Any other industry fresh from a 10 per cent downturn in 2016 might be more inclined to hunker down and take stock. But after four days spent in the thronging halls of the Baselworld fair, gazing at every brand’s multistorey pavilion, it is clear that luxury watchmaking isn’t about to tone things down. After all, in a world where time is told perfectly well by the phone in your pocket, Switzerland is in the business of selling emotions and stories, through beautifully made products, built to last for generations.
Two short years of slowdown, after an exuberant growth stoked by the Chinese boom, are hardly going to suppress something founded on its very longevity. That said, watchmaking is still a commercial enterprise, and the industry does seem to have changed tack in a highly positive fashion. Out with outrageous limited editions, gold carbuncles and pantomime complications; in with core-collection consolidation and future-proof innovation, or back to the old school with welcome doses of nostalgia.
Rather than the “shrink-pink” treatments of men’s watches, women are better served than ever. Even smartwatches are starting to make sense, now that we’ve established that they’re not a threat to traditional horology. Ten years ago, it was all about bling and one-upmanship. In 2017, it’s about making an informed purchase, safe in the knowledge that here is a timepiece that will tick for far longer than any flighty trend or economic wobble.
Click to see the top 10 men's watches and the top 10 women's watches launched at Baselworld 2017.
To vote for your favourites, head below:
