Watches & Wonders 2025: Fifty Shades of Blue
Watches & Wonders 2025: Fifty Shades of Blue
Don't worry, unlike the eponymous cinematic source of inspiration, these new timepieces also come in many shades of a basic colour, but always remain peaceful and decent. After all, the colour blue is said to have properties such as calming, relaxing, trustworthy and harmonious. These are sought-after qualities in turbulent times.
The dial as a canvas Colour, texture and pattern Attractive materials & new techniques Inhibitedly revealing Whirlwinds for the wrist The world and the times in view (or not) Forever lasts the longest
Of course, there was also a lot of green, red, yellow and violet in the Palexpo halls. Black, white, grey, brown and beige were also present - I hope I haven't forgotten any colours - but the high proportion of blue was striking.
This was by no means monotonous, as the designers made unrestrained use of the entire range of blue colours - often covering the entire surface, but also setting accents.
Here we give you a brief insight into the blue phase of contemporary watch manufacturers.
A wonderful representative of this genre is "Toric Quantieme Perpetual" by Parmigiani Fleurierspecialising in simplified watchmaking complications and quiet luxury.
And this has once again been achieved with this model. The perpetual calendar display can quickly make a dial look overloaded - not so with the new "Toric". The day, date, month and leap years make do with two sub-dials and only come into view when the wearer actively calls up the information.
The hand-grained white gold dial in the colour Morning Blue - the name needs no explanation - with rhodium-plated 18-carat gold hour-markers is a different story.
Data: Case (platinum, 40.6 mm, water-resistant to 3 bar), movement (PF733 with manual winding and 60-hour power reserve), strap: (hand-stitched nubuck alligator leather), RRP (€103,700)
No compromises are made when it comes to blue Zenith at the "160th Anniversary Edition". The LVMH-owned brand did not miss the opportunity to develop a unique shade of blue for the ceramic trilogy.
They were awarded to Zenith's best-known chronographs: "Pilot Chrongraph", "Chronomaster Sport" and "Defy Skyline Chronograph". Each model comes in a limited edition of 160 pieces.
The complete set can be purchased, which comes in an impressive wooden box that also provides space for another birthday model, the "G.F.J.", named after Zenith founder Georges Favre-Jacot. But you can also enjoy this very special Zenith blue individually.
Data: Case (ceramic, 42.5/42/41 mm, water-resistant to 10 bar), movement (El Primero 3652/ El Primero 3600 with automatic winding and 60-hour power reserve), bracelet (two bracelets each made of rubber or ceramic), RRP (€16,500/24,800/23,700)
In fact, almost everything about this watch from Chronoswiss. It is a "small revolution", as we learnt from its presentation at Watches & Wonders. Of course, no work was done on the brand's signature onion crown.
Limited to 100 pieces per dial (sand and blue), the "Pulse One" the Lucerne-based brand presents a new, sporty family, which was conceived as an introduction to the Chronoswiss world. Thanks to the completely redesigned titanium case, it is currently the smallest and thinnest member of the family.
And is the first to feature an integrated titanium bracelet. The optional deep blue or sand-coloured dial provides a colourful background for the 3D regulator and the retrograde seconds at 6 o'clock.
Data: Case (platinum, 41 mm, water-resistant to 10 bar), movement (C.6001 with automatic winding and 55-hour power reserve), bracelet (titanium), RRP (€12,900)
The Reference 5308which is available as a world premiere in a limited platinum edition as reference 5308P-010 from Patek Philippe launched on the occasion of the Watch Art Grand Exhibition 2023 in Tokyo, is making its way into the manufactory's current collection. And in ice blue.
Beneath the sunburst-coloured white gold dial, the timepiece combines minute repeater on two gongs, split-seconds monopusher chronograph, moon phase and an instantaneous perpetual calendar. The latter is arranged in three semi-circular windows for the day of the week, date and month and ensures that the disc can be changed in just 30 milliseconds.
Patek calls this combination of sophisticated functionality a quadruple complication. This is controlled by the performance-optimised automatic calibre R CHR 27 PS QI, consisting of 799 individual parts and featuring four new patents.
Data: Case (white gold, 42 mm, moisture and dust-proof), movement (calibre R CHR 27 PS QI with max. 48-hour power reserve), strap (hand-stitched alligator leather strap), RRP (€1,216,710)
With the "Alpine Eagle 41 XP CS Platinum" presented Chopard At Watches & Wonders, the company not only presented an extension of the collection with a platinum watch for the first time, but also exciting shades of ice blue.
This play of colours is inspired by the sight of Alpine glaciers, which unfortunately are in danger of disappearing due to global warming. Incidentally, the suffix "CS" in the name of this extraordinary watch stands for the centre second hand. Like the hour and minute hands, this is controlled by the chronometer-certified calibre L.U.C 96.42-L.
Like all future platinum watches from Chopard, this first "Alpine" model made of the precious metal bears a small bee symbol as a distinguishing feature, engraved by hand on the side of the case.
Data: Case (platinum, 41 mm, water-resistant to 10 bar), movement (self-winding calibre 96.42-L with 65-hour power reserve), bracelet (platinum), availability (Chopard boutiques)
Deutsch 
English (UK)