal case back. The calibre L.U.C 96.09-L is housed within this watch, with a 22k gold micro-rotor providing the winding power of the watch. Chronometer certified by the COSC, and lavishly finished, the movement adheres to the standards set out by the Fondation Qualite Fleurier for this watch. The entire completed watch is tested to this standard, making it one of the most rigorously tested dress watches on the market.

Whilst all of these features and certifications are remarkable in of themselves, the fact that they are all brought together in one watch is certainly a feat worthy of more praise. Furthermore, Chopard’s use of Lucent Steel, a material that comprises 80% recycled steel, is brighter and is more scratch resistant than virgin stainless steel further reinforces Chopard’s commitment to sustainability in their watchmaking practices. The L.U.C Qualite Fleurier is further proof that Chopard is quietly raising the standards of watchmaking through the use of sustainable materials, and continuously refining their production processes.

Technical Specifications:

Case

Metal: stainless steel

Thickness: 8.92 mm

Dial: Silver brass-based dial, sunburst satin-brushed finish in the center and circular satin finish on the chapter ring

Caseback: see-through sapphire crystal

Crown Material: stainless steel

Movement

Movement: L.U.C 96.09-L

Type of Winding: self-winding mechanical movement

Function: small seconds, hours and minutes

Power Reserve: Power Reserve of approximately 65 hours, L.U.C Twin Technology (two stacked barrels)

Certification(s): Fleurier Quality Foundation certificate

Frequency: 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour)

Movement Dimensions: Ø 27.40 mm

Movement Thickness: 3.30 mm

Number of Movement Parts: 172

Jewels: 29

Strap & Buckle

Buckle Type: pin buckle

Buckle Material: stainless steelStrap: brown calfskin (matt)

As a physiology major in university, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy played a large part in our studies. A genetic disorder affecting mainly boys, its effect on growing children is devastating, as muscle membrane proteins are unable to repair effectively. Currently, gene therapy is undergoing trials in patients, and it has shown some promise in increasing muscle strength – however, there is still much work to be done in this field in order to develop new therapies for this affliction. 

Every two years, the watch world together with the Association Monegasque contre les Myopathies, works on an auction where all proceeds go to funding research into Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy – as of early 2021, over 70 million Euro has been raised to benefit children afflicted by this disease. It is an opportunity for brands and independent watchmakers to put forward their wildest watches, ranging from prototypes, to altered colour schemes for familiar pieces, all the way to new movements and complications.

For someone who studied physiology, and has delved into the mechanisms of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, it is truly enlightening to see the watch world come together for such a noble cause. It is one of the rare times we see the industry so united, and we think there is no better cause than this for them to create these one-offs.

Our founder Adi Soon has written about his picks for Only Watch – here are my fantasy picks if I had the wallet to help raise money for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Akrivia – Chronometre Contemporain II

A darling child of the independent watch scene, Rexhep Rexhepi begins a new chapter in his career with the Chronometre Contemporain II. Retaining the lauded classical aesthetics of the first version of his Chronometre Contemporain, the watch is built from the ground-up as an entirely new timepiece.

A dial with a two-stage production process of grand-feu enamel, followed by a translucent champagne-coloured flinque enamel graces the front of the watch.l  The case, hewn from 950 Platinum respects traditional craftsmanship, and is produced in 14 parts by Jean-Pierre Hagmann – a boitier/casemaker by trade who has been lauded for his minute repeater cases, manufacturing for numerous brands in the past and is now working with Rexhepi. The “JHP” hallmark on the lugs signifies its provenance, and each of these lugs are individually soldered to the case.

Housed within its platinum case is a manually wound movement that is aesthetically similar to what was housed in the previous Chronometre Contemporain, however it now incorporates a dead-beat seconds mechanism, as well as being certified by the Besancon Observatory. This watch also includes an experience of visiting the Besancon Observatory – undoubtedly a package that represents fine watchmaking as a whole, in its craftsmanship and its history.

Blancpain – Tribute to Fifty Fathoms No-Rads

Proving to be incredibly popular amongst watch fans, the Tribute to Fifty Fathoms series of watches looks back into the archives, and revives key models that were instrumental in forming the evolution of the modern dive watch. At Only Watch 2021, the No-Rads has been brought back with orange-coloured accents on the dial and bezel to match with the theme of the auction – this can look like an attractive pumpkin-like patina, which vintage enthusiasts are sure to enjoy.

This version for this edition of Only Watch also removes the date window, cleaning up the dial and making it more symmetrical – this is, however, not how the original was presented, but will be sure to please those that love a cleaner aesthetic. The orange colour scheme extends down to the No-Rads symbol at 6 o’clock – instead of yellow and red, it is now orange and yellow. Powering this version of the watch is the Blancpain Calibre 1154, with a custom-engraved rotor commemorating Only Watch 2021.

