Classics in the offing at Baselworld

Two-handers, three-handers, chronos with two counters, 1960s even 1980s styles are all the rage. Together with smaller sizes, watchmakers are reviving the hallmarks of a classic design. Timepieces, right down to sport watches, are eschewing the extraneous in favour of elegance, although some still find inspiration outside the box. Either way, certain values never go out of style.

Blancpain Villeret Grande Date

A large date makes its debut in the Villeret collection, with optimal readability guaranteed by two large date windows. Inside beats the Blancpain 6950 automatic calibre with twin barrel, variable-inertia balance, silicon balance spring and gold adjusting screws. With its gentle curves and opaline dial, the Villeret Grande Date gives new expression to the time-honoured values of traditional watchmaking.

Breitling Colt Chronograph Automatic

The Breitling Colt was first designed for the armed forces when it was launched in the 1980s, but soon won over a wider audience with its sturdiness, functionality and readability. This entry-level watch now comes in a chronograph version with a COSC-certified automatic movement. Boasting a 44mm polished steel case, water-resistance of 200 metres, a screw-lock crown with protective reinforcements and a unidirectional rotating bezel, this Colt is ready for action.

Chopard Qualité Fleurier

Qualité Fleurier is the most demanding of all watch certifications as it combines COSC, Chronofiable and Fleuritest trials. This new model, which has been developed, manufactured and assembled entirely at Chopard’s second site in Fleurier, once again demonstrates the brand’s expertise in precision timekeeping. Driven by the L.U.C 96-09-L automatic calibre featuring Chopard’s exclusive “Twin” technology stacked barrels for a power reserve of 65 hours, the Chopard Qualité Fleurier is already a true classic.

Girard-Perregaux 1966

Elegance and timeless beauty define the 1966 collection from Girard-Perregaux, both essential qualities of any classic watch. Two new models join the range this year. Their delicately rounded dials are embellished with a concentric guillochage of twelve segments radiating from the centre, with baton hour-markers swept by leaf-shaped hands. Beneath the dial, the GP 03300 automatic movement stands 3.20mm high and beats at 28,800 vibrations/hour. A lesson in refinement.

Hublot Big Bang Ferrari Grey Ceramic

Hublot celebrates the third year of its partnership with the automaker from Maranello with the launch of two “racing” versions of its Big Bang Ferrari, both in 45mm ceramic cases. The grey version borrows the colours of the North America Racing Team livery. The aerodynamic dial, featuring Ferrari’s iconic prancing horse as well as the minute counter, allows a glimpse of Hublot’s Unico manufacture movement. You can almost hear the engines roar.

Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Deadbeat

As the brand reminds us, deadbeat seconds were created during the Enlightenment, when Pierre Jaquet-Droz was making watches. The seconds hand no longer sweeps the dial but instead progresses in jumps, allowing each second to be counted. This new model gives pride of place to this complication, with the centre of the dial entirely given over to the seconds hand. Hours, minutes and a retrograde date complete the picture. All these indications are powered by the new 2695SMR automatic calibre with silicon balance spring.

JeanRichard Terrascope 39 mm

Inspiration comes out of the blue for JeanRichard, as the brand introduces a 39mm version of its Terrascope, recognisable by its cushion case with round opening, featuring a structured blue dial and a matching ostrich leather strap. Driven by the 28,800 vibrations per hour of the JR60 automatic calibre, developed on an ETA base, here’s a watch that no longer forces us to choose between sportiness and elegance.

Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M James Bond

James Bond returns in Spectre, the latest instalment in the most famous film saga ever and, to mark the event, Omega is launching a Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M that is embossed with the family coat of arms of Her Majesty’s most distinguished spy. The dial is inscribed 15’007, a nod at the Master Co-Axial calibres which offer protection against magnetic fields greater than 15,000 gauss. This latest exploit from Omega has given rise to a new certification.

Speake-Marin Velsheda

Named after the J-Class superyacht, built in the 1930s and still racing today, Speake-Marin’s Velsheda is a tribute to the world of sailing. Housed inside a Piccadilly case, suggestive of early marine chronometers, the eye is drawn to the single hand that moves across the five-minute graduated dial, emphasising the watch’s compass aesthetic. The watch is driven by the Vaucher 3022 automatic calibre with its 28,800 vibrations per hour and 50 hours of power reserve.

TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 18 Chronograph

TAG Heuer took inspiration for this model from one of the brand’s icons, namely the first chronograph which Jack Heuer designed back in the 1960s especially for racing drivers. As the brand says, “It’s all there”: the original Panda effect dial thanks to two anthracite counters on a silver-toned dial, robustness, functionality, a spherical sapphire crystal, even the historical Heuer logo. The telemeter scale on the inner bezel ring completes this Carrera, whose Spanish name appropriately translates as “top-level competition”.