As the "keepers of time", mechanical watches have an experienced elegance that stands peacefully beyond the flamboyant race of smart watches. Elegant and humble. Not turbulent, yet nevertheless persisting throughout time to triumph over time.
That is why the luxury watch exhibition Watches & Wonders 2022, which will take place at Palexpo Exhibition Center from March 30 to April 5, has piqued the interest of collectors all over the world. The event is a tour back in time from the past to the future, revealing an eye-catching, emotional feast of the mechanical and craftsmanship miracles of approximately 40 notable watch brands.
Geneva - The inception of mechanical watch drive your spiritual journey
Lake Geneva, the crystal sky, and the bustling city, with an overhead perspective of the Rhone River port and the snow-capped Alps. All images are from the Watches & Wonders 2022 teaser, a charming high-end watch industry expo in Geneva: Mechanical wristwatches have a tremendous appeal and are filled with pride for enthusiasts.
This year, Watches & Wonders is organized in two formats: in gallery and online, to exhibit extraordinary timepieces from 38 companies such as Patek Philippe, Rolex, Chopard, Hublot, TAG Heuer, Tudor and Chanel, Sinn, Louis Erard…
Not only with the presence of famous brands, Watches & Wonders 2022 is an opportunity to validate the skill of enthusiastic emerging businesses.
No limit for perfect handiwork to unleash creativity
Patek Philippe is stirring up worldwide collectors as the heart of the show. For the first time, two seemingly incompatible functionalities coexist on the same timepiece: Annual Calendar and Second Time Zone in Annual Calendar Travel Time. With up to 8 patents, this timepiece is a great demonstration of the art of craftsmanship. Another significant distinction is that Travel Time readily mimics complicated moves to show the precise time in local time rather than "home time."
An iPhone with the latest version might excite you, but that sensation will pass and be replaced by something else. With Patek Philippe watches,you possess the passion and love that remains constant and accurate despite life's ups and downs. This is exactly how the tourbillon works smoothly, virtually totally eliminating faults caused by gravity's impact.
Similarly, it is unusual to find a brand that deviates from the standard to manufacture watches as timeless as Hermès watchmaking artisans. The Hermès Arceau Le Temps Voyageur dial watch, inspired by the desire to see the world, is a fantasy voyage with the convenience of getting anywhere in a few steps. The beauty of time shows itself in hypnotic clarity when viewed through the orbit of the watch.
The Immortality of an opulent wristwatches
A masterpiece of art never goes out of vogue. That is why the Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 watch was chosen as the winner of this year's Watches & Wonders by foreign journalists.
The Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 is regarded as the masterwork of spirits seeking new experiences. The case, dial, and strap are all constructed of pure gold, and the bezel with engraved grooves is all delicate and careful, deserving of the title "wonder of marvels."
Historiques 222 was inspired by the original 222, which debuted in the 1970s. This year is also regarded as the "end of the era" of mechanical watches due to the quartz crisis and the debut of the low-cost battery-powered quartz movement. In just 13 years (from 1970 to 1983), approximately 1000 watch brands disappeared, including several well-known names. Nonetheless, Vacheron Constantin, the world's oldest watchmaker (more than 280 years), survived the crisis and has been revived in splendor till this day.
If the Historiques 222 was born in a time of crisis, the Chopard Alpine Eagle was born during the "recovery period" of mechanical watches. St. Moritz was founded in the 1980s, when Sir Karl-Friedrich Scheufele was only 22 years old.
The Alpine Eagle is a sports watch with a highly polished body and bezel that epitomizes Chopard's distinct style. The hour hands and indexes inside the dial are all constructed of rose gold plated with Rhodium and coated with Super-Luminova material for easy viewing in low light circumstances. The second hand is particularly created to be aesthetic while emulating the majestic "snow eagle" plume.
As the time goes on people become more impatient. However the ticking sounds like regular breathing, reminding us of our interests, aspirations, and ideals.
Is it for this reason that, despite all of the hard laws of elimination, mechanical watches continue to be revered by collectors?
