If you don’t take care of the young watchmakers, then who will? – Geneva Time Exhibition 2011 watches
60 exhibitors at 2011 Independent Watchmakers’ Fair in Geneva, 6 jury members, 1 winner – Frederic Jouvenot’s Helios watch
In every January, Geneva invites us on a unique journey to the heart of the Art of Watchmaking. With SIHH and Geneva Time Exhibition (Independent Watchmakers’ Fair), the city continues to affirm its pre-eminent role as the global showcase of luxury watchmaking. The independent watchmakers have responded magnificently to the tremendous challenges resulting from the global economic situation. 60 exhibitors have gathered at GTE 2011, a occasion full of technical and aesthetic tours de force blending tradition and innovation.
Too often independent young brands don’t get the attention they deserve. That was the main reason for creating the Geneva Time Exhibition SUPERWATCH award.
Who is going to be the next star in independent watchmaking? Which young, independent watch brand is the most exciting right now? To find out, all brands exhibiting at the Geneva Time Exhibition have been asked to nominate one of their watches to the GTE Superwatch Award 2011.
To give the jury ample time to form an opinion about the watches, the participating brands sent the technical data and images to Geneva Time Exhibition 2011 one month before the show. On January 16th, the opening day of the show, the jury members were present to see, feel and touch the participating watches.
The Geneva Time Exhibition Superwatch Award jury unanimously voted Frédéric Jouvenot’s Helios as the most accomplished independent watch in terms of design, avant-garde nature and technique. Ressence and Heritage Watch Manufactory were named runners-up.
Why are GTE is doing this? “If you don’t take care of the young watchmakers, then who will? People with visions and innovations are what lead to the future in the watch industry. GTE is the place for future visions. This is where tradition meets innovation to write a new chapter in watch history.”, said jury member Geoffroy Ader.
Here are some wonderful watch discoveries at GTE 2011:
FJ-HELIOS – Frederic Jouvenot HeliosDuring a round trip to Greece, Frederic Jouvenot felt inspiration to create a collection of timepieces serving myths and solar deities. He decided to dedicate his first watch to Helios, the famous Greek god of sun.
FJ-HELIOS timepieces displays hours without discs or hands. It displays 12 jumping hours with 12 sunbeams. This is the first 24-hour display in the world visualising the sun’s course and the alternation of day and night.
« Boegli Musical Watches »The BOEGLI watch factory is one of the leaders among the manufacturers of mechanical watches with musical movement. In fact, there are today only a few factories able to create musical watches. Even if the François Boegli’s family is in the watchmaking for since 4 generations, he decided to create the first collection of musical watches only in 2001.
In the beginning it was only around 10 pocket watches. As the first collection was successful, BOEGLI decided to create the first musical wristwatches collection.
This first line with baroque style is called “Grand Orchestre” and offers a world first : the “Réveil Musical” which is a musical alarm watch. In order to touch also the younger generation, a third collection is created in 2007: the “Grand Festival” line. This new collection is the living proof that it is possible to combine classical music with modern design. The rectangular steel case stands out with its clear lines, and brings a youthful and dynamic touch to the very classical, and indeed occasionally baroque, collection of BOEGLI watches.
Clerc – The world’s most sophisticated diver’s watchFounded in 1874 and based in Geneva, Clerc is endowed with a rich and inventive heritage to which unique creations continue to bear witness.
Clerc watches are hand-crafted in Switzerland according to the highest standards of Haute Horlogerie : – Hydroscaph Steel GMT – Mechanical techno-luxury with a sporting twist. The world’s most sophisticated diver’s watch, the Hydroscaph Steel GMT is water-resistant to 1,000 metres and reinvents sport in deep waters.
HeritageUtlimate chronometry – Tribute to time
The HERITAGE WATCH MANUFACTORY is a maker of highly precise timepieces, the
instruments being manufactured individually down to the smallest detail in small batches.
Ressence – la renaissance de l’essentiel. Time display by an integrated flat revolving dial plate.
Time is displayed by a flush mounted revolving dial that embodies all the graphical elements in one plane. This innovative way to represent time avoids superimposed information like hands covering an underlying dial, it visually prioritises time scales and enhances interface readability.
Ritmo Mundo Red Square 2011 – tell time differentlyThe RITMO MUNDO revolution continues with the creation of Persepolis in 2008, the Puzzle in 2010 and the debut of Red Square in 2011.
