Brands see clearly at SIHH

There was an air of improvised sobriety to the collections at last year’s Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, as though brands had been caught unaware by the soft patch that dragged on during 2016, when exports fell 10%, and had been obliged to do some quick thinking. It takes a certain amount of time to develop a new watch, hence products that were almost ready to roll had to be rapidly adapted to the new situation in the markets. A year later, and the timepieces unveiled at SIHH 2018 retain a fundamentally understated air. The difference being that this time they correspond to a carefully planned logic, but in a market that has turned itself around. If, as it’s tempting to believe, this means the strategy launched 18 months ago is bearing fruit, then why change a winning formula?

The first conclusion to be drawn from this year’s fair is that the métiers d’art are much thinner on the ground. Of course there are the stunning Les Aérostiers at Vacheron Constantin but they remain the exception rather than the rule, even at brands such as Cartier and Piaget which are renowned for their use of these decorative arts. It used to be that many of the hundred-plus products that Cartier brought to SIHH made impressive incursions into watchmaking’s companion crafts, courtesy of its Maison des Métiers d’Art. Not so this year, apart from the much talked-about Révélation d’une Panthère, where the feline’s head appears and disappears at the flick of the wrist, formed by 900 tiny gold beads, a wood and gold-leaf marquetry Rotonde, and a Clé in straw marquetry. The stars of this year’s show were the Panthère and the Santos, two of Cartier’s icons with mass appeal. The same goes for Piaget, where the métiers d’art are confined to an Altiplano Tourbillon with a stone marquetry dial, part of the Art & Excellence collection. Here too, the brand is focusing on its core markets. For ladies, this means new straps for the Extremely Lady, together with new versions of the Possession. For men, the extravagant Emperador makes room for the exceptional thinness of the Altiplano.

Less is more

Keep it simple appears to be the rule. For the customer, this means no more wading through endless references and, more to the point, an immediate correlation between collection and brand. Why else would Audemars Piguet put its magnificent Jules Audemars on hold? For the moment, the company’s identity is rooted in the Royal Oak and its even sportier sibling the Royal Oak Offshore, which turns 25 this year. It’s a similar story at Montblanc, which is taking advantage of Minerva’s 160th anniversary to clarify matters. Previously the brand was jumping between entry-level quartz watches and high-end Haute Horlogerie, even concept watches, with the occasional bout of showmanship in the form of incredibly low-priced complications. Measures taken since last year came to a head at SIHH 2018. Montblanc watches are now spread between three collections: the vintage-inspired 1858, the Star Legacy for classic styles, and the TimeWalker for sport watches.

Roger Dubuis too put all thoughts of diversification aside last year. The only language it speaks now is Excalibur, backed by partnerships with Pirelli and Lamborghini. Girard-Perregaux only has eyes for the Laureato, brought up-to-speed two years ago and which overshadows multiple attempts to kickstart the hundred-year-old Tourbillon With Three Bridges. Parmigiani is focused on the Kalpa, launched two decades ago, while Panerai is all about the Due, finally within most fans’ reach. Jaeger-LeCoultre, meanwhile, is concentrating on the Polaris, a collection introduced at SIHH and which revives a 1968 model. By focusing on a vintage design – or “neo-contemporary” as Vacheron Constantin likes to say of its new Fiftysix range – the Manufacture is sticking to the well-trodden path of useful, affordable complications that fit with its history. We’re a long way from the Hybris Mechanica à Grande Sonnerie, but the markets have spoken. This also explains the dearth of new movements at this year’s fair. Baume & Mercier’s Baumatic is one of the few. This technically competent calibre is the combined effort of Valfleurier and Richemont’s R&D division. It makes its debut inside a Clifton… a value proposition if ever there were.