The new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph in rose gold
4 Hot New Watches from Sihh 2017 & Similar Pieces to Buy Now
Among the snow-capped Alps, the watch industry’s best and brightest unveiled their wares at this year’s Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie show in Geneva. Over the course of a five-day luxury showcase, Swiss watchmakers including Audemars Piguet, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Piaget revealed their new models for 2017 to the usual chorus of accolades. And while most of these new watches won’t be available for purchase right away, we’ve got similar models from the same top brands (at lower prices) ready to wend their way onto your wrist. And rest assured: our watchmakers inspect every watch we sell, guaranteeing that you’ll get the real thing.
Audemars Piguet
Left: The new Audemars Piguet Frosted Gold in white gold Right: The new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph in rose gold with blue dial
Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak collection has been a pillar of the brand for over 40 years. Its octagonal bezel and hefty bracelet offer a sporty accent on classic craftsmanship that has reached cult status among collectors. A favorite of LeBron James and Serena Williams, the brand is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Royal Oak Chronograph with seven new models, all featuring two-tone dials. Subtle changes include larger subdials and the relocation of the date window to between 4 and 5 o’clock. For the ladies, there’s the Royal Oak Frosted Gold, crafted in either 18k white or yellow gold. With a new frosted finish developed by Florence-based jeweler Carolina Bucci exclusively for AP, this dazzling number is available with either an automatic or a quartz movement. Shop Audemars Piguet.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 18K Quartz Watch, $9,495; Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Watch, $5,995; Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 18K Watch, $9,995
IWC
Left: The new IWC Da Vinci Moon Phase 36 in rose gold Right: The new Limited-Edition IWC Da Vinci Chronograph “Laureus Sport for Good Foundation” in stainless steel
2017 is the year of the DaVinci collection at IWC, with new models in both men’s and women’s pieces. Scott Eastwood, Hilary Swank and Dev Patel were on hand to celebrate the launch at a lavish party in Geneva hosted by the brand. The new watches straddle that delicate line between iconic and contemporary, now returning to the classic round case shape. The new DaVinci Automatic 40mm has a deliberately simple design aesthetic featuring Arabic numerals on the dial. The timepieces range from time-only watches up to a perpetual calendar. The DaVinci Automatic 36 collection is dubbed a unisex model, with many pieces that will appeal to women, and offers snazzy features like diamond-encrusted bezels and moon phases, all with automatically-wound mechanical movements. Colorful strap options on some models enhance the watch’s female appeal. Shop IWC.
IWC Automatic Watch, $2,575; IWC Portuguese Watch, $4,695; IWC Da Vinci Watch, $1,995
Jaeger-LeCoultre
The two dials of the new Jaeger Le-Coultre Reverso Tribute Duoface in rose gold
The iconic Reverso is nearly synonymous with Jaeger-LeCoultre, and was originally created for polo players, who could flip the dial and leave the metal caseback facing upwards to protect the watch from impact. Last year marked the 85th anniversary of the Reverso, and the brand continues to produce new models in the Tribute collection, including this year’s top-notch offerings. The new men’s Reverso Tribute Duoface features contrasting dials in an 18k rose gold case. The top dial has a silvered grey finish, displaying the home time; the reverse side features an anthracite grey dial, and displays a second time zone with a day/night indicator. Shop Jaeger-LeCoultre.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Duo Watch, $3,695; Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Watch, $12,500; Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Watch, $6,195
Piaget
Left: The new Piaget Altiplano Manual-Winding 38mm in white gold Right: The new Piaget Altiplano Self-Winding 43mm in white gold
Piaget is a master of ultra-thin movements and very slim watches, and the company’s 20P/Lassale Caliber 1200 is the thinnest hand-wound movement ever made. The light-as-air feeling of the super-slender Altiplano watch belies the incredible craftsmanship beneath its dial. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Altiplano, and two new limited-edition pieces were unveiled at SIHH: the Piaget Altiplano Self-Winding 43mm and the Altiplano Manual-Winding 38mm. Both are crafted of 18k white gold and feature blue dials. Shop Piaget.
Piaget Altiplano Watch, $6,495; Piaget Altiplano Watch, $3,375; Piaget Altiplano Watch, $10,345