Founded in Beverly Hills, CA in 2002 by luxury retailer and watch aficionado Ali Soltani RITMO has been commissioned to create watches for iconic Hollywood brands such as Ocean’s Thirteen, Sex And the City, and Entourage while being the official TIME PIECE sponsor of the IZOD IndyCar Series.
Ladoire – Rock your Time experience !Since 2007, the Geneva-based House of Ladoire, under its “Helvetic Mechanic” label,
has been playing with contradictions and associating extremes within atypical creations featuring cutting-edge complications and sophisticated aesthetics.
Alain SilbersteinAlain Silberstein continues to explore a watchmaking universe, which lies somewhere between art and craftsmanship, where rigorous shapes, innovative materials and evocative colours come together in harmony.
This is the approach of a watchmaking artist, who is creating watches with their own individual character, taking up the challenge to adopt a poetic approach to the passage of time, the rediscovered emotion of time, which is both one’s own intimate property and yet still shareable. «True happiness is to have one’s passion as a profession»
Valbray, two watches in one
« The truth of a man is at first what he hides » André Malraux.
Aquanautic – The power is on!AQUANAUTIC is the watch brand that flows like the water from the sea. The strength of AQUANAUTIC is in the unique interchangeability. This unique concept allows the wearer of the watch to enjoy the versatility of each model, from a sporty look, to a fully elegant design.
The nautical world is what inspired Aquanautic; The seconds hand is shaped as a propeller, the locking system is inspired by a submarine hatch and the crown locking system is conceived as a decompression room.
The water resistance is from 100 meters for the FIRST, BARACUDA and PRINCESS CUDA, up to 300 meters for the KING 3H and KING CHRONOGRAPH and even 500 meters for the SUPERKING.
Les Ateliers Louis Moinet – Mechanical Art in Limited EditionThe overall idea of Louis Moinet is “Mechanical Art in Limited Edition”, combining rare materials to avantgarde design and state-of-the-art technology.
Louis Moinet (1768 – 1853) was a leading watchmaker. He was notably A.-L. Breguet’s advisor, and published his famous Watchmaking Treatise, considered as the reference of its century. Louis Moinet’s customers include Napoleon, Thomas Jefferson, George IV and Alexander Ist.
Artya Coup de foudre, state-of-the-art Haute HorlogerieCreated by artist, crafted by the watchmaker, these one-of-a-kind artistic creations are each distinctly made, none can be doubled or replaced.
«Coup de foudre», a second collection featuring watchcases litterally struck by lightning. Artya: a Time for Art. Artya’s supreme mission is to fundamentally change the watchmaking syntax through the grammar of contemporary art.
Aspen One – Meet me at the topASPEN jewelry and watches is the official brandname fullly inspired by, and originating from Aspen Colodrado, the most glamorous and famous ski resort in the USA. Its products relate to the history, the symbols and the rich nature of this ski-heaven. ASPEN ONE is the first line of watches introduced under this brandname, consisting of a variety of 16 versions of 18krt, 100% Swiss Made timepieces. All together the production of ASPEN ONE will be limited to 3267 pieces, exactly the same number as the elevation of ASPEN’S symbol, ASPEN MOUNTAIN, from town to peak.
Ateliers de Monaco – The new horlogerie of MonacoAteliers deMonaco is a new independent luxury watch manufacturer inspired by, designed for and made in Monaco.
Todays line-up consists of an Tourbillon Minute Repeater Royal, Grand Tourbillon Xtreme Precision, and soon to be extended with in an in-house developed and fully patented Perpetual Calendar with Eazy-adjust system.
Quinting watches, the first and only transparent in the worldQuinting Watches are the first transparent watches in the world and the only 100% ‘mysterious’ chronograph in the watch industry today.
The Quinting ‘mystery’ movement required a team of five engineers, ten years of research and development and a capital investment of over 10,000,000 Euros to successfully bring the concept to market.
Quinting is the only manufacturer of its patented sapphire crystal electro-mechanical movement.Therefore, no other company can legally produce this movement.
The Quinting movement is classified as electromechanical, which is a unique category, as it can neither be properly described as quartz or a fully mechanical movement but a complex hybrid.
The Quinting movement utilizes a battery as its source of energy supply, but it is otherwise an intricate sapphire crystal/mechanical movement.
