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We can all agree that the year 2020 was massively horrendous for humanity but if you thought that would have affected the quality of watches that came out during this year's Watches and Wonders, think again. Here are all the watch trends we've picked up from these 2021 novelties.

In 2020, “everything that could go wrong went wrong,” FHH President Emmanuel Perrin tells me over a call. Jaeger-LeCoultre CEO Catherine Renier also tells me in a call that it was indeed a challenging year, but it had only made the brand stronger. Sentiments such as these are echoed by the various CEOs and top management that I’ve spoken to over the duration of the digital watch fair in April.

“It was really difficult at that time – in a way it’s almost scary to be in that situation,” says Renier. “But it turned out for us to also be a very strong moment of learning about our own agility and our capability to adapt to these types of situations. After that, you know, you’re a lot stronger.”

The watch industry is indeed a resilient one – it survived the Quartz Crisis in the ’70s and laughed off the “dangers” posed by the smartwatch revolution just a decade ago. What the global pandemic of 2020 has done was strengthen the industry’s resolve to share only the best of the best watches it could muster, and at this year’s Watches and Wonders, it certainly does seem as if it’s done just that.

It’s a simple formula really. When the going gets tough, keep your head down and do what you do best. The brands that focussed on pure and authentic expressions of their heritage, while embracing change and looking ahead, have only grown stronger. In times of crisis, timelessness, meaning, and reliability are what we look and strive for and we instinctively gravitate towards things that speak to those values.

This year, brands really took the time to reflect on their own portfolios and collections, and what we’re seeing is a more streamlined approach across the board. With decreased capacity, brands are forced to produce only the strongest designs – designs that they truly believe in – and it shows.

And so, it’s almost funny that in a year where you’d least expect to find discernible trends, we’d see so many new releases with green dials, starting with the most coveted, final version of the Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5711 that’s been released in a stainless-steel case with a gorgeous olive-green dial.

There’s also the fun and funky Rolex Datejust 36mm with a green palm-motif dial, Tudor’s gold Black Bay Fifty-Eight with a green dial and bezel and a display caseback, Pilot’s Chronographs by IWC in a new 41mm case and green-dial options, as well as TAG Heuer’s new Aquaracer in titanium, which comes with a green ceramic bezel and dial.

From Jaeger-LeCoultre, the Reverso Tribute Small Seconds, available in blue and burgundy, is now also in an elegant dark green. Piaget’s Altiplano Ultimate Concept is given green embellishments for a totally new look.

Props goes to Montblanc, which has even developed a new kind of gold – lime gold – that’s composed of a special alloy of gold, silver and iron for a distinct and appealing tint of jade green, paired with lime green cathedral hands and indexes.

And then there was the other kind of green, the sustainability kind, that in recent years has become an unavoidable topic in the world of luxury. Social responsibility, ethics and the environment are no longer separate departments within a company, but part and parcel of the brand. Leaders in this evolution – Chopard, Panerai, and Cartier – best express this in their offerings. Chopard pioneered this change in the past few years, first with making its collection with 100 percent ethical gold, and then with the launch of Lucent A223 recycled steel.

Panerai, too, has turned to recycled steel in its new trio of eSteel watches. The brand also made waves this year with the Submersible eLab-ID, constructed from EcoTitanium and claimed to be the watch with the highest percentage of recycled-based material ever made. Moreover, Panerai has revealed its list of suppliers for the watch in a bid to make watchmaking practices more circular and sustainable for the future.

Cartier’s relaunched Tank Must collection features the world’s first solar-powered luxury watch, with a movement called SolarBeat that won’t need to be serviced for 16 years. The watch also uses recycled gold and is a clear statement of Cartier’s dedication to making luxury sustainable.

Lastly, where would watchmaking be if it weren’t for innovation? Jaeger-LeCoultre has pulled out all the stops to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the revered Reverso. The new Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 Quadriptyque is the most complicated Reverso yet, boasting 11 different complications and 12 patents in an absolutely wearable case size.

Celebrating 175 years, Ulysse Nardin designed the UFO, a table clock that’s a modern tribute to the brand, encapsulating all of its horological achievements in one singular object – from the marine chronometers of the 19th and 20th centuries, to complex timepieces such as the Freak of 2001 and the Blast of 2020.

IWC’s Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL comes with the capability of protecting the movement from 30,000Gs in impact tests, Bulgari yet again sets a world record for the thinnest perpetual calendar, while Hublot establishes itself as the ultimate purveyor of sapphire with the Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire, a world-first with its integrated sapphire case and bracelet.

It would be impossible to list here all the amazing pieces we’ve seen during the two weeks of Watches and Wonders 2021, and you'll be able to read more of our watch coverage here. The world of watches has rarely been as exciting as it is now.

The post Watch Trends 2021: A Sign of the Times appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

In the blink of an eye, we've now entered March. Bulgari, Hublot, Zenith and TAG Heuer had given us a taste of what's to come for this year during LVMH Watch Week in January. And Watches & Wonders, to be hosted digitally this year, is just around the corner. What can we all expect?

We ask our industry experts to give us their take on what happened last year and what watches they're hoping to see in 2021. Carson Chan, Consultant for FHH for Greater China; Barbara Palumbo, a veteran watch journalist; and Peter Speake, an independent watchmaker and founder of The Naked Watchmaker, share their outlook.

How did you feel about 2020's watch offering and what do you hope for in 2021?