Chopard – Alpine Eagle XL Chrono Only Watch

For fans of Switzerland, the Alpine Eagle XL Chrono Only Watch is the brand’s familiar sports watch, but with the addition of a natural Swiss granite stone dial from the Graubunden region of the country. Speckled with blue and green inclusions, the dial echoes the view of the Alpine region from the sky.

Naturally, in order to view the beauty of the stone dial, the sapphire crystal has the brand printed onto it. The 44mm case is made from Lucent Steel, the same as in the main line collections where a portion of the steel used is recycled – this steel is also harder than traditional 316L Stainless Steel used in many watches. Housed within the fantastic steel case is the Chopard 03.05-C movement, for which 3 patents are filed for the chronometer certified movement, and the watch is delivered on a calfskin strap with a titanium inlay.

Czapek – Antarctique Rattrapante “Sunrise”

ISOCHRONO are very much fans of this new release from Czapek, and we wrote about it extensively earlier this year. This version of the Antarctique features an orange colour that is CVD coated, done in partnership with Positive Coating.

The movement itself is also the fruit of a partnership – with Chronode, no less. The SHX6 movement displays the entire split seconds chronograph mechanism on the dial side, to display the beauty of its finishing, and the mechanical interactions each component plays when the chronograph is activated.

Housed in Stainless Steel, and measuring in at 42.5mm, the Antarctique Rattrapante “Sunrise” also features chronograph subdials and a minutes track in fume coated sapphire crystal – the minutes track also features a hidden message from 0-10 seconds – “Courage Every Second” – a message that is fitting for an auction that benefits Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. 

DeBethune/Voutilainen

On the surface the entry from DeBethune and Kari Voutilainen represents a collision of worlds, with a stark juxtaposition of classic and modern watchmaking in one watch. In reality, the duo of Denis Flageollet and Kari Voutilainen is closer than one might think – they both had the same teacher when they attended watchmaking school, and hence, each side represents their vision of watchmaking.

Kari Voutilainen’s side of the watch continues his very classical interpretation of watch dials, with multiple forms of guilloche visible on the dial, and heavily stylised Breguet-esque hands. Denis Flageollet’s side, on the other hand, displays the hyper-modern watchmaking that DeBethune is famous for – Star Trek-like shapes for the movement components, and skeletonised bridges to expose more of the mechanisms lying underneath.

Voutilainen’s side uses the Isogone display, where a minute ring revolves with the minutes hand. This means that hands will always line up at the hour, be at 90 degrees for 15 minutes past the hour, 180 degrees for the half hour, and 270 degrees for 45 minutes past the hour – the idea being that the display of the hands remains consistent throughout the hours. This side also features a large deadbeat seconds hand. DeBethune’s side involves a rotating minute hand at the periphery of the dial, and the hours indicator curiously positioned where the balance wheel is located – an unusual arrangement, but nonetheless an attractive one that leaves the construction of the movement to speak wonders for the watch. The calibre OW21 housed within has a 4 day power reserve, and features a titanium balance wheel as well as a silicon escapement.

FP Journe x Francis Ford Coppola – FFC Blue

Taking an incredible 7 years from conception to development, the FFC Blue was inspired during a dinner between Coppola and Journe, with Coppola asking if there was any possible way for a watch to tell the time with a hand – and not in the sense that we are used to in watchmaking. Journe took the inspiration of this display from a mechanical hand created by Ambroise Pare, the father of modern surgery, and had to devise a way to display all 12 hours with only 5 fingers.

Furthermore, this is powered by a version of the Octa 1300 movement, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Housed within a weighty tantalum case, the movement is crafted entirely of rose gold, and the rotor is engraved with the names of Ambroise Pare, Francis Ford Coppola, and of course, FP Journe.

The minutes are displayed on a disc on the periphery of the dial with a blued triangular arrow, and of course, the “digital” hours are indicated by the blue hand in the centre of the dial. Whilst we can certainly think of ways that this watch can be even more provocative through the use of its middle digits, this watch is certainly provocative enough with its radical display of time, and incorporation of automata in its construction.

Girard-Perregaux – Casquette, Only Watch Edition

It’s back to the future for Girard-Perregaux at the 2021 edition of Only Watch, as the brand works with Bamford Watch Department to unveil a new version of the famous LED watch from 1976. The watch uses a new movement that utilises an LED display, just like the original Casquette, but protects this in a case of forged carbon and titanium.

Titanium pushers are used to activate the display – just like in the 1970s, LED displays still utilise a lot of power, and the pushers activate the display on demand. Undoubtedly, this is a great way to get vintage vibes from the 70s, whilst retaining an essence of modernity in the form of the case.

