Horological Meandering

foversta
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My selection of the year

I would like to share with you my selection of the year. Of course, as any selection, it is not perfect but it gathers the watches which seduced me, which impressed me the most. Maybe some have "better" alternative but these ones are the first which popped up in my mind. It is more the heart, the passion which speak than a cold analysis of the pros and cons of each watch.

There is no specific order in this list... maybe a chronologic one from January to December when I discovered them.

During the SIHH, the watch which impressed me the most was the Millenary 4101. At least AP took advantage of the specific Millenary case. And what about the movement with its specific balance inertia, its enhanced frequency and the whole regulating organ located dial side? This watch is now on top of my wish list!



Let's stay at the SIHH with Lange. My fav Lange of the year is the Saxonia Thin. Lange has entered a new territory with this watch. It gets an unusual dial design and the handwind movement shows more than the 3/4 plate ones. A very charming watch.



During the crazy week in Geneva, I was totally captivated by the De Bethune DB25T. For two reasons. First one is the beauty of the watch. Second one is the hypnotizing contrast between the dead-beat second hand and the high frequency movement. I will come back to it.



The Basel Fair is a totally different world: the best can be in close contact with the worst. This strange mix creates a sort of excitement, of spice.

During the Fair, my heart went to the Independants.

For example, I really liked the Grönefeld One Hertz which puts in the center of our attention the large second hand and its unusual behaviour. The original movement layout also convinced me a lot.



And what about the Ari from Eva Leube? This watch gave the proof of her superb talent. Which is outstanding is not the case shape. It is the movement shape. A lot of watchmakers had the will to create a similar movement which main issue is the transmission of the energy and the interaction between the parts. Eva Leube achieved this challenge. Huge congrats to her.



Simultaneously, Harry Winston unveiled a new collection with the objective to fill a gap in the catalogue. The Midnight collection uses the potential of the Midnight case to offer elegant, thin watches. Amongst the 4 watches of the collection, my fav one is the Midnight Big Date and its discreet diamond on the dial. After all, Harry Winston is the king of diamonds!



In May and June, I was very fortunate to be able to wear the UR-202 S thanks to the Urwerk team. This watch is heavy but comfortable thanks to the efficiency of the bracelet. But this bracelet made by Maspoli is more than a pure functional accessory. It extends the design of the watch, it completes the work by Martin Frei. It was very difficult for me to gave it back... I had a lot of pleasure to wear it.



The SIHH and Basel fair don't concentrate all the novelties. Now, it occurs more and more often that new watches are unveiled during the second half of the year. We can highlight 3 watches which were presented after the summer.

First one is the LM1 by Max Büsser and Friends.  Max Büsser  created with the LM1 a new concept: the retro-neo, the UFO which could have been created by the watchmakers of the XIXth Century. A fascinating watch, so Max, so attractive! If we compare it with the HM4, we are able to find some similarities. I will come back to them!



A lot of people were expecting Greubel Forsey on new fields. OK guys, you are the true masters of the complicated Tourbillons. But what about another complication like the second timezone display? And they managed to do it: to redesign it, to go beyond the classic way to imagine it. A true 3D complication.



The Spirit Pioneer by Peter Speake-Marin is more than a watch: it is a tribute to the hard life of independant watchmakers in a crisis context. The Spirit Pioneer reminds  the first steps of Peter and gives us a message of hope. It is the reason why this watch has so much value.



I would like to finish my selection with a special watch: the DB10 Réédition. I was totally surprised by this watch when I first saw it in January. De Bethune is a true lab of ideas with a constant will to innovate. And what occurred   with this DB10? They looked back at their past. This unusual process made the DB10 so special... and so original in the current De Bethune collection due to its classicism!

I was so seduced by it that I bought it when I discovered it. I got it several months ago, in September and I haven't regret my purchase... I enjoyed each second I spent with it.



I know that selection is not flawless. Some watches would deserve a lot to enter it. But you know, my heart spoke and that's the most important!

Have a nice end of the year!

Fx

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