New Year, New Timepieces: Announcements from SIHH 2019
Every January, the watch world comes together for the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), a four-day show in Geneva, Switzerland that draws over 20,000 watch professionals, journalists and industry fans from around the globe.
We were lucky enough to attend this year’s show and witness the new models, collections and technologies that were unveiled. Check out just a few of the exciting novelties to come from our brand partners in 2019:
IWC Spitfire collection
IWC announced four new pilot’s watches making up their new Spitfire line – one of which commemorates Steve Boultbee-Brooks’ and Matt Jones’ upcoming flight around the world in a restored Spitfire. A special edition limited to 250 pieces, the Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Spitfire Edition “The Longest Flight” was created to assist the two men in their flight. TOP GUN and “Le Petit Prince” editions were also presented at the show.
Ulysse Nardin Freak X
The Freak collection by Ulysse Nardin has historically been one of the brand’s most popular and impressive. The newest iteration, the Freak X, is smaller (43mm vs. 45mm), features a traditional crown for time correction and a lesser price point compared to its predecessors. The Freak X Carbonium is the first timepiece to be made with carbonium, a lightweight material most commonly used in the aeronautics industry.
Parmigiani Toric Chronometre
The Toric was the first ever watch created by Parmigiani’s founder. The newest edition to the Toric collection features a brilliant hand guilloche slate dial that evokes the scales of a pinecone, an example of the Golden Ratio found in nature. Hand guilloche involves engraving the material to produce a repeating decorative pattern and is a complex technique that few manufacturers have mastered. The innovative new dial puts a unique spin on this classic timepiece.
If SIHH was any indication of the year to come, 2019 is going to be an unforgettable year for the watch industry. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and be the first to know when these new releases hit our flagship store.
About The Author: Scott Meller
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Scott joined Feldmar Watch Company, Inc. under the tutelage of his father, Sol. As a fourth generation family member, Scott’s forward-thinking business acumen has placed Feldmar on the cutting edge of the luxury timepiece market. Scott’s favorite part about working at Feldmar is being a part of his family’s multi-generational business and having worked alongside his father. His accomplishments are many, including the expansion and remodel of the Feldmar flagship store, as well as a second location inside The Beverly Hilton.
Since attending Santa Monica College, Scott has become an expert in the technical aspects of the timepieces sold at Feldmar. Each year, he travels to Switzerland—the watchmaking capital of the world—to attend the Baselword Watch & Jewelry Fair and build upon his extensive knowledge of this quickly-evolving industry.
Scott is very proud of the way Feldmar customers are put first: “We regularly go out of our way to meet the needs of our clients. A client once purchased a rather significant watch as a birthday gift for his brother who lived in New York. Our client asked how we were going to deliver the gift and we responded with the typical answer, we would ship it by FedEx. After we answered his question, we could tell that he wanted a more personalized experience for the delivery and offered to have it hand-delivered by one of our associates. He lit up at the thought, and so off went one of our associates to New York City for the day to hand-deliver the gift.”
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