Krayon – Anywhere

Featuring a lacquer dial with a mosaic effect, the Krayon Anywhere for Only Watch 2021 features an interpretation of Claude Monet’s “Impression, rising sun” on its Metiers d’Art dial. Distinctive for being the only watch with its Equation of Time and Sunrise/Sunset function capable of being set for any location on Earth, the buyer of this watch will be able to choose the location upon purchase.

The watch also features an incredible amount of fine finishing on the movement – as a prototype, it is finished excellently with manually executed bevels, many of them internal bevels.

MB&F HM10 Panda Only Watch

The shape of the “bulldog” lent itself well to an iteration of this watch in Panda form, with its rounded edges and organic forms. To further the Panda aesthetic, titanium ears were added to domed upper sapphire crystal, the upper case was reworked in stainless steel to accept a black and white lacquer finishing, and a silicon nitride ball was used for its tail. As the Panda is always munching on bamboo, the teeth remain underneath the “eyes/hour and minutes indicators” of the panda – this also serves to indicate the power reserve. To top it all off, the Panda motif is further reinforced with a black and white velcro strap.

Patek Philippe – “Complicated Desk Clock”

For those that managed to procure the entire collection of Patek Philippe watches (including the elusive Nautilus 5711/1A), Patek Philippe dug deep into its archives and based their Only Watch 2021 entry on a clock owned by a famous collector. Originally delivered in 1923, the original clock was ordered by James Ward Packard, and now resides in the Patek Philippe Museum.

The modestly named Only Watch 2021 clock is a veritable horological beast, hewn from Sterling Silver, with vermeil decorative elements and American walnut furniture. Driven by the Calibre 86-135 PEND IRM Q SE, the clock boasts a power reserve of 31 days with power reserve indicator, a perpetual calendar, jumping seconds and a week indicator shown through a red window at the periphery of the dial. Its precision in construction utilising its Gyromax balance wheel and a 28,800 vph oscillation frequency, the clock is adjusted to within +1/-1 seconds per day – an amazing rate of accuracy for a mechanical clock, and we can expect nothing but the best from Patek Philippe.

Speake Marin – Dual Time Openworked Only Watch The Sun

With the world awakening from its pandemic slumber, it could be said that the Speake Marin is a watch for the times. Equipped with an in-house dual-time movement (the SMA02), the watch is ready to accompany its wearer on journeys across the world.

Contrasting with 42mm DLC coated case is an orange dial that is the thematic colour of this year’s edition of Only Watch, not only representing hope and progress in the world of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy research, but also a reminder of the reemerging world.

TAG Heuer – Only Watch Carbon Monaco

A modern reinterpretation of the “Dark Lord” Monaco, the watch takes its inspiration from this vintage model of the 70s, and utilises modern materials to update its look and feel, whilst incorporating thoroughly modern features in its movement construction. The case is made from forged carbon, and the Only Watch 2021 thematic colours of orange stand out against its dark skeletonised dial.

The movement features a ‘gratte’ finish to echo a finishing flag that brings to mind its racing heritage, and the rear of the watch features the largest sapphire crystal case back to ever be featured on a Monaco. Within the forged carbon case is the Heuer 02 in-house movement, that is curiously fitted with a carbon hairspring – continuing the theme of carbon within the movement. It is fantastic to see that the carbon hairspring has made its way back to a production watch, and we can only hope that it is a signal for things to come.

Zenith x Felipe Pantone – Defy Double Tourbillon Felipe Pantone

All of your chromatic dreams come true – Defy Double Tourbillon Felipe Pantone brings the artist’s chromatic artistic inspiration to the wrist in an amazing 46mm sapphire case. A rainbow for the wrist, the multi-coloured finishings are applied to an El Primero 9020 movement that features one tourbillon for timekeeping and one for the chronograph itself, beating at 5Hz and 50Hz respectively. Accompanying the watch will be an artwork made by the artist himself. Two whirlwinds are better than one, and with this watch and the accompanying artwork, it will undoubtedly be a colourful one at that.

The Time Traveller One and the GMT One were first unveiled in 2016, in stainless steel and precious metal cases, and the Time Traveller One was Chopard’s first world timer watch. These presented a new side to the L.U.C collection – one that was uniquely utilitarian in its design, ready to explore the world. For 2021, the new collection of traveller’s watches from Chopard come just in time as the world reopens, in stealthy monochrome looks that are confident enough to take on the world’s new normal.

L.U.C Time Traveller One Black

Chopard’s L.U.C Time Traveller One features a clever world time mechanism, able to display all of the world’s timezones at a single glance. An array of concentric discs display the necessary information including the date indicated by a pointer in the centre, local time, 24 hour ring for the selected city, and the city ring itself. The city ring is controlled by the crown at 4 o’clock, and will display the world’s timezones once the local city is set to 12. The world’s timezones are then read by aligning the city to the number on the 24 hour ring.