Badollet, a dynasty of genevan watchmakersSince 1655, the name of Badollet has been inextricably entwined with the history of watchmaking in Geneva..
BRM Chronographes: a watch for championsBernard Richards Manufacture BRM is one of the latest independent watch producers and the only French manufacture so far.
BRM Union Jack:
The French manufacture BRM launched last fall a new model in two sizes with the Union Jack colors design as a tribute to our beloved Great Britain. The referent and well-known V7 and V6 in the BRM collection, keep up with the high quality brand standards, easily recognizable.
CATENA – A different SWISS watch brandCatena was founded in La Chaux-de-Fonds, a city in the so-called cradle of the Swiss watch industry, in 1947.
The CATENA products are aimed to people who like outdoor activity with a special elegant touch. The leader line is the Horseshoe, which was first introduced in 1984. This model was created for people who have a passion for horses and is declined in many different sizes and colours. Luxury versions at set with full cut VS diamonds.
CATOREX, from the pocket to the wristCATOREX confirms its return to the world of the wrist watch with its new « Esprit 1858 » range which comes in no less than 39 new models.
Cornelius & Cie: Absolute ExclusivityCornelius & Cie is a new high-end watch brand based in Geneva, Switzerland.
The company is named after the Christian name “Cornelius” of Kees Engelbarts. Cornelius & Cie produces extremely exclusive watches in limited editions, using, in the first collection, vintage watch movements in proprietary cases of classic but innovative design.
Cyrus: proudly made for demanding peopleLaurent and Julien are driven by the spirits of inventiveness and competitiveness, as well as the constant search for quality.
Da Vindice – A matter of passionIt is through the passion for his ancestors and Swiss artisanal watchmaking that the
pioneer, Mr. C. Vindice, CEO of Exclusive Time has decided to create Da Vindice in 2009, following the spirit of contribution in the contemporary watch-making history.
The Da Vindice watch brand is inspired by the world’s great inventions, notably those of the middle age, which have contributed to the achievement of world important conquests by exceptional explorers, such as Marco Polo.
A combination of uniqueness, creativity and spirit of innovation defines the essence of Da Vindice. In 2010, Da Vindice unveils a world premier, the «Tourbillon – Barometer», in the «High complication category» of the prestigious Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. This revolutionary timepiece, edited in a limited edition of 50 pieces is endowed with a new premier feature; an aneroid barometer, a never-before-seen analogical mechanism in the technical and fine watchmaking world.
Damoiselle D – Noble hearts and diamonds are forever…This new independent brand is inspired by the muse of multi-facetted femininity and
pervaded by graceful floral themes.
Delance – Empower your feminine attitudeDelance Swiss Watches was founded in 1996 by Giselle Rufer, and creates timepieces exclusively for today’s women.
It is the symbol of love in all its aspects – and a symbol of the creative power of the women. The distinctive feature of the Delance watch is that you can choose each component to create your own Delance. Each creation is tailored to reflect the essence of the woman who wears it. Possibilities are endless…
Drakkar Timepieces : In the conquest of Time !A new Geneva trademark to conquer strong passions. The originality of design combined with the rules of luxury Swiss Watchmaking to manage new challenges.
Magellan – Hold the world in your handCreated in the year 2000, on the eve of the twenty-first century, MAGELLAN WATCH was intended by its producer for a select clientele who loved luxury and were attracted by such values as adventure, discovery and the quest for a strong identity.
Zandidoust: Made-to-Measure CraftsmanshipFor over 40 years Ali Zandidoust has been inspired by the Orient in designing prestigious timepieces that only a craftsman’s eye – and hand – can master.
HD3 SLYDE HD3 revolutionizes time with slyde a cult watch is born!
A single case for a luxury watch with an infinity of components, movements and
complications. Sounds unthinkable?
SLYDE takes the underlying principle of the smartphone – the possibility to change applications by merely sliding a finger over a tactile screen – and adapts it to the world of 21st century watchmaking. SLYDE is a luxurious, sophisticated object – complete with avant-garde technology taken from the worlds of home automation and multimedia – that makes it startlingly easy to surf through the world of prestige watchmaking. The refined, no-frills square case has a tactile screen that moves vertically and horizontally.
Louis Chevrolet – Homage to a Famous Racing-DriverAn exciting link between two arts – automobile construction and watchmaking – which have helped write mechanical history.
