The Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie showcases the best of the best in luxury watches. Not only is it hard to be invited as a watchmaker, they are even more specific about the audience they let in. Every year it is an invite-only event for journalists and others that each brand asks in. Many amazing new pieces were released, but three of these stood out from the rest.
Jaeger-LeCoultre released a re-vamped Grande Reverso Lady Ultra Thin. A Duetto Duo, this watch is aptly named because it has not one, but two clock faces. While both sides are 8.87mm and with stainless steel casings, each one showcases a different perspective. One has a pearl face and has only the twelve o’clock spot appearing. The other face is white with intricate markings and every number appears around the clock. The watch faces together appear to look like a beautiful open book, inviting you in to see the time. It is brought together by a Valextra black leather bracelet that is created specifically for Jaeger-LeCoultre.
Being the fastest growing haute horlogene maker, there is no way that Richard Mille could not be on this list. He came out with an intriguing watch that Yohan Blake helped design: Yohan Blake Tourbillion RM 59-01. Blake, a Jamaican Olympic runner, saw that the watch reflected the bold, bright style of this homeland. With a streamlined, barrel shaped face this is available in red, green and gold – the colors of the Jamaican flag. It is created from metals suited to sports players and has a manual skeleton movement so you can see all the parts. These watches will also go fast because Mille has made only fifty of them available. It is no surprise that Rafael Nadal and Sebastian Loeb have both been seen sporting these designs!
The last watch on our list to watch is IWC’s Ingenieur Automatic IW393206. The Ingenieur is a men’s watch crafted almost only from steel. This makes it a piece that will stand out on any wrist. There is, however, some subtle rose gold used for the Roman Numerals and hour, minute and second hands. It is just the right touch of a light colored metal to tone down the steel. The watch is water resistant with an adjustable fastening, Swiss Movement and a precision date display.
With all the brands that are shown at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, you can bet that it is extremely hard to find yourself in the top three watches to watch. This achievement does not come lightly and Jaeger-LeCoultre, Richard Mille and IWC have shown this through their work and growth rates. If you haven’t seen these new timepieces yet, the time to check them out is now.
Written by: Stacy McCullough
Originally reported by Vogue: http://en.vogue.fr/jewelry/jewelry-news/diaporama/watches-sihh-2012-salon-i…