Sandra‘s Closet

A huge trend I have been spotting among the Watches & Wonders novelties are monochrome watches, meaning that the dial and strap come in one single color, preferably in an outstanding shade, such as red, green or blue. Monochrome watches are widely popular among watch enthusiasts who love sticking to a minimalist design or by fashionistas who are fascinated by color-coordinating these watches to their outfits.

Below are some of the most beautiful novelties presented at Watches & Wonders online, enjoy extraordinary colors, fantastic designs and a certain retro touch.

LoL, Sandra

From top left to top right:
PIAGET Altiplano Tourbillon Red – G0A45033
18ct white gold case with diamonds, ultra thin, hand-wound mechanical tourbillon movement, diameter 41, limited edition – Price upon request
PIAGET Altiplano Tourbillon Green – G0A45035
18ct white gold case with diamonds, ultra thin, hand-wound mechanical tourbillon movement, diameter 41, limited edition – Price upon request
JAEGER-LECOULTRE Reverso One Red Wine Boutique Exclusive – Q3288560
Steel case with 27 diamonds (0.3 ct), 40 mm x 20 mm x 7.9 mm case, quartz Jaeger-LeCoultre caliber 657, water resistant (30m) – € 5500
From bottom left to bottom right:
PIAGET Limelight Gala – G0A45162
18ct white gold case with 62 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 1.75 ct), blue aventurine glass dial, Piaget 690P quartz movement, diameter 32 – unique edition of 300 units – Price upon request
PIAGET Possession – G0A45074
18ct white gold case with 42 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 1.03 ct), pink mother-of-pearl dial set with 11 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.07 ct), Piaget 56P quartz movement, diameter 29 – $15.800
HERMÈS Cape Cod Martelée
Shaded-black lacquered and hammered dial – steel, quartz movement, diameter 23 – Price upon request.

From top left to top right:
PANERAI Luminor Marina Fibratech™ – PAM01663
Titanium, diameter 44 – unique edition of 270 units – CHF 19.300
PURNELL Escape IIS Treasure Baguette Diamonds 
18ct white gold case with diamonds, skeletonized movement, 32-hour power reserve,Double Triple Axis Tourbillon caliber, diameter 44 – Price upon request
VACHERON CONSTANTIN Fiftysix Self-Winding Boutique Exclusive – 4600E/000R-B576
18ct pink gold case, self-winding, diameter 40 – Price upon request.
From bottom left to bottom right:
ROGER DUBUIS Excalibur Diabolus In Machina  – RDDBEX0842
Titanium, minute repeater coupled with a flying tourbillon (RD107), water resistant (30m), diameter 45 – limited edition of 1 – Price upon request.
IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN Portugieser Chronograph Boutique Edition – IW371614
18ct 5N gold case, automatic, self-winding, diameter 41 – CHF 17.900
MONTBLANC Heritage Automatic 
18ct yellow gold case, automatic MB 24.27 caliber, diameter 40 – CHF 8.600
IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN Portugieser Chronograph – IW371615
Stainless steel case, Automatic, self-winding, Diameter 41 – CHF 8.200

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands, Collages: © Sandra Bauknecht

Today, the Watches & Wonders exhibition would have opened its doors in Geneva. However, due to the current worldwide pandemic, the fair cannot take place. But as it is more important than ever to stay connected, I am pleased to invite you to look at watchesandwonders.com, the new digital platform where you can experience the fine watchmaking universe all in one place. There you can discover the newest products, enjoy engaging and dynamic content and connect directly with the 30 participating Maisons.

During the next days, I will give you my own personal insight about the new launches and would love to start today with the House of CARTIER that have many beautiful watchmaking novelties for this year that are reunited by a global theme: the UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTERS.
The Maison has always encouraged the unexpected by combining shapes and ideas that were never intended to meet. This is Cartier’s unique style, the source from which all forms of creation begin. Unexpected encounters, a question of perspective, CARTIER’S SIGNATURE.

PANTHÈRE DE CARTIER
AVAILABLE IN APRIL 2020
THE PANTHER, THE MAISON’S EMBLEMATIC ANIMAL

Since its first abstract appearance in 1914, Cartier has reinterpreted the panther. From motif to material or volume, everything provides reason to go beyond the different crafts and techniques allowing new creative territories resulting from unexpected encounters.

THE PANTHER IN THE MÉTIERS D’ART
Left: RONDE LOUIS CARTIER WOOD AND GOLD MARQUETRY WATCH
Right: RONDE LOUIS CARTIER ENAMEL FILIGREE WATCH

Straw and gold marquetry and enamel filigree – this year, the artisans in La Chaux-de-Fonds reveal two new «Métiers d’Art» watches.

FINE WATCHMAKING PIECES
AVAILABLE FROM APRIL 2020

Mysterious skeleton, minute repeater mysterious double tourbillon, Grande complication: Cartier shines the spotlight its most beautiful complications.

MAILLON DE CARTIER
AVAILABLE MAY 2020
A WATCH, A STYLE, A TWIST

The Maillon de Cartier watch is firstly a jewel. A bracelet whose chain-links are offset by Cartier. The Maillon de Cartier collection is comprised of pieces in yellow gold, rose gold and white gold, with or without diamonds. It is completed by exceptional pieces issued in a limited edition numbered series. For more information, visit my previous post here.

SANTOS DE CARTIER
AVAILABLE FROM MAY 2020
A WATCH OF TODAY

The first modern men’s wristwatch created in 1904 by Louis Cartier, it made its mark both with a pure design incorporating a square bezel with visible screws.

THE SANTOS-DUMONT XL WATCH
The Santos-Dumont XL watch has been entirely reworked. Its history, the purity of its lines and the beauty of its mechanical movement with manual winding make it a watch for connoisseurs.

SANTOS DE CARTIER BLACK ANIMATION
The ADLC Santos de Cartier watch stands out and reveals a more technical face for this iconic watch.

PASHA DE CARTIER
AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 2020
A CULT WATCH SINCE ITS CREATION IN 1985.

An extrovert watch with an assertive graphic signature: a square inside a circle, four oversized Arabic numerals, the clous de Paris which accentuate the bracelet and the creative chained crown. With its distinctive codes and extraordinary design, the new Pasha watch is faithful to the original model but even more sophisticated.
Produced in steel, yellow gold, rose gold and set with diamonds, the Pasha de Cartier collection includes fine jewellery and fine watchmaking creations with skeleton versions.

CARTIER PRIVÉ
AVAILABLE DECEMBER 2020
THE NEW ASYMÉTRIQUE WATCH

Highlighting the design of the Maison’s legendary watches, CARTIER PRIVÉ has been releasing variations in numbered in limited and numbered series since 2015.

With its two horizontal shafts connected by two oblique ones, and its numerals off-set by 30° to the right, the presence of this new Tank Asymétrique, born in 1936, is striking on the wrist.
It is equipped with the Manufacture 1917 MC movement with manual winding. The Arabic numerals and their separating indexes have been redesigned.

The traditional watch is available in pink gold with a grey dial and strap, in yellow gold with a champagne dial and brown strap, and in platinum with a silver-coloured dial, ruby cabochon and grey strap. The made-to-measure straps are fitted with an ardillon buckle. Each aesthetic comes in a limited edition of 100 numbered pieces.

The skeleton watch comes in red gold on a brown or grey strap, in platinum on a blue or black strap, and in a gem-set platinum version on a black or glossy blue strap. Made to measure, these straps are fitted with an ardillon buckle, a rare option in Fine Watchmaking. A watch created in a limited series of 100 numbered pieces for each aesthetic.

So many beautiful launches ahead of us, so many amazing pieces that make us dream, especially during those troubled times. Stay tuned, more to come from Watches & Wonders.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Cartier

Yesterday I received the breaking news: 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 (FHH). The show will be held early April 2021 at Palexpo, at the same time as Watches & Wonders (The FHH is the group that organizes what, until this year, has been known as Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH).) 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 announcement comes as no surprise – as open letters about the fair’s plans and its organizer’s handling of refunds, among other things, have been paramount this past week. Apparently, Baselworld management also opted to reschedule Baselworld 2020 for January 2021 without asking the exhibitors. The dates conflict with a host of other exhibitions around the world in jewelry and watches.

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

Jean-Frédéric Dufour, Chief Executive Officer, Rolex SA, and Board Member, Montres Tudor SA, 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

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 Grangié

Frédéric Grangié, President 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

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

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 Watches & 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.

I fear this will be the end, pure and simple, of Baselworld…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands and © Sandra Bauknecht

Watches & Wonders – the watch fair that was supposed to take place this month in Geneva – has been cancelled due to the current corona virus crisis. However, I will show you the newest launches during the next weeks.

The first one I would like to introduce you to is the new MAILLON DE CARTIER watch that is first and foremost a statement of style. The chain-link bracelet remains a composed centrepiece, one that plays on classic codes, whilst reinventing today’s attitudes. Firstly a jewel designed by the Cartier watchmaking studios, it is a precious watch that resides in the creative watchmaking repertoire of the Maison. A bracelet whose chain-links are offset and aligned on the bias by Cartier. Well-rounded and opulent, they move in time with the ultra-feminine elegance of the new masterpiece.

«WE WANTED TO DECONSTRUCT THE BRACELET AND TRANSCEND ITS DESIGN THROUGH A VOLUME APPROACH. EMOTION IS IN THE MOVEMENT AND TENSION.»
Marie-Laure Cérède, Timepieces Creation Director

It all lies in the twist of the lines, in the torsion emphasising the perspective within which the
watch dial blends. This interpretation allows the case and links to entwine themselves in one graphic motion. Rectangular links, a hexagonal dial, bevelled brancards: the design of the Maillon de Cartier watch incites Cartier’s rhythmic geometry. An ambition to structure the watch, from the form of its links to its faceted case, radicalises the spirit of the watch. Its volume is tangible, angular and dense.

A precious collection, the Maillon de Cartier watch also unites exceptional pieces with stones that enhance the design. The dials are inlaid to echo the sequencing of the stones set in the links. The choice of stones in the blue lacquer and tsavorite version adds to the kinetic relief of the watch. A graphic effect and contrast that Cartier accentuates with a version in yellow gold and diamonds with black lacquer bevelled links.

Investing in gold seems to be a good idea, don’t you think? Gold is considered by investors to be one of the safest investments, recovering its value quickly through economic downturns… no matter how it is a beautiful gift for you or a loved one…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Cartier