After the exciting reveals of 2016, when Chopard celebrated the 20th anniversary of its Manufacture, the watches making their debut at Baselworld promise an equally auspicious year. Setting the mood, the recently unveiled Garden of Kalahari is the most precious jewellery collection ever to leave its workshops.

Panthère and Drive are the new faces of Cartier in time measurement. A jeweller at heart with watchmaking coming later, the brand is refocusing on its founding tenets and addressing ladies first. Men won't be forgotten, but this new approach sees Cartier take on its mantle as a "women's brand".

In one of his final interviews as CEO of Montblanc before moving on to a corporate position at the Richemont Group, Jerome Lambert discusses the transition from Montblanc and the product direction he has taken with the brand that will now be his legacy. “People seem to be recognizing that we are also known for fine watchmaking and our watches are making a big buzz,” says Lambert.

In an unprecedented move, TAG Heuer hosted a global launch of its newest smart watch – hosting a US unveiling in the Silicon Valley and a press conference in the heart of Switzerland back to back. In attendance at one or the other were the top ranking executives of TAG Heuer, Intel and Google. The huge press conference and unveiling announcements seem well warranted, as the new Connected Modular 45 smart watch is a truly big deal for a host of reasons.

Japanese watch firms are intent on beating the crisis and, with competition rife at entry level, are strengthening their footing in the mechanical market, as shown by last year's takeover of Frederique Constant by Citizen, and by Grand Seiko's international launch.

When Pascal Raffy acquired Dimier 1738, five years after Bovet, he put his hands on a movement manufacturer that could meet his demanding vision of watchmaking.