Watches & Wonders was supposed to be a newly named, more creative and exciting edition of the Geneva-based watch fair formerly known as the SIHH (Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie). But it found itself in the midst of a pandemic and decided quickly to adapt by rolling out a three-day virtual fair.

The event’s 17 participating brands introduced their 2020 novelties via both video and written releases that were accompanied by a plethora of high-resolution images. The following 12 timepieces stood out from the pack by creating a buzz amongst collectors, retailers and media.

Panerai Submersible EcoPangaea Tourbillon GMT ‘Mike Horn’

Already being referenced by just its second name (the “Mike Horn”), this 50mm special edition Panerai timepiece is as extraordinary as the experience with which it comes. Only five pieces of this watch are being made, but buyer lucky enough to get their hands on one through a Panerai boutique will also get the opportunity to journey on an exclusive expedition to the Arctic under the supervision of world-renowned explorer and adventurer Mike Horn.

The case is composed of EcoPangaea steel (recycled metal from Horn’s actual ship) with a sapphire crystal over a skeleton dial and Super-LumiNova-filled indexes and hands. It comes with a black rubber strap, has a six-day power reserve, and is water resistant to 300 meters.
panerai.com

Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Geographic

While a travel watch may not be at the top of everyone’s purchase list at the moment, the world will one day soon be back to flying the (mostly) friendly skies, and when that happens, there are watches like this Master Control Geographic by Jaeger-LeCoultre that are created to aid the weary traveler while also looking pretty darn sharp on the wrist.

What makes this steel watch special is that instead of indicating only the hour of a different time zone, the Master Control Geographic boasts a 24-hour night/day indicator along with an aperture at the bottom of the dial displaying the city name relating to the second time zone.
jaeger-lecoultre.com

H0 by HYT

HYT is the only watch brand to use a liquid in capillaries to determine the time. One color liquid represents the time in the day that has already been experienced and an alternate hue of liquid shows the wearer the time that has yet to come. The H0 version has been designed predominantly in black, with a bright orange liquid moving throughout to represent the sun rising from the beginning of the day then shrinking at night, where the black liquid is mainly present.

HYT’s H0 measures 48.8 millimeters in diameter and sits 18.7 millimeters above the wrist, so it’s probably not for those who prefer a small watch. It contains a manual wind mechanical movement accompanied by a 65-hour power reserve, sapphire domed crystal, DLC stainless steel case in black, and a black rubber strap with titanium buckle.
hytwatches.com

Montblanc 1858 Monopusher Chronograph Limited Edition

There was no shortage of limited-edition timepieces released at Watch & Wonders (there will be a handful here on this list) but the 1858 Monopusher Chronograph by Montblanc stood out, largely because of its eye-catching 42mm case. Made of a unique alloy of bronze that forms a natural patina over time, the case back is engraved with a special “Spirit of Mountain Exploration” for which Montblanc is known.

The watch is powered by the Calibre MB 25.12 automatic movement with a 48-hour power reserve and is shown here on a beige Montblanc NATO strap.
montblanc.com

Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept

Monochromatic black watches have been in fashion for a while now, as have ultra-thin mechanical timepieces, but the Altiplano Ultimate Concept watch by Piaget married the two trends and created one of the most beautiful babies to be born at Watches & Wonders.

The 41mm diameter Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept has a thickness of a mere 2 millimeters. Yes, you read that correctly: 2 MILLIMETERS! To give you an idea of just how thin that is, this mechanical timepiece is the same width as a nickel, making it the thinnest hand-wound mechanical watch in the world.
piaget.com

Maillon de Cartier in All Diamond

While there will be a future article on some of the best women’s watches to come out of W&W, I could not let a list go by without including this phenomenal all-diamond Maillon jewelry watch by Cartier.

