For the second year in a row, I made the pilgrimage to Geneva, Switzerland for the 2023 Watches & Wonders summit, a mecca for watch lovers, journalists, and collectors alike. Over the course of three crazy days I met with many of the top watch brands, from jewelry houses like Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels, to heritage watch brands like Rolex, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Patek Philippe, to fashion houses like Gucci and Chanel. This year I noticed a big focus on jewelry watches, and whimsical, colorful offerings—perhaps catering to a younger set of collectors and the expanding market of female buyers. There was also an emphasis on heritage and re-issued styles, which might be a nod to the burgeoning vintage watch market and archive-obsessed collectors. Check out some of the craziest, most luxe, and most interesting watches I saw at the summit, below.
Piaget High Jewelry Watch Cuff
This cuff watch from Piaget is inspired by the brand’s jewelry watches of the 1960s-70s, and it was one of my favorites this year. Each piece is hand-engraved, meaning no two watches are exactly the same. Personally I am partial to the turquoise version because of its versatility from day to night. Picture it with vintage denim—perfection.
Cartier originally released the Baignoire watch (named for the shape of a bathtub) in 1912. It’s been on my vintage-hunting wish list for quite some time, so I was very excited to see it reissued in many different models for 2023. This bangle version, which blends the world of jewelry and watches, made quite a splash at the show.
Hermès Arceau Hermès Watch
This hand-painted Hermès watch reimagines one of the house’s famous scarves for the TikTok era. Look closely and you’ll see that the princess atop the horse wields a selfie stick for capturing every movement.
Chanel Mademoiselle Privé Pique-Aiguilles
Inspired in size and shape by the pin cushions of the Chanel’s seamstresses, this domed, diamond-faced beauty sits large on the wrist.
Frederique…
Read the full article here
