Among the most intriguing innovations seen at the recently concluded Baselworld 2014 were introductions of never-before-used materials in the watchmaking industry, boundary-pushing complications, and intricately hand-painted dials.
Here are BLOUIN Lifestyle’s top five innovations from the watch fair.
Hublot Classic Fusion Tourbillon Firmament
Propelling luxury timepieces into even rarer space is Hublot, which has launched a watch with a dial made from osmium, one of rarest metals on Earth and an entirely new material to the watchmaking industry. Osmium crystals are known to have a reflectivity twice that of gold, contributing to the allure of this timepiece’s osmium crystal dial. The watch runs on the HUB6017 Manufacture Hand-wound Skeleton Tourbillon movement. features a black ceramic bezel, an open case-back with sapphire crystal window, and is mounted on a black alligator strap stitched onto a black rubber.
Chopard L.U.C Tourbillon QF Fairmined
French watch and jewelry house Chopard has launched the world’s first watch made of Fairmined gold from South America. (Fairmined gold is ethical gold extracted by artisanal and small-scale miners, thereby supporting responsible certified miners and their families that follow strict requirements for social development, environmental protection, labor conditions and economic development in their mining communities.) The timepiece is an elegant tourbillon, based on the L.U.C Tourbillon Qualité Fleurier, with a nine-day power reserve. Aside from its Fairmined gold case and bezel, the watch features alternating satin-brushed and polished surfaces, a sapphire crystal case-back and a hand-sewn alligator leather strap.
Louis Vuitton Escale Worldtime
The most exciting feature of Louis Vuitton’s new Escale Worldtime watch for men has got to be its hand-painted dial — involving 38 different colors and more than 50 hours of handiwork — inspired by the house’s vintage trunk monograms and illustrating a variety of international metropolises on rotating discs. Clearly designed for luxe globetrotters, the watch features a white gold case, no bezel, a calibre LV 106 movement and a 38-hour power reserve.
Bremont Boeing Model 247
The debut chronograph in Bremont’s collaboration with the aerospace company is named for the first Boeing twin-engine commercial aircraft, its two ‘twin-like’ subdials reflecting this inspiration. The timepiece features a black or white dial and a case made of a proprietary aviation-grade steel. which is double vacuum-melted for the aerospace industry and is developed to be as scratch- and corrosive-resistant as possible. The hardened case incorporates screw down crowns and chrono pushers, together with an exhibition sapphire crystal case back.
Tag Heuer Monaco V4 Tourbillon
Commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Monaco V4, the TAG Heuer Monaco V4 Tourbillon is possibly one of the most technically impressive timepieces the brand has ever produced. While a tourbillon mechanically regulates the speed at which a watch beats, overcoming gravity by placing the balance wheel and escapement inside a rotating cage, the Monaco V4 Tourbillon complicates this technology further by using a micro-belt to drive the tourbillon. Four barrels are held and rotated on ball bearings, and set on a striking V-shaped main plate.