Unique to this edition of the watch is the case itself. Forged from ceramised titanium, this material guarantees lightness, whilst being incredibly hard to withstand everyday scratches – this hardness has been rated to 700 vickers, many times that of stainless steel, let alone precious metal models. Combined with the grey dial of the watch, it is a monochromatic look that is accentuated by the fully vegan rubber strap that is given a fabric texture and is on a ceramised titanium pin buckle.

Housed within the ceramised titanium case is the Calibre L.U.C 01.05-L that is manufactured in Fleurier, holding a 60 hour power reserve, and is chronometer certified.

L.U.C GMT One Black

A simpler version of the L.U.C Time Traveller, the L.U.C GMT One Black is a two timezone watch, with the crown at 2 o’clock setting the time and date, and the crown at 4 o’clock controlling the 24 hour disc. The dial features hand applied vertical brushing, and its rings give the watch a darker appearance than its more complicated cousin. Like the Time Traveller One, the L.U.C GMT One Black is executed in hard ceramised titanium, to give extra wear resistance for the rugged traveller. Mounted on a rubber strap, the watch is also on a ceramicised titanium buckle.

Housed within the case of the L.U.C GMT One Black is the L.U.C 01.10-L, that is chronometer certified, and also manufactured in Fleurier.

With these two watches, Chopard appears poised to take on the world once it reopens, providing the stylish traveller with a stealthy, yet functional option that flies under the radar. Being one of the most useful complications in the watchmaking industry, these two multi-timezone watches are both limited to 250 pieces each – get yours before your gate closes for boarding!

Arguably more famous for their jewellery than their timepieces, Chopard set to rectify the perception of their brand with the unveiling of the L.U.C collection in 1996. The brainchild of Karl-Frederich Scheufele, his passion for watchmaking drove him to establish dedicated workshops in Geneva and Fleurier to pursue the full range of watch production operations for Chopard to elevate its watchmaking prowess. This enables the brand to employ fine finishing across its calibres, machine its own cases, smelt gold in its own foundry, as well as utilising metiers d’art for their more exclusive pieces – including Grand Feu Enamel, Urushi dials (most commonly seen in their Chinese zodiac pieces), and a wide variety of hand engraving techniques, just to name a few.

For 2021, the L.U.C collection receives an addition to the Quattro series of watches: the Chopard L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25. Limited to 100 pieces worldwide, this new piece exhibits the prowess the brand has in artistic watchmaking, as well as traditional crafts often displayed in watches of yore.

The new L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 comes in a 40mm 18k Rose Gold case, of which the gold has been ethically sourced. The case is somewhat reminiscent of old hunter-cased pocket watches, with its rounded case middle, that is vertically brushed. Its lugs appear downturned, and have a slight sculpted feel, that bring some modern architectural feel to a watch that is largely classical in its nature. The large minute hand is what Chopard describes as a “Dauphine Fusee” shape – bringing to mind skyscrapers like the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building with its Art Deco-esque design.

The dial is Grand Feu Enamel crafted by Chopard’s in-house artisan of enamelwork in Fleurier, and the base of the dial, like the watch case, is also made of 18k Ethically-Sourced Gold. Once the enamel dial is fired, it is then subsequently given a light polish to give a slight domed effect, desired for the effects it has when light hits the dial. The numerals give a very bold look to the dial, while its minute track further brings to mind old pocket watch dials, bringing another historical cue to this watch. Both the numerals and the minute track are enamel transferred, and the same process is used to set these indicators into the dial. Overall, it is a labour-intensive process that not only respects the craft of enamelwork, but it is also a dial that pays tribute to the past, and yet looks modern at the same time.

The movement is a variant of Chopard’s famous Quattro movement, this time it is dubbed the L.U.C 98.06-L, to signify its jumping hour mechanism and display. This movement originally made waves for the innovative power solution to give 8 days of power reserve – instead of using a huge mainspring, Chopard utilised 4 barrels, stacking the barrels in groups of two, and then placing them in series for the long power reserve. This also has the added advantage of a torque curve that is evened out over the 8 day power reserve for better timekeeping. What is even more impressive, however, is that even with the additional effort required to jump an hour disc every hour, it still maintains an 8 day power reserve, which is a testament to the engineers and watchmakers of Chopard. The movement is visible through a sapphire crystal caseback, and is Poincon de Geneve certified – a movement that is finely finished, and is another testament to the true watchmaking prowess that the Chopard L.U.C collection displays.