Crafted in 18K white gold and showcasing an earth-shattering 486 round brilliant cut natural white diamonds, the Maillon de Cartier pictured here contains a quartz movement, which is common for watches with cases in the 16/17mm size range. The 18K white gold crown contains a 0.07 carat diamond set with the culet out, and the dial, case, and elegantly designed bracelet contain a total diamond carat weight of 8.64 carats.
cartier.com

Laurent Ferrier Grand Sport Tourbillon

Another independent brand that has received its fair share of watch press over the years is Laurent Ferrier. Often seen in Le Carré des Horlogers, also known as the “indies” section of what was the SIHH, Laurent Ferrier is known for impeccably well-made, timeless dress watches sought after by many a serious watch collector, so to see the brand come out with a sport watch in 2019 was as shocking as it was refreshing.

The most notable difference with the 2020 edition of the Grand Sport Tourbillon is its integrated steel bracelet. The sleek design pays homage to the brand’s co-founder, François Servanin, who was a French professional race car driver having competed at Le Mans.
laurentferrier.ch

Hermès Arceau L’Heure De La Lune

The Arceau L’Heure De La Lune watch by Hermès is not exactly new, but the versions introduced at this year’s Watches & Wonders certainly are, mainly because of their colorful natural stone dials and meticulously matched alligator straps.

Shown here is the 43mm Arceau L’Heure De La Lune with what Hermès is calling a “Blue Pearl” stone dial (but what gem and mineral geeks know better as larvikite). The watch also features two mother-of-pearl moons, and a matte, graphite-hued alligator leather strap, made using the high-quality of craftsmanship for which Hermès is known.
hermes.com

IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon

For those reading this who are looking to add a highly complicated platinum timepiece to your collection, IWC introduced the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon in Platinum for 2020, though consider this a warning: They’re only making 50 pieces of it.

The 45mm timepiece combines a perpetual calendar with a tourbillon containing 82 individual parts, thus allowing for a much-desired seven-day power reserve. The 51950 automatic caliber movement is encased in platinum and highlighted with a silver-plated dial and rhodium-plated hands and appliques.
iwc.com

A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk Minute Repeater

Another watch in the “isn’t technically new but its dial/case/strap is” category that still made waves this year was the new white gold version of the beloved Zeitwerk Minute Repeater by German watch brand A. Lange & Söhne. And while starkly blue dials have been having a years-long moment, the “digital” design of this highly mechanical timepiece allows for brush and sandblasted silver finishes as a contrast against the blue hued backdrop.

Watch enthusiasts already know just how special the A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk Minute Repeater is, how beautiful its chimes sound, and how intricate a movement the watch contains (complete with 771 parts). But for those who are happy simply knowing about its esthetics, the finishing on this 44.2mm timepiece is perfection.
alange-soehne.com

Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Tourbillon Chronograph

“Another tourbillon?” you ask. Yes, another tourbillon! But this time, it’s being accompanied by a chronograph and released by a brand that just happens to be 265 years old. Year after year, Vacheron Constantin brings its A-game, whether it be to the SIHH watch fair or moments throughout the year when it decides the time is right to release something new, something substantial. This year, the time was perfect for the release of the Traditionnelle Tourbillon Chronograph.

The timepiece contains a self-winding mechanical movement (caliber 3200) developed by Vacheron Constantin that includes a 65-hour power reserve (shown at the 6 o’clock marker) encased in 18K pink gold and measuring 42.5mm in diameter.
vacheron-constantin.com

Purnell Escape IIS Treasure Rainbow

“The world’s fastest triple-axis tourbillon and first double Spherion-powered timepiece is now the next-level in women’s grand complications with gem-set tourbillon cages.” That is how the brand described its astonishingly groundbreaking release on the Watches & Wonders website.

What would a watch trade fair be without a rainbow-colored novelty these days, right? But Purnell – known for its triple-axis tourbillons – didn’t choose to showcase just any rainbow-themed timepiece. It went as far as to call its release a “women’s grand complication,” which most brands refuse to do these days for fear of offending men with small wrists who might consider wearing a rainbow watch. Good on ya, Purnell! Way to give women watch enthusiasts their day in the sun! It’s long overdue.
purnellwatches.com