Have a look on the recent past production, let's say the 20 past years.
It was the Reign of the Reverso, in the 90ies, with a shy, but interesting " resistance from the round cases at the same moment, with some nice watches, as the Master Géographique, the Master RDM, the Master Memovox and Reveil, the Perpetual Calendar, and a few others.
But, in the 90ies, it was the reign of the Reverso, undisputabily, as we saw an awesome series of RG Limited Edition, offering the most exciting complications, like the Minute Repeater, the Géographique, the Perpetual Calendar, or the ....Tourbillon.
It was an " unbalanced " production, somehow, where the most exquisite and exciting pieces were developed from a rectangular case.
In comparison, the Round cases from this era were much wiser, simpler, even if they were appealing, as you can see on this following summary:
From the simpler to the most complicated:
2 exquisite platinum watches...
With the years 2000, the landscape changes.
It is still the reign of " La Belle Horlogerie ", but in a dynamic way, more balanced between round and rectangular cases, rythmed by an incredible rythm, each year offering one or several marvels, and, since this moment, an impressive list of masterpieces, which can be considered as references, for some of them;
Beside this diversification, which saw the birth of some sporty watches, too, - a re birth, should I say, as JLC also made some sport watches in the 60ies, like Memovoxes ( Polaris and Deep Sea, for example ) or some Chronos, like the 4 ATM - it was the moment to play the card of Nostalgia, with the Tribute To Polaris, or the re introduction of the Memovox, this next year, in the Catalogue.
Here are some of the watches which will certainly stay in everyone's ( or almost everyone ) mind:
Some new Reversos came into life:
Those who adopted the XGT Case, like the 70eme, which was the first one:
And which is to be considered as the Mother of all the XGT Cases on the market till nowadays.
Some Reversos came in a platinum GT case, like the Nr 1 and 2:
Curiously and sadly, we never had any platinum Reverso Nr 3, but we saw the birth of the Squadra Family, and a ulrtra complicated Triptyque:
And what to say about the ... Gyro Tourbillon II?
The pure madness came with Round watches:
Beside a wise but nice offer like these models which were born in the 90ies, we saw MANY new models.
The Sporty Watches arrived, with the first of them, the Master compressor Memovox, in 2002:
Or the Extrem World Compressor, in 2005: ( credit pic: Jester )
And, of course, the Diving watches coming back ( NSA, Tribute To Polaris or the technical Pro Géographic )
These sporty watches are " surfing " between Tradition and Modernity, between Nostalgy and technicity, indeed.
As we're speaking about sport watches, a new concept was born, in 2004, whic is called...
Amvox!
Here again, the " Maitre Mot " or " Leitmotiv " is Charm, Sport, Originality, and Luxury.
Alarm, Chrono, Tourbillon... To each his own, and for some of the greediest among us, to them ...All!
But the most amazing is the ability for " La Grande Maison " to imagine, conceive and release so many pure Masterpieces.
Judge by yourself:
From the pure Innovation, with the Extrem Lab ( the 1st oil free watch introduced in 2007, with the U.N Innovison ) :
To the watch of the all the superlatives, the Hybris Mechanica à Grande Sonnerie ( 2009 ) :
We had so many moments of pure happyness!
Remember the Gyro I ( 2004 ):
The MMR, launched in 2005 ( Antoine Lecoultre - the platinum version ) :
Or the Titanium version, which goes farer in the exhibition of this traditional complication, in 2006:
Without forgetting the splendid Duometre à Chronographe, also released in 2007, one of the nicest chronos of the current production:
The fine art of enamelling wans't forgotten with such pieces as the MMR email grand feu ( 2009 ) or the Reverso à Eclipses ...
Nor the fine horology in its simplest but not less beautiful expression, with the latest MUT in 2008:
How many brands can assume such a delightful diversity?
Now that the SIHH is in only one month, what are you dreaming of?
What would be your dearest wishes?
Let's openly share our dreams!
Best to All,
Nicolas This message has been edited by amanico on 2009-12-22 00:35:44 This message has been edited by Dje on 2009-12-27 12:00:29