The Chopard L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 celebrates a manufacture that has made incredible strides in the last 25 years, building its watchmaking capabilities into the powerhouse that we see today. Befitting a Chopard L.U.C watch, this new addition celebrates the capabilities that the maison has to offer, and brings a fresh new look to the Quattro line with its jumping hour display and bold pocket watch styling. The L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 is therefore a fitting tribute to a collection that has achieved so much in a relatively short period of time.

For those of us in the watch industry, we add today, one more improbable event that has unfortunately come to pass – the announcement of the departure by the blue chip brands, Rolex, Tudor, Patek Philippe, Chopard and Chanel – from the “postponed” Baselworld in January 2021, and from other editions henceforth, should they happen.

In a joint press release by these heavy hitting and long time anchor tenants from Hall 1 of Baselworld, they will create a new watch trade show in Geneva with the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, in conjunction with the Richemont brands at Watches & Wonders in early April 2021.

Obviously, the departures in recent times by the Swatch Group and other significant brands like Breitling, Seiko, Casio and others were their own seismic shocks that had come about for a mix of reasons. The root cause without doubt, was the arrogant and inattentive Baselworld management, who had done little to improve the experience of those who exhibited and attended. Instead, everything that they did was glazed with an avaricious spirit, with price gouging the norm, and overcharging for every little thing a state of affairs that long time attendees had been trained to deal with.

Instead of being a partner to the brands, retailers and the press who attended, and operating under the mandate of promoting Swiss horology to the world, the Baselworld management acted like they had inherited a golden goose, and was making it lay eggs to exhaustion. Why improve anything when people would keep on coming back because of a long standing tradition?

Certainly, brands might have needed Baselworld ten years ago when it was the only good platform to introduce new watches to the world, yet when the internet came along to give more options for communication, Baselworld failed to respond by continuing to have poor WiFi connection in the halls. Contrast this with the efforts of the SIHH (now renamed to Watches & Wonders), that started to provide good WIFI, and even well-lit booths for the press to shoot watches properly as well as proper areas to conduct interviews, all so that the news could be sent out into the world quickly via social media.

Not only that, it seemed that the city of Basel itself did not appear to want to take care of this yearly influx of visitors, with attendees to the Baselworld fair having to endure the same price gouging outside as well at hotels and restaurants, generally having an unpleasant and expensive experience. Could not the Baselworld management have done something about it?

But then, even with these issues, one could never contemplate the possible end of Baselworld seriously since the kings of the fair – Rolex and Patek Philippe, had not signaled any intention to budge. They have always been, and let’s be real about this, the main draw and the reason why people made the time and expense to attend.

The new team at the helm, who had taken over the old Baselworld management who had unceremoniously resigned after the departure of the Swatch Group was supposed to bring us new innovations for the 2020 edition. Part of the plan was to make hotel rates more reasonable, and even that was a joke, since these were essentially the same as before. Another was their strange Community District initiative, that was aimed at making it easier and cheaper for brands to participate, which had drawn a brand like Maurice Lacroix, who had previously departed Baselworld, to return.

Maurice Lacroix returns to Baselworld in 2020

It was going well, sort of, and 2020 was going to be the Baselworld management’s chance at redemption. By all accounts, their efforts were welcomed with caution, that was, until the Coronavirus epidemic hit.

The first indication of a down-hill slide was their tone-deaf proclamation that the show would go on as planned, when it was obvious to everyone that the epidemic would get worse. Finally, a day after Watches & Wonders was cancelled, the Baselworld management had no choice but to fold their hand and cancel as well, and in the process sent out a curiously worded press release that said that Baselworld 2020 had been “postponed” to 2021.

Baselworld 2020 “postponed” to January 2021 due to the COVID-19 virus

And now we know why.

Turns out that if they had used the word “cancelled”, the deposits from exhibiting brands would have to be returned. By using the word “postponed”, if a brand cancelled, the deposit would be forfeited. Essentially, it was the choice to use such legalese to hold on to as much of the deposits that were already collected as possible, and not to do the gentlemanly thing – of offering full refunds for the “cancelled” show. The kicker, they were going to charge 15% in fees for administrative expenses.

This was the final straw that made Hubert du Plessix, the president of the Committee of Swiss Exhibitors, who also happens to be a 30-year industry veteran and director of Rolex, to step in with a strongly worded letter to the MCH Group, owner of the Baselworld fair, to say that full refunds “would be the best way to encourage exhibitors who can participate in a future edition of Baselworld”. “Otherwise,” he continued. “We fear that this will be the end, pure and simple, of Baselworld.”

That letter was sent a week ago, and in the interim, sparked a series of internal industry discussions that had led to the reality that we face today.

The lesson is clear – you don’t test the patience of the industry leader, particularly one that can pull every other important Hall 1 stalwart away.

