Five watches that made waves at Geneva Watch Days 2024

In its fifth edition, Geneva Watch Days (GWD) has come a long way from August 2020 when it was launched by its six founding members — watch brands Breitling, Bvlgari, De Bethune, Girard-Perregaux, H Moser & Cie, and MB&F. An exhibit-cum-celebration of watchmaking, the event was held across various locations in Geneva, from hotels like Beau Rivage, Fairmont, Angleterre, Ritz-Carlton and Woodward, to boutiques of watch brands like Breguet, Blancpain, and Breitling. It had a common pavilion though — at the lakefront promenade in the backdrop of the city’s largest fountain Jet d’Eau — where all the 52 participating brands converged for discussions on horology and to display their new collections.

Held between August 29 and September 2, the five-day event is testament to new trends in horology. We hand-pick five must-watch timepieces from over 100 that were showcased at GWD 2024.

Tuned to tick: Bvlgari Octo Roma Grande Sonnerie Tourbillon

Bvlgari, the Swiss luxury watchmaker with a Roman soul, stunned the world with not just one but three chiming watches, the most complex one being the Grande Sonnerie that chimes with four hammers. The chime of the Octo Roma Grande Sonnerie features the minute repeater where its four hammers mark time with a tune composed by Swiss-Italian conductor Lorenzo Viotti. This timepiece, equipped with an innovative open-worked metal dial, reinvents the melody by adding the tritone, a characteristic interval of classical music. This marks a deviation from the linear Westminster chime, the world of four-gong chiming watches used for centuries.

Price: CHF 936,000, limited to five pieces only

Fly high: Breitling Navitimer B19 Chronograph 43 Perpetual Calendar 140th anniversary

Breitling continues to celebrate its 140th anniversary with the launch of a special calibre that marks its entry into the world of perpetual calendars and equips three flagship models — Premier, Navitimer, and Chronomat. The new calibre promises no adjustment of date even in leap years and comes with an impressive 96-hour power reserve. Each of the flagship anniversary models are limited-edition 140 timepieces. While all the three models are driven by the B19 calibre, they represent different worlds.

We choose the quintessential pilot’s watch — the Navitimer B19 Chronograph 43 Perpetual Calendar 140th Anniversary. The Navitimer series combined a chronograph with the circular slide rule flight computer, that is synonymous with Breitling. Though originally developed in 1952 for members of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Navitimer quickly found favour with a broader audience that liked the world of aviation. The anniversary edition features a stunning 18k red-gold dial and the famous slide rule in black. The alligator leather strap with contrasting top stitching and a 18k gold folding buckle complete the look.

Price: CHF 55,000

Art meets science: De Bethune DB28xsAérolite

The dial of De Bethune’s new launch, DB28xs Aérolite, features a random guilloché pattern, harmoniously contrasted by the geometric lines of the Muonionalusta meteorite. Crafted from a meteorite, the DB28xs Aérolite celebrates Nature. Historically, watchmakers needed to deliver precision timepieces that are comfortable to wear and capable of withstanding extreme conditions. The DB28xsAérolite, with its miniaturised DB2005 calibre maintains impeccable chronometric quality while being incredibly light, thereby improving its resistance to shock and acceleration. A case in 39 mm black zirconium, paired with a blue meteorite dial symbolises the meeting of earth and sky, and of ancient craftsmanship and technological innovation.

Price: CHF 105,000, limited production

Playful rebellion: H Moser & Cie and Studio UnderdOg collaboration on Passion Fruit

H Moser & Cie and Studio Underd0g made a huge statement this summer by combining forces of the opposites to converge on a single aesthetic embodied by the humble passion fruit. It’s a set of two watches sold together — Moser’s Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Passion Fruit and the 03Series Passi0n Fruit by Studio Underd0g, where watchmaking innovation plays second fiddle to playful rebellion. Both watches, devoid of logos, remain unmistakably distinctive. The Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Passion Fruit showcases H Moser & Cie’s signature minimalism and complex simplicity while the Studio Underd0g 03Series Passion Fruit features a Swiss-cam operated mono-pusher chronograph movement.

The Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Passion Fruit features a striking combination of a purple lacquered sunburst dial and a Maracuja Grand Feu enamel dial on a 18k yellow gold base with a hammered texture. The 03Series Passi0n Fruit boasts a coarse dégradé amber and royal purple multilayer dial, striking a perfect balance between elegance and exuberance. A touch of green on each timepiece, symbolises the seed of passion, within each one of us.

Price: CHF 59,000, limited to 100 pieces each

Back to the future: Favre Leuba Deep Blue Revival

The biggest news of GWD 2024 was the relaunch of the second-oldest watch brand in the world, Favre Leuba. The brand’s long history with India and a few false starts in the recent past ensured enough pre-launch buzz. With 22 references under three commercial lines, Favre Leuba did not disappoint. To mark the 60th anniversary of its iconic watch, Deep Blue, Favre Leuba introduced the Deep Blue Revival. It draws inspiration from the design of the original timepiece and improves on the technical aspects.

The case, 39 mm in diameter and 12.75 mm in thickness, is designed and built for a water resistance of up to the depth of 300 meters (100 metres more than the 60s model). All the professional dive watch boxes are ticked, including the unidirectional rotating bezel for calculating and monitoring no-stop dive times. The solid case back, engraved with the Favre Leuba 1737 and hourglass emblem, is identical to its historical predecessor.

With a sunray-finished grey dial adorned with baton-shaped indexes from the original design, Favre Leuba ensures excellent readability for the timepiece. The indexes and hands, subtly filled with egg-shell coloured Super-LumiNova reminiscent of the radium used back then, evoke a vintage charm while guaranteeing remarkable legibility at all times, day, or night. The distinctive green glow in the dark enhances the watch’s unique identity and retro appearance. The steel bracelet, too, stays true to the original design with its five-link construction featuring triangular links.

Last but not the least; the Deep Blue Revival is powered by La Joux-Perret’s automatic G100 movement, ensuring a generous 68-hour power reserve.

Price: CHF 2,250