Bringing The Chimes of Big Ben
Here’s a look at the watchmaking maisons who showcased at the renown watch trade show Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) this year from the 14th to the 17th January 2019. We’ve picked the showstoppers at the event and the next on our list is — the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon Westminster Perpetuel.
You can find the full series here.
Jaeger-LeCoultre never fails to create something that will bring a smile to a watch connoisseur’s face. This year, it is the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon Westminster Perpetuel (€800,000 or RM3.7 million).
It has a minute repeater, for starters, with four sets of gongs and hammers that recreates the sound the iconic Big Ben clock tower at the Palace of Westminster in London. This has a silence-reduction feature that ensures the chimes always flow smoothly, with no audible gaps when the strikes are unneeded. It has a perpetual calendar which, unusually, can be adjusted both forwards and backwards. It has a constant force mechanism, one that includes a jumping minutes function that has the bonus of ensuring the repeater always strikes the correct number of minutes. The pointer date takes pains to jump over the multi-axis tourbillon—the tourbillon that is the maison’s fifth iteration of its Gyrotourbillon, one which is significantly smaller than its predecessors. This contributes to the watch’s petite size—the white gold case measures just 43mm in diameter and 14mm thick, compact indeed considering the complications within.
Even better is that all this technical prowess is on glorious showcase. The main display of the watch is openworked, showing off the twisting tourbillon, and the hammers and blued gongs of the striking mechanism. The dial is in either blue grand feu enamel or silver grained (limited to 18 pieces in each, and carries an art deco touch to its aesthetic.
SIHH 2019 Recap
The 29th edition of Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) was another record-breaking one, counting 23,000 visitors over its four days. Geneva’s Palexpo convention centre was packed not only with people, but the latest about to be unleashed on the horological world from the 35 participating brands.
There were quite a few new beginnings and surprises. Ulysse Nardin reworked the iconic Freak, and Bovet’s debut introduced the fair to its historical pocket watch heritage. Vacheron Constantin and Hermes surprised with some truly innovative watchmaking, while Panerai showcased new limited editions that come with adventurous experiences attached. On their last appearances at SIHH, both Audemars Piguet and Richard Mille unveiled new collections—the former surprising with distinct and deliberate design, while the latter with a completely unexpected candy-themed range.