The press release, reproduced in full below, tells the story of frustration, with the choicest quote coming from Thierry Stern, Patek Philippe President, who said: “Today Patek Philippe is not in line with Baselworld’s vision anymore, there have been too many discussions and unsolved problems, trust is no longer present.”

Heavy stuff.

So now this move provokes other questions that are relevant to the watch industry:

-What about the other brands? Especially the small and independent ones? If the mandate of the new watch trade fair led by Rolex is, as Jean-Frédéric Dufour, Chief Executive Officer, Rolex SA, and Board Member, Tudor, says “to create a new event with partners that share our vision and our endless, unwavering support for the Swiss watchmaking sector”, then it stands to reason that there will be a space for the smaller brands. If that happens, then, Baselworld is truly dead.

-Will the Swatch Group join the party? I think that this is possible since the reason for their departure of Baselworld were the grievances that were inflicted under the old management. If they did, it would signal a new unifying attitude of the entire Swiss watch industry, to work together for the benefit of everyone involved.

-What about LVMH, who are currently, (aside from Bulgari) still participating in Baselworld 2021? Well, they already have a presence in Geneva, taking up space at the Kempinski Hotel during the SIHH week. So they could join the party if asked or they could continue as usual. Either way they will be part of the mix in Geneva no question. As for Baselworld, there is probably no reason to continue attending.

-What about the bigger independent brands that had already left, like Breitling, Seiko and Casio? Will they be invited in, or is it Swiss brands only. And if they were asked, would they accept?

-Also, will the Coronavirus pandemic end on time to allow this new April 2021 watch fair to happen? No one knows what the world will look like then. The pandemic might not be over, and borders might still be closed. And even if they’re not, who knows what the appetite for travel will be like.

-Finally, will Baselworld release a statement to apologise, maybe offer new plans? If they do, will it change anything?

(Full press release reproduced below)

ROLEX, PATEK PHILIPPE, CHANEL, CHOPARD AND TUDOR LEAVE BASELWORLD. CREATION OF A NEW WATCH TRADE SHOW IN GENEVA IN COLLABORATION WITH THE FONDATION DE LA HAUTE HORLOGERIE.

Geneva, 14 April 2020 – Rolex, Patek Philippe, Chanel, Chopard and Tudor leave Baselworld to create a new watch trade show in Geneva with the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie. The show will be held early April 2021 at Palexpo, at the same time as Watches & Wonders. This departure follows a number of unilateral decisions made without consultation by Baselworld management, including the postponement of the watch show until January 2021, as well as its inability to meet the brands’ needs and expectations.

The new show, which will be linked to Watches & Wonders, organized by the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, is to take place at Palexpo. The aim is to offer partner brands the best possible professional platform, applying a shared vision to successfully meet future challenges in the watchmaking industry. It will also give crucial prominence to the sector’s expertise and innovations, both in Switzerland and internationally.

Other brands may also be added, according to terms that have not yet been defined. This new event will be geared predominantly towards retailers, the press and VIP customers.

Jean-Frédéric Dufour, Chief Executive Officer, Rolex SA, and Board Member, Tudor, said: “We have taken part in Baselworld since 1939. Unfortunately, given the way the event has evolved and the recent decisions made by MCH Group, and in spite of the great attachment we had to this watch show, we have decided to withdraw. Following discussions initiated by Rolex, it seemed only natural to create a new event with partners that share our vision and our endless, unwavering support for the Swiss watchmaking sector. This will allow us to present our new watches in line with our needs and expectations, to join forces and better defend the interests of the industry.”

Thierry Stern, President, Patek Philippe said: “The decision to leave Baselworld was not an easy one to take for me, being the fourth generation of the Stern family to participate to this traditional yearly event. But life evolves constantly, things change and people change as well, whether it is at the level of those responsible for the watch fair organization, the brands or the clients. We constantly have to adapt ourselves, question what we do, since what was right yesterday may not necessarily be valid today!

Today Patek Philippe is not in line with Baselworld’s vision anymore, there have been too many discussions and unsolved problems, trust is no longer present.

We need to answer the legitimate needs of our retailers, the clients and the press from around the world. They have to be able to discover the new models from Swiss watchmakers each year, at one time, in one place, and this in the most professional manner possible.

That is why, following several discussions with Rolex and in agreement with other participating brands, we have decided to create, all together, a unique event in Geneva, representative of our savoir-faire.“

Frédéric Grangier, CEO of Chanel Watches & Fine Jewellery said: “Like its partners, CHANEL shares the same independence and the same desire to protect and promote the values, know-how, utmost quality and precision of Swiss Watchmaking. This initiative marks a key milestone in the history of CHANEL Watchmaking and is part of a long-term strategy, which began with the launch of this activity in 1987. This exhibition will allow us to present all of our new creations in an environment that meets our high-quality standards.”

Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, Co-President Chopard et Cie SA said: “Chopard first exhibited at the Basel fair in 1964 with a stand of some 25 square metres. After careful consideration, our family decided to support the Rolex initiative and retire from Baselworld – a painful decision. The creation of this new watch show in Geneva, in parallel to Watches & Wonders, will allow us to better serve our watchmaking partners and our customers. Through the alliance, these grandes maisons will also be able to collaborate in promoting the values and best interests of Swiss watchmaking.”

Jérôme Lambert, on behalf of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie Council said: “The Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie is delighted to welcome a new salon which will strengthen the historical Watch & Wonders event in Geneva next year in early April.”

Further information will be published at a later date, in particular concerning the name of the new watch fair and its organization.

This year, it’s the L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Rat that comes to the fore, with a dial that depicts a golden rat standing on an ear of corn, a symbol of abundance, and in front of a persimmon, a symbol of longevity, along with a bouquet of flowers that depict the three lucky colours of its zodiac sign – blue, gold and green.

Now I’ve always loved the combination of crafts that Chopard applies to their Zodiac watches since they have a refined aesthetic that really feels extremely difficult to create. Like the other Zodiac watches previously, Chopard makes use of the ancestral Japanese art of Urushi for the dial base and that of Maki-e, for the design elements of the dial.

It is a delicate and refined craft that can only be done by a few master craftsmen to the level seen on the dial and it basically consists of a lacquered dial base (Urushi)  with gold, silver dust or ash sprinkled on (Maki-e) to create the picture. 

The result is a mesmerising 3D effect that is a joy to look at, with the shimmering previous metal dust against the depths of the black lacquer. 

Chopard called on long term collaborator, Master Minori Koizumi of Yamada Heiando Studio for this special dial. The design is first transferred to the lacquered dial based, and then the elements of the dial are painstakingly applied. 

The L.U.C XP Urushi Year of the Rat is an 88-piece limited edition crafted in an 18k rose gold case and powered by an in-house ultra-thin movement, the L.U.C 96.17-L, which measures just 3.3mm thick and has a comfortable 65-hour power reserve. The case itself is 40 mm in diameter and 6.8 thickness, perfectly sized to fit the wrists of Asian customers, for whom the L.U.C XP Year of the Rat is naturally intended.

Find out more at this link. 

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An updated version of the “St Moritz”, a watch with an integrated bracelet that was made in 1980, now called the “Alpine Eagle”.

First Impressions

Quite a few brands have released watches on integrated bracelets of late and it’s certainly a welcome trend. I’ve always been partial to such watches due to the utility that they provide to the wearer, being easy to take on and off, and also being impervious to water, compared to leather straps. Overall, they are more convenient to wear on a daily basis, and also, if designed well, can give the watch a distinctive look, and a possibility towards iconic status in the future.

Of course, there are quite a few brands with such watches already, and any entrant to this space has to come in strong in order to distinguish itself from existing players.

Chopard has certainly brought their “A” game with the new Alpine Eagle collection as they are watches that look and feel good in the hand and on the wrist. Not only that, they bring their own aesthetic touches to a genre in which it might seem difficult to differentiate oneself. In any case, the result is unique, elegant and very attractive.

Two sizes are available at launch, 41mm and 36mm, and the initial collection is a full one, coming with a range of material options, from stainless steel to two tone and even full gold with diamonds.

Inspiration from the past

The original St Moritz, the inspiration behind the new Alpine Eagle was current Chopard co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele’s maiden watch project at the age of 22 when he first started working for the company. At the time, he envisioned the creation of a stainless steel watch with an integrated bracelet, and it took quite a bit of effort to convince his father Karl Scheufele to agree to it, since the company dealt mainly with precious metal watches and jewelry at the time.

Named “St Moritz”, after the alpine luxury ski resort in Switzerland, it was envisioned as a sports watch, as shown in the advertising visuals, with skiing and golf being the sort of activities that one would partake in while wearing a watch like this.

This was a collection that was extremely successful for Chopard, as it was sold continuously all the way until 1995. Not only that, it marked a roaring start for the young Scheufele in his fledgling watch career, as he would go on to revive the historical Mille Miglia race and the associated racing watch line, as well as to begin the ascendancy of the L.U.C. line of high horology watches, to bring the maison back to its original roots in pure watchmaking.

So what about the Alpine Eagle that launches this year in 2019? Well, it’s a little bit of history repeating itself in this case. This time, it was the son of Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, Karl-Fritz who wanted to give a proper tribute to the work of his father, by coming up with the idea for the new Alpine Eagle, in his own maiden watch project. As history has shown already, that just might be the start of something new and special for the next generation of this family owned maison.

