Watches & Wonders 2024 Roundup: Cartier, Piaget, Vacheron Constantin, Jaeger-LeCoultre
Magic's in the air as we look at timepieces complicated, ultra-thin and irresistably green.
Well folks, it's been another mad (albeit slightly quieter) dash at Watches & Wonders in Geneva. The show has ended a while ago, and we've finally caught our breaths. You've no doubt seen the parade of novelties; now here's our neat recap, starting with the exalted, followed by the stylish, and finishing with the daily dynamos.
Cartier says "Abracadabra!". This year, Cartier tackles time from the perspective of a magician. There are no smoke and mirrors here; the magic’s all real. For the first trick, one of the Maison’s great classics is transfigured into a modern marvel in the prestigious Privé collection: the historical Tortue returns in time-only and monopusher chrono formats, every bit as classy as the shapely original. Next up: an unexpected reversal, as the Santos-Dumont Rewind changes the course of time with hands that run counterclockwise on a carnelian dial. Finally, the Santos de Cartier Dual Time gives you two time zones, as if you’re in both locations at once. Voila!
The hot skinny on Piaget. What better way to celebrate 150 years of ultra-thin watchmaking than with yet another horological feat? The Altiplano Ultimate Concept returns, this time housing a flying tourbillon in its super svelte 2mm profile. It’s not simply a case of addition; Piaget had to reinvent the complication and redesign most of the watch components in order to fit everything into the sliver of space. It’s truly mind-boggling to witness the tourbillon doing its one-minute rounds in a wafer-thin wristwatch, held in place and driven by a peripheral ball bearing (bridges are an obvious no-go). Technical ingenuity in service of uncompromising slimline aesthetics — quite the anniversary achievement.
Vacheron Constantin presents a green paragon. From the world’s most complicated pocket watch to a concept piece that converges High Watchmaking, Haute Couture and High Perfumery, Vacheron Constantin has no shortage of headliners this year. But what captivated us was the intense green dials on the new Overseas models. The verdant hue is having a hot moment in horology, and with seemingly everyone trying to green up the wrist, Vacheron’s shade is arguably the best we’ve seen. According to the brand, the colour took five years to develop, and is lacquered and lavished with sunburst satin-brushing and velvet finishing for extra-potent brilliance. Paired with luminous pink gold, it’s hard not to be a little envious.
Jaeger-LeCoultre is no joke. In 2024, Jaeger-LeCoultre revisits the Duometre’s groundbreaking use of twin barrels to power time and complications separately. While the Heliotourbillon Perpetual may be the biggest flex from the “Watchmaker of Watchmakers”, we’re drawn to the Chronograph Moon and its expressive copper-tone dial instead. The new Calibre 391 unites a lightning-fast chrono with a crisp lunar display, arranging them into a smiling pantomime with two openworked sections on the dial. This adds a whole lot of charm to the serious horology involving unparalleled precision. An entirely new case with the suppleness of 19th century savonette pocket watches completes the experience.
