Five new watches for style-conscious bankers

52 brands, several hundred trade journalists and tens of thousands of visitors: that, in a nutshell, is the Geneva Watch Days. finews.ch was there and presents remarkable news.

In addition to the “Watches & Wonders” trade fair in spring, the Geneva Watch Days are the most important central event at which the industry presents its new products.

In contrast to the spring fair, however, it is more of a marketplace: the brands do not present themselves on a large exhibition site, but rather in decentralized locations throughout the city, primarily in hotels.

52 brands

The event, at which 52 houses, some of them rather unknown, present themselves, was launched in 2020 by Breitling, Bulgari, De Bethune, Girard-Perregaux, H. Moser & Cie. and MB&F.

Tens of thousands of visitors flocked to the city on the Rhone last weekend to experience the fascination of the mechanical watch. We discovered x models for the world-class banker.

1. To the sounds of Lorenzo Viotti

Homage to music: Octa Roma Grande Sonnerie Tourbillon. (Image: zVg)

In the watch sector, Bulgari represents a marriage of Italian jewelry art and Swiss watchmaking craftsmanship. The company has just presented the most complex watch in the company’s history to date: the Octo Roma Grande Sonnerie.

It is the crowning glory of the already extremely sophisticated mechanics: the time is indicated acoustically with a gong and a melody composed by the composer Lorenzo ViottiHe started with a classic “Big Ben” gong and enhanced it with the classic interval of the tritone. This requires four hammers, another record in the brand’s history.

However, so much innovation comes at a price: one copy of the five-piece The limited special edition costs 1,000,000 euros.

2. Three flying bridges, reinterpreted

Tourbillon with depth of field. (Image: zVg)

The Three Flying Bridges Tourbillon by Girard-Perregaux was already a masterpiece in the play of light and three-dimensional depth.

Now it comes in a slightly more delicate and elegant design: it has a slightly more curved sapphire crystal and a larger crown. The lugs are also a little more discreet, which looks particularly good on narrow wrists.

The price of the highly complex watch with minute repeater is 164,000 francs.

3. Classic in green

New color for the Villeret collection. (Image: zVg)

It is particularly noteworthy that Blancpain, a brand from the Swatch Group, is also taking part in the Geneva Watch Days. Normally, the Swatch brands tend to stay away from such industry gatherings.

Right on time for the trade fair, Blancpain is presenting the Villeret collection, named after the brand’s birthplace in the Bernese Jura, and the most classic collection from this house, with dials plated in magnificent dark green tones. These contrast attractively with the 18-carat red gold case with the typical double-ring bezel.

The four models in the collection are priced between 2,300 francs (Extraplate) and 329,900 francs (Tourbillon Carrousel).

4. Extreme sports with Haute Horlogerie

Daring connection: Alpiner Extreme Skeleton Automatic. (Image: zVg)

The Alpiner Extreme from Alpina has been enriching the watch world since 2022. As the name suggests, these are decidedly sporty watches – a stereotype that the watch manufacturer is now challenging on the second anniversary of the series.

The new model has a skeletonized appearance, that is, with a view of the inside of the watch, the movement and the mechanics. This design feature, which is not entirely trivial from a technical point of view, is normally found in haute horlogerie. Alpina proves that you can also look good in sportswear.

Available for 2,695 francs.

5. Beginning of the perpetual calendar

Triad to celebrate the 140th anniversary: ​​Breitling Premiere, Navitimer and Chronomat with new movement. (Image: zVg)

Breitling has invested a good portion of brand pride in its new Caliber B19 movement. This is the manufacturer’s first movement designed as a perpetual calendar.

The movement makes its debut in a limited Anniversary collection launched by Breitling to mark its 140th anniversary and which includes the Premiere, the Navitimer and the Chronomat.