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.

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.

Some say we are now living in a post-luxury world, and if it’s true, we may be seeing the last of the tourbillons. This difficult, beautiful and expensive complication became the symbol of the now-waning 20-year boom in luxury watches. Have we encountered a luxury apocalypse? If so, these five great tourbillons introduced at SIHH 2017 may be the last of a dying species.

Maybe it takes a crisis to flush out value (good prices for quality pieces) and great selection. Ladies’ watch collections figured prominently at SIHH in Geneva last week. Beyond the high-end showpieces from the elite brands, there were some very practical, affordable choices.

In the wake of its Reference 57260 anniversary timepiece with 57 complications, first presented a little over a year ago, Vacheron Constantin returned to SIHH with two watches whose complex mechanics are equalled only by their incredible beauty.

Man has always looked to nature as a source of inspiration – witness the cavemen’s paintings from 40,000 years ago! - and on a wider scope, to the planets, the stars, and the galaxies when contemplating the passing of time.