The Eagle Soars

While it would have been nice for the new collection to bear the “St. Moritz” name, as it did in the past, it was, for various reasons, not possible. In the end, the name of “Alpine Eagle” was chosen. This was partly due to the Scheufele’s family involvement since the early 2000s with the Alp Action program, whose mandate is to help integrate environmental considerations into its partners’ Corporate Culture.

With Chopard being no stranger to robust initiatives such as these, already seen in the brand’s exclusive use of Fairmined gold, the new collection thus aims to create awareness of the importance of conserving the natural environment, by naming it after the Apex predator of the Alps, the Alpine Eagle.

Aesthetics and movement

The Alpine Eagle takes much of its look from the original “St Moritz”, with the most obvious difference being found in the bezel that is now decidedly round. The St Moritz had a round bezel as well, but the eight screws in the bezel, grouped in pairs at the cardinal points, protruded slightly from the circle to give the bezel a unique shape. These screws in the new Alpine Eagle, incidentally functional ones as well that help secure the case for its 100 meter water resistance, are now within the round of the bezel.

The case however retains an echo of the older bezel however, in the form of the “ears” that are mirrored on the left and right side. As a nod to functionality, the “ears” on the right are now crown guards. Certainly, this is the most impressive detail of the watch, combining an element from the past with modern considerations of performance.

The bracelet is also another unique highlight, with a form unlike any other bracelet I have seen before. This design, also seen on the St Moritz has now been beefed up for the larger modern size of the Alpine Eagle, with ingot shaped links topped by a polished central cap. Unique as well is how the bracelet is put together. Unlike almost every other bracelet, the screws that hold it together are found on the underside of the links, instead of at the edges. What this means is that on the wrist, no screws are visible, a detail that adds to the overall elegance of the watch.

From the St Moritz, the Alpine Eagle retains the roman numerals that were part of its dial at the 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions, however these have been infused with Super luminova grade x1 for night time legibility, which in a way accords well with the namesake inspiration of the watch, the Alpine Eagle. Most obviously in reference to this, is the striking dial texture, which departs from the classically oriented presentation of the St Moritz, to now recall in a striking fashion, the texture of an eagle’s iris.

Lucent Steel A223

The details don’t end there, for this Alpine Eagle as well, introduces a new kind of stainless steel to watchmaking, with properties not seen in other more “normal” types of the alloy. Named “Lucent Steel A223”, it is harder than standard steel at 223 Vickers (hence the name) which is 50% more than standard steel.

Also, as Chopard claims, due to the more purified form that this steel is, and its homogenous crystal structure, it is extremely hypoallergenic, and also reflects light light as brilliantly as gold. I’m interested to find out more about this unique material and its properties, and will certainly attempt to verify these claims. For potential buyers of this watch, it will be interesting to see if this material resists scratches better, and if it really does shine brighter.

Variations

The Alpine Eagle launches with quite a number of variations of case material and treatment. Primarily there are three 41mm sized watches, and seven 36mm ones.

All the models of the Alpine Eagle, in true L.U.C. fashion are COSC certified, with the 41mm sized watches holding the Calibre 01.01-C with 60 hour power reserve, while the 36mm watches holding the Calibre 09.01-C with 42 hour power reserve. Incidentally the latter movement is the smallest at 20.4mm in diameter to receive COSC certification.

Conclusion

It’s not easy to enter the space of the integrated bracelet watch in which there are dominant players around, but if there is anyone that can do it well and succeed, it would be Chopard.

Certainly, my initial impressions of the Alpine Eagle when handling the watches in the flesh were very positive, and this despite my initial skepticism that a unique design could be achieved in this genre. Yet as a whole, the watches impress, holding their own in terms of style, and having a nice historical legitimacy that ought to silence the naysayers who are bound to emerge to make comparisons.

As a recreation of a watch from the brand’s history, the new Alpine Eagle is a true and worthy successor to the original St Moritz of 1980. In that sense, Karl-Fritz Scheufele has certainly done his father proud.

From a market perspective, it is smart to introduce a collection like this, since there is no doubt that the genre of the integrated bracelet can be a highly profitable and popular one if everything is done right.

The watch lover in me however, would have preferred to see the original name of St Moritz retained, but I can appreciate what calling it Alpine Eagle can achieve in a larger, more human context.

In many ways, it is up to everyone to start realising that the preservation of the natural environment is of vital importance, and Chopard have made a big step to put their money where their mouth is with their new collection. They could have chosen a more traditional name, and a more traditional presentation, yet they have, as part of their ongoing efforts to be good corporate citizens, decided to make a big statement that will mean that, if the collection succeeds, to commit to the environment for the long haul.

I for one did not know that there were eagles in the Alps, and now I do. That’s a good start, and quite apart from the very nice watches that Chopard has created in honour of them.

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