Carson: 2020 was a challenging year for everyone, including the watch industry. We (the industry) had to face multiple challenges including not having regular physical exhibitions, learning to present the novelties over the internet and spreading the launches throughout the year. All in all, it was difficult for almost everyone. The collection, however, is still quite decent - although many feel that 2020 novelties were less impressive - I believe this is due to having these launches spread all over the year, we don't get this punch in the face effect. But looking back, I'd say we have a nice collection under the circumstances. I hope 2021 will bring us more products that are in touch with collectors' desires/wishes. I dare to say, today, no one buys a watch because they need it, everyone buys watches because they want it, I wish brands can expand the consumers' "want".

Barbara: Personally, I felt that both indie watch brands, as well as the big players, provided the watch enthusiast community with a lot to be excited about in 2020, which, with most of the world on lockdown, was a welcomed emotion. Rather than drop the ball, brands like Breitling and Tudor found ways to make the releases of their novelties exciting, and with everyone already glued to their laptops and phones, it made it easy to see those releases quickly via various social media channels and websites.

What I hope, in 2021, is that some of the ways the watch community had to adapt to be able to stay in contact with one another don’t go away entirely once the vaccinations happen and everyone heads back out into the world. 2020 provided us a glimpse into the personal lives of some of the biggest names in watches. We got to see icons like Jean-Claude Biver and Maximilian Büsser talk to us from their living rooms via Instagram Live, and we witnessed collector groups such as RedBar or folks from popular watch podcasts such as Scottish Watches, gather and discuss the state of the industry via Zoom sessions. The watch community felt connected more than ever before, and in a global way, and I hope that it figures out how to keep that vibe going for 2021 and beyond.

Peter: For 2020 despite all of the problems companies suffered, many produced extraordinary products. The recent and future reality I believe will be that given the magnitude of the issues created by the situation, most companies will be forced to increase the value and creative aspect of products in general.

What emerging trends do you see (if any)?

Carson: Trends - under 40mm is arriving. Green is in. Salmon color is next.

Barbara: It appears that more brands are finally embracing using more responsibly sourced materials in the manufacturing of their watches, the straps they use, and also, the packaging. This should be a trend that every brand is on board with. Ethically mined gemstones exist, and the companies that use diamonds and/or gems in the creation of their dials, cases, and bezels, should seek those out. Fair mined gold and responsibly made steel has been used by Chopard for years now, and companies like H. Moser & Cie have made clear they are going to do all they’re able to leave a zero-carbon footprint. What I hope, is that while this may seem like a trend right now, it eventually becomes the norm. We watched Mother Earth heal a little during the pandemic. It would be great to keep that healing process alive.

It also seems that fewer brands are labeling their watches by gender, which is a good feeling, especially to those like me who are comfortable wearing a watch likely designed with a man in mind. I hope that’s a trend that will be around a while.

Peter: I don't follow trends as a whole, what I have noticed from my own looking glass, is an increasing number of watches in the sport-chic sector, I assume attracting a newer and younger clientele and a slowly growing top-end technical part of the market with products of ultra-high cost and extremely high technical and artisanal value.

What brand are you most excited for in 2021? Why?

Carson: This is tricky, all the brands I like excites me! Moser, AP, FPJ, Rolex, JLC, IWC, Omega, TAG, Bulgari, A. Lange & Söhne!

Barbara: Probably the brand I’m most excited about year after year, and that’s MB&F. While on a writer’s salary, I may never be able to afford one of their “machines,” they are, by far, the most exciting brand in modern history in my opinion. They create watches that, 30 years ago, no one would have ever had the guts to make, or even think about making, for that matter. And after their collaborations with H. Moser & Cie in 2020, they threw the door wide open for potential collaborations with other interesting brands. I mentioned to Max Büsser recently that getting his various press releases in my inbox during the pandemic where like little unexpected packages being delivered to me. I couldn’t wait to open the emails to see what exactly was inside.

Peter: So many to mention, ranging from micro-brands to the established brands. Parmigiani Fleurier, their Hijri QP was incredible… we are eager to see more from them, also Girard-Perregaux.

What do you want to see less of in 2021?

Carson: Less watches that uses "new age" material, where they just change the case into some "made up" material but its actually existing material. Or launch a new collection just using a different colour dial or hands. Definitely less Rainbow…..(please, enough Rainbows already).

Barbara: I may get myself in trouble for this, but the answer is most certainly that I’d like to see fewer stainless steel sport watches with blue dials (which is bit ironic, because I gifted my husband a stainless steel sport watch with a blue dial in 2020, but only because he asked for it).

I’d really love to see more brands do what Rolex did and get more creative with their dial colors. Blue was big, for a number of years now, but there’s a point where something that’s popular steps over the line into the realm of boring.

Peter: Less transient brands that bring little to the table but exist because they 'can' given the tools available to everybody today. More transparency from brands of all sectors and a growing appreciation of the need for education on all levels to assure coherent and informed understanding of the products the client is offered.

The post Watch Industry Experts Chime in on 2021 appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Brands are coming out with collections featuring thin watches, the colour blue, a focus on complications, right angles and smaller sizes.

The post The 5 luxury watch trends defining haute horlogerie in 2018 and 2019 appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

Brands are coming out with collections featuring thin watches, the colour blue, a focus on complications, right angles and smaller sizes.

For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.

Su Jia Xian breaks down the fleeting trends in haute horlogerie.

The post Why Your Status Symbol Watch May Not Be a Classic Tomorrow appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

Su Jia Xian breaks down the fleeting trends in haute horlogerie.